West Feliciana Parish Comprehensive Plan

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West Feliciana ParishComprehensive Plan

• Implementing the Communitys Vision

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Fregonese Associates

• Fregonese Associates is a full-service national
  land-use planning firm with a strong track record
  of helping make better communities and regions
• Fregonese Associates works closely with small
  communities around the nation to shape the
  communities they want for the future

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ABMB Engineers

• ABMB Engineers provides nationwide engineering
  services from offices in Louisiana and
  Mississippi
• ABMB Engineers specialties include
• Highway and traffic engineering
• Bridges
• Site civil and surveying
• Civil works

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Moffatt Nichol

• Moffatt Nichol is an internationally
  recognized water and coastal expert
• Water resources
• Urban waterfront developments
• Coastal engineering and ecosystem restoration
• Ports and harbors development
• Numerical modeling

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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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Immediate Interim Assessment

• Review Feliciana Vision 2005 recommendations
• Prepare interim recommendations - affirm the
  current work underway, or recommend revisions to
  strengthen work in the interim
• If interim measures are recommended, facilitate
  review and approval process

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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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GIS Analysis

• Gathering of Base Data
• Topographical Constrains
• Analysis of Buildable Land

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West Feliciana Parish
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West Feliciana Parish
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Land Use - Louisiana Speaks
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Land Cover USGS 2001
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Land Use/ Land Cover

• Parish covers 273,000 acres
• Almost 26,000 acres are developed
• Over 40,000 acres in agricultural usage
• Almost a third is covered by forest
• The rest is made up by parks, wetlands, water,
  brush land, grass

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Developed Land

• Most of the developed Land is the State
  Penitentiary (Civic)
• Over 8,000 acres for single-family homes
• Other includes developed green spaces such as
  lawns (3,200 acres) and unclassified developments
• Industrial and commercial add up to 1,700 acres

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Open Water
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Riparian
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Wetland Buffers
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Floodplains
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Steep Slopes
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Open Space
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Constrained Land

• West Feliciana Parish has many natural features
• Over 50 of the parish land has some natural
  constraint

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Constrained Land

• Combining all constraints adds up to 141,500
  acres of land

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Prime Buildable Land

• Vacant Land Constraints Prime Buildable Land

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Natural Constraints
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Vacant Land
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Prime Buildable Land
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Prime Buildable Land

• Over 40 of land is buildable
• The 115,000 acres of buildable land are made up
  by agriculture, forest, brush land, grass land,
  and barren land

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Land Use Issues

• Almost 9,000 acres of developed land is on land
  with some natural features
• Large portion in the State Penitentiary - almost
  4,000 acres
• Single-Family Homes cover almost 3,000 acres of
  land with natural features
• Two thirds of industrial land is in wetlands and
  floodplains
• Ground-truthing of land use Next Step

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Ground Survey of Land Use Map - October
Wetlands
Floodplains
Gravel Pit?
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Ground Survey of Land Use Map - October
Residential Lots?
Residential Homes?
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Parish Research

• Demographics and Projections

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Population

• 17 change from 1990 to 2000
• One of the fastest growing Parishes in Louisiana

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Population Forecast
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Data source Louisiana Population Data Center
Note LSU includes State Prison in Parish numbers
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The population of metro Baton Rouge is forecast
to grow significantlyreaching 975,000 by 2031
Population, ths
Source Moodys Economy.com
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Age Profile
Few college and early professional age people
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Age
Baton Rouge Metro has the smallest shares of
residents over the age of 55 (17.1) and the
highest shares aged 20-34 (23)
9.4
2000 Census, Age by Gender, grouped by age cohorts
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7.7
55 to 64
Source U.S. Census Bureau
28.7
35 to 54
US Age pyramid overlaid in YELLOW
14.0
25 to 34
9.0
20 to 24
0 to 19
31.1
Male Female
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Income Profile
Median Household Income
West Feliciana - 37,271 Louisiana - 35,216
Source data Census 2000
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Employment
Source data Census 2000
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Top 15 Jobs - Profile Female Burgundy, Male
Blue
Source data Census 2000
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Source Louisiana Department of Labor
Includes Parishes of Ascension, E. Baton Rouge,
E. Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe
Coupee, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington, W.
Baton Rouge, W. Feliciana
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Source data Census 2000
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Sales Tax Revenue
Jan 2005 -----------------------------------------
-May 2007
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Traditional Approach

• The Present

The Future
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Scenario Approach
Plausible Stories about the future
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Working with Stakeholders

• Parish Advisory Committee

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Communication Vehicles

• Interviews
• Outreach database
• Project Logo
• Newsletters/brochures
• Flyers
• Email blasts

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Community Workshops
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2
3
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Workshop Game Pieces or Chips
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The Workshop ExerciseChoose Starter Chip Sets
3 Jobs
2 Suburb
1 Trend
3 Packets
Different ways to accommodate projected growth
for the region
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Possible Starter Scenarios

• Scenario 1 Forecast Growth (3,000, older
  population, population based economic growth)
• Scenario 2 Suburb of BR (5,000, more diverse
  population and income, more local retailing)
• Scenario 3 Local Economic Model (10,000,
  combines suburb with export economy, most
  diverse, most housing types)

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Workshop Map Where you are today
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The Workshop ExerciseChoose a Starter Set and
Place Chips on Map
Place chips based on new accessibility
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The Workshop ExerciseAdd Transportation
Infrastructure
Transportation Reference Map
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Workshop Maps
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Each tables plan is analyzed and recorded
.and all notes and comments are recorded
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Building a Scenario
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Existing Conditions
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Scenario A
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Scenario D
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Concept Plan
Corner of Main and 7th
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Prototype Buildings
Corner of Main and 7th
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Quick Visualization
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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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Lessons from Scenarios and Outreach Used to
Develop Plan and Products

• Components
• Guiding Principles
• Comprehensive Plan
• Development Strategies
• Implementation and Financial Strategy

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Comprehensive Plan Elements

• The Communitys Principles
• Developed by Citizens
• Reflects citizens values, goals and what is
  desired for the future
• Incorporate and Update Vision 2005

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Comprehensive Plan Elements

• Prosperous Economy
• Builds on the special cultural amenities of the
  parish
• Includes economic strategies, key linkages
  between economic development and land uses,
  workforce training, business attraction,
  retention and expansion

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Comprehensive Plan Elements

• Livable Community
• Illustrates the Parishs intentions for physical
  development, redevelopment, conservation, and
  growth
• Shows future land use and development patterns
• Addresses the connectivity of land uses and
  transportation
• Emphasizes sustainable approaches and design
  recommendationsconsidering West Felicianas
  historic past, and its unique character,
  neighborhoods and identity

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Comprehensive Plan Elements

• Healthy Environment
• Policies to maintain the long-term heath of the
  community
• Examples include protecting fishing and hunting
  opportunities, forests, recreational
  opportunities and parks and open space
• Water quality issues and infrastructure planning
• Viable, effective and equitable Open Space
  protection programs

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Comprehensive Plan Elements

• Opportunity Equity
• Capitalize on the cultural vitality of the parish
• Establish strategies that are a result of a broad
  range of public input
• Develop strategic housing policies to address the
  need for a variety of housing styles and choices
  while retaining the parishs character.
• Plan for future public facilities
• Explore the establishment of an Intergovernmental
  Coordination Plan

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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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Planning Methodology

• Phase 1 Immediate Interim Protections
• Phase 2 Guiding Principles, Goals, Vision
  Scenarios
• Information gathering and support committee
  formation
• Forecasting and modeling
• Public involvement and outreach
• Guiding principles, goals scenario development
• Phase 3 Comprehensive Plan
• Phase 4 Implementation, Funding Strategies
  Monitoring
• Conceptual Implementation Plans
• Phase 5 Adoption Process

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Schedule and Timeline
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West Feliciana Parish Comprehensive Plan Survey
Civic Leader Research Findings
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27 Completed SurveysSeptember 2007
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What do you like the most about living in the
parish?

• Rural ambiance small town character
• The people
• The topography, the land is incredibly beautiful
• Unique environment hills and hollows
• Sense of community

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What do you like the least?

• Lack of affordable housing opportunities
• Unorganized growth lack of planning
• Not enough shopping areas
• Unprepared for future
• Concern that there are two worlds in the parish

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Biggest threat to quality of life?

• The inability to unify around a common vision
  and purpose for the future
• Change without good direction
• Uncontrolled growth, urban sprawl, urbanization,
  over population, loss of rural ambiance
• Young people dont have good, steady local
• jobs
• Losing the rural ambiance
• Lack of cooperation between public entities

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Biggest hopes for parish planning process?

• Provide affordable housing
• Job opportunities for people in the parish
• Plan that encourages proper development
  maintains character
• People come together to get this plan done
• Protect natural beauty
• Cohesive plan that is fair to all
• Make decisions that result in the most good for
  most people

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What will make the plan most successful?

• Involving all the people having good public
  input, support and buy-in
• Address the needs of all the people in the parish
• Coming together and working as one community of
  people
• Having the police jury buying into it
• Clear vision. Clear guidance on getting to that
  vision

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Priority focus areas

• Rural ambiance small town character
• Affordable housing/different housing choices
• Jobs
• Racial harmony
• Preserving neighborhoods
• New development using up open space

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Service provided by the current transportation
system

• Major Roads, Parish Roads and
• Neighborhood Streets rated average or
• above average
• Major need bike paths and trails
• Have good sidewalks in downtown and a few
• other areas no sidewalks in the majority of
• the parish

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Best economic asset to build on?

• Small town ambiance rural community
• Educational system/school system
• Land
• Mississippi River

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Should parish grow a lot, a little, or stay the
same?

• A lot (8)
• Moderate (4)
• A little (9)
• Stay same (0)
• Desire quality growth, not quantity
• controlled growth

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What kind of growth?

• Affordable housing
• Diverse growth across the board, in use and
• price
• Controlled, orchestrated, organized growth
• Complete spectrum for residential sufficient
• support services for that residential
• strategically placed industry
• Maintain rural ambiance
• Cluster development around amenities, not
• far flung sprawl

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Changes The new bridge

• Positive, encourage growth and provide
• better access
• Positive, will open up avenue for
• development
• (few) Negative, having commercial center
• develop outside the corporate limits out
  side
• of town

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Changes Widening of Highway 61

• Very positive improves desirability of parish
• Needed for safety
• Hate it, but it was necessary. Nail in coffin to
• rural ambiance (few)

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Should new development be located in vacant
areas, areas with development or a mixture?

• Majority say both, balanced
• A few say already developed areas

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Areas where new development should not occur?

• No
• Tunica Hills
• Historic structures
• Environmental/ecological/natural areas

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Does current housing supply meet the needs?

• No 22
• Yes somewhat, dont know 3
• Two issues substandard housing and
• affordability

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Are you concerned about any environmental issues?
parish?

• No
• Sewage/solid waste issues
• Nuclear issues
• Fragile soil
• Potential for visual clutter

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Is there a racial division in the parish?

• Yes
• This is changing and getting better
• Plan should seek participation from all
• Not as much as in most places have good
• relationships
• Have been taught racism. Have to go back to
• educate citizens on how to deal with race
• Need to all come together as a community

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Is there a racial division in the parish?
We can never have the community we want to be and
be separated by any kind of racial or religious
issues
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Regulatory Issues/Property Rights
Private rights (3) Public good (2) Balance of
private rights and public good (16) Protecting
individual rights (11) Responsibility to the
community (10) Not sure (1)
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Regulatory Issues/Property Rights
Protect land for future needs (10) Use land now
for homes and business (11) Base land use
decisions on planning (14) Allow development
where there is a demand or market (7) Not sure (1)
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Regulatory Issues/Property Rights
Landowners have the right to reasonably use their
property the way they want (8) Or Reasonable
land use planning serves the public good (14)
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Current land use regulations too strict, about
right, or not strict enough?

• Too strict (4)
• About right (5)
• Not strict enough (13)
• Dont know (1)

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Dreams for future

• A Comprehensive Plan that incorporates all
• the initiatives that this community values
  the
• highest with a development code to back it
• up, resulting in a truly unique community
• comprised of history, beauty, social equity,
• culture, quality of life and economic
  vitality

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Questions/Comments?
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Next Steps

• Guiding Principles October
• Opportunities and Constraints
• Workshop Development Types and Scenarios
• Scenario Workshop November 29th
• St. Francisville Workshop - January

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West Feliciana ParishComprehensive Plan

• Implementing the Communitys Vision