2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 33 - Municipalities and Parishes
RS 33:9091.2 - The Garden District's Security District

§9091.2. The Garden District's Security District

A. Creation. The Garden District's Security District, hereinafter referred to as the "district", is hereby created in Orleans Parish.

B. Boundaries. Boundaries of the district shall be that area bounded by and including both sides of Carondelet Street, Jackson Avenue, Magazine Street, and Louisiana Avenue.

C. Purpose. The district is established for the primary object and purpose of promoting and encouraging the security of the Garden District.

D. Governance. (1) In order for the orderly development and effectuation of the services to be furnished by the district and to provide for the representation in the affairs of the district of those persons and interests immediately concerned with and affected by the purposes and development of the area, the affairs of the district shall be managed by the district's board of directors, hereinafter referred to as the "board". The board shall consist of eleven members as follows:

(a) The president of the Garden District Association shall be a member.

(b) The board of directors of the Garden District Association shall appoint five members.

(c) The board of directors of the Magazine Street Merchants Association shall appoint one member.

(d) The board of directors of the St. Charles Avenue Association shall appoint one member.

(e) The mayor shall appoint one member to the board.

(f) The state representative whose representative district is defined in R.S. 24:35.4(A)(91) shall appoint one member from a list of nominations submitted by the Garden District Association.

(g) The state senator whose senatorial district is defined in R.S. 24:35(5) shall appoint one member from a list of nominations submitted by the Garden District Association.

(2) Appointees to the board shall be residents of the district.

(3) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the board's secretary. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the official custody of the board.

(4) The duties of the officers shall be fixed by bylaws adopted by the board. The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable for conducting its business affairs. It shall hold regular meetings as shall be provided for in the bylaws and may hold special meetings at such times and places within the district as may be prescribed in the bylaws.

(5) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall make them available through the board's secretary to members of the district.

(6) The members of the board shall serve without compensation.

E. Plan. (1) The board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a plan or plans, such plan or plans and the plan provided for in Subsection F of this Section being hereinafter referred to collectively as the "plan", specifying the public improvements, facilities, and services proposed to be furnished, constructed, or acquired for the district, and it shall conduct such hearings, publish such notice with respect thereto, and disseminate such information as it, in the exercise of its sound discretion, may deem to be appropriate or advisable and in the public interest.

(2) Any plan shall include:

(a) An estimate of the annual and aggregate cost of acquiring, constructing, or providing the services, improvements, or facilities set forth therein.

(b) An estimate of the aggregate number of mills or fees required to be levied in each year on the taxable real property within the district in order to provide the funds required for the implementation or effectuation of the plan for furnishing the services specified and for capital improvements, or both.

F. Taxing authority. (1)(a) The city council of the city of New Orleans is hereby authorized to levy and collect the special taxes or fees, as authorized by the district, as hereinafter specifically provided for a term not to exceed eight years, in the same manner and at the same time as all other ad valorem taxes on property subject to taxation by the city are levied and collected, a special ad valorem tax not to exceed nineteen mills or fees upon all taxable real property situated within the boundaries of the Garden District's Security District. The tax or fee herein authorized shall be levied and collected only after the question of its imposition has been submitted to and approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting on the question at a regularly scheduled election to be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Louisiana Election Code. No such tax or fee shall be levied until a plan requiring or requesting the levy of a tax or fee is finally and conclusively adopted in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this Section.

(b) The tax or fee may be renewed subject to the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.

(2) The proceeds of said tax or fee shall be used solely and exclusively for the purpose and benefit of the district; however, the city may retain one percent of the amount collected as a collection fee. Said proceeds shall be paid over to the Board of Liquidation, City Debt, day by day as the same are collected and received by the appropriate officials of the city of New Orleans and maintained in a separate account. Said proceeds shall be paid out by the Board of Liquidation, City Debt, solely for the purposes herein provided upon warrants or drafts drawn on said Board of Liquidation, City Debt, by the appropriate officials of the city and the treasurer of the district.

G. Budget. The board of commissioners shall adopt an annual budget in accordance with the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act, R.S. 39:1301 et seq. The district shall be subject to audit by the legislative auditor pursuant to R.S. 24:513.

H. Miscellaneous provisions. (1) The district shall have the power to acquire, to lease, to insure, and to sell real property within its boundaries in accordance with its plans.

(2) The district may enter into a contract with the New Orleans Police Department or with a private security company which has been certified by the superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department for the provision of security patrols in the district.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, no tax or fee authorized herein shall be levied until the maximum amount of the tax has been approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting on the question at a regularly scheduled election to be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Louisiana Election Code.

Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 86, §1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 1078, §2; Acts 1999, No. 1233, §2; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 104, §1, eff. April 18, 2002.