There have been many battles lately involving drainage issues in Lafayette.

Court battles, more specifically.

The Homewood Detention Pond

Judge Valerie Gotch-Garrett ruled against them earlier this year and said LCG's taking of the Bendel Family's property "was made arbitrarily, capriciously, or in bad faith." This involves 372 acres of land on Homewood Drive owned by Bendel Partnership that is on the Vermilion River at its confluence with Coulee Ile Des Cannes, as pointed out by Claire Taylor of The Advocate.. 

That case is still pending.

Josh Guillory and Chester Cedars
Lafayette Mayor President Josh Guillory and St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, TSM
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The Spoil Bank Involving St. Martin Parish

In July, Judge James D. Cain Jr. dismissed Lafayette Consolidated Government's suit, saying LCG's claims against St. Martin Parish were legally premature. As KPEL News reported in March, LCG fired the first legal salvo as they took the Vermilion River spoil bank controversy to the 15th Judicial District Court, asking a judge to rule that LCG "complied with all lawful regulations, ordinances, rules, procedures and laws with the spoil bank project, and specifically, request(ing) a judgment that no permit was required by the Corps for the project as the revised proposal that was implemented did not fall within Corps jurisdiction." LCG removed the spoil bank on St. Martin Parish-purchased property.

St Martin Parish has filed a suit against LCG asking LCG to restore, replace, and reconstruct the spoil bank it "illegally" removed.

That case is in federal court.

Lake Farm Road Detention Pond Project, Facebook via Josh Guillory
Lake Farm Road Detention Pond Project, Facebook via Josh Guillory
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The Lake Farm Road Detention Ponds

In August, the State of Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Lafayette Consolidated Government appropriately acquired the land on Lake Farm Roads to build detention ponds. But a writ application - the request for an appeal to the higher court - was filed to the Louisiana Supreme Court challenging the case.

Louisiana Supreme Court (commons.wikimedia.org)
Louisiana Supreme Court (commons.wikimedia.org)
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Well, the state’s highest court has denied the writ application, which means the ruling from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals stands.

I have always believed in the process,” Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory said. “We will continue to act in the best interest of our citizens and fight to protect lives and property, especially when it comes to flooding. This is a win for Lafayette, and we will continue to improve drainage and reduce flooding in our watershed.”

To read the writ denial, visit https://www.lafayettela.gov/docs/default-source/legal-documents/22-1533-c-action.pdf?sfvrsn=54271754_2.

The History Behind Lafayette's Street Names

We drive them on a daily basis. Some are smoother than others. Some we use more frequently than others. Some randomly start, end, and/or change names. They're the streets of Lafayette. The names behind many of these streets have interesting histories. We take a look at where those names come from and the impact their namesakes have had on the city and the parish.

Seven Forgotten Facts About Lafayette

The area now known as downtown Lafayette was first settled 200 years ago. While the street grid of that original settlement is the same as it was then, the rest of the city has grown and changed exponentially. Let's take a look at some of those changes by taking a look at some of the forgotten facts in Lafayette history.

Lafayette Stores Your Parents Shopped At That Are Gone Now

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately, and when I get that feeling I often will browse the photos in the different collections on the Lafayette Memories Facebook page.

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