From St. Tammany Parish Government:
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper announced the start of the multi-phased process to update the current comprehensive development plan — one of the key initiatives of his administration — to achieve resilient, sustainable guidelines for future growth in St. Tammany. The current plan was adopted in 1999.
“My goal is to hear the desires and concerns of citizens and business owners, and work to achieve a vision that will guide our growth and shape our community,” Cooper said. “This plan will take a comprehensive, in-depth look at the way we are developing our community now, and how we — our citizens, builders, and Parish Government —ultimately want to see development evolve into the future. It is an opportunity for every citizen to have a stake in authorship of the plan and in our future.”
The multi-phased process will address numerous factors and rely heavily on public engagement and public input. The process is designed to address several key elements including: land use, transportation, housing, stormwater impact, flooding, impacts of development on natural resources, and the affordability and sustainability of future developments. The planned outcome will achieve several objectives — it will provide a factual basis for land-use decision-making; educate and inform the public; resolve points of conflict; and reduce arbitrary decision-making through establishing plan perimeters. In addition to public input, the plan will also be informed by a 21-member Steering Committee comprised of seven appointed members by St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper, and 14 members (one appointee each) appointed by the St. Tammany Parish Council. The entire process to finalize a draft of the plan for a public hearing, and final presentation of a draft for adoption to all Parish governing bodies, is expected to be complete in late 2021 to early 2022.
Citizens and interested parties will be made aware of upcoming opportunities for public input, expected to begin in the late fall of 2020. All means of connection to communication about the plan and the opportunities for public input will be disseminated through www.stpgov.org, St. Tammany Parish Government social media outlets, the news media, and email blasts from Parish Government.
Asakura-Robinson Consultants, as well as sub-consultants Digital Engineering and River Crossing Strategies, will spearhead and facilitate the phases of the plan, and provide a summary upon completion of the phases. To view the kick-off presentation containing the overview of the plan and a timeline, click here.
