The Bossier City Council has moved forward with rule changes that would strengthen property standards enforcement, improve court processes, and increase administrative fees against violators. The Council passed an ordinance on first reading that amends Chapter 46 of the Bossier City Code of Ordinances, which includes sections like noise, junk, and fee schedule rules that deal with nuisances like overgrown weeds, trash, dilapidated buildings, and blight.

Key Changes

The ordinance increases financial consequences, broadens city leaders’ power to clean up the city, gives more citation authority to Bossier City Police, and streamlines enforcement against property owners who chronically violate standards. The new measures are intended to advance economic development initiatives, according to the ordinance.

Chris Smith, a Bossier City council member, stated that the update is a significant upgrade to the current property standards code, addressing how members of the Administrative Court are replaced. The new rules will expand the Administrative Court’s roles and responsibilities, increase fees, strengthen enforcement, and improve the ability to hold repeat offenders liable.

Under the general penalty section, the violation of any provision of the code is punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 60 days, or by both, within the discretion of the court. The ordinance also establishes new administrative fees: $250 for property abatements and $250 for each inoperative vehicle.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.