Gov't
Just the Facts: Roundabout Delay
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By Dave Freneaux
Last week attorneys and the CCSS School Board met to resolve a property dispute that has delayed the completion of the roundabout at the entrance to the new school complex on Sullivan Road. There have been rumors about the cause of the delay, but answers were not available because of potential litigation. With the issue now settled, here are just the facts about the delay:
The disputed property is .05 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection of Sullivan and Gurney, where the roundabout is being constructed. The approximate fair market value of the property is $2,500 according to the School System's legal counsel. The School Board has authorized a $14,000 settlement to purchase the property and be granted a released from all claims by the property owner.
In 1966 EBR Parish made improvements to Gurney Road at Sullivan Road, the intersection where the new roundabout is now being constructed. In that 1966 process a Right of Way was granted by property owners and paid for by EBR Parish. Included in this agreement was the right to construct roadway 40 feet on either side of the center line of the road. In addition, a "site clearance" right of way was granted over the property that has been in dispute. The "site clearance" simply means that the property owner was prohibited from constructing anything that would obstruct the view of the intersection at that corner.
When the roundabout was engineered, the surveyor hired by the Central School System laid it out using as much of the school's property as possible and attempted to avoid any need to exercise eminent domain to purchase private property. It appears that in this process the assumption was made that the roundabout could be constructed on the .05 acres in question. Several weeks ago the property owner asserted that the roundabout was being built on private property. The School System requested a "right of access" to allow construction to continue while the dispute was being settled, but the parties were unable to agree to those terms.
While no party, for legal reasons, has made a written statement acknowledging responsibility, it appears that the School System operated in good faith and believed that the roundabout was not affecting any private property. At the same time, it is also apparent that there was no construction right of way for disputed property, and that the property owner simply asserted her rights in the matter. With the delays solved, the roundabout is estimated to be completed in approximately two weeks, weather permitting.
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