A truck fire has reignited a dispute over a neighborhood barrier

Crime scene tape now stretches in front of a concrete barrier that for years has prevented pedestrian and vehicle access on a brief length of roadway dividing two neighboring high-end rural neighborhoods south of Opelousas.

The cement obstruction rests on private property, according to a 2017 declaratory ruling by a state district judge. But some residents from the Shawnee Farms and Shawnee Hills subdivisions claim it was placed there intentionally and clandestinely by St. Landry Parish government.

Despite the court decision that the barrier cannot be removed, the contentious issue of whether the barrier lies on a private or public roadway has been discussed numerous times in parish government meetings since developers for the subdivisions began mapping residential plots in 2005.

Parish government maintains the maze of paved roads crossing areas of Shawnee Farms, Shawnee Hills and The Ranch developments is considered private — except for the short piece of roadway that contains the barrier and by court decree.

St. Landry Parish Council members have thought in recent years that the court judgment should have sufficiently ended the dispute, but recently, Shawnee Hills’ resident Alexis Thomas told a council committee that first responders were delayed from extinguishing a truck fire Dec. 31 at her home due to the barrier.

Thomas’ address last week sparked another round of debates between council members and residents of both neighborhoods about whether to lift the barrier or allow it to remain on a 30-foot length of paved roadway where the barrier has been placed.

Any future issues with emergencies, Thomas told the committee, could be prevented by removing the barrier between the developments.

After listening to arguments presented by residents from both subdivisions, the committee took no action on the matter. However, members asked council attorney Garrett Duplechain to again review all the developers’ plans for the Shawnee Hills, Shawnee Farms and The Ranch areas.

Duplechain told the committee that he thinks any future issue about whether the barrier resides on a public or private road, should be handled in court because it is a civil matter involving an ongoing property quarrel.

A regular meeting agenda issued by parish government this Wednesday does not list any discussion of the controversial matter.

St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard told the committee that in his opinion, the judge’s ruling should stand.

“I have copies of the plans for both subdivisions and I know the history of this issue,” Bellard told the committee. “I also know what is in the (council meeting) minutes since this matter has been discussed. I also got a copy of the judge’s ruling and everything that I have seen says parish government does not own the road.”

Bellard added that if it will help matters, parish government could place signs in front of the barrier, which already has a nearby stop sign as the obstruction is approached from Seminole Lane in Shawnee Hills.

Residents from both developments have appeared before the Council several times over the past decade and claimed they have evidence contained in developers’ plans that show the road should be opened and declared a public roadway. Others have said they feel that it was the intention of developers all along to block off the road in order to keep the subdivisions distinct and separated.

Council member Jerry Red Jr. told the committee that if any roadway is declared closed, there should be a cul-de-sac at the end, providing a definitive way of indicating the short stretch of pavement could be not be accessed any further.

Although the council should adhere to the judge’s ruling, Red said, the case could be reopened in either the lower or appellate courts if there is new information that can be provided.

However, Duplechain told Red the window for granting a new trial has long passed and the judge’s decision was based on the information that was presented by both parties during the civil trial four years ago.

Residential developers own the land in subdivisions they plan to develop until the property is purchased for private ownership, Duplechain said.

“At the start of any development, the developer owns all the land. The developer can sell some of it and keep some of it. This happens all the time,” Duplechain added.

This article originally appeared on Opelousas Daily World: Opelousas neighborhood barrier focus of renewed dispute