House Bill 733 gets rid of islands in Abbeville

There are islands throughout Abbeville that are not incorporated in the city limits. Landowners of those islands are not lining up to be incorporated into the city of Abbeville.
For the last year, the Abbeville City Council has spoken about trying to incorporate those islands into the city. However, the way it is set up now, a petition has to be signed by property owners who are not incorporated into the city limits. The landowners then have to vote to see if they would like to be incorporated into the city limits.
But House Bill 733 changes all that and gives the city council the final decision on if those patches of land not in the city limits can join the city, despite what the landowners want.
House Bill 522, authored by Rep. Bob Hensgens was filed in Baton Rouge and now sits in the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
What the bill does is authorize the city of Abbeville to adopt an ordinance annexing properties without obtaining the request or approval of the residents and property owners in unincorporated areas of less than five acres that exist completely within the external boundaries of the city.
The city council would have a public hearing to hear public comment about the annexation. The landowners would be notified by certified mail.
The councilmen would attend the public hearing to listen and see if landowners are in favor of the annexation or not.
There are islands throughout the city.
One is across the street from the Abbeville Post Office where fire works are allowed to be sold because the land is not in the city limits.
There is also a patch of homes and businesses across the street from Wal-Mart off of La. 14 that are not in the city limits.
Some land on the intersection of Hwy. 167 and the La. 14 Bypass are not in the city limits.