Lafourche council attempts to reclaim Company Canal

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After two years, boat operators in Gheens may finally be on the way to getting free passage through Company Canal.


Local businessman Benny Cenac, of Cenac Towing, purchased Golden Ranch in 1998 and claimed control of Company Canal, which is inside of the territory.

After requesting and receiving permission from the state in 2007, Cenac placed gates blocking its passage.


Council Chairman Daniel Lorraine said on Oct. 25, 2007, Vince Melvin, then Lafourche Parish coastal zone management director, issued and signed a letter of no objection regarding Cenac’s request without bringing it before the Coastal Zone Management Board or the parish council.


According to councilman Rodney Doucet, this is a violation of Lafourche Parish Ordinance No. 4037.

“It says the application should be reviewed by the staff of the Lafourche Parish Coastal Zone Management Office, then forwarded with a written recommendation to the Lafourche Parish Council,” he said.


Because no voting on the letter of no objection took place in 2007, the council voted 8-0-1, with Jerry Jones abstaining at last Tuesday’s meeting, to request Lafourche Parish District Attorney Cam Morvant to seek full implementation of Ordinance No. 4037 and to direct the owner of the gates to remove them.


“The original ordinance is still the law, and it should be followed,” said Lorraine. “That is wrong, because this council has to vote on that, and this council did not vote on it.”

According to Lorraine, Company Canal is a state-owned canal. However, the Louisiana Supreme Court disagreed in 2003 when it ruled in favor in Cenac’s ownership of the canal.

But Councilman Lindel Toups said that portion of the canal was never owned by Cenac, and therefore, he has no right to gate it off.

“They have paperwork in the Attorney General’s office saying it belongs to the state, and we’re presenting everything to the Attorney General and let him make a determination,” said Toups.

The council will assess the Attorney General’s report and determine if legal action to regain control of the canal is feasible.

In the meantime, Lafourche Parish could remove the gates if it receives Morvant’s permission, but Cenac could still prohibit boaters from entering what the Louisiana Supreme Court deemed his property.

However, not all councilmen feel removing the gates is necessary.

“Cam [Morvant] said if, in fact, you get the right to open up the canal, it’s going to take three to five years in court,” said councilman Phillip Gouaux. “If we have this gate removed, what have we accomplished? It’s still a private canal in the eyes of the law until something else is done.”

A low bridge is among many factors that currently make it impossible to navigate Company Canal. Many Gheens residents would like the canal re-opened. * Photo by RICHARD FISCHER