Parish Council will see ordinances condemning Plantation Inn, changing rules for traffic control

Newly elected St. Mary Parish Council Chairwoman Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink will gavel a meeting to order for the first time Wednesday, when the council will get a look at ordinances condemning the Plantation Inn in Bayou Vista and changing the way decisions about placing stop signs are made. Rink was elected to the chair at the Jan. 12 meeting.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Parish Courthouse in Franklin.

The agenda includes possible introduction of an ordinance by Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista, who was re-elected vice chairwoman Jan. 12. That's the ordinance that would condemn the fire-damaged Plantation Inn, 815 U.S. 90, because it is in "a dilapidated and dangerous condition which endangers the public welfare." The ordinance would order the hotel's demolition with 60 days.

Scott Ramsey of Bayou Vista also hopes to introduce his traffic sign ordinance. At the Jan. 12 meeting, Ramsey pulled back a proposed ordinance that would have removed stop signs from Jupiter Street at the intersection with Columbus and removing stop signs from Universe at the Saturn-Universe four-way stop.

Hidalgo objected to the ordinance, saying the signs are needed to protect children at bus stops as well as seniors who live in the area. She presented petitions from neighborhood residents hoping the signs will remain.

Ramsey pointed to state and federal traffic control guidance that say stop signs aren't a good way to control speed, and that too many stop signs lead to noncompliance. Ramsey said he would return with an ordinance requiring traffic control changes to be reviewed by an engineer.