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St. James Parish Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting October 11, 2010

St. James Parish Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting October 11, 2010. Difficult Exciting Important A Blue Print for the future Its more than transportation and land use issues…… …….It’s about people. Comprehensive Planning is ….

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St. James Parish Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting October 11, 2010

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  1. St. James Parish Comprehensive PlanSteering Committee Meeting October 11, 2010

  2. Difficult • Exciting • Important • A Blue Print for the future • Its more than transportation and land use issues…… • …….It’s about people Comprehensive Planning is …

  3. The Comprehensive Plan provides broad-level guidance on how St. James Parish will grow and develop into the future. A Comprehensive Plan is: • A guide for the management of change • A reflection of community values and aspirations • The foundation for policies, strategies, and actions • The community's to-do list • A catalyst for community consensus WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?

  4. An Overall Community Vision with long term Goals and Strategies to achieve the goals. • Plan for public infrastructure and facilities to handle population needs. • Protect and enhance the environment, historic structures and special places. • Maintain and expand the commercial and economic base. • Promote development of housing to meet community needs. • Addresses other specific needs as identified by the community. WHAT DOES A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROVIDE?

  5. Organize the Comp Planning Effort Steering Committee Meetings Public Input Kick Off Meeting Focus Groups Meetings Our Process • The Next Step…

  6. Draft a vision statement for the future • Formalize goals and objectives necessary to achieve the vision • Develop strategies and identify possible tools to use in accomplishing the goals • Determine which implementation tools are appropriate for St. James Parish Use information and insights we have gathered at these public meetings to …

  7. Use the Vision, Goals & Objectives and Strategies & Tools to … • To craft a plan that includes all of the required and appropriate elements. • Public Hearings – to present draft document for comments • Steering Committee • review and incorporate comments • Finalize Document • Present Comprehensive Plan Document to the Planning Commission and the Parish Council for Adoption And then …

  8. TIME FRAME

  9. This step sought citizen input on the existing trends, opportunities and constraints within the community. • The process identifies various issues, ideas, concepts and desires that form the framework for specific recommendations for the Comprehensive Plan. FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS

  10. Equity and access • Environmental, economic and social sustainability • Community connectedness and distinctiveness Incorporating The Values of St. James Parish Residents…..

  11. PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE,FACILITIES AND TRANSPORATION • Where do we have or need sewerage, drainage, transportation, water, etc.? • Where and what kind of facilities and services do we need to serve the present and future population? (public health clinics, public safety services, libraries, parks, educational, etc. • Facilitators • Kevin Belanger • Leo Marretta • HOUSING • What is available and is it attainable for ownership or rental? What is the quality and cost of housing? • Facilitator • Alex Wesley-Smith • HUMAN SERVICES - What social services are available within the community? - Facilitators - Martha Cazaubon - Jo-anna Jones 7 Focus Areas

  12. COMMUNITY ASSETS • What do we like about our community and want to preserve? What do we want to change and improve? • Facilitators • Jo-Anna Jones • Mart Black • LAND USE • Where and what kind of development is here today and what is planned? • Facilitators • Mart Black • Simonne Caesar • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • What is a healthy balance between residential stability and economic development? • Facilitators • Ivan Miestchovich • Cullen Curole 7 Focus Areas Continued

  13. First Meetings – E.B. July 26 – W.B. August 23rd • Identify Issues • Assess Needs • Begin the process of prioritizing • Began to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) Second Meeting – E.B. August 9 – W.B. September 13 Analyze … • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Create Goals and List Objectives & Strategies GOALS for each Focus Group meeting …

  14. Economic Diversity, Business Success & Equity • Education & Skill Development • Arts, Culture & Innovation • Social Sustainability • Human Health & Public Policy • Quality of Life & Civic Engagement • Neighborhoods & Housing • Transportation & Access Reoccurring Themes

  15. Economic Diversity, Education-Skill Development, Arts, Culture & Innovation What does St. James Parish need to do to improve economic conditions?

  16. Small businesses are the backbone of the local economy. - Small business development service and training should be provided • Goods are produced in local plants and sent elsewhere for processing - St. James should seek manufactures that can process locally. • High unemployment within parish especially in black community - GED training, trade school training should be improved/enhanced to lift the education and skill level of the unemployed. Findings

  17. Parish should prompt school district to adopt a dual degree option that would encourage industrial arts education in addition to the current college bound curriculum • Since workers have low education & skill levels…….. - Parish should recruitlow tech manufacturers. • Given St James’ proximity between Baton Rouge and New Orleans…. - Parish should recruit companies looking for warehouse and distribution locations. • Compare millages and sales tax levels to be to neighboring parishes to see if Parish could create competitive incentives for businesses to come to St James AND parish should more aggressively match state incentives with businesses looking to locate in St James. Findings

  18. Social Sustainability, Health, & Public Policy, Quality of Life & Civic Engagement

  19. Strong sense of community – still considered home • Vicinity of New Orleans (within 1 hour) • Rich history of 250 years-St. James historical Plantation homes (Laura, Oak Alley, Felicity, St. Joe, Poche’) - Local businesses have to advertise in multiple markets - New Orleans and Baton Rouge growing toward each other—will meet at St. James - Possible New Orleans/Baton Rouge high speed rail stopover - Enhance parish’s day trip capacity—additional attractions Findings

  20. findings • - Threats • * Natural disasters • * Chemical plant/hazardous substance transport accidents • * Corporate mergers leading to layoffs • * Poor education system • * Elephant in the room – disenchanted with local politician – lack of civic participation. • Misconceptions • * Political officials must be at all • planning meetings • * Parish staff are residents too

  21. Human Resource Department provide wide range of services for ages range 3 – 60. Not enough recreational services for youth 16-24. Services are unequal. Limited transportation Poor educational system - cause for people moving out of parish False assumption that all problems can be “fixed” by Social Services—dependency/entitlement mentality Findings

  22. Financial resources could be affected by budget cuts. Difficulty in partnering with larger departments in either Baton Rouge of New Orleans. Limited access to Mental Health services and more specialized Human Services needs of age group 19 to 45 years. Emergency Transportation Services seem to have problems finding the correct location (address) in an emergency Findings

  23. Land Use, Neighborhoods, Housing& Transportation

  24. Land held in private parcels or tracts is suitable only for agriculture or for sale to adjacent industry, due primarily because of the size and shape of the parcel. Economically difficult to develop narrow tract for residential subdivisions. Such tracts either ended up in family partitions, or were eventually sold to adjacent industry. Since industry usually paid top price for adjacent land, it is difficult for the land to be purchased for less by a developer. This situation restrain housing development in flat market - affordable housing is seen as a pressing need. Findings

  25. Zoning will help avoid industrial – residential conflict, but concern about restrictions it will put on private landowners. • Encourage new industrial development to locate upriver of the Convent area (Manresa), on both sides of the river to the Ascension Parish line. - Diminish industrial – residential conflict - Still preserve historic properties and traditional land uses (i.e. agriculture) Findings

  26. Encourage residential development and higher densities in specific areas of the Parish, particularly along both sides to the river in a downriver direction. • Encourage commercial and mixed use development in the LA 20 corridor between the river and South Vacherie. • Identify major highway intersections that could be used as commercial nodes as well as convenient location for higher density development through mixed use development. Findings

  27. Needs assessment to determine quality of available housing stock and recommend strategies for development. Develop a mix of adequate, abundant, and affordable housing types and facilities for seniors on both sides of the Mississippi River Mixed used development to create town centers and villages developments on both sides of the Mississippi River Develop culturally sensitive designs and housing developments suitable for St. James Parish environment. Findings

  28. Focus on development of multi-modal transportation infrastructure to promote connectivity of modes of transportation including port facilities, rail and freight compatible roadways Improved mobility /connectivity especially for transit dependent households Create regional recreational facilities which will draw from the New Orleans and Baton Rouge markets as well providing recreational opportunities for the residents of St James Parish. Control pollution created by improper maintenance of individual sewer treatment plants. Findings

  29. Since the Parish founding in 1807, the citizens of St. James have overcome many challenges, created the character of the Parish, and ensured its extraordinary role in our State’s history. During our stewardship of this great Parish, we resolve to build on this heritage and add our mark on the Parish’s history. The Parish Council’s vision for St. James is: • To be a parish animated by a sense of its unmatched, irreplaceable culture; • To be a parish characterized by the beauty of its riverfront, the vibrancy of its communities, and its safe neighborhoods; • To be a parish inspired by an active culture, and educational institutions; • To be a parish shaped by civic involvement and economic vitality; and • To be the parish of choice for people of many income levels, cultures, ethnicities, and physical abilities to live, work, and play. Vision Statement Example:

  30. “Good Planning” is planning that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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