The Jefferson Parish Comprehensive Plan
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This document is designed to be printed double-sided. This is the back of the cover and is intentionally blank. Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1 2. WHO WE ARE ....................................................................... 5 3. WHAT WE SAID.................................................................. 11 4. OUR VISION ....................................................................... 13 5. LAND USE ......................................................................... 19 6. HOUSING ........................................................................... 39 7. TRANSPORTATION ............................................................ 47 8. COMMUNITY FACILITIES & OPEN SPACE .......................... 57 9. NATURAL HAZARDS & RESOURCES ................................. 71 10. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ............................................ 79 11. ADMINISTRATION & IMPLEMENTATION ......................... 83 APPENDICES A: COMMUNITY PROFILE B: OPPORTUNITIES & CONSTRAINTS C: IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS SINCE 2003 D: UPDATE PROCESS Envision Jefferson 2040 Page i As adopted on November 6, 2019 Prepared by: Under the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan Administration of Update Steering Committee appointed by the Parish Michael S. Yenni, Parish President President and Councilmembers Walter R. Brooks, Chief Operating Officer Bruce Layburn Michael J. Power, Esq., Chief Administrative Bruce Richards Assistant, Development Lloyd Tran Jefferson Parish Planning Department Mike Boudreaux Dr. Teresa A. Wilkinson, AICP, Director Kelly Hand Juliette Cassagne, Assistant Director Tony Ligi Jay Hebert, Senior Planner Bruce Wainer Melissa Guilbeau, AICP, Senior Planner Liz Van Dervort Monica Kelley, Senior Planner Bob Evans Shane Yokum, Senior Planner Derek Chisholm Rich Gillen, Landscape Architect Jackie Madden Alena Gesser, Planner Lee Giorgio Amanda Ponti, Planner Stan Salathe Carrie MacKay, Planner James Borsos, AICP, Planner And the Planning Advisory Board Kelvin Jackson, Planner Robert Ventura, At-Large Division A Kiakala Ntemo, Planner Lynne Parker, At-Large Division B Liane Trick, Planner Darrel Beerbohm, District 1 Michele Enright, Planner Philip Biondillo, District 2 Molly Brackin, Planner Dylan Bourg, District 3 Rob Johnston, Planner Leeann Manalla, District 4 Shakeeb Shariff, Planner Sam Russo, District 5 Shannon Haynes, Planner Bill Sedgwick, Planning Intern Adopted by the Jefferson Parish Council Diana Soileau, Executive Assistant Council At-Large Division A: Keith A. Conley Arrington Pickens, Clerical Council At-Large Division B: Cynthia Lee-Sheng Katina Webb, Clerical Council District 1: Ricky J. Templet Nedra Tate, Clerical Council District 2: Paul D. Johnston Patricia Butler, Clerical Council District 3: Mark D. Spears, Jr. And assistance from 35 other departments and Council District 4: Dominick F. Impastato, III offices of Jefferson Parish Government and staff Council District 5: Jennifer Van Vrancken of the Jefferson Parish Economic Development District Funded by: The Louisiana Office of Community Asakura Robinson Development, Disaster Recovery Unit, as a disaster- Digital Engineering, Inc. related Community Development Block Grant eligible activity that meets a CDBG-DR National Objective, State Project Number I26-P-00001. With special thanks to the citizens of Jefferson Parish for their participation in community. Page ii DRAFT FOR REVIEW Envision Jefferson 2040 8/26/2019 As adopted on [date] 1. Introduction 1. Introduction A comprehensive plan is an expression of a Office of Community Development, Disaster community’s desires and a document that Recovery Unit, has promoted resilience by describes and guides the public policies a local funding capital projects and planning efforts, government intends to carry out to achieve including this Plan Update. Hence, resilience is them. It also compiles and integrates the many an issue that receives attention. facilities, structures, and functions that a typical government owns, operates, and performs. Since 2003, the Parish has amended the Plan by Finally, a comprehensive plan reveals the adopting strategic or subarea plans, delineating interrelatedness and potential synergy among thoroughfares and paths, and changing future “elements” to achieve the plan’s goals and land-use classifications. It has revised its objectives. subdivision regulations, created the Unified Development Code, and adopted the The Jefferson Parish Home Rule Charter Thoroughfare Plan, Housing Element, and mandates the preparation of a comprehensive Master Bicycle Plan, which received an or “master” plan “for the social, economic, and Excellence Award from the Louisiana Chapter of physical development of the parish.” In 2003, the American Planning Association in 2016. the Parish adopted its first official comprehensive plan—Envision Jefferson 2020 One subarea plan—the Fat City Redevelopment (the Plan)—with a focus on the built Plan—entailed robust public participation and environment of the unincorporated parish and propelled improvements and reinvestment in its development and redevelopment. the neighborhood. Both the National American Planning Association (APA) and the Louisiana As 2020 approaches, the Parish recognizes the APA Chapter bestowed top awards on the necessity to update the Plan comprehensively Parish District Councilwoman for her efforts to reflect changing conditions and needs, some during the Fat City planning process. of which result from the shifting demographics of a mature, inner-ring suburb. Since the Plan’s Fat City is a good example of how Parish, State, adoption, the parish also has experienced Federal, and other funds have financed several disruptive events—Hurricanes Katrina programs and major capital projects in the and Rita in 2005, the Great parish since 2003. The Jefferson Recession of 2008, and the Parish Economic Development Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Commission (JEDCO) 2010. established the Churchill Technology and Business Park, Despite these events, the public which now contains the JEDCO and private sectors have shown office complex, Patrick Taylor remarkable resilience—the Science and Technology ability to respond and recover Academy, and Delgado from disruptive events. The Community College River City State of Louisiana through its and Advanced Manufacturing Envision Jefferson 2040 Page 1 As adopted on November 6, 2019 1. Introduction Who We Are: This section summarizes historical and demographic information about the parish. What We Said: A description of the public input that formed the basis of the community’s vision for the future comprises this section. Our Vision: Fundamental to a comprehensive plan is the community’s Vision, a simple statement and supportive assertions about desires and aspirations. Figure 1. The APA and APA LA each gave an award to Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng, largely for her work in Fat City. Land Use: The Land Use Element provides the Goals and Objectives for the Center. Developing the Churchill Technology use of land over the next 20 years. It also Park is an implementation task of the Jefferson includes the baseline Future Land Use Map EDGE Economic Development Strategy. and descriptions of the future land-use categories. Besides identifying the development of the Churchill tech park as a priority, Envision Housing: The Housing Element provides Jefferson 2020 emphasized the widening of the the Goals and Objectives for housing over Huey P. Long Bridge as a key project given the the next 20 years. It incorporates two sub- significance of this transportation infrastructure plans: the Consolidated Plan for the in the Louisiana and greater New Orleans Jefferson HOME Consortium and the economy. The State funded the $1.2 billion Jefferson Parish Housing Stock TIMED Program widening project, completed in Enhancement Strategic Plan. 2013, to improve the overall transportation network and enhance economic development. Transportation: The Transportation The Metropolitan Transportation Plan includes Element provides the Goals and Objectives major projects such as the bridge widening. for transportation over the next 20 years. It incorporates three sub-plans: the These accomplishments reflect the nearly two- Thoroughfare Plan, the Master Bicycle Plan, thirds of all Plan Implementation tasks detailed and the Transit Strategic Plan. in Envision Jefferson 2020 that were either ongoing, complete, or underway as of year Community Facilities & Open 2019 (see Appendix C). In updating the Plan, the Space: The Community Facilities & Open Parish strives for a simpler, more concise, and Space Element provides the Goals and illustrative format, summarized below, that will Objectives for community facilities and improve the Plan’s functionality and readability. services over the next 20 years. Page 2 Envision Jefferson 2040 As adopted on November 6, 2019 1. Introduction Natural Hazards & Resources: As the Elements suggest, the Comprehensive The Natural Hazards & Resources Element Plan also is a compendium of subplans that the recognizes the Multijurisdictional Hazard Parish and its partners, such as JEDCO and the Mitigation Plan as a component of this New Orleans Regional Planning Commission element, and describes plans and programs (RPC), have developed over the past years for aimed at managing and restoring the specific topics or geographic areas. Some topics parish’s coastal resources. and geographic areas, however, extend beyond parish boundaries and have regional, state, and