By Bonnie Culverhouse

Possible ordinances that may affect Bed-and-Breakfasts and manufactured homes, if approved, were discussed at this month’s Minden City Council Workshop.

“We’ve added some definitions to Bed and Breakfast,” said Building Official Brent Cooley. “They are more inline with the state definition.”

La. Revised Statute: … bed and breakfast shall mean a lodging facility having no more than ten guest rooms where transient guests are fed and lodged for pay.

A manufactured homes’ ordinance also requires a description revision, Cooley said.

“It clears up that the age (of mobile homes moving into the city limits) would be the manufactured date rather than the model year,” he added.

In August 2024, the council opened discussions on limiting the age of manufactured homes moving into the city limits to 10 years. In established mobile home parks, the operator of the park has the authority to accept older mobile homes.

Councilman Carlton “Buddy” Myles questioned whether there would be a time period of possibly three or six months added to the date the home was manufactured in order to determine the age of the unit.

“Sometimes they manufacture them six or eight months before they are released to the public,” Myles said. “I think we should go by the model year … I think it makes the public aware of what they’ve got in a 10-year time period.”

Cooley pointed out the only thing stamped on the mobile home is the year it is manufactured.

“That’s the only thing on it that’s verifiable,” he said.

Mayor Nick Cox suggested the council add to the ordinance a timeframe to the manufacturer’s date stamped on the home.

“Would that solve all the confusion?” he asked. “We can go by the manufacturer’s date and add 364 days to give them the full advantage of a year.”

Myles suggested if a home is manufactured some time during a year – for instance June and isn’t sold until July – the 10 year countdown would begin at the end of December that year. The council will revisit the suggested ordinance before voting on it.