HAHNVILLE, La. (WGNO) — A neighborhood in Hahnville that used to sit on the edge of a golf course is now on the edge of what appears to be the wilderness.
Those who live near and along Joe Louise Lane say the former Fashion Golf and Country Club was a great addition to the neighborhood for decades, but Hurricane Ida forced its closure, making the property a far cry from what it once was.
“Now, it’s a forest,” neighbor Raina Gair said.
Neighbors say the old golf course is more than just an eyesore.
“It attracts coyotes that are in the grass, and I don’t want to see something else back there, [like] snakes,” neighbor Albert Joseph said.
Large rats have also wandered around the nearby houses.
“So, even going to the trash can is now a hassle at nighttime,” Gair said. “You’re worried and kind of looking around to see if anything else is out here.”
According to St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell, since the property is zoned as open land, legally, the parish cannot require the landowner to maintain the space, nor can the parish trespass.
“So, we’re stuck with this now, dealing with it, unless I can reach out to the owners and ask them to cut it, but if there’s nothing to enforce, who’s to say they’re going to want to do something,” Gair contemplated.
Some neighbors say they would like to see the property once again used for recreational purposes.
“I wish the golf course could come back,” Joseph said. “The person who had it, I wish she could come back and start it back up.”
But for now, it’s just a nuisance.
“All you had to worry about before was golf balls, flying in your backyard,” Gair said. “Now, I have to worry about a coyote coming into the backyard.”
Our attempts to contact the property owner were unsuccessful.
The parish president also says they would continue to cut the grass near the two drainage ditches to maintain pathways.
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