Kayouche Coulee focus of joint effort between City Council, Police Jury
Kayouche Coulee
The city of Lake Charles is teaming up with the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and several gravity drainage districts on an effort to prevent flooding like what happened during Hurricane Harvey from happening again.
Lake Charles City Council members on Wednesday approved entering a cooperative endeavor agreement for studies related to the Kayouche Coulee lateral, the source of major flooding during Harvey east of town in the Greinwich Terrace and Greinwich Village areas.
The studies will include an evaluation of the coulee’s pumping station and consideration of a proposed retention site near Aquarius Drive, said city Planning Director Mike Huber.
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They will also look into an offer made in December by a local man to sell 80 acres of his land on Farm Road to the city for use as a regional detention basin.
The total cost of the studies will be about $150,000, Huber said. The city’s portion will be $43,000.
“We think it’s money well spent,” Huber said.
Councilman Rodney Geyen has spearheaded efforts to address last year’s unprecedented flooding from the coulee during Harvey, meeting with residents about their concerns and mediating recovering efforts.
“The main thing is we want to make sure this never happens again,” Geyen said.
Mayor Nic Hunter thanked Geyen for his efforts, saying he wishes things could move faster.
“I wish that we could act overnight to fix these problems, but we have to rely on science and engineering,” Hunter said.
Councilwoman Luvertha August emphasized the importance of acting on the results of the study and not letting plans fall by the wayside.
Charlotte Waymire, manager of the Concerned Citizens of Calcasieu Parish Facebook page, urged government to move quickly on changes since storm season is approaching. Already, she said, waters have reached the bank this year during a heavy rain.
“We still need this,” Waymire told the council. “We’re still working out there, and the last thing we want is for it to happen again.”
RV park
The council deferred action on a request to rezone 50 acres on the north side of Highway 90 East from industrial to light manufacturing to allow for the construction of a 242-unit RV park after council members voiced concern about overbuilding in the area.
Councilwoman Luvertha August said residents are concerned about the city’s lack of a master plan for housing developments and worry the area will be saddled with a bunch of rundown RV parks after the economic “boom” passes.
She called the park “basically a man camp on wheels” and said the council should “look long and hard at this” before casting a vote.
August also voiced concern that the city isn’t being properly compensated for RV parks, and asked officials to look into options for collecting money in addition to property taxes on such developments.
“I don’t think we’re looking to the future enough with this,” August said.
Councilman Stuart Weatherford asked officials to look into whether the city could charge sales taxes on the park as it does hotel rooms.
August made a motion to defer, and it passed 6-1, with councilman John Ieyoub voting against.
The ordinance should come before the council again at its next regular meeting on May 2.
‘I wish that we could act overnight to fix these problems, but we have to rely on science and engineering.’
Mayor Nic Hunter
Commenting on joint effort for studies related to Kayouche Coulee