As new roadways open up unincorporated Lafayette to future commercial development, the parish's mayors are expected to begin discussions on how to divvy up the treasure. The Lafayette Council of Governments, an intergovernmental organization comprising the top elected executives of Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott, Youngsville and Lafayette Consolidated Government as well as the Lafayette Parish School Board, will meet Thursday evening in Duson.
The main topic of discussion - annexations - comes at a critical time for the parish and could prove to be a touchy subject. Just this week the city of Lafayette, through the City-Parish Council, rescinded and then voted to reannex Les Vieux Chenes Golf Course and Fabacher Field in south Lafayette Parish. The CPC originally voted on April 26 to acquire the land, but the city of Broussard threatened a lawsuit, accusing LCG of not adhering to the state's public-notice law. The CPC also approved an introductory ordinance Tuesday to annex more than 200 acres along the Ambassador Caffery South extension, a causeway much-coveted by Broussard, Lafayette and Youngsville.
While Ambassador South has embroiled Broussard, Lafayette and Youngsville in a race to annex, the future extension northward of Ambassador through parts of Carencro, Lafayette and Scott could also lead to future squabbles over annexations. COG Chairman Jay Castille has said he hopes COG meetings can serve as a means of defusing tension among the municipalities and establishing an amicable means for the parish's towns to grow.
The COG meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at 300 2nd Street.