I found another example that I am trying as well which worked for half of what I am doing so I made need to do 2 seperate scripts to make it work the way I want it to work.
# Name: DeleteFeatures_Example2.py
# Description: Delete features from a feature class based on an expression
# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env
# Set environment settings
env.workspace = "C:/data/airport.gdb"
# Set local variables
inFeatures = "parcels"
outFeatures = "C:/output/output.gdb/new_parcels"
tempLayer = "parcelsLayer"
expression = arcpy.AddFieldDelimiters(tempLayer, "PARCEL_ID") + " = 'Cemetery'"
try:
# Execute CopyFeatures to make a new copy of the feature class
arcpy.CopyFeatures_management(inFeatures, outFeatures)
# Execute MakeFeatureLayer
arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management(outFeatures, tempLayer)
# Execute SelectLayerByAttribute to determine which features to delete
arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management(tempLayer, "NEW_SELECTION",
expression)
# Execute GetCount and if some features have been selected, then
# execute DeleteFeatures to remove the selected features.
if int(arcpy.GetCount_management(tempLayer).getOutput(0)) > 0:
arcpy.DeleteFeatures_management(tempLayer)
except Exception as e:
# If an error occurred, print line number and error message
import traceback
import sys
tb = sys.exc_info()[2]