Bossier City · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bossier City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Road and drainage project progress
The lone bid for the intersection project came in at $1.52 million versus a $948,638 estimate — about $567,000 over. The council wants to know the city's share after grants and police jury contributions before deciding.
438 Hamilton Road dilapidated mobile home
A family used a manufactured home as a caregiver residence until the patient died in 2024, then sought to keep it while saving to build a site-built home. Neighbors argued subdivision covenants never allowed mobile homes and that allowing it invites future requests. The board denied the exception and set a 120-day removal deadline.
Emergency sewer repairs on Voss Drive and Central Park lift station
The city had to fix a collapsed sewer main and a failed manhole on an emergency basis, spending nearly $389,000 combined from the sewer contingency fund.
Blight cleanup progress at Hall, Joannes and Jacquelyn Streets
The council worked through nine condemned or deteriorating houses, ordering four down and giving extensions to owners showing progress. These cases affect neighborhood safety and property values.
2027 city budget and Community Development restructuring
The council got its first look at next year's budget, which closes a $1.8 million deficit through roughly $3 million in cuts — including folding the Community Development department into another department. Councilwoman Ross fought the change, worried residents will lose a familiar point of contact for grant help like wheelchair ramps, but the $500,000 in federal grant money and its programs will continue.
Rural King store at former Sears, Pierre Bossier Mall
Rural King's first Louisiana store is headed to the old Sears building at Pierre Bossier Mall, with outdoor equipment and building-material displays in the parking lot. The conditional use approval was the last step before closing on the property; the store could open in late 2027.
Meadowview Park Splash Pad
The city nearly closed the long-running pool but instead struck a one-year deal with Rock Solid Athletic Club, which runs Shreveport's pools, to operate it this summer with a citywide swim-lesson program. It's a pilot to see if the pool can stay open without draining city resources.
Comprehensive plan and unified development code rewrite
The Planning Commission asked the council to pull the item hiring Halff Associates to update the city's comprehensive plan and unified development code, so that work is on hold.
Golden Meadows Drive storm drain replacement
Crews are replacing a failing box culvert and storm drain near Bayou Drive; the road should be passable by end of day with repaving to follow.
Gas station/c-store at Forest Hills Boulevard and Highway 80
Forest Village LLC wants to lift a self-imposed ban on fuel sales at an already B-3-zoned corner, adding an Exxon c-store. Residents of the 540-home Forest Hills subdivision packed the hearing over traffic, flooding, crime, and notification concerns, though the developer says a new signal — at its expense — will cut the intersection's five-minute peak delays to under a minute.
The Row I and Row II Economic Development Districts
The council created two districts covering the East Bank District, Boardwalk and casino corridor as the framework for a possible 2% sales tax to fund security, infrastructure and destination-building. No tax is imposed yet — that would come as a later vote. Critics questioned why registered voters were excluded from district maps and why casinos hold three board seats versus one for East Bank small businesses.
$15 Million Bond Refinancing
The council approved refunding the Series 2026 sales tax bonds and is moving to pay off the 2014 and 2015 LCDA bonds early with $9.95 million. Together these refinancing moves are projected to save taxpayers about $3.5 million in interest over ten years.
Child care shortage in South Bossier
A new daycare and physical therapy facility is one step closer on 9.92 acres at Barksdale and Robert E. Lee. Commissioners noted the area's need for child care, especially for military families, but the site will generate about 150 drop-off and pick-up trips twice a day, so a traffic study is required before the city council decides.
$25 million BUILD Grant for East-West Corridor
The long-speculated East-West Corridor road project just landed $25 million in federal funding. Right-of-way acquisition is starting, beginning on the Benton Road segment and running to Winfield Road.
Shreveport Transit Authority funding gap
Without an extra $305,532, bus service would have been cut before the fiscal year ends. The council amended the 2026 General Fund budget to keep current service levels.
Benton Road/Douglas Drive traffic safety and 2290 Benton Road rezoning
The Wunnenbergs' chiropractic office rezone is back after a city council denial; the neighbor across the road says traffic near the Big B Parkway interchange is already unsafe and asked for a traffic study.
Infrastructure Capital Fund from Sales Tax
The city now has a dedicated pot of sales tax money earmarked for infrastructure — a way to set aside cash for roads, drainage and other capital needs before they're needed.
Benton Road office warehouse rezoning denied
A plan to rezone 1.837 acres on Benton Road for office warehouses will get a full public hearing, with screening walls planned between the development and nearby residences.
2026 Ad Valorem Tax Levy
The council finalized the 2026 property tax ordinance, keeping millages at current rates with no roll-forward. Property owners' city tax bills stay level.
Traffic on Old Brownlee and Wimpey roads
Residents of the Crossing at Wimpey worried the Folia development's access onto Old Brownlee will worsen already brutal school-hour backups. Parish officials say funded turn lanes and a signal at Wimpey/Old Brownlee will help, plus the future East-West Corridor.
Water and sewer utility financial strain
Net operating income in the water/sewer fund is down sharply — 79% in February versus last year. Council asked when it stabilizes; part of it is an accounting reclassification of over $1 million from capital to operating, and summer chemical costs will rise.
Recurring sewer repairs at Lampkin and Burdine streets
The city paid $98,572.25 for emergency repairs there and introduced an ordinance adding $226,398.55 more to finish the job — a sign of aging infrastructure.
South Bossier Redevelopment Plan funding
A $1.2 million appropriation was introduced for the final phase of the South Bossier redevelopment, tied to a decades-old federal consent decree. A resident pushed for the public to see the plan documents before the final vote.
Adding 10 police and 10 fire positions
The police chief says the department is down only five officers, with ten new hires expected in July. Fire is down ten, with a class starting May 18 and station renovations underway.
Ice storm disaster reserve appropriation
The council finalized spending $275,000 from the disaster reserve fund to cover January 2026 ice storm costs. This drains the reserve set aside for emergencies.
Hamilton Road project funding gap
Everyone agrees Hamilton Road needs rebuilding, but it missed out on state capital outlay funding and isn't in HV2. The engineer is chasing NLCOG and MPC grant options, though the timeline is unknown.
Red River Wastewater Treatment Plant maintenance
The debris screen protecting the plant's pumping equipment seized up, and the council put $150,000 toward crane removal, inspection, and preventive maintenance to keep sewer service reliable.
Anita Ditch drainage improvements
Neighborhoods near Anita Ditch have flooded repeatedly, and the city is now funding the design phase for a detention project — a new upstream detention area, expansion of the Northgate Village pond, and subsurface drainage. A $1.7 million state grant covers most of the estimated $2.1 million cost.
Barksdale Boulevard sidewalks project
The city locked in its $2 million state grant for sidewalks along Barksdale from Central Park Drive to Westgate, mostly on the south/business side, with a 20% local match. Existing sidewalks there aren't ADA compliant, so this is a real pedestrian safety upgrade.
Bossier Arts Council termination and displacement
The city moved to terminate its cooperative endeavor agreement with the Bossier Arts Council over three years of missed audits and IRS noncompliance. Supporters packed the chamber; the council froze payments and gave the group two weeks to show progress with the legislative auditor.
Swan Lake Road commercial rezone next to a residence
A 28.73-acre tract was rezoned to limited business despite a 45-year resident's plea that commercial activity would sit 50 feet from his daughter's home, where she needs quiet after a stressful corrections-counseling job.
Lateral B-1 drainage contractor delays
The ditch paving project is running 64% complete against 73% of the time elapsed, and the contract grew by $88,750 to $2,225,272.
The Bloom House supervised visitation center in Greenacres
The council denied a conditional use permit for a supervised family visitation center in Old Greenacres, siding with neighbors worried about safety, traffic, and kids walking to school. Supporters said the parish has no such facility for families reunifying through foster care.
Crossing guard cost-sharing with Bossier Parish Schools
The city and school board will split the cost of crossing guards at schools throughout Bossier City. It passed 4-1 with Hammons dissenting.
I-20 completion and parish road projects
La DOTD says the I-20 project is essentially done — the Benton Road off-ramp reopens this weekend and full completion is expected by late March. The new Jimmy Davis Bridge should be drivable by mid-to-late 2027.