Photograph: Kade Jones, regional planner with Acadiana Planning Commission. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The St. Landry Parish Council has drafted an ordinance which intends to create a parish-wide Planning Commission which focuses on commercial and land development along the midway Interstate 49 corridor.
While the proposed ordinance introduction was approved by the Council last week, the St. Landry Economic Development Group was introduced to the essentials of the prospective legislation during a regular monthly meeting Tuesday morning.
Kade Jones, a regional planner with the Acadiana Planning Commission, told board members that creating a parish-wide Commission is essential in order to qualify for federal grant funding offered by the eight-state Delta Regional Authority.
The DRA, Jones explained, provides grants that assist regional governments in areas of strategic economic planning and formulating studies associated with land usage.
Jones added that the DRA is concerned primarily with providing grant assistance to rural parishes and counties within the eight-state region.
All of the parishes assisted by the Acadiana Planning Commission, Jones said, are eligible to receive DRA help except for Lafayette Parish.
Bill Rodier, SLEDD executive director, told board members that St. Landry currently has no zoning ordinances outside municipal boundaries, a situation which he said will make the effort of the Planning Commission more difficult.
Rodier said however that the five-member Commission appointed by the Council, is needed in order to help provide some type of oversight as businesses and residential subdivisions proliferate along the I-49 midway corridor between the Nuba exit and the Lafayette Parish line.
According to the ordinance introduction which requires a Parish Council public hearing prior to adoption, the five Commission will approve and remove the appointees, who reside within St. Landry, and scheduled to serve without compensation.
The board on Tuesday also approved a recommendation to have either a present or past member of the SLED group appointed as one of the Commission members.
Information about the Commission Jones said, has already been sent to mayors of municipalities along the St. Landry portion of the I-49 corridor.
Jones added that the idea for the Commission expanded following several economic development conversations with Washington Mayor Dwight Landreneau.
Landreneau, Jones explained, was interested during their initial meetings with obtaining help from the Acadiana Planning Commission for creating a marketing plan that tied Washington to I-49 commerce.
Jones said Landreneau agreed to include other municipalities like Opelousas and Sunset, into helping create marketing plans for their presence on I-49.
