boo thomas - "community planning and resiliency"

Community Planning and Resiliency

Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas March 18, 2011

Who is CPEX?

1/26/13 Center for Planning Excellence 2

Every Community in Louisiana made extraordinary through planning excellence.

CPEX helps create highly functional, equitable communities throughout Louisiana that capitalize on their unique qualities through community-driven planning and implementation.

What Do We Do?


Outreach and Education Planning and Implementation

PLANNING IN LOUISIANA

64

54 50

2114

41

18 21 22

10

Source: Maloney-Mújica, Lynn. 2007. Factors associated with the adoption of land use planning in Louisiana parishes prior to the hurricane season of 2005. Master's Thesis, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.

Parish Planning Activities



40%

60%

Population LossBetween 1990 - 2000

Lost Population Did Not Lose Population

79%

21%

Population of Louisiana Cities, Towns, and Villages

< 5,000 Pop. > 5,000 Pop.

Municipal Capacity



•  50-year guide for growth and development

•  35 coastal parishes

•  Largest community outreach effort in U.S. History (27,000 citizens) •  Surveys – 2,500+ •  Workshops – 1,000+ •  Regional Polling – 23,000+

•  Engaged people in choices and consequences

Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan



Implications of Plan on Future Planning: §  Heightened the need for local comprehensive

planning and land development regulations §  Encouraged better coordination across state agencies

for coastal restoration and protection §  Heightened the need to sustain our natural systems at

the state, regional and local levels


Results of the Process LOUISIANA SPEAKS

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION


CPEX Community Planning

Adopted Plans Plans in Progress Toolkit Pilots

Jena

Ascension St. Charles

Vernon

W. Feliciana Tangipahoa

Lafourche

Jean Lafitte Lafayette

E. Feliciana

East Baton Rouge


What is a Comprehensive Plan? §  Shared community vision

§  Policy blueprint – 15-20 years

§  Coordination of government and private programs, major projects and funding opportunities

What is a Comprehensive Plan? Comprised of “Elements”

§  Land Use

§  Transportation

§  Economic Development

§  Public Infrastructure/Utilities

§  Housing and Human Services

§  Parks and Open Space

§  Historic, Environment and Coastal Resources

§  Community Facilities


Why is Planning Important?

§  Allows the municipality to direct growth rather than simply being the recipient of growth.

§  Consistency and predictability, which leads to economic development.

§  Leverage public investment with private development.


Why is Planning Important?

“The trouble with land is that they’re not making it anymore.” -- Will Rogers


Jena’s Vision Town Plan


IMPLEMENTATION

•  Keep Highway in Town •  Reduce Traffic on Oak Street (Hwy. 84) •  Make Streets More Pedestrian-Friendly •  Preserve Oak Street, Fill in the Gaps •  Offer More Housing Options •  Capitalize on Hunting and Fishing Industry •  Provide Something for Young People to Do •  Accommodate Retirees

Community Visioning Workshop IMPLEMENTATION

Highway 84 DOTD Options

Option 1: Small Bypass Option 2: Two Lane Couplet


IMPLEMENTATION

Option 3: Large Bypass Option 4: Small Couplet

Highway 84 DOTD Options


IMPLEMENTATION

Downtown Couplet

Existing Aerial Proposed Downtown Master Plan


IMPLEMENTATION

Highway 84 Character Map IMPLEMENTATION

Highway 84/Oak Street IMPLEMENTATION


Highway 84/Oak Street


IMPLEMENTATION

One Year Later… Over 15 projects underway: •  Grants •  Pilot Streetscape •  City Park Improvements •  Strand Theatre •  Filled Vacant Storefronts •  Town Square •  Low income Housing


IMPLEMENTATION

COASTAL PLANNING Best Practices Manual and Coastal Ordinances

Why Coastal Communities? •  Need more than just good evacuation plans •  Standard development practices aren’t appropriate in

Louisiana’s Coastal Areas •  Need to develop best practices for coastal

development that is designed for the geography, economy and culture of the coast

•  Need to prepare against the various risks faced by our communities

COASTAL PLANNING


Coastal Parishes Adopted Comp Plans Zoning Subdivision Regulations I-Codes Only



COASTAL PLANNING

Coastal Louisiana without Action in 2100


1,335,000

The Best Practice Manual •  Strategies that are appropriate to Louisiana’s unique

geographies and cultures. •  Empowering local decision makers •  Community scale tools and strategies •  Building scale tools and techniques


•  Prevent flooding – Build levees; Sediment diversion; Strengthen borders of flood prone areas; Armor and fill

•  Adapt to occasional flooding – Develop community-wide approaches that adapt to occasional floodwaters; Develop resiliency; Minimize property damage from flooding

•  Relocate when absolutely necessary – Relocate part or all of a community to a more stable area

Strategies for Communities STRATEGIES FOR COASTAL PLANNING

§  Grew out of the Louisiana Land Use Toolkit

§  Build upon the research, recommendations and strategies in the Best Practice Manual

§  Focus on Hazard Mitigation and Natural Resource Protection

COASTAL PLANNING

Coastal Ordinances

30 1/26/13 §  Center for Planning Excellence

How does planning make a community resilient?

•  Rally around common goals •  Proactive, instead of reactive •  More competitive •  Flexible •  Back on feet quicker Resilient in the wake of economic,

environmental, or other disasters


CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, so plan for it!

If we don’t do anything, the coast will change, the economy will change,

development will happen

•  Use the knowledge we have •  Plan for change •  Keeping our plans flexible •  Use your plan to attract resources


www.cpex.org facebook.com/centerforplanningexcellence twitter.com/cpex_la

Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas [email protected]

boo thomas - "community planning and resiliency"

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