Orchard Park Drive no-parking ordinance fails after residents object

The St. Martin Parish Council on Feb. 3 considered but ultimately failed to adopt an ordinance that would have prohibited parking on Orchard Park Drive.

Council Member Vincent Alexander moved to defer Ordinance Summary No. 1536-OR; residents who had come expecting a vote, including Andrew Babineaux, Patrice George and Kenneth Girod, urged the council not to defer. The motion to defer failed for lack of majority. When the council later took the ordinance up, the item failed to receive a majority and was not adopted.

Residents said they had traveled to the meeting to speak on the issue. Kenneth Girod asked the council to limit any no-parking restriction to the beginning portion of the road rather than the entire length; Patrice George referenced a petition she had presented at the prior meeting opposing the signs; and Andrew Babineaux suggested alternative solutions to prevent vehicles from blocking driveways without instituting a blanket no-parking rule.

Council Member Vincent Alexander told the council he had supported Public Works27 recommendation for a full-street no-parking restriction for safety reasons, but the motion to adopt failed and the council recorded no approval. The meeting minutes record that the ordinance failed for lack of a majority vote.