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Firewood business begins to clean up after court ruling

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Posted at 4:06 PM, Aug 24, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-24 17:22:00-04

LAFAYETTE — A business owner is cleaning up their properties after a judge ruled in favor of his neighbors.

People living near Helarie's firewood, on the corner of Clinton and 16th Street in Lafayette, tell KATC the business is a hazard and an eyesore.

"He started really small, but he grew. He grew too big for this neighborhood," Kim Taylor said.

Taylor says over the last five years, Helaire's firewood tripled its size and expanded onto three different lots.

"It's just a hazard to the community. With the rodents, the snakes, wood all over, the kids who could've possibly gotten hurt," Taylor said.

She says for more than three years, she complained to city officials.

"The fire department, because it was a fire hazard, helped out tremendously with the process."

KATC spoke with owner Trevis Helaire on the phone, who said last week, a judge ruled he needed to clean the area. According to Taylor, the clean up has begun.

"This is actually 200 percent better than what it was last Wednesday," Taylor said.

The space is going to get even cleaner; the owner says he has 60 days to organize all three properties.