Pattern for Progress City of Kenner Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements Michael S. Yenni, Mayor Michael D. Quigley – Chief Administrative Officer Natalie D. Newton – Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Jay J. Hebert, Director – Department of Planning and Zoning Mollie Mcinnis, Senior Administrative Assistant – Department of Planning and Zoning Chris Welker, Associate Planner – Department of Planning and Zoning City Council Maria C. DeFrancesch – At-Large, Division A Keith A. Conley – At-Large, Division B Gregory W. Carroll, District 1 Michael G. Sigur, District 2 Keith M. Reynaud, District 3 Leonard J. Cline, District 4 Dominick F. Impastato, District 5 Planning and Zoning Commission Rafael Saddy, At-Large Division A Tom Blum, At-Large Division B Mark Johnson, District 1 Michael A. Cenac, District 2 I.C. “Iggy” Villanueva, District 3 Rita Bezou, District 4 Robert Pastor, District 5 Acknowledgements | 1 2 | Acknowledgements Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... 1 I. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 5 II. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 17 III. Planning Framework .................................................................................................................... 25 IV. Land Use ..................................................................................................................................... 45 V. Resilience ..................................................................................................................................... 69 VI. Housing ....................................................................................................................................... 81 VII. Economic Development ............................................................................................................. 93 VIII. Community and Public Facilities ............................................................................................. 109 IX. Plan Implementation Strategies ................................................................................................ 133 X. Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 137 Land Based Classification Standards (LBCS) Methodology City of Kenner Safe Growth Audit Maps Development Opportunities .............................................................................................................. 37 Current Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 51 Future Land Use ............................................................................................................................... 63 Public Facilities ............................................................................................................................... 127 Table of Contents | 3 4 | Table of Contents I. Executive Summary Kenner is unique with its own needs, strengths, values Purpose and identity. Therefore, it needs a plan of its own. That plan also needs to respond to the larger regional The purpose of any plan is to give a context – one in which it is a vital part of an important community a roadmap or guide to direct metropolitan region. it to where it wants to be in fifteen or twenty years. Communities in Southern The analysis of current conditions that underlie this plan Louisiana - especially following the shows that Kenner faces great challenges: a decline in storms of 2005, 2008 and 2013 - have population and jobs; deterioration in housing and some focused on efforts to incorporate neighborhoods; becoming more resilient to disasters; “resilience” into their comprehensive increasing economic development opportunities; and plans, public policies and implementation improving public facilities. All of these issues and others practices. The “Pattern for Progress – are addressed through the goals and policies in each City of Kenner Comprehensive Plan” is element as the City looks to creating a high quality of that guide for the City of Kenner. life for its citizens. The Kenner Comprehensive Plan was created as a visionary guide to Kenner’s What is a Plan / Why Plan? future. That vision is to build a city that is In 1950 Kenner was a small community with only a few a prosperous, regional center providing thousand citizens. But a new airport built by the City of livable communities for all its citizens. New Orleans spurred a building boom that has only Envisioned by citizens is a thriving recently slowed down. The construction of Interstate economy with leading edge companies; Highway 10 through Kenner in 1968 also helped feed an inclusive community life; prestigious this growth. Kenner was not prepared for these medical, academic, and public changes and the effects of unplanned growth along with institutions; and a fully restored and enhanced natural, cultural, and built environment. Pattern for Progress The more measurable goals of the Vision Statement comprehensive plan are to reverse The City of Kenner will be a resilient City where all citizens Kenner’s decline in population, enjoy a high quality of life, where neighborhoods are employment, and the quality of the preserved and enhanced, where economic development physical environment through opportunities are supported and enhanced, and where coordinated and strategic Kenner’s cultural character is preserved for new and existing investments in economic families. development, neighborhood and housing revitalization, and public infrastructure throughout the city. Executive Summary | 5 demographic and economic changes have Kenner in 2008 the city council adopted the plan. currently experiencing a population decline. Several years later, the City of Kenner was awarded a grant from the LA Office So why does the City of Kenner need a plan? of Community Development as part of its “Comprehensive Resiliency Pilot Comply with Louisiana State Law (LA RS 33:106) Program.” This funding was used to Promote resilience update the land use plan by adding Protect and improve property values elements to make it comprehensive and Further economic development and employment resilient. Coinciding with this, funding Enhance predictability for residents, investors and was also available to update the City’s builders. zoning and development regulations. Able to adapt to community changes. The City’s zoning and subdivision Perhaps the greatest reason Kenner needs a regulations will be the primary tool to comprehensive plan is to adapt and plan for the implement the comprehensive plan. changing demographics and to seek ways to attract a new cadre of families to Kenner. Providing a high In April and May of 2012, the University quality of life is key to attracting new families, and the of New Orleans, Division of Planning Pattern for Progress comprehensive plan identifies the working in conjunction with the City of policies the City should follow for the physical Kenner Department of Planning and development needed to entice families back to Kenner. Zoning facilitated a robust series of six (6) citizen participation workshops. Pattern for Progress – the Process These workshops were held in each of the five council districts including two in In 2002, city leaders became aware of the need to have Council District 1. A “Community Image a plan for the future and began the planning process in Survey” was conducted at the workshops 2002 with the Pattern for Progress Future Land Use and online through the City’s website. Plan. The plan was not comprehensive in nature, but Citizens formed into groups overseen by rather focused on major land use issues throughout the a facilitator for open dialogue on matters City. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita interrupted the involving land use and zoning; economic process in 2005. Following the hurricanes of 2005 the development; housing; and critical City authorized a review of the draft land use plan and facilities. In addition to the workshops, presentations were provided to the City Guiding Principles o f K e n n e r ’ s Preserve a high quality of life for all city residents. Planning and Provide a clear policy direction to elected officials, City government, Z o n i n g citizens, and business leaders for how Kenner will make land use decisions. Commission; the Promote resilience within the planned future land uses and policies Rivertown Historic Promote a balance between the residential, economic, social, and D i s t r i c t environmental needs of the city. Commission; Mayor Provide an opportunity to improve Kenner’s physical environment. Yenni’s Economic 6 | Executive Summary Development Committee (EDC); the to attract residents back to Kenner, especially young EDC’s Laketown/Rivertown Working professionals Group Committee; and the Kenner The City’s drainage system and other infrastructure Professional Business Association. should make the city less vulnerable to flooding and more resilient. The planning team also looked at The Airport – seen as both a positive factor (economic demographic changes taking place in engine for the area, jobs, airport related businesses) Kenner. Like much of the United States, and a negative (noise, traffic,