'Our Voice, Our Plan, Our Future' up for Service Program Award at 2007 Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards
The hour-long documentary "Louisiana Speaks: Our Voice, Our Plan, Our Future," produced by Louisiana Speaks and Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) has been nominated for an Emmy award by the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Suncoast Chapter will announce its awards December 1 at a ceremony in Kissimmee, Florida.
Hosted by Louisiana-born actress, Lynn Whitfield, the program was broadcast during the months of January and February on public television stations across Louisiana, in Atlanta, Dallas and Houston and also online. The program, which was made possible in part by a generous grant from the Fannie Mae Foundation, informed viewers about a range of issues, including community growth, transportation, coastal protection and economic development and was one arm of the major public outreach campaign to engage citizens across South Louisiana on their views about the region's future. The unprecedented response to this outreach campaign included more than 27,000 Louisianans voicing their opinions, which formed the basis of the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan.
* To view the documentary, click here.
Louisiana Speaks' Emmy nomination is the latest in a series of honors. In September, the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association awarded the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan with its "Current Topic Award," the Louisiana Speaks Planning Toolkit with its "Outstanding Planning Award for a project, program or tool" and the Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book with its "Public Education Award." In May, the Congress for New Urbanism also awarded the Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book its 2007 Charter Award, an annual prize honoring projects around the world that promote walkable, neighborhood development as an alternative to urban sprawl. And in March, editors of the online planning network, http://www.planetizen.com/, named http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/ as one of the top ten best planning, design and development websites in the country. The website is managed by the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) and powered by Knowledgeplex due to a generous grant from the Fannie Mae Foundation.
"Louisiana Speaks: Our Voice, Our Plan, Our Future," is one of three nominees in the Service Program category. The Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a nonprofit Florida corporation dedicated to excellence in television. It offers annual Emmy Awards called The Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards to television markets in the entire State of Florida, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles and New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, Thomasville, Georgia and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit http://suncoast.emmyonline.org/.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
LRA Board Endorses Louisiana Speaks Goals for 2008
NEW ORLEANS (October 11, 2007) - The Louisiana Recovery Authority's (LRA) Board of Directors today endorsed ten Louisiana Speaks priorities for the next year at its October meeting in New Orleans, including establishing a state office of planning and funding and building transportation infrastructure critical to Louisiana's recovery.
The Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan for South Louisiana, which the LRA board adopted at its May 2007 meeting, details more than 100 action items to support the plan's three broad goals of recovering sustainably, growing smarter and thinking regionally.
"We have much work before us, but this endorsement sets a clear course for our long-term planning efforts in the coming year," said Donna Fraiche, chair of the LRA's Long Term Community Planning Task Force. "Setting priorities for Louisiana Speaks is where the rubber meets the road in terms of implementation and our plans become reality. Our recovery over the next generation depends on this process moving immediately forward. We must avoid missteps by getting this right while we have the opportunity."
Louisiana Speaks is a long-term planning initiative of the LRA which was created in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Spanning parishes from the Texas to Mississippi border (including the Houma/Thibodaux, New Orleans, North Shore, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, St. Bernard and Plaquemines areas), the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan provides a broad strategic framework and priorities for land use, transportation, community growth and economic development in South Louisiana.
The Louisiana Speaks team has already taken action on key elements of the regional vision by working to coordinate the implementation of the regional plan with the state's coastal protection and restoration plans and supporting Local Recovery Plans.
In addition, many of the Louisiana Speaks priorities are already in place. The Louisiana Speaks leadership established a separate, nonprofit group to support this initiative. The Louisiana Legislature established the study group to recommend how Louisiana will create a statewide planning office consistent with the Louisiana Speaks Regional Vision.
"After months of planning, it is exciting to see recommendations of the plan taking shape," said Sean Reilly, chair of the LRA's State and Local Legislative Task Force. "Establishing a separate leadership organization and a state office of planning will ensure that the voices of thousands of citizens that formed Louisiana Speaks will continue to influence the state's future."
Critical transportation projects detailed in the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan include regional transit projects that offer a high recovery and evacuation value while also providing economic development potential, such as a commuter rail that travels between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and the expansion of several highways.
The Plan also calls for the creation of model development code that would serve as a body of zoning and development principles. The Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) are developing this free resource which will be made available in late 2008.
In addition, the LRA works with the Louisiana Land Trust, formerly called the Road Home Corporation, to establish policies consistent with the Louisiana Speaks' priorities for community rebuilding and risk management to ensure the safer, stronger, smarter development of properties the Louisiana Land Trust acquires.
The Plan incorporates the 2008 priorities for the establishment of a state coastal land trust. The Louisiana Legislature directed the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to study this issue. Private resources exist for this coastal land trust and an additional effort to establish a separate Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund is still needed.
The 2008 priorities also call for locating schools and medical facilities to improve neighborhoods and spur development, which the state is working to address through $41.5 million in funds appropriated for neighborhood primary health care clinics in the affected areas, coupled with $100 million in federal funds targeted for community clinics for the hardest-hit parishes. In addition, the Recovery School District (RSD) is working on its master plan of where to locate schools.
More than 27,000 Louisianans expressed their visions for recovery and rebuilding through the Louisiana Speaks process, constituting the foundation and validation for the plan, making Louisiana Speaks the most robust survey of its kind in American history.
The ten priorities the LRA board endorsed Thursday include:1. Establish an Office of State Planning and an Independent Louisiana Speaks Leadership Group.2. Fund and build recovery-critical transportation infrastructure.3. Create a Louisiana Location Index.4. Create model development and zoning codes.5. Use the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan to guide the Louisiana Land Trust, formerly known as the Road Home Corporation.6. Focus public investment into developed areas and centers and identify and clear obstacles to infill development.7. Establish a state trust fund to revitalize communities.8. Establish a state trust fund to acquire high-risk or environmentally sensitive land.9. Locate and design schools and medical facilities to create better neighborhoods and spur community development.10. Build greener.
Visit www.louisianaspeaks.org/priorities2008.html for more information about the Louisiana Speaks 2008 priorities.
The Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan for South Louisiana, which the LRA board adopted at its May 2007 meeting, details more than 100 action items to support the plan's three broad goals of recovering sustainably, growing smarter and thinking regionally.
"We have much work before us, but this endorsement sets a clear course for our long-term planning efforts in the coming year," said Donna Fraiche, chair of the LRA's Long Term Community Planning Task Force. "Setting priorities for Louisiana Speaks is where the rubber meets the road in terms of implementation and our plans become reality. Our recovery over the next generation depends on this process moving immediately forward. We must avoid missteps by getting this right while we have the opportunity."
Louisiana Speaks is a long-term planning initiative of the LRA which was created in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Spanning parishes from the Texas to Mississippi border (including the Houma/Thibodaux, New Orleans, North Shore, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, St. Bernard and Plaquemines areas), the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan provides a broad strategic framework and priorities for land use, transportation, community growth and economic development in South Louisiana.
The Louisiana Speaks team has already taken action on key elements of the regional vision by working to coordinate the implementation of the regional plan with the state's coastal protection and restoration plans and supporting Local Recovery Plans.
In addition, many of the Louisiana Speaks priorities are already in place. The Louisiana Speaks leadership established a separate, nonprofit group to support this initiative. The Louisiana Legislature established the study group to recommend how Louisiana will create a statewide planning office consistent with the Louisiana Speaks Regional Vision.
"After months of planning, it is exciting to see recommendations of the plan taking shape," said Sean Reilly, chair of the LRA's State and Local Legislative Task Force. "Establishing a separate leadership organization and a state office of planning will ensure that the voices of thousands of citizens that formed Louisiana Speaks will continue to influence the state's future."
Critical transportation projects detailed in the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan include regional transit projects that offer a high recovery and evacuation value while also providing economic development potential, such as a commuter rail that travels between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and the expansion of several highways.
The Plan also calls for the creation of model development code that would serve as a body of zoning and development principles. The Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) are developing this free resource which will be made available in late 2008.
In addition, the LRA works with the Louisiana Land Trust, formerly called the Road Home Corporation, to establish policies consistent with the Louisiana Speaks' priorities for community rebuilding and risk management to ensure the safer, stronger, smarter development of properties the Louisiana Land Trust acquires.
The Plan incorporates the 2008 priorities for the establishment of a state coastal land trust. The Louisiana Legislature directed the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to study this issue. Private resources exist for this coastal land trust and an additional effort to establish a separate Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund is still needed.
The 2008 priorities also call for locating schools and medical facilities to improve neighborhoods and spur development, which the state is working to address through $41.5 million in funds appropriated for neighborhood primary health care clinics in the affected areas, coupled with $100 million in federal funds targeted for community clinics for the hardest-hit parishes. In addition, the Recovery School District (RSD) is working on its master plan of where to locate schools.
More than 27,000 Louisianans expressed their visions for recovery and rebuilding through the Louisiana Speaks process, constituting the foundation and validation for the plan, making Louisiana Speaks the most robust survey of its kind in American history.
The ten priorities the LRA board endorsed Thursday include:1. Establish an Office of State Planning and an Independent Louisiana Speaks Leadership Group.2. Fund and build recovery-critical transportation infrastructure.3. Create a Louisiana Location Index.4. Create model development and zoning codes.5. Use the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan to guide the Louisiana Land Trust, formerly known as the Road Home Corporation.6. Focus public investment into developed areas and centers and identify and clear obstacles to infill development.7. Establish a state trust fund to revitalize communities.8. Establish a state trust fund to acquire high-risk or environmentally sensitive land.9. Locate and design schools and medical facilities to create better neighborhoods and spur community development.10. Build greener.
Visit www.louisianaspeaks.org/priorities2008.html for more information about the Louisiana Speaks 2008 priorities.
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Latest LA Speaks News: New Websites, Lafayette Embraces the Regional Plan, and Champions Promote Louisiana nationwide
Louisiana Speaks increases online presence.
As we implement the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan and 2008 Priorities, we are making an effort to increase our online presence. We have created additional online resources to familiarize people with the Regional Plan and have begun to host online discussion forums that people may utilize to participate in the effort to create a safer, stronger and smarter Louisiana.
Since we are at the point "where the rubber hits the road," it has become essential that Louisiana Speaks has a robust base of support. The expansion of our 'online' community of supporters is particularly important in this age of modern communication. Recently, we created a group on Facebook (you must join Facebook to see the group profile), and a profile on MySpace. Facebook and Myspace are interactive, social networking websites, particularly popular with college-age individuals and young professionals. We have also developed a blog at http://laspeaks.blogspot.com/. Additionally, now Louisiana Speaks even has an entry on Wikipedia, so people can find out about the process and plan on the world's biggest free-content online encyclopedia! Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Speaks
Lafayette City-Parish Planning Commission Adopts LA Speaks Regional Plan.
On Monday, September 24, the Lafayette City-Parish Planning Commission formally adopted the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan. According to Mike Hollier, Lafayette's Planning Manager, "As an adopted component of the Lafayette Parish Comprehensive Plan: Lafayette IN a Century (LINC), the South Louisiana Regional Plan will not be altered. Henceforth, any changes to LINC would have to conform to the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan."
LA Speaks Champion and TIME magazine join forces to promote Presidential Debate in New Orleans.
The proposal for a Presidential debate in New Orleans being promoted by Louisiana Speaks Champion Anne Milling, founder of the non-partisan group Women of the Storm, has been strongly endorsed by TIME magazine, including a statement from editor Rick Stengel. Stengel is asking TIME's readers to join him in supporting a presidential debate in New Orleans by sending in comments to neworleansdebate@timemagazine.com. TIME plans to forward the letters to the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Click here to read details, endorsement letters and the debate proposal itself.
Click here to read editorial endorsements from New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and USA Today.
Click here to read an endorsement letter signed by all six U.S. Senators who are presidential candidates.Please inform your friends and family about this effort. The more people who participate, the better! Site selection will be announced at the end of October.
Chet Morrison, Louisiana Speaks Champion and LRA board member, responds to legislative approval of WRDA Bill and encourages President Bush to sign.
Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Board member and Louisiana Speaks Champion Chet Morrison has issued a statement in response to the U.S. Senate's vote to approve the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) earlier this week. Click here to read it. The U.S. House of Representatives previously passed similar legislation. WRDA now awaits President George W. Bush's signature to become law.
As we implement the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan and 2008 Priorities, we are making an effort to increase our online presence. We have created additional online resources to familiarize people with the Regional Plan and have begun to host online discussion forums that people may utilize to participate in the effort to create a safer, stronger and smarter Louisiana.
Since we are at the point "where the rubber hits the road," it has become essential that Louisiana Speaks has a robust base of support. The expansion of our 'online' community of supporters is particularly important in this age of modern communication. Recently, we created a group on Facebook (you must join Facebook to see the group profile), and a profile on MySpace. Facebook and Myspace are interactive, social networking websites, particularly popular with college-age individuals and young professionals. We have also developed a blog at http://laspeaks.blogspot.com/. Additionally, now Louisiana Speaks even has an entry on Wikipedia, so people can find out about the process and plan on the world's biggest free-content online encyclopedia! Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Speaks
Lafayette City-Parish Planning Commission Adopts LA Speaks Regional Plan.
On Monday, September 24, the Lafayette City-Parish Planning Commission formally adopted the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan. According to Mike Hollier, Lafayette's Planning Manager, "As an adopted component of the Lafayette Parish Comprehensive Plan: Lafayette IN a Century (LINC), the South Louisiana Regional Plan will not be altered. Henceforth, any changes to LINC would have to conform to the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan."
LA Speaks Champion and TIME magazine join forces to promote Presidential Debate in New Orleans.
The proposal for a Presidential debate in New Orleans being promoted by Louisiana Speaks Champion Anne Milling, founder of the non-partisan group Women of the Storm, has been strongly endorsed by TIME magazine, including a statement from editor Rick Stengel. Stengel is asking TIME's readers to join him in supporting a presidential debate in New Orleans by sending in comments to neworleansdebate@timemagazine.com. TIME plans to forward the letters to the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Click here to read details, endorsement letters and the debate proposal itself.
Click here to read editorial endorsements from New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and USA Today.
Click here to read an endorsement letter signed by all six U.S. Senators who are presidential candidates.Please inform your friends and family about this effort. The more people who participate, the better! Site selection will be announced at the end of October.
Chet Morrison, Louisiana Speaks Champion and LRA board member, responds to legislative approval of WRDA Bill and encourages President Bush to sign.
Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Board member and Louisiana Speaks Champion Chet Morrison has issued a statement in response to the U.S. Senate's vote to approve the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) earlier this week. Click here to read it. The U.S. House of Representatives previously passed similar legislation. WRDA now awaits President George W. Bush's signature to become law.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Lousiana Speaks plan hits grand slam at Louisana APA Awards
The Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) honored Louisiana Speaks with four distinguished awards that were announced at its annual conference in New Orleans today.
Donna Fraiche, the chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority's (LRA) Long Term Community Planning Task Force, received the APA's Distinguished Leadership Award for a Citizen Planner for her work with the LRA's planning task force and Louisiana Speaks. The APA also honored the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan with its Current Topic Award. The Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book received the APA's Public Education Award, and the Louisiana Speaks Planning Toolkit received the APA's Outstanding Planning Award for a project, program or tool.
"Louisiana Speaks and local planning efforts empowered Louisianians to speak up about the direction of their communities and the region, making us all citizen planners," Fraiche said. "I am humbled to be honored as part of this effort and I know I speak for the thousands of 'citizen planners' across the state when I say that this hard work should not sit on the shelf gathering dust as an effort in centralized planning. With the continued support of our partners at the APA and the Center for Planning Excellence, I am confident we will see the recommendations of Louisiana Speaks implemented in the years to come."
Donna Fraiche, the chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority's (LRA) Long Term Community Planning Task Force, received the APA's Distinguished Leadership Award for a Citizen Planner for her work with the LRA's planning task force and Louisiana Speaks. The APA also honored the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan with its Current Topic Award. The Louisiana Speaks Pattern Book received the APA's Public Education Award, and the Louisiana Speaks Planning Toolkit received the APA's Outstanding Planning Award for a project, program or tool.
"Louisiana Speaks and local planning efforts empowered Louisianians to speak up about the direction of their communities and the region, making us all citizen planners," Fraiche said. "I am humbled to be honored as part of this effort and I know I speak for the thousands of 'citizen planners' across the state when I say that this hard work should not sit on the shelf gathering dust as an effort in centralized planning. With the continued support of our partners at the APA and the Center for Planning Excellence, I am confident we will see the recommendations of Louisiana Speaks implemented in the years to come."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
La. Speaks is Already on the Job
The La. Speaks team is already rolling on several key action items.
Coordinating Regional Plan Implementation with Protection and Restoration Plans
(see LSRP, p. 36)
La. Speaks is working to ensure that the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Master Plan and Annual Plans shape La. Speaks Regional Plan initiatives and projects, and the La. Speaks team is involving the CPRA leadership in frequent reviews.
à Status: La. Speaks plans and projects are reviewed for consistency with CPRA plans, and La. Speaks works closely with CPRA leadership as relevant plans and projects are rolled forward.
Supporting Local Recovery Plans, including New Orleans’s (see LSRP, p. 39)
The La. Speaks team, which includes the LRA, is working to ensure that the implementation of the New Orleans Recovery Plan and other parish recovery plans are supported through the La. Speaks Regional Plan. This includes La. Speaks/LRA support for road and rail projects that support regional economic growth, funding through federal sources that support local recovery efforts, and support for local grant writers and administrators.
à Status: This work is underway through the LRA.
Extending the Regional Plan to include North and Central Louisiana (see LSRP, p. 84)
The La. Speaks team is working with community leaders in Central and North Louisiana to extend this successful regional planning effort. This “phase two” of La. Speaks will reflect the unique challenges and characteristics of the northern half of the state. Upon its completion, Louisiana will have a consolidated state plan for the first time.
à Status: The La. Speaks team has been meeting with leaders in North and Central Louisiana, who intend to begin organizing and leading “phase two” work.
Legislative Accomplishments
A number of action items outlined in the La. Speaks Regional Plan were accomplished during the 2007 Session of the Legislature. Some were spearheaded by the La. Speaks team, while others were the good work of allied efforts.
Adopting and Funding the CPRA Master Plan and Annual Plans (see LSRP, pp. 34-5)
SCR 11 and SCR 12 accomplished the first priorities listed in the La. Speaks Regional Plan—adoption of the CPRA Master Plan and its initial Annual Plan. Partial dedicated funding now exists through combined state and federal sources.
La. Speaks is Already on the Job
The La. Speaks team is already rolling on several key action items.
Coordinating Regional Plan Implementation with Protection and Restoration Plans
(see LSRP, p. 36)
La. Speaks is working to ensure that the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Master Plan and Annual Plans shape La. Speaks Regional Plan initiatives and projects, and the La. Speaks team is involving the CPRA leadership in frequent reviews.
à Status: La. Speaks plans and projects are reviewed for consistency with CPRA plans, and La. Speaks works closely with CPRA leadership as relevant plans and projects are rolled forward.
Supporting Local Recovery Plans, including New Orleans’s (see LSRP, p. 39)
The La. Speaks team, which includes the LRA, is working to ensure that the implementation of the New Orleans Recovery Plan and other parish recovery plans are supported through the La. Speaks Regional Plan. This includes La. Speaks/LRA support for road and rail projects that support regional economic growth, funding through federal sources that support local recovery efforts, and support for local grant writers and administrators.
à Status: This work is underway through the LRA.
Extending the Regional Plan to include North and Central Louisiana (see LSRP, p. 84)
The La. Speaks team is working with community leaders in Central and North Louisiana to extend this successful regional planning effort. This “phase two” of La. Speaks will reflect the unique challenges and characteristics of the northern half of the state. Upon its completion, Louisiana will have a consolidated state plan for the first time.
à Status: The La. Speaks team has been meeting with leaders in North and Central Louisiana, who intend to begin organizing and leading “phase two” work.
Legislative Accomplishments
A number of action items outlined in the La. Speaks Regional Plan were accomplished during the 2007 Session of the Legislature. Some were spearheaded by the La. Speaks team, while others were the good work of allied efforts.
Adopting and Funding the CPRA Master Plan and Annual Plans (see LSRP, pp. 34-5)
SCR 11 and SCR 12 accomplished the first priorities listed in the La. Speaks Regional Plan—adoption of the CPRA Master Plan and its initial Annual Plan. Partial dedicated funding now exists through combined state and federal sources.
Developing of an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 86-7)
HCR 229 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up an Office of State Planning consistent with the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
Abolishing the Insurance Rating Commission (see LSRP, pp. 36)
Louisiana was the only state that still had an Insurance Rating Commission (IRC). It was widely seen as an impediment to insurers working in Louisiana. Act 459 abolished it.
Developing a State Coastal Land Trust (see LSRP, pp. 59)
SCR 95 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up State Coastal Land Trust, which partially fulfills the Regional Plan’s recommendation to set up a Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund.
Providing Incentives for Alternative Energy Systems (see LSRP, pp. 64)
Act 371 of 2007 Regular Legislative Session established tax incentives for the construction of alternative energy systems, including wind and solar.
Maintaining the State Uniform Construction Code (see LSRP, pp. 34)
HCR 63, which would have suspended the new, stronger Uniform Construction Code for Louisiana, was tabled.
Establishing a world-class academic medical center in downtown New Orleans
(see LSRP, p. 44)
HCR 126 approved a business plan that allows access to $300 million allotted by the state for the construction of a new facility that will provide services to Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Louisiana State, Tulane and Xavier Universities.
Developing of an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 86-7)
HCR 229 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up an Office of State Planning consistent with the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
Abolishing the Insurance Rating Commission (see LSRP, pp. 36)
Louisiana was the only state that still had an Insurance Rating Commission (IRC). It was widely seen as an impediment to insurers working in Louisiana. Act 459 abolished it.
Developing a State Coastal Land Trust (see LSRP, pp. 59)
SCR 95 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up State Coastal Land Trust, which partially fulfills the Regional Plan’s recommendation to set up a Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund.
Providing Incentives for Alternative Energy Systems (see LSRP, pp. 64)
Act 371 of 2007 Regular Legislative Session established tax incentives for the construction of alternative energy systems, including wind and solar.
Maintaining the State Uniform Construction Code (see LSRP, pp. 34)
HCR 63, which would have suspended the new, stronger Uniform Construction Code for Louisiana, was tabled.
Establishing a world-class academic medical center in downtown New Orleans
(see LSRP, p. 44)
HCR 126 approved a business plan that allows access to $300 million allotted by the state for the construction of a new facility that will provide services to Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Louisiana State, Tulane and Xavier Universities.
The La. Speaks team is already rolling on several key action items.
Coordinating Regional Plan Implementation with Protection and Restoration Plans
(see LSRP, p. 36)
La. Speaks is working to ensure that the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Master Plan and Annual Plans shape La. Speaks Regional Plan initiatives and projects, and the La. Speaks team is involving the CPRA leadership in frequent reviews.
à Status: La. Speaks plans and projects are reviewed for consistency with CPRA plans, and La. Speaks works closely with CPRA leadership as relevant plans and projects are rolled forward.
Supporting Local Recovery Plans, including New Orleans’s (see LSRP, p. 39)
The La. Speaks team, which includes the LRA, is working to ensure that the implementation of the New Orleans Recovery Plan and other parish recovery plans are supported through the La. Speaks Regional Plan. This includes La. Speaks/LRA support for road and rail projects that support regional economic growth, funding through federal sources that support local recovery efforts, and support for local grant writers and administrators.
à Status: This work is underway through the LRA.
Extending the Regional Plan to include North and Central Louisiana (see LSRP, p. 84)
The La. Speaks team is working with community leaders in Central and North Louisiana to extend this successful regional planning effort. This “phase two” of La. Speaks will reflect the unique challenges and characteristics of the northern half of the state. Upon its completion, Louisiana will have a consolidated state plan for the first time.
à Status: The La. Speaks team has been meeting with leaders in North and Central Louisiana, who intend to begin organizing and leading “phase two” work.
Legislative Accomplishments
A number of action items outlined in the La. Speaks Regional Plan were accomplished during the 2007 Session of the Legislature. Some were spearheaded by the La. Speaks team, while others were the good work of allied efforts.
Adopting and Funding the CPRA Master Plan and Annual Plans (see LSRP, pp. 34-5)
SCR 11 and SCR 12 accomplished the first priorities listed in the La. Speaks Regional Plan—adoption of the CPRA Master Plan and its initial Annual Plan. Partial dedicated funding now exists through combined state and federal sources.
La. Speaks is Already on the Job
The La. Speaks team is already rolling on several key action items.
Coordinating Regional Plan Implementation with Protection and Restoration Plans
(see LSRP, p. 36)
La. Speaks is working to ensure that the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Master Plan and Annual Plans shape La. Speaks Regional Plan initiatives and projects, and the La. Speaks team is involving the CPRA leadership in frequent reviews.
à Status: La. Speaks plans and projects are reviewed for consistency with CPRA plans, and La. Speaks works closely with CPRA leadership as relevant plans and projects are rolled forward.
Supporting Local Recovery Plans, including New Orleans’s (see LSRP, p. 39)
The La. Speaks team, which includes the LRA, is working to ensure that the implementation of the New Orleans Recovery Plan and other parish recovery plans are supported through the La. Speaks Regional Plan. This includes La. Speaks/LRA support for road and rail projects that support regional economic growth, funding through federal sources that support local recovery efforts, and support for local grant writers and administrators.
à Status: This work is underway through the LRA.
Extending the Regional Plan to include North and Central Louisiana (see LSRP, p. 84)
The La. Speaks team is working with community leaders in Central and North Louisiana to extend this successful regional planning effort. This “phase two” of La. Speaks will reflect the unique challenges and characteristics of the northern half of the state. Upon its completion, Louisiana will have a consolidated state plan for the first time.
à Status: The La. Speaks team has been meeting with leaders in North and Central Louisiana, who intend to begin organizing and leading “phase two” work.
Legislative Accomplishments
A number of action items outlined in the La. Speaks Regional Plan were accomplished during the 2007 Session of the Legislature. Some were spearheaded by the La. Speaks team, while others were the good work of allied efforts.
Adopting and Funding the CPRA Master Plan and Annual Plans (see LSRP, pp. 34-5)
SCR 11 and SCR 12 accomplished the first priorities listed in the La. Speaks Regional Plan—adoption of the CPRA Master Plan and its initial Annual Plan. Partial dedicated funding now exists through combined state and federal sources.
Developing of an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 86-7)
HCR 229 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up an Office of State Planning consistent with the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
Abolishing the Insurance Rating Commission (see LSRP, pp. 36)
Louisiana was the only state that still had an Insurance Rating Commission (IRC). It was widely seen as an impediment to insurers working in Louisiana. Act 459 abolished it.
Developing a State Coastal Land Trust (see LSRP, pp. 59)
SCR 95 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up State Coastal Land Trust, which partially fulfills the Regional Plan’s recommendation to set up a Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund.
Providing Incentives for Alternative Energy Systems (see LSRP, pp. 64)
Act 371 of 2007 Regular Legislative Session established tax incentives for the construction of alternative energy systems, including wind and solar.
Maintaining the State Uniform Construction Code (see LSRP, pp. 34)
HCR 63, which would have suspended the new, stronger Uniform Construction Code for Louisiana, was tabled.
Establishing a world-class academic medical center in downtown New Orleans
(see LSRP, p. 44)
HCR 126 approved a business plan that allows access to $300 million allotted by the state for the construction of a new facility that will provide services to Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Louisiana State, Tulane and Xavier Universities.
Developing of an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 86-7)
HCR 229 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up an Office of State Planning consistent with the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
Abolishing the Insurance Rating Commission (see LSRP, pp. 36)
Louisiana was the only state that still had an Insurance Rating Commission (IRC). It was widely seen as an impediment to insurers working in Louisiana. Act 459 abolished it.
Developing a State Coastal Land Trust (see LSRP, pp. 59)
SCR 95 established a study committee to recommend to the 2008 Legislature how to set up State Coastal Land Trust, which partially fulfills the Regional Plan’s recommendation to set up a Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund.
Providing Incentives for Alternative Energy Systems (see LSRP, pp. 64)
Act 371 of 2007 Regular Legislative Session established tax incentives for the construction of alternative energy systems, including wind and solar.
Maintaining the State Uniform Construction Code (see LSRP, pp. 34)
HCR 63, which would have suspended the new, stronger Uniform Construction Code for Louisiana, was tabled.
Establishing a world-class academic medical center in downtown New Orleans
(see LSRP, p. 44)
HCR 126 approved a business plan that allows access to $300 million allotted by the state for the construction of a new facility that will provide services to Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Louisiana State, Tulane and Xavier Universities.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Next Steps: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Top Ten Next Steps
Now the La. Speaks team is getting moving on our next ten priorities—with the help of citizens and community leaders across the state.
— 1 —
(a) Establish an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 81, 83, 85-8)
A new Office of State Planning will help coordinate state plans and incentives, and it will provide technical and material support to local planning efforts. It would be governed by a public-private board serving staggered terms. Dedicated funding for this office and its programs would be established and protected either through state statute or the Constitution.
(b) Establish an Independent La. Speaks Leadership Group (see LSRP, pp. 83, 87-8)
This non-profit group will unite diverse community leaders and citizens from across the state to monitor progress toward Regional Plan benchmarks, support the activities of the Office of State Planning, and conduct public education and advocacy for community-planning best practices.
à Status: (a) The 2007 Legislalture established a study committee to recommend a structure for an Office of State Planning to the 2008 Legislature; (b) the non-profit La. Speaks group has established an interim executive board and staff, and its 501(c)3 application is pending.
— 2 —
Fund and build recovery-critical transportation infrastructure (see LSRP, pp. 32-3, 38-9)
Regional infrastructure projects with vital economic-recovery value and/or critical evacuation importance should be funded immediately. These projects include:
· Regional transit projects with recovery and evacuation value, such as commuter rail from New Orleans to Baton Rouge
· Coastal evacuation and economic-recovery projects such as La. 1 to Port Fourchon, La. 23 to Venice, and La. 27 to Cameron
· Regional evacuation and economic development projects such as I-49 from Lafayette to metro New Orleans, La. 20/24 from Houma to I-10, and U.S. 165 north of Lake Charles
· Key local connections with regional evacuation and economic recovery value, such as the Calcasieu Pass bridgeworks, the Florida Ave. bridge to St. Bernard Parish, and expanded public transit in the New Orleans metro area.
à Status: Partial funding exists for intercity rail between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, DOTD has operating agreements in place, and the LRA is working on a feasibility study. Work is underway on some of the other projects, and partial funding has been identified for many.
— 3 —
Create a “Louisiana Location Index” (see LSRP, pp. 63-4)
A “Louisiana Location Index” will be a powerful tool for coordinating La. Speaks and other plans, policies and incentives. The Index would be a database-driven, publicly accessible map (GIS) that categorizes land in Louisiana based on its suitability for different kinds of development. All state data, policies and incentives—regarding economic development, conservation, transportation-planning and related development, community reinvestment, and more—could be integrated into this comprehensive resource. The first step in creating the Index will be convening a broad stakeholder group to establish viable and credible categories for land-classification. The Index would provide a framework to local planners. This approach has been very successful in other states, including Maryland and New Jersey.
à Status: This effort has yet to be launched, but rich base-data has been created by state agencies, universities, regional planning offices, and through the La. Speaks process.
— 4 —
Create Model Development and Zoning Codes (see LSRP, pp. 58, 64)
A Louisiana Model Development Code will be a body of zoning and development-regulation statutes offered as a free resource to local jurisdictions. Locals could import selected portions “cafeteria”-style, or they could adopt the whole Code. The Louisiana Model Development Code would include best practices for creating safe, walkable communities by addressing building massing and density, block standards, buffers, street design, parking, and fire and public-safety standards. The Code will be tailored to the distinctive physical, cultural, and legal character of Louisiana, yet it will also be flexible enough to address urban, suburban and rural areas; areas experiencing growth and areas in need of reinvestment. It will include innovative guidelines for transit-oriented development and traditional neighborhood development. Its development will also be coordinated with Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority so that the Code will be a tool for sound coastal development and conservation. The Louisiana Location Index will provide a basis for local application of the Code. Educational outreach is a key part of the project.
à Status: CPEX and LED have partnered to hire a top consultant team to develop the Louisiana Model Development Code.
— 5 —
Use the La. Speaks Regional Plan to Guide the Road Home Corporation (see LSRP, p. 39)
When property-owners opt for a Road Home buyout, the lot is developed for its best use—either by returning it to commerce or conserving it for mitigation and community enhancement consistent with neighborhood, parish, and regional plans. This process should follow the community-building and risk-management strategies in the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
à Status: The LRA is currently using the La. Speaks Regional Plan to help establish policies that guide the disposition of Road Home Corp. properties.
— 6 —
(a) Focus public investment into developed areas and centers (see LSRP, p. 40)
State policy should encourage locating new state buildings and infrastructure investments in existing downtowns, neighborhood centers, and town centers—or at least within the urbanized area of existing communities. This policy should support parish recovery plans, such as the Reinvestment Areas identified in the New Orleans’s Recovery Plan. This policy could also guide state assistance for local projects, making it easier for local entities to focus investment in developed areas.
(b) Identify and clear obstacles to “infill” development (see LSRP, p. 40)
A comprehensive assessment of legal, financial, regulatory, and other barriers to development and redevelopment within existing communities (“infill”) will be undertaken. From this, remedies—legal, statutory, regulatory, and otherwise—can be pursued.
à Status: (a) State policy on facilities and infrastructure siting remains to be undertaken; (b) Identification of obstacles to infill is the topic of a La. Speaks policy white paper and of associated legal research.
— 7 —
Establish a State Trust Fund to Revitalize Communities (see LSRP, pp. 40-1)
A new State Community Reinvestment Trust Fund will support plans and projects that reinvigorate streets, spaces, and corridors of commercial and/or civic importance—including downtowns, historic districts, and main streets. Funds could support implementation of neighborhood plans done through La. Speaks, the Unified New Orleans Plan, or others. The Community Reinvestment Trust will complement and expand Louisiana’s existing Main Streets program, and it will work in coordination with it.
à Status: Lousiana’s Main Streets program has been operating successfully for years, but an effort to create a new trust fund has yet to be started.
— 8 —
Establish a State Trust Fund to Acquire High-Risk or Environmentally Sensitive Land
(see LSRP, pp. 58-61)
A new State Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund will acquire rights (or surface rights) to high-risk and/or environmentally sensitive land, or acquire permanent conservation easements. In order to achieve effective and efficient administration of these efforts, the new fund should be coordinated with state, regional, and local entities, as well as allied nonprofits. (This effort would benefit from the legal severance of underlying mineral rights, so as to ease surface property transfers and create more willing sellers.)
à Status: The 2007 Legislature requested the La. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to study the establishment of a state coastal land trust, and private resources already exist. It remains to be seen whether an additional effort to establish a separate Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund is needed.
— 9 —
Locate and Design Schools and Medical Facilities to Create Better Neighborhoods and Spur Community Development (see LSRP, p. 76)
New schools, clinics, and other community and social-services facilities should be integrated into the urban fabric and easily accessible to the populations they serve by foot or public transit. Such facilities should be strategically sited and developed to function as community centers and to spur private development. Such facilities should be clustered so they can share space and parking, as well as providing off-hour community centers. These clusters can also be world-class economic development engines, such as the proposed joint efforts of Tulane, Louisiana State University, Xavier, and the Veteran’s Administration in New Orleans’s downtown medical center. These issues will be addressed in the new Louisiana Model Development Code.
à Status: The State appropriated $41.5 million for planning, acquisition, and construction of neighborhood primary health care clinics throughout the recovery area, and another $100 million in federal funds is targeted to community clinics for the parishes hardest hit in 2005. The New Orleans Recovery School District Master Plan is also underway.
— 10 —
Build Greener (see LSRP, p. 64)
Developers, builders, the public, and local governments will be educated on the value of environmentally sustainable (“green”) construction using the La. Speaks Pattern Book and Planning Toolkit as resources. A key component of this is education about the lower lifetime costs of sustainable building practices. The state should require new state buildings to meet LEED or other green-construction certification, and it should encourage local governments and the private sector to do the same, including offering tax incentives.
à Status: Education using the La. Speaks Pattern Book and Toolkit is ongoing, the state approved new building codes in 2005, and the 2007 Legislature approved tax incentives for building alternative energy systems, such as wind and solar. Broader education and targets, incentives, and/or requirements regarding sustainable development have yet to be addressed.
Now the La. Speaks team is getting moving on our next ten priorities—with the help of citizens and community leaders across the state.
— 1 —
(a) Establish an Office of State Planning (see LSRP, pp. 81, 83, 85-8)
A new Office of State Planning will help coordinate state plans and incentives, and it will provide technical and material support to local planning efforts. It would be governed by a public-private board serving staggered terms. Dedicated funding for this office and its programs would be established and protected either through state statute or the Constitution.
(b) Establish an Independent La. Speaks Leadership Group (see LSRP, pp. 83, 87-8)
This non-profit group will unite diverse community leaders and citizens from across the state to monitor progress toward Regional Plan benchmarks, support the activities of the Office of State Planning, and conduct public education and advocacy for community-planning best practices.
à Status: (a) The 2007 Legislalture established a study committee to recommend a structure for an Office of State Planning to the 2008 Legislature; (b) the non-profit La. Speaks group has established an interim executive board and staff, and its 501(c)3 application is pending.
— 2 —
Fund and build recovery-critical transportation infrastructure (see LSRP, pp. 32-3, 38-9)
Regional infrastructure projects with vital economic-recovery value and/or critical evacuation importance should be funded immediately. These projects include:
· Regional transit projects with recovery and evacuation value, such as commuter rail from New Orleans to Baton Rouge
· Coastal evacuation and economic-recovery projects such as La. 1 to Port Fourchon, La. 23 to Venice, and La. 27 to Cameron
· Regional evacuation and economic development projects such as I-49 from Lafayette to metro New Orleans, La. 20/24 from Houma to I-10, and U.S. 165 north of Lake Charles
· Key local connections with regional evacuation and economic recovery value, such as the Calcasieu Pass bridgeworks, the Florida Ave. bridge to St. Bernard Parish, and expanded public transit in the New Orleans metro area.
à Status: Partial funding exists for intercity rail between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, DOTD has operating agreements in place, and the LRA is working on a feasibility study. Work is underway on some of the other projects, and partial funding has been identified for many.
— 3 —
Create a “Louisiana Location Index” (see LSRP, pp. 63-4)
A “Louisiana Location Index” will be a powerful tool for coordinating La. Speaks and other plans, policies and incentives. The Index would be a database-driven, publicly accessible map (GIS) that categorizes land in Louisiana based on its suitability for different kinds of development. All state data, policies and incentives—regarding economic development, conservation, transportation-planning and related development, community reinvestment, and more—could be integrated into this comprehensive resource. The first step in creating the Index will be convening a broad stakeholder group to establish viable and credible categories for land-classification. The Index would provide a framework to local planners. This approach has been very successful in other states, including Maryland and New Jersey.
à Status: This effort has yet to be launched, but rich base-data has been created by state agencies, universities, regional planning offices, and through the La. Speaks process.
— 4 —
Create Model Development and Zoning Codes (see LSRP, pp. 58, 64)
A Louisiana Model Development Code will be a body of zoning and development-regulation statutes offered as a free resource to local jurisdictions. Locals could import selected portions “cafeteria”-style, or they could adopt the whole Code. The Louisiana Model Development Code would include best practices for creating safe, walkable communities by addressing building massing and density, block standards, buffers, street design, parking, and fire and public-safety standards. The Code will be tailored to the distinctive physical, cultural, and legal character of Louisiana, yet it will also be flexible enough to address urban, suburban and rural areas; areas experiencing growth and areas in need of reinvestment. It will include innovative guidelines for transit-oriented development and traditional neighborhood development. Its development will also be coordinated with Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority so that the Code will be a tool for sound coastal development and conservation. The Louisiana Location Index will provide a basis for local application of the Code. Educational outreach is a key part of the project.
à Status: CPEX and LED have partnered to hire a top consultant team to develop the Louisiana Model Development Code.
— 5 —
Use the La. Speaks Regional Plan to Guide the Road Home Corporation (see LSRP, p. 39)
When property-owners opt for a Road Home buyout, the lot is developed for its best use—either by returning it to commerce or conserving it for mitigation and community enhancement consistent with neighborhood, parish, and regional plans. This process should follow the community-building and risk-management strategies in the La. Speaks Regional Plan.
à Status: The LRA is currently using the La. Speaks Regional Plan to help establish policies that guide the disposition of Road Home Corp. properties.
— 6 —
(a) Focus public investment into developed areas and centers (see LSRP, p. 40)
State policy should encourage locating new state buildings and infrastructure investments in existing downtowns, neighborhood centers, and town centers—or at least within the urbanized area of existing communities. This policy should support parish recovery plans, such as the Reinvestment Areas identified in the New Orleans’s Recovery Plan. This policy could also guide state assistance for local projects, making it easier for local entities to focus investment in developed areas.
(b) Identify and clear obstacles to “infill” development (see LSRP, p. 40)
A comprehensive assessment of legal, financial, regulatory, and other barriers to development and redevelopment within existing communities (“infill”) will be undertaken. From this, remedies—legal, statutory, regulatory, and otherwise—can be pursued.
à Status: (a) State policy on facilities and infrastructure siting remains to be undertaken; (b) Identification of obstacles to infill is the topic of a La. Speaks policy white paper and of associated legal research.
— 7 —
Establish a State Trust Fund to Revitalize Communities (see LSRP, pp. 40-1)
A new State Community Reinvestment Trust Fund will support plans and projects that reinvigorate streets, spaces, and corridors of commercial and/or civic importance—including downtowns, historic districts, and main streets. Funds could support implementation of neighborhood plans done through La. Speaks, the Unified New Orleans Plan, or others. The Community Reinvestment Trust will complement and expand Louisiana’s existing Main Streets program, and it will work in coordination with it.
à Status: Lousiana’s Main Streets program has been operating successfully for years, but an effort to create a new trust fund has yet to be started.
— 8 —
Establish a State Trust Fund to Acquire High-Risk or Environmentally Sensitive Land
(see LSRP, pp. 58-61)
A new State Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund will acquire rights (or surface rights) to high-risk and/or environmentally sensitive land, or acquire permanent conservation easements. In order to achieve effective and efficient administration of these efforts, the new fund should be coordinated with state, regional, and local entities, as well as allied nonprofits. (This effort would benefit from the legal severance of underlying mineral rights, so as to ease surface property transfers and create more willing sellers.)
à Status: The 2007 Legislature requested the La. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to study the establishment of a state coastal land trust, and private resources already exist. It remains to be seen whether an additional effort to establish a separate Conservation and Mitigation Trust Fund is needed.
— 9 —
Locate and Design Schools and Medical Facilities to Create Better Neighborhoods and Spur Community Development (see LSRP, p. 76)
New schools, clinics, and other community and social-services facilities should be integrated into the urban fabric and easily accessible to the populations they serve by foot or public transit. Such facilities should be strategically sited and developed to function as community centers and to spur private development. Such facilities should be clustered so they can share space and parking, as well as providing off-hour community centers. These clusters can also be world-class economic development engines, such as the proposed joint efforts of Tulane, Louisiana State University, Xavier, and the Veteran’s Administration in New Orleans’s downtown medical center. These issues will be addressed in the new Louisiana Model Development Code.
à Status: The State appropriated $41.5 million for planning, acquisition, and construction of neighborhood primary health care clinics throughout the recovery area, and another $100 million in federal funds is targeted to community clinics for the parishes hardest hit in 2005. The New Orleans Recovery School District Master Plan is also underway.
— 10 —
Build Greener (see LSRP, p. 64)
Developers, builders, the public, and local governments will be educated on the value of environmentally sustainable (“green”) construction using the La. Speaks Pattern Book and Planning Toolkit as resources. A key component of this is education about the lower lifetime costs of sustainable building practices. The state should require new state buildings to meet LEED or other green-construction certification, and it should encourage local governments and the private sector to do the same, including offering tax incentives.
à Status: Education using the La. Speaks Pattern Book and Toolkit is ongoing, the state approved new building codes in 2005, and the 2007 Legislature approved tax incentives for building alternative energy systems, such as wind and solar. Broader education and targets, incentives, and/or requirements regarding sustainable development have yet to be addressed.
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