Sure it's ugly, but at least you won't have to mow the lawn!
Sure it’s ugly, but at least you won’t have to mow the lawn! photo: Karen Gadbois

Somebody call 311!

Thanks to Lens reader Kurt Buchert for sending in photos of this recent Uptown paving violation—a 100-percent disaster.

Construction was nearly complete and a certificate of occupancy was in process when the city sent out an inspector. The official reaction: Not so fast.

The city says the certificate of occupancy hinges on jackhammering the cement, which was being poured last week. photo: Kurt Buchert

The inspector’s report cites the “100-percent” front yard paving job and notes that it deviates from the plan submitted. The upshot: “No C of O until remedied.”

With the paving in progress last week, Buchert said he reported the issue via the city’s 311 hotline, then made follow-up calls to various city agencies and to City Councilwoman Susan Guidry, the District A representative.

The inspection report was filed Monday, Sept. 17.

I’m counting on Buchert to continue updating us as progress is made—or isn’t—in the removal of the cement landing pad.

Neighbors may find it simply hideous. (Skateboarders may disagree.) But in a city as prone to flooding as New Orleans, leaving some open landscape to soak up rainwater is kind of a no-brainer.

Karen Gadbois co-founded The Lens. She now covers New Orleans government issues and writes about land use. With television reporter Lee Zurik she exposed widespread misuse of city recovery funds and led...

5 replies on “Another cement lawn, but this one gets cited by city inspector”

  1. Gawsh, what a beauteee-ful home! Seriously, it would fit right in on Cleary Avenue with a “Title Loans / Cash for Gold” sign on it. Bulldoze the whole thing and start over.

  3. Regardless of personal taste all parties loose in this situation, due to lack of education and equally enforced inspections around the entire city. This could have easily been overlooked in another part of town. These issues could be resolved through education, community awareness, and code enforcement focused on the need for increasing permeable land surfaces (and trees, rain gardens, permeable pavers!!) in all neighborhoods. Ms Judie: Mention of section 8 in this context only further judges and stereotypes people from disadvantaged socio-economic classes.

  5. This is all over the city. We have a 4plex in RS (Lakeview) with four parking spaces and the concrete parking lot barriors as the front yard. All houses on that block are Single Family. The owner is an illegal HANO DBE with connections.

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