The Mayor and City Council of the City of Gretna Met This Day December 8, 2003 at 5:30 P s1

OFFICIAL MINUTES OF

CITY OF GRETNA

Gretna, LA

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Mayor and City Council of the City of Gretna met this day on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 5:30 p.m., in regular session with the following members present: Mayor Ronnie C. Harris; Council Members: Jonathan C. Bolar, Belinda C. Constant, Vincent E. Cox III, Wayne A. Rau and Ricky J. Templet.

Absent: None

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Notice of the meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Gretna, scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, 2007 was published in the Thursday, November 8, 2007 edition of the Gretna Times-Picayune, and posted on the bulletin board in front of Gretna City Hall.

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A silent prayer was offered after the roll call and thereafter the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America was recited.

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Mayor Harris recognized the newly renovated council chambers and stated that Gretna City Hall will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary. He recognized Councilwoman Constant’s efforts and her hard work in spearheading the chamber renovations.

Councilwoman Constant stated that the renovations project began 12 weeks ago. She stated that the project was completed due to the efforts of many volunteers. She recognized the volunteers and their contributions and presented plaques to Mr. Pete Vicari, Mr. Stewart Perk from Pert Carpeting & Draperies; Mr. Pete Rudolph and city employee, Mr. Roland Labauve. Councilwoman Constant also made a personal gift to Mr. Labauve and his wife Debra.

Mayor Harris recognized Mr. Labauve’s 20-years of dedicated service to the city. He thanked Council Members Constant, Cox, Templet and Rau, Marsha and Gary Madere, Jo Duhe and Judy Sullivan for their efforts in this project. He reported that this afternoon the newly renovated council chambers held a mobile workshop attended by 65 mayors and council members from across the nation. He chaired the workshop and spoke about the volunteer spirit that exists within the Gretna community (Farmer’s Market, Art Walk, Gretna Heritage Festival, David Crockett Volunteer Fire Company, the BMX Track, etc.).

Councilman Templet also thanked Councilwoman Constant and everyone involved in the renovations of the council chambers. He expressed that he was very impressed with the restoration of the chambers to its original décor.

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On motion by Councilman Rau and seconded by Councilman Cox, IT WAS RESOLVED to approve the October 10, 2007 regular meeting minutes and the same was unanimously approved.

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Mayor Harris stated that Mrs. Lydia Jemison, Jemison and Partners, Inc., were requested to do a study on cost considerations for the proposed Timberlane annexation. He believed that the result of the study would aid the council in making an informed decision regarding the proposed annexation. He reported that one week ago, the City of Gretna received petitions and certification letters from the Assessor and Clerk of Court regarding Timberlane residents’ interest to be annexed into the city limits.

Mrs. Lydia Jemison, President of Jemison and Partners, Inc., provided the results of the study on the proposed annexation of Timberlane subdivision as follows:

Executive Summary

The purpose of this study is to consider the feasibility of annexing the Timberlane Subdivision into City of Gretna boundaries with a thorough examination of the benefits and costs of such action. An operational analysis was conducted to determine responsibility for public services to be provided to Timberlane under the annexation. Roles are clearly delineated for the City of Gretna and the Parish of Jefferson. Detailed costs are estimated for services proposed to be the responsibility of both the city and the parish.

Any annexation in Jefferson Parish is controlled by Louisiana State Statute R. S. 33:172.1, which contains procedural and other standards.

· The statute requires an annexation petition with more than 50% of the registered voters certified by the Registrar of Voters and a majority of property owners reflecting more than 50% in the value of the property within the annexation area. The Assessor for Jefferson Parish is presently reviewing the resident owner petition.

· The area proposed for annexation must be continuous and adjacent to the territorial limits of the municipality. Timberlane is located adjacent to the City of Gretna and meets this geographic requirement.

Findings from the demographic investigation utilizing U. S. Census 2000 data define the population of the Timberlane Annexation Study area as 1,023. The current racial composition of the study area is 91% White, 4% Asian and 3% Black or African American. The population of Gretna is anticipated to increase from 17,423 to 18,446 should the annexation be approved. Racial composition in the city is anticipated to shift slightly with the annexation, with the most significant increases in the White population (9.47%) and the Asian population (8.29%).

Property rolls from the Jefferson Parish Assessor’s Office indicate the study area contains 551 properties.

Existing zoning in the study area is under the jurisdiction of the Jefferson Parish Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Property in the study area is primarily Single Family Residential (R-1A) with Mixed Use Commercial Corridor District (MUCD) in place in commercial areas on Enterprise Drive and the Belle Chasse Highway.

The majority of land use in the study area consists of low density single family residences situated on large lots and a country club, which conforms to permitted use regulations set in R-1A. The prevailing development pattern in Timberlane exceeds the minimum lot area standard set in R-1A. The Belle Chasse Highway also contains some R-1A. Belle Chasse Highway was originally developed as more rural in nature, with agricultural farmlands and single-family residences. Over time, Belle Chasse Highway has transformed into a heavy commercial suburban corridor serving as a major transportation arterial connecting Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes.

The MUCD is intended to provide a superior means for developing mixed uses along major transportation corridors through landscape and buffer requirements, general design standards and special sign regulations. The MUCD offers flexibility, allowing selected permitted uses to be integrated into a unified plan. The MUCD was not in place when Enterprise Drive was developed into the mixture of offices and warehouses it is today. The area contains little or no landscaping and generally does not meet MUCD requirements. MUCD, however, was in place on the commercial development that took place on Belle Chasse Highway west of Enterprise Drive and near Timberlane Drive. These commercial centers adhere to the landscape, design and sign standards of the MUCD.

Although Gretna presently has existing zoning districts (R-1 and C-2) that could cover the commercial and residential areas described above, it is recommended that the City explore the creation of new zoning districts that better conform to zoning in the area presently in place. Additionally, consideration of new residential zoning districts that require larger lot areas and yards are also recommended to help protect the existing development pattern in the Timberlane study area.

The table on the following page summarizes the proposed tax millage structure with annexation by public service. The existing total Jefferson Parish tax millage rate is 107.97 mills. The proposed total millage rates with the annexation are 91.09 mills for Jefferson Parish and 30.62 mills for the City of Gretna.

Proposed Tax Millage Structure with Annexation

Jefferson Parish / City Of Gretna
Public Service / Tax Millage Rate (mills) / Public Service / Tax Millage Rate
(mills)
General / 1.68 / General alimony / 5.25
Library maintenance / 5.55 / Ambulance services / 6.28
Health unit / 2.01 / Police protection / 11.00
Juvenile detention home / 3.55 / Recreation / 4.26
Coroner’s Office / 0.56 / Social Services for the Aged / 0.50
Forensic medical facilities / 1.0 / Street Lights / 3.33
Transportation system / 1.59 / Total Gretna Millage / 30.62
Transit for the disabled / 0.79 / Jefferson Parish Tax Millages Not Charged:
Consolidated Garbage District #1
Consolidated Recreation CCPD
Consolidated Road Light District
City of Gretna Tax Millages Not Charged:
Fire Protection
Sewer Maintenance
Sheriff / 8.28
Consolidated Sewerage D #1 East West / 4.43
Fire District # 5 / 18.0
Consolidated Water District #1 / 4.08
Consolidated Water District #1 / 0.35
Consolidated Drainage District #2 (SELA) / 4.43
Consolidated Drainage District #2 / 4.91
Public Improvement Bonds Drainage / 2.39
School Board / 2.91
School Board / 9.0
School Board / 11.0
West Jefferson Levee District / 4.58
Total Jefferson Parish Millage / 91.09

The Jefferson Parish Assessor has assessed the total value of property in the Timberlane Annexation Study area at $14,633,650. The proposed Jefferson Parish millage of 91.09 mills with the proposed annexation will generate $1,332,979. The proposed City of Gretna millage of 30.62 with the proposed annexation will generate $448,082.

The study includes a comparative analysis of tax millages by typical home value to give the reader an idea of property tax under a number of scenarios, including present taxes, tax millage amounts with annexation for property with the homestead exemption and for property with no homestead exemption.

The total estimated annual revenue with annexation is $655,971. The total estimated annual cost with annexation is $550,000. The estimated total net annual benefit is $105,971.

The conclusion of the study is that the proposed Timberlane Annexation will benefit the city. Despite the estimated $105,971 annual net benefit, dollar for dollar the annexation is anticipated to be revenue neutral. The cost of city services that are not yet determined will be based on actual services rendered. The cost of these services may consume some or all of the net benefit.

The real value of the proposed annexation is the 5.87% boost it will give Gretna in population size. State and federal assistance programs are normally based on population counts, and this increase in demographics could help the city secure additional funding to meet the needs of its constituents. In this age of shrinking communities, Gretna would do well to seize the opportunity to increase its size.

Action Items Needed to Execute the Annexation

· City of Gretna ordinance approving the Timberlane annexation

· Jefferson Parish ordinance approving the annexation

· Cooperative endeavor agreements between the City of Gretna and Jefferson Parish detailing government operations with annexation including fire protection services

· Water and sewer servitudes for repairs and maintenance

· Change in garbage billing in favor of the City of Gretna

I. Purpose and Introduction

The Timberlane Annexation Study is a comprehensive assessment of the proposed annexation area study including the following:

· Geographic description of the boundaries of the study area with a map

· Background and process of state regulations relative to the annexation of property

· Demographic overview of the study area including an analysis of population and racial composition, housing, income and employment data

· Analysis of existing zoning under Jefferson Parish relative to zoning regulations in the City of Gretna Code

· Operational analysis of public services with annexation, clearly delineating responsibility of services either for City of Gretna or Jefferson Parish with the annexation

· Comparative analysis of the city tax structure versus the parish tax structure under existing conditions and with the proposed annexation

· Analysis of the total annual revenue and costs for the city with the annexation

· Conclusions and Recommendations

II. Boundaries of the Study Area

The Timberlane Annexation Study Area is located adjacent to the southern part of the City of Gretna and is generally bounded by Belle Chasse Highway to the north, Timberlane Drive, the golf driving range for the Timberlane Country Club and the rear property line of Marlene Drive to the east, Bayou Fatma to the south and the Whitney Avenue and Verret (Trapp) Canals to the west. The following map depicts the Timberlane Annexation Study Area.

Figure 1. Proposed Timberlane Annexation Study Area

III. Annexation Background and Process

This chapter reviews state law controlling annexation, including the legal requirements for formal petition, geographic standards, municipal and parish procedures, and special election standards. Pertinent sections of the Louisiana State Statutes that apply are thoroughly examined relative to the proposed Timberlane annexation. Required municipal and parish legal instruments are also noted. A summary of the annexation process in the form of a flow chart appears at the end of the chapter.

State Regulations

Louisiana State Statute R.S. 33:172.1 deals with territorialannexation in Jefferson Parish. Section A of that statute says no ordinance enlarging the boundaries of a municipality shall be valid unless the governing body has first been presented a petition containing thewritten assent of more than 50% of the registered voters, as certified by theregistrar of voters,and a majority of the resident property owners reflecting more than 50% in value of the property within the area proposed to be annexed as certified by the Assessor. The Registrar of Voters and the Jefferson Parish have both certified the petition as meeting the respective requirements for this section.

Section B of the statute says that no Jefferson Parish annexation shall be valid unless the area to be annexed is continuous and adjacent to the territorial limits of the municipality. Timberlane is located adjacent to the City of Gretna and meets this geographic requirement.

Section C discusses the form requirements for the petition(s) to be valid, including a description of the general area to be annexed. The Timberlane petition meets this requirement.

Section D describes the notice requirement for the filing of the petition and adoption of the ordinance. If the City of Gretna follows normal operating procedures relative to notification and publication of its ordinances to be introduced and adopted, this requirement will be met.

Section E provides that an annexation in Jefferson Parish shall consist of one or more voting precincts which are contiguous and adjacentto the municipality and prior to the City enlarging its boundaries, the annexation shall be submitted to the registered voters residing in the precincts proposed to be annexed in a special election called for that purpose by the municipality. A majority of the voters must vote in favor of the annexation in order for the annexation to take effect.