The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury has extended the timeline to take action on updating its code of ordinances related to drainage, allowing for two more months of public input.

The Parishwide Drainage Liaison Committee on Tuesday pushed the comment period until Sept. 30, with the full Police Jury not taking final action until Oct. 19. The Police Jury was initially scheduled to take action on the proposed changes Aug. 24.

District 14 Police Juror Hal McMillin urged residents to share their thoughts on the proposed changes to the development codes.

“Let’s not waste these two months,” he said. “We need to move forward with something that will make a real impact with our drainage. The people of Calcasieu Parish are tired of waiting.”

Parish Administrator Bryan Beam said parish staff believe the updated ordinances are “needed soon.” But, he said, staff understands that residents need enough time to digest all the details in the draft plan.

Allen Wainwright, public works director, said the draft was revised after an internal review and feedback from local stakeholders. It reduced the changes from 40 pages of the 200-page drainage chapter in the parish’s code of ordinances, to 17 pages. The updated draft is available online at www.cppj.net.

Some of the changes include revised language for runoff management, along with reduced design and survey requirements. The grading plan was also revised to address concerns with the up-front costs developers may have to pay to prevent water draining into other developed property.

Matt Redd, president of the Alliance for Positive Growth, said they want a task force of engineers, contractors, and city and gravity drainage district officials to meet and discuss the parishwide drainage problem.

“We do feel the ordinance is necessary,” he said. “It’s just the right time and the right ordinance. Why not have a free set of advisers?”

District 6 Police Juror Dennis Scott said Calcasieu Parish “has been a task force” since it began analyzing how to improve drainage three years ago. Beam agreed, saying the parish has also sought out public input over the last several months.

Sulphur Mayor Chris Duncan expressed the city’s desire to work with the Police Jury on the ordinances. He spoke about the need to clean out ditches, and how some residents don’t want theirs cleaned.

Charlie Atherton asked the parish to consider a long-term drainage master plan. He said the existing proposal and its drainage-impact fee would affect landowners financially.

“Our concern with these proposed drainage ordinances is we basically feel we are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic because the ship is sinking,” he said.

Wainwright said drainage problems are hard to fix in areas that are already developed.

“That’s the bottom line,” he said. “It’s the reason why you do good standards. I don’t want to stop growth and development, but we have to quit hurting ourselves.”

Tommy Eastman asked the panel if there has been a study on how the proposed ordinances would impact the economy. He voiced concerns over how they could increase the cost of property and make it difficult for residents to find affordable housing.

District 7 Police Juror Chris Landry said the proposed changes are less strict than those already in effect in Lafayette, Mandeville and St. Tammany Parish, where development hasn’t stalled.

“They’re still selling houses and building businesses there,” he said.

The timeline also calls for another drainage committee meeting Oct. 5, followed by a parish zoning board meeting Oct. 17.