Lafayette in a Century (LINC) is a compilation, reference and guide for decision making on the development of Lafayette Parish, both in the public and private sectors. The primary intentions of the plan are as follows:
Comprehensive - All development activity impacts the community. It is the degree of impact that most concerns elected officials, adjacent property owners and the general public. A contractor does not frame a house without first planning the type of foundation on which to build. Soils, drainage, transportation, utilities, schools, parks, fire protection, residential neighborhoods and businesses all are critical components (LINCs) in a master plan and must be evaluated both singularly and as part of the whole.
Coordinative - The cliche " . . . the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing . . ." certainly applies in the management of a Comprehensive Plan. The large number of activities and responsibilities of federal, state and local governments can be based on a standard reference and adopted guide. Lafayette Parish is governed by one Consolidated Government for the city and parish, of Lafayette as well as for five additional municipalities: Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott and Youngsville. It is critical that the plan conflicts and objectives are coordinated to the greatest degree possible through, LINC.
Cooperative - The urban environment demands some level of cooperation by all individuals and groups to function with any degree of efficiency for the common good. Fear that a Comprehensive Plan places a community in an economic straightjacket and adds a new and burdensome layer of bureaucracy and regulation must be reviewed and mitigated continually. The Chamber of Commerce, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Partnership for a Healthier Lafayette and the "Save Our Subdivision" groups have a common interest in working together.
It is in and through the adopted Comprehensive Plan that consensus is built and community focus and direction is achieved. It is an important and continuous cooperative process, and not a one time event.
Informative - Citizens, businesses, developers, institutions and government should have a common and readily available database to help resolve local problems and to fulfill local opportunities. A primary function of the Comprehensive Plan, when maintained adequately, is the public reference for all interest groups, as well as for elected officials. As new and changing information becomes available and is incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan, the ability to make educated and informed decisions is greatly increased both for the public and private sectors.
Implementive - A Comprehensive Plan should not be an academic or public exercise without the intent to follow through to implementation. The Plan must have visionary and practical applications. There is a witticism in the planning profession about the adoption of local Comprehensive Plans; if by Resolution, it is strictly a guide to be ignored or followed depending on which side of an issue you sit; if by Ordinance, it is a force to be reckoned with. The purpose and function of LINC should and must be continually pragmatic in its adoption and implementation.
The Lafayette Planning Commission, working in conjunction with the Lafayette City-Parish Council, and acting on behalf and in the interest of present and future populations, has the privilege and foresight to adopt and maintain a Comprehensive Plan for Lafayette Parish. Plan adoption and revisions begin with the Planning Commission, but end with the implementation authority of local governments. Making Lafayette Parish a better place to live and work and enhancing the quality of life, is a broad task shared by many people involved in and with governing the parish. This shared responsibility begins and ends with the Comprehensive Plan: Lafayette in a Century (LINC).
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