[StBernard] Council Members to Propose Buyout Areas

[Westley Annis]

Lynn Dean please stop with your remarks, we have had enough.


>----------------------------------------

>-----------------------------------------------------

>Council Members to Propose Buyout Areas March 7 , 2006

>By: Steve Cannizaro

>

>

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------

>-----

>----

>

>St. Bernard Council members to propose areas for Hazard Mitigation 

>grant program land buyouts and long-range recovery plan

>

> 

>St. Bernard Parish Council members on Tuesday will discuss several 

>proposals for recommendations to the state for hazard mitigation 

>program land buyouts and other long-range recovery plans.

> 

>Under the state hazard mitigation grant program, which involves the 

>voluntary sale of the property by the owner, there is a 75-25 percent

match.

>Owners would receive 75 percent of their land value from the federal 

>money that comes through the state and the local government would be 

>responsible for the rest, but would ask the owner to contribute the 25 

>percent match through an in-kind donation.

> 

>Properties mitigated would remain green spaces afterward. 

> 

>The St. Bernard Council must recommend projects it wants the Louisiana 

>Recovery Authority to consider funding. The state has the final say-so 

>on disbursement of money. The Council will vote on recommendations at a 

>public monthly meeting at 11 a.m. Tuesda in the white and brown tent 

>behind the parish government complex.

> 

>A Citizens Recovery Committee has presented numerous ideas and 

>recommendations for projects, which were discussed in several meetings 

>the last week of February. Now it's time for the Council to put 

>together its recommendations to the state.

> 

>At a committee meeting of St. Bernard Council members on Monday 

>evening, it was agreed that hazard mitigation proposals to be discussed 

>at Tuesday's regular meeting will include possible recommendations for

buyouts:

>

>- Along the east side of the Chalmette Vista Canal to include the 

>Village Square apartments from Patricia Street to the Chalmette Centre 

>shopping strip service alley and the corridor from West Judge Perez 

>Drive to the 40 Arpent Canal.

>

>- Along the east and west banks of the De La Ronde Canal from Judge 

>Perez Drive to the 40 Arpent Canal; primarily the right-of-way on the 

>east side of the canal would be used.

>

>- The Daniel Park area including Daniel Drive and Stacie Drive in 

>Violet, to the 40 Arpent Canal.

>

>- Bartolo Drive in Meraux from East Judge Perez Drive to the 40 Arpent 

>Canal. Also, several homes at the end of Munster Drive, just west of 

>Bartolo, would also be considered for inclusion.

>

>- On the West side of Gallo Drive from Wisconsin Street o the 40 Arpent 

>Canal and the west side of Pecan Drive from Michaigan Street to the 40 

>Arpent Canal.

>

>- Also, Council member Mark Madary said he wants to hold a 9 a.m. 

>meeting this Saturday, March 11, in the Council Trailer Office behind 

>the parish government building for residents of Benjamin Drive and 

>Cougar Drive in Arabi to discuss possible buyouts under the hazard

mitigation program.

>

>Council members said there isn't any truth to rumors residents won'tl 

>be allowed to live north of Judge Perez Drive.

> 

>However, at Tuesday's meeting the Council will discuss areas where 

>habitual flooding over the years makes rebuilding homes impractical without

changes.

> 

>Council Vice Chairman Joseph DiFatta Jr. said he has spoken to numerous 

>people whose homes were heavily damaged in Hurricane Katrina and would 

>welcome having their property expropriated "for the good of the 

>parish'' if they were to receive proper compensation. Ones he has spoke 

>with "know their property is destroyed,'' he said. "Most of those folks 

>are agreeable'' to a buyout.

> 

>Council member Craig Taffaro Jr. said he realizes residents are anxious 

>to be given specific directions on land use. "They want answers.''

> 

>Council chairman Lynn Dean objected to proposals to mitigate the area 

>containing the Village Square apartment, saying it smacked of racism 

>because so many of the residents there were blacks and of other races.

>

>

>

>