For the first time since March, the boat launch and parking at Lake Martin has been opened to the public, with hopes it will remain open into the new year and beyond.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reached an interim consent agreement with the Chauffe-Hebert family which owns the property, and which had liabiity concerns which prompted them to close access. The court had previously granted a temporary restraining order in November after prior negotiations proved fruitless and a lawsuit was filed.
“What we do have in place is an interim agreement, interim consent judgement that was made between our agency and the family,” Department general counsel Cole Garrett said. “And we are just working cooperatively to find a longer-term solution.”
The area in question is an impoundment near Breaux Bridge and 800 acres of water surrounded by private land. Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries owns the lake.
Among concerns that had been cited by the family included the condition of the two-lane boat launch with several boards missing from a pier, The Acadiana Advocate reported. There had been a failure to keep up maintenance. Exacerbating the issue was the fact that the family-owned property had the only public entry point to Lake Martin.
“The public had access to the lake for decades,” Garrett said. “The family, citing concerns over liability with the boat launch, closed access to it around March 2020; and then we were able to reach an agreement to reopen it right before duck season, and that is where we stand now.”
Written into the agreement are provisions that alleviate the liability concerns of the landowners, the Department said in a release posted on its website The agreement also provides an opportunity to fund repairs and improvements to the launch.
Garrett said that there is no timeline on a resolution, although the hope would be “sooner rather later.” He was also optimistic about finding a long-term resolution.
“That is the hope,” he said. “I want to emphasize the family has been very cooperative and we have been negotiating in good faith on this, and I am confident we can reach a long-term agreement on it. That is the hope.”