THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: LAFAYETTE IN A CENTURY (LINC)

AREA:

The Comprehensive Plan (LINC) includes the official geographic and jurisdictional boundaries of Lafayette Parish.

FUNDING:

The Comprehensive Plan is funded through a variety of resources including -

1) Consolidated Government Department Budgets
2) General and Capital Funds provided specifically by City and Parish appropriations.
3) Federal and State Grants

WHY PLAN?:

This question has been raised frequently. There are those who view a Comprehensive Plan as another layer of bureaucracy that will hamper the free enterprise system in the Parish. There are those who lament the lack of a Comprehensive Plan to help coordinate and provide community direction and priorities. The Lafayette Consolidated Government has determined that an overall Plan is in the best interest of the Parish and its future. Specifically cited advantages to LINC adoption are:

1) Improved public and private sector coordination
2) Improved government services and efficiency
3) Improved direction and focus on current and future community needs
4) Consensus building
5) Costs/Benefits of long range planning
6) Global Economy information/reference resource
7) Linking (communicating) between citizens/businesses and local government
8) Public awareness and information

FIVE PHASE PROCESS:

LINC will be developed and acted on through five levels of ranked review -

1) Steering Committee: Established by the Planning Commission, City-Parish Council and City-Parish Administration.
There were 24 members on the Steering Committee. 9 appointed by the City-Parish Administration, 9 appointed by the City-Parish Council, 5 appointed by the Planning Commission, and 1 appointed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
2) Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC): Established by the Planning Commission, CPIC is composed of 29 agency and department directors responsible for the implementation of LINC. This is a permanent Committee.
3) The City-Parish Planning Commission. There are five citizens appointed by the Council to the Commission
4) The City-Parish Council. There are nine members elected from representative districts within the parish.
5) The Municipalities of Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott and Youngsville

Once adopted, LINC is recorded in the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court's Office with all subsequent amendments.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND INFORMATION:

Lafayette Parish citizens are a vital part of the planning process. The LINC Steering Committee was composed of local citizens and was the initial maker and coordinator of the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission is comprised of citizens appointed to review, recommend and take action on LINC prior to submittal to the City-Parish Council where the Plan is formally adopted by resolution and ordinance.

There are specific efforts being made to both involve and inform the general public:

1) Newspaper display ads
2) Presentations to civic organizations
3) Portable displays rotating around the Parish
4) LCG Web Site - - - http://www.lafayettelinc.net
5) LINC Update Sheet email/faxed monthly to a designated public list
6) Public Service media
7) Public meetings
8) Public Hearings
9) Legal Notices
10) Comment Forms
11) LINC Designated Neighborhood Program
12) LINC Phone Hot Line 291-5000

MANAGEMENT:

The Comprehensive Plan (LINC) is managed by the Comprehensive Planning/MPO Division in the Department of Traffic and Transportation working through the LINC Steering Committee, the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC), the Planning Commission, the City-Parish Council and the municipalities of Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott and Youngsville.

PLAN PREPARATION:

There are twelve elements to LINC approved by the Planning Commission:

1) Drainage/Stormwater Work begun in November, 1999
2) Land Use Work begun in December, 1999
3) Transportation Work begun in January, 2000
4) Housing/Neighborhoods Work begun in February, 2000
5) Utilities Work begun in March, 2000
6) Economic Development Work begun in April, 2000
7) Public Services Work begun in May, 2000
8) Urban Design Work begun in June, 2000
9) Conservation/Environmental Work begun in August, 2000
10) Recreation and Open Space Work begun in August, 2000
11) Cultural Resources Work begun in August, 2000
12) Special Areas Work begun in October, 2000

STEERING COMMITTEE:

The 24 member LINC Steering Committee met twice a month over a two year period. The Chairman, Mr. Bill Patton organized the work of the Committee around subcommittees he appointed on each of the LINC Elements noted above. Mr. Patton established a practice of appointing members to each subcommittee with diverse and opposing positions on issues. The Chair also mandated that subcommittees unanimously approve all subcommittee work before being presented to the full Steering Committee.

Subcommittee Exception: The Steering Committee designated the existing three Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Committees; The Citizen Advisory Committee, Transportation Technical Committee and Transportation Policy Committee to serve as the recommending Subcommittee on the LINC Transportation Element.

All adopted Recommendations of the Steering Committee have been submitted to the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC).

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE (CPIC):

The purpose of the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) is to review and develop Goals, Objectives and Strategies for each Steering Committee Recommendation. Recommendations from the Steering Committee cannot be deleted by CPIC. The committee serves as the "balancer and equalizer" for the Comprehensive Plan. The knowledge, experience, and qualifications of these twenty-nine directors and agency heads is the on-going heart and soul of LINC. These members are the managers and supervisors who will ultimately implement the adopted plan. CPIC has appointed a subcommittee for each Element of LINC consisting of five to seven members with the CPIC Chair designating Subcommittee Chairs. Subcommittee reports are not required to be unanimously approved before being submitted to the full CPIC.

Goals, Objectives and Potential Strategies developed by the CPIC for each Recommendation of the Steering Committee are transmitted directly to the Planning Commission. CPIC may propose and initiate a new Goal for LINC when and if circumstances are determined necessary and deemed appropriate.

CITY-PARISH PLANNING COMMISSION:

The City-Parish Planning Commission is required by state law to review, recommend and approve the Comprehensive Plan. The City-Parish Charter also requires the Planning Commission to review the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) prior to adoption by the City-Parish Council.

The Planning Commission prepares formal Policies to govern each Element of LINC and then holds Public Hearings on those draft Policies as well as the Steering Committee Recommendations and the CPIC Goals, Objectives and Potential Strategies. Planning Commission recommendations and actions are transmitted directly and only to the City-Parish Council.

The summary, the City-Parish Planning Commission is the "Keeper of the Plan". Through the Commission's adopted Policies on each Element of LINC, the Planning Commission regularly submits recommendations and specific LINC Plans to the City-Parish Council for action.

CITY - PARISH COUNCIL:

The City-Parish Council is the final authority and enforcer of the Comprehensive Plan. The Council reviews the LINC documents submitted by the Planning Commission. Through a Public Hearing process that may contain budget elements and performance measures for each Element of LINC the Council determines what it can financially and politically adopt and implement. The Council is never presented with an "all or nothing" option. The Council selects components or specific strategies it determines acceptable and adopts by Resolution or Ordinance as appropriate. When the Council does not approve a specific recommendation, component, strategy, or element of LINC, that particular item is not removed from the Plan. The item is simply not implemented by the current Council. The same discretion is held by the municipalities of Broussard, Carencro, Duson , Scott and Youngsville.

BROUSSARD, CARENCRO, DUSON, SCOTT AND YOUNGSVILLE:

Each parish municipality will be requested to review and act on LINC once the City-Parish Planning Commission has adopted the Plan Elements and established its formal Policies. The City-Parish Council takes its actions on LINC prior to submittal of Plan Elements to the municipalities. City-Parish Council actions may or may not impact the actions of each municipality.

PLANNING DISTRICTS:

The Parish has been divided into five planning districts. These Districts are based on the current five public high school attendance zones for presentation and reference purposes. The school zones were selected for their neutrality and convenience. It is anticipated there may be differences in LINC elements among the five districts. However, a pilot effort is now underway to test "LINC Designated Neighborhoods" as a foundation and practical application of the Comprehensive Plan. These LINC Neighborhoods are roughly two miles square and are organized around residents, property owners, and businesses and coordinated with Lafayette Consolidated Government Departments and elected officials. Each LINC Designated Neighborhood identifies its priorities and works toward its objectives within the framework of the overall City-Parish Plan.

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS:

The first series of public forums or workshops on LINC were held:

Monday, March 27, 2000 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. in the Carencro High School Cafeteria.
Tuesday, March 28, 2000 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. in the Acadiana High School Cafeteria.
Wednesday, March 29, 2000 from 4:30-6:30 P.M. in the Comeaux High School Cafeteria.
Wednesday, March 29, 2000 from 7:30-9:30 P.M. in the Lafayette High School Cafeteria.
Thursday, March 30, 2000 from 4:30-6:30 P.M. in the Northside High School Cafeteria.

The second series of public forums on LINC were held:

Monday, June 26, 2000 from 4:30-6:30 P.M. in the Comeaux High School Cafeteria.
Monday, June 26, 2000 from 4:30-6:30 P.M. in the Acadiana High School Cafeteria.
Tuesday, June 27, 2000 from 7:30-9:30 P.M. in the Lafayette High School Cafeteria.
Wednesday, June 28, 2000 from 4:30-7:30 P.M. in the Carencro High School Cafeteria.
Wednesday, June 28, 2000 from 7:30-9:30 P.M. in the Northside High School Cafeteria.

Poor attendance characterized the first ten forums.

The Planning Commission, City-Parish Council and Municipalities will restructure the third series of public forums on LINC around formal Public Hearings.

THE FIVE "C" PROCESS FOR LINC:

The Lafayette Consolidated Government has followed what may be best called a "Five C" guideline in the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan: LINC must be 1) Comprehensive and not single element, 2) Coordinated and not fragmented, 3) Cooperative and not divisive, 4) Community and consensus based and not special interests, and 5) Communicated and not ambiguous, generalized or confusing.

The process is necessarily slow and similar to mountain climbing - - - one toe, foot, finger, hand, elbow, and knee hold at a time.

PLAN PREPARATION STATUS OF LINC AS OF July 2004

Drainage/Stormwater Element: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has completed goals, objectives, and potential strategies. The Planning Commission reviewed the documents from the Steering Committee and CPIC over an eighteen month period resulting in the adoption of seventeen policies on April 14, 2003 under Resolution No. 001-03. The Planning Commission has established a General Advisory Panel (GAP) to assist in the preparation of Plan Advisories for the Drainage and Stormwater Element for submittal to the Lafayette Consolidated Government and parish municipalities.

The Planning Commission adopted Resolution 001-04 on January 12, 2004 submitting the first LINC Plan Action to local governments. The Plan Action recommends and urges each jurisdiction to join the "Community Rating System" (CRS) program sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Lafayette Consolidated Government, City of Broussard, City of Carencro, Town of Duson, City of Scott and the Town of Youngsville responded affirmatively to begin the membership process.

Land Use Element: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Joint Subcommittee (with Urban Design Subcommittee) to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies for review. No meetings have been held to date. The consultant firm of HNTB completed Volume I under contract. The Planning Division published and distributed Volume I to Metropolitan Advisory Committees and elected officials in January, 2004. The Planning Commission has directed the LINC Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) to begin review and preparation of Goals, Objectives and Potential Strategies for the Land Use Plan and the General Advisory Panel (GAP) to review and prepare Land Use Advisories for the Commission. Both committees should begin work on Volume II of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan in September, 2004.

Transportation: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee has formed a Subcommittee to draft a set of goals, objectives and potential strategies. The Subcommittee has completed its initial work and is currently preparing a draft document. Preparation of a 2030 Transportation Plan for the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization is also underway and under contract with Neel-Schaffer, Inc. The 2030 Plan will be included as part of the LINC Transportation Element. The second public hearing on the MPO transportation plan is scheduled in early August, 2004.

Housing/Neighborhoods: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has completed goals, objectives and potential strategies. The Lafayette City-Parish Planning Commission adopted LINC Housing and Neighborhood Policies under Resolution No. 004-04 on July 12, 2004. The Policies will guide the Commission in its work on the LINC Housing and Neighborhood Element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Utilities: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) Utilities Subcommittee is preparing draft goals, objectives and potential strategies for consideration by the full committee.

Public Services: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies. The Subcommittee has held two meetings to date.

Recreation and Open Space: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives, and potential strategies. The Subcommittee has held five meetings to date.

Environmental/Conservation: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies. The Subcommittee has completed a draft document to be submitted to the full committee in August, 2004.

Art and Cultural Resources: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies. Nine meetings have been held. The Subcommittee should have an initial draft document to be submitted to the full committee in September, 2004.

Economic Development: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies. The Subcommittee has held six meetings.

Urban Design: Steering Committee has completed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC) has formed a Subcommittee to prepare goals, objectives and potential strategies.The Subcommittee is part of a Joint Subcommittee with the Land Use Subcommittee. No meetings have been held to date.

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ACADIANA:

The Community Foundation of Acadiana is a community foundation or charitable trust established in December, 2000 to serve the Acadiana Region. This foundation has the potential to facilitate the comprehensive needs and goals of Lafayette citizens over the long term. Community Foundations have proven themselves to be a major asset in many counties and cities across the country. The Community Foundation is a comprehensive vehicle of service to the community. The Comprehensive Plan: Lafayette IN a Century (LINC) is being linked to the Community Foundation of Acadiana to facilitate public and private sector cooperation for the long term interest and development of Lafayette Parish.

THE LAFAYETTE EXPERIENCE:

Charles Colbert and Associates developed the first Comprehensive Plan for Lafayette in 1955. This "Colbert Plan" was prompted by the growing oil and gas industry in South Louisiana resulting in rapid urban development activity in and around the City of Lafayette. A critical need can galvanize a community into some form of "planning". Since that time there have been many fragmented and specialized studies of one type or another and a number of attempts to prepare a "Master Plan" again, but with little success.

The initial spark for a new plan was the result of a major infrastructure project affecting an established residential neighborhood in the early 1990s. Many individuals called for a "Community Plan" and elected officials responded with slow and cautious steps. The formation of the Lafayette Consolidated Government gave new life to the Plan preparation and seed funding was secured from prior government commitments, grants and the new Lafayette Consolidated Government.

The Comprehensive Plan: Lafayette IN a Century (LINC) is designed to look back on what is best about the community and how to keep it and to look ahead at what it wants to be and how to achieve it. What the final results will be - - - - only time will tell. The Comprehensive Planning Division Staff works to facilitate the "Five C Process" and build a solid foundation for the Plan.

Comprehensive Planning/MPO Division
Department of Traffic and Transportation
Lafayette Consolidated Government
Lafayette, Louisiana