§9091.5. Lake Vista Crime Prevention District

            A. Creation. There is hereby created within the parish of Orleans, as more specifically provided in Subsection B of this Section, a body politic and corporate which shall be known as the Lake Vista Crime Prevention District, referred to in this Section as the "district". The district shall be a political subdivision of the state as defined in the Constitution of Louisiana.

            B. Boundaries. The boundaries of the district shall be the center line of Allen Toussaint Boulevard, Marconi Drive, Beauregard Avenue, and Lakeshore Drive.

            C. The purposes of the district shall be to aid in crime prevention and to promote and encourage security in the area included within the district.

            D. Governance. (1) The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners, referred to in this Section as the "board", consisting of seven members as follows:

            (a) The board of directors of the Lake Vista Property Owners Association shall appoint two members.

            (b) The member or members of the Louisiana House of Representatives who represent the area which comprises the district shall appoint two members.

            (c) The member or members of the Louisiana Senate who represent the area which comprises the district shall appoint two members.

            (d) The member of the governing authority of the city of New Orleans who represents the area which comprises the district shall appoint one member.

            (2) All members of the board shall be residents of the district.

            (3)(a) Members shall serve four-year terms after initial terms as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph.

            (b) One member shall serve an initial term of one year, two shall serve initial terms of two years, two shall serve initial terms of three years, and two shall serve initial terms of four years, as determined by lot at the first meeting of the board. Vacancies resulting from the expiration of a term or any other reason shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment. Members shall be eligible for reappointment, but no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

            (4) The members of the board shall select from among themselves a president and such other officers as they deem appropriate. The terms and responsibilities of officers shall be as provided by the bylaws of the board.

            (5) The members of the board shall serve without compensation and shall not receive reimbursement for expenses.

            E. Powers and duties. The district, acting through its board of commissioners, shall have the following powers and duties:

            (1) To sue and be sued.

            (2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.

            (3) To receive and expend funds collected pursuant to Subsection F of this Section and in accordance with a budget adopted as provided by Subsection G of this Section.

            (4) To enter into contracts with individuals or entities, private or public.

            (5) To acquire, purchase, or lease items and supplies which the board deems instrumental to achieving the purposes of the district.

            (6) To perform or have performed any other function or activity necessary for the achievement of the purpose of the district.

            F. Parcel fee. The governing authority of the city of New Orleans is hereby authorized to impose and collect a parcel fee within the district subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection.

            (1) The amount of the fee shall be as requested by duly adopted resolution of the board. The fee, which shall not exceed four hundred dollars per parcel per year, shall be imposed on each improved or unimproved single- and two-family residential parcel and each multiple-dwelling or apartment parcel located within the district. The owner of the parcel shall be responsible for payment of the fee.

            (2) For purposes of this Section a single- and two-family residential parcel is defined as a lot or lots on which only one main house is situated and has not more than two municipal addresses. A multiple-dwelling or apartment parcel is defined as each lot in any square that is reserved for multiple-dwelling or apartment use.

            (3)(a) The fee shall be imposed only after the question of its imposition has been approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district who vote on the proposition at an election held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. The amount of the fee may be changed by duly adopted resolution of the board, not to exceed the maximum amount authorized in this Subsection. No other election shall be required except as provided by this Paragraph.

            (b) The fee shall expire at the time provided in the proposition authorizing the fee, not to exceed eight years from its initial imposition, but the fee may be renewed as provided in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph. Any election to authorize renewal of the fee shall be held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. If the fee is renewed, the term of the imposition of the fee shall be as provided in the proposition authorizing the renewal, not to exceed eight years.

            (4) The fee shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ad valorem taxes are collected by the city.

            (5) Any parcel fee which is unpaid shall be added to the tax rolls of the city and shall be enforced with the same authority and subject to the same penalties and procedures as unpaid ad valorem taxes.

            (6) The city of New Orleans shall remit to the district all amounts collected not more than sixty days after collection. However, the board may enter into an agreement with the city to authorize the city to retain, as a collection fee, not more than one percent of the amount collected.

            G. Budget. (1) The board shall adopt an annual budget in accordance with the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act, R.S. 39:1301 et seq.

            (2) The district shall be subject to audit by the legislative auditor pursuant to R.S. 24:513.

            H. Miscellaneous provisions. (1) It is the purpose and intent of this Section that any additional security patrols, public or private, or any other security or other services or betterments to be provided by the district shall be supplemental to and not in lieu of personnel and services to be provided in the district by the state or the city of New Orleans or their departments or agencies or by other political subdivisions.

            (2) If the district ceases to exist, all funds of the district shall be transmitted by the board to the city of New Orleans, and such funds, together with any other funds collected by the city of New Orleans pursuant to this Section, shall be maintained in a separate account by the city and shall be used only to promote, encourage, and enhance the security of the area included in the district.

            Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 67, §1, eff. April 18, 2002; Acts 2012, No. 417, §1, eff. May 31, 2012; Acts 2025, No. 306, §1, eff. June 24, 2025.