PlanWEST
West Baton Rouge Parish Comprehensive Plan
22 September 2011
page i
Acknowledgements
Parish Council
Randal Mouch
Jeff Kershaw
Keith Washington, Sr.
Ricky Loupe
Charlene Gordon
Phil Porto Jr.
Gary Spillman
Alethea Johnson
Edward G. Robertson
District I
District II
District III
District IV
District V
District VI
District VII
District VIII
District IX
Parish Administration and Staff
Riley “Pee Wee” Bethelot, Jr. Parish President
Jason Manola Executive Assistant
Kevin Durbin
Director OCPD
Lynn ClineOCPD
Utilities
Daryl Babin Anatole Vincent Recreation
Deano Moran Emergency Preparedness
Steve McLin Roads
Emile White Drainage
Julie Rose Museum
Beth Vandersteen Library
Mike CazesSheriff
Parish Attorney
Lou Delahaye
Steering Committee
Kevin Durbin
Owen Cope
Billy Ward
Rawlston Phillips
Lynne Cline
Riley “Pee Wee” Bethelot, Jr.
Butch Plauche
Kathy Stuart
Alan Crowe
Development Advisory Committee
Blaine Rabalais
Owen Cope
Alan Crowe
Rawlston Phillips
Billy Ward
SharonBoudreaux-Stam
CarrollBourgeois
David Corona
Marc Barker
Susan Langlois
Will Wilkinson
Drew Maciasz
Denise Rodrigue
Ricky Sparks
Jeff Hendrickson
Lisa Smith
Jay Hardman
Butch Plauche
Kathy Stuart
Adam Marchand
Riley Berthelot
Jason Manola
Phillip Bourgoyne
Daryl Babin
Deano Moran
Steve McLin
Emile White
Melanie Moore
Anatole Vincent
Barney Altazan
Special Thanks to the Citizens of West Baton Rouge Parish
Planning Consultants
Tipton Associates
Kenneth Tipton, AIA, Project Managing Principal
Scott D'Agostino, AICP, LEED ND
Jennifer Hall, MBA
Josh Peak
www.tipton-associates.com
Sasaki Associates
Fred Merrill, AICP, LEED AP, Planning Principal in Charge
Ricardo Dumont, ASLA
www.sasaki.com
PESI, Engineers and Surveyors
Cletus Langlois, P.L.S., Engineering and Surveying Principal
www.patinengr-surv.com
W-ZHA, l.l.c.
Sarah Woodworth, Economic Development
www.w-zha.com/
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page ii
Contents
Part 1: Vision and Framework�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1
Chapter 1: Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2
1. Why a Comprehensive Plan?
2. Plan Overview
3. Planning Process
2
4
6
Chapter 2: Regional Context��������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
1.
2.
3.
4.
Historical Background
8
Mississippi River 10
Regional Location
12
Demographics14
Chapter 3: Vision������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16
1. Guiding Principles
2. Smart Growth Principles
3. Growth Scenarios
16
18
20
Part 2: Plan Elements������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 25
Chapter 4: Economic Development��������������������������������������������������������� 26
1. Overview26
2. Economic Development Goals and Strategies
28
Chapter 5: Land Use, Housing and Neighborhoods��������������������������������� 34
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Land Use Overview
Future Land Use
Land Use: Goals and Strategies
District Framework Plans
Housing and Neighborhoods Overview
Housing and Neighborhoods: Goals and Strategies
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
34
38
44
50
54
58
page iii
Chapter 6: Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources���� 62
1. Overview62
2. Natural Resources Goals and Strategies
67
3. Agricultural Resources Goals and Strategies
72
Chapter 7: Transportation and Mobility��������������������������������������������������� 76
1. Overview76
2. Transportation and Mobility Goals and Strategies
80
Chapter 8: Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure������������������������ 90
1. Overview90
2. Goals and Strategies
94
Part 3: Implementation���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 103
Chapter 9: Implementation�������������������������������������������������������������������� 104
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Overview104
Comprehensive Plan Adoption
105
106
Principles for Implementation
Monitoring the Plan
107
Action Plan
108
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Part 1: Vision and Framework
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction
1. Why a Comprehensive Plan?
West Baton Rouge Parish has exceptional assets: a rich agricultural
heritage, abundant natural resources, and a rural lifestyle and close
proximity to a major metropolitan region. PlanWEST, the West
Baton Rouge Parish Comprehensive Master Plan, was created
to preserve the unique qualities of the Parish while providing a
framework to guide growth for the next twenty years. PlanWEST is
a comprehensive vision with corresponding strategies to accomplish
the goals set forth by the citizens’ vision for the Parish.
PlanWEST builds upon a body of work originally undertaken by
the Office of Community Planning and Development in 1995. The
previous planning effort was led by Mr. Riley Berthelot, Kevin
Durbin, Lynn Cline, Sonia Schoppe and the Development Advisory
Committee. West Baton Rouge Parish’s previous master plan was
completed in 1960.
The comprehensive master plan is not a legally binding regulatory
document but will serve to guide Parish development and policy
decisions related to land use, transportation, natural resources, and
infrastructure. The plan will be used by Parish officials to benchmark
a vision of how the Parish will develop over the next twenty years.
The plan is a set of goals and strategies that have been developed
with input from local residents, stakeholders and Parish leaders.
© Josh Peak
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 3
The components of the plan are:
• Vision and Framework
• Economic Development
• Land Use, Housing and Neighborhoods
• Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural
Resources
• Transportation and Mobility
• Community Facilities, Services and
Infrastructure
• Implementation
Erwinville
While agriculture and wetlands remain the
predominant land use, new patterns of growth,
development, mobility, and regional economic
changes have begun to affect the Parish.
PlanWEST is a guide for decision makers, Parish
officials, and municipal leaders to manage growth,
promote a sustainable economy, and preserve
farmland, wetlands and critical natural resources.
Port Allen
The comprehensive master plan is designed for a
twenty year time frame and should be updated by
the year 2030. During this period the plan should
regularly be updated at a minimum of every five
years to reflect implementation progress and
changing trends.
Baton Rouge
Brusly
Addis
Figure 1-1. West Baton Rouge Parish Aerial, 2009.
Chapter 1 | Introduction
page 4
2. Plan Overview
PlanWEST, West Baton Rouge Parish’s Comprehensive Plan is
divided into three parts:
• Part 1 Vision and Framework
Part One provides an overview of the planning process, existing
conditions and issues analysis, captures the citizens vision for the
Parish, outlines the guiding principles and discusses the public
process.
• Chapter 3: Guiding Principles
Presents a vision for the Parish, setting a framework for future
growth and preservation through a set of guiding principles
founded on smart growth and sustainable principles. The vision
and principles were developed based on input and guidance from
citizens, the Development Advisory Committee (DAC) and Parish
officials.
• Part 2 Comprehensive Plan Elements
Part Two contains the topical elements of the plan; each element
provides a summary analysis of its subject area, identifies issues
and goals and presents strategies to achieve the specified goals.
Part 2 Comprehensive Plan Elements
• Part 3 Implementation
Part Three defines regulatory, policy, planning, and capital
investment strategies for implementation plan elements and
outlines the process to update and monitor plan elements.
• Chapter 4: Economic Development
Part 1 Vision and Framework
• Chapter 7: Transportation and Mobility
• Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduces the comprehensive master plan by describing the plan
structure and planning process used to create the master plan.
• Chapter 8: Community Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
• Chapter 2: Regional Context
Summarizes existing conditions, issues and future trends in the
Parish, addressing elements such as, demographics, land use,
community facilities and natural resources.
• Chapter 9: Implementation
Establishes a framework for implementation and monitoring plan
progress, including procedures for annual progress reports and
plan updates.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Each element provides a summary analysis of the plan element and
existing conditions; identifies planning issues; and presents goals
and strategies. The plan elements are:
• Chapter 5: Land Use, Housing and Neighborhoods
• Chapter 6: Green Infrastructure: Agricultural and Natural
Resources
Part 3 Implementation and Monitoring
page 5
The Parish Vision Plan captures the citizens
vision for West Baton Rouge Parish and the
desired pattern of future growth. The plan
will be used as a guide by Parish leaders
to make policy and planning decisions
related to economic development, land
use, infrastructure, housing and natural
resources.
Figure 1-2. Parish Vision Plan
Chapter 1 | Introduction
page 6
3. Planning Process
The collaborative planning process was a Parish wide effort
completed over a 12-month period in five subsequent phases.
Phase One: Project Framework
This initial phase set the direction for the planning process including
organization, designing the community outreach component and
meeting with Parish administration, the Development Advisory
Committee (DAC), and planning staff to establish a procedure and
format for community participation and involvement, scheduling and
planning priorities.
The DAC included community representatives from across the
Parish, elected officials, Parish planning members and land owners.
The DAC’s role in the planning process was to review and comment
on planning policies, text, and maps; ensuring public comments
were incorporated into the plan. The DAC and consultant team met
throughout the planning process to provide input and guide plan
development.
October 28, 2010 Public Workshop
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
The comprehensive plan has been developed through a transparent
and open process, with numerous opportunities for public input
including stakeholder interviews, website comments, e-mail, and
regular attendance at council meetings. Ongoing outreach efforts
targeted business, civic, religious, educational and governmental
groups as well as large landowners. Three public workshops were
held in October 2010, February 2011, and the draft plan was
presented in June 2011.
October 2010 workshop set the stage by gathering and prioritizing over 100 citizen’s visions for the future. This public workshop
explored three major themes:
• Aspirations: What would we like West Baton Rouge Parish to be
known for in the future?
• Attributes: What do you find special about the character of West
Baton Rouge Parish?
• Issues: What changes should we consider to improve our
community?
The February 2011 public workshop expanded upon the findings
from the public input and explored development options that reflected
those aspirations, attributes, and issues on identified in the October
February 28, 2011 Public Workshop
page 7
2010 public work session. Participants from the north, central, and
south regions of the Parish were tasked to work as groups to decide
future best practices and locations for development including:
• Land use, housing and neighborhoods
• Transportation and mobility
• Parks, recreation, and public facilities
• Infrastructure and drainage,
• Natural resources and land preservation
In June 2011, the results of these workshops, studies, research, as
well as administrative and committee input were compiled and the
draft of PlanWEST was presented in an open public forum to the
community. An overwhelming majority of participants agreed that
based on “the overview presented,” the plan did strike a balance
between maintaining Parish rural character and providing opportunity
for growth. Participants were also asked what three improvements
they would implement immediately. The responses showed highest
priorities as improved transportation and mobility, strategically
controlled economic development and rerouting Union Pacific
Railroad.
Over 100 participants from all sections of the Parish responded with
consensus direction that education and community shared values
were the high priority aspirations for the future; retaining family values and small town community camaraderie was the highest priority
attribute, and highest priority issues were transportation/traffic, retail
and infrastructure improvements.
Phase Two: Existing Conditions, Issues, and Analysis
Phase two outlines a report of existing conditions and identification of
key issues affecting the Parish. During this phase a detailed review
of the existing physical, demographic, and social conditions were
analyzed through GIS mapping and data collection and distillation. A
study of nationwide best practices was also compiled in response to
Parish planning issues.
Phase Three: Vision
Input from the Parish administration, DAC, stakeholder interviews,
public meetings and existing trends and analysis guided the
development of the Parish vision and guiding principles. The Parish
guiding principles, smart growth, and sustainable principles will usher
future advancement toward the citizens’ vision for their Parish by the
year 2030.
Phase Four: Plan Development
The comprehensive plan is organized into elements defining
the goals and strategies in support of the Parish planning and
smart growth principles. The comprehensive plan elements were
developed through stakeholder input.
Phase Five: Plan Preparation, Review and Adoption
Based on reviews by the Parish administration and planning staff
the plan was further refined and augmented with updated maps and
diagrams. During this phase the plan was presented to the steering
committee, the Parish Council, and Planning and Zoning for review
and comments.
Throughout the process survey results, questionnaires, presentations and draft planning maps have been made available through the
Office of Community Planning and Development, the Parish website
and PlanWEST facebook page all of which offered opportunity for
input and feedback.
Chapter 1 | Introduction
page 8
Chapter 2: Regional Context
1. Historical Background
Prior to the arrival of the French and Acadians West Baton Rouge
Parish was inhabited by the Bayoungoula Indians. West Baton
Rouge Parish was formed in 1807 and was originally named Baton
Rouge Parish until 1812, when it was renamed West Baton Rouge
Parish. One of the 22 Acadiana Parishes, the Parish was first settled
by the French and Spanish and later by the Acadians in the late
1750’s.
The Parish’s distinctive cadastral pattern continues to influence
development today. The arpent system of land subdivision was
begun by French settlers in the 1700’s according to typical French
practice at the time and was continued by both the Spanish and
by the American government after the acquisition of the Louisiana
Purchase. An arpent is a French measurement of approximately 192
feet, and a square arpent is about 0.84 acres. In West Baton Rouge
Parish the French arpent land divisions are long narrow parcels
of land found the along the Mississippi River. This method of land
division provided each land-owner with river frontage as well as land
suitable for cultivation and habitation.
Lloyd’s Map of the Lower Mississippi; Capt. Bart and William Bowen, 1862
The Diagram illustrates the arpent system of land subdivision along the Mississippi
River in West Baton Rouge Parish.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 9
During the late 1800’s the Parish’s economy was centered around
sugar cane production. Cinclaire Sugar Mill is one of the few
surviving examples of a late 19th century company town. Although
the Parish’s economy is still primarily based on agriculture, the
petrochemical industry and Port of Baton Rouge continue to assert a
growing influence in the region.
Cinclaire Sugar Mill in the 1930’s one of the few examples of a company town in
South Louisiana.
Aerial image of West Baton Rouge Parish 2009 illustrating persistence of early cadastral patterns.
Highway La 1 outside of Port Allen during the early 1930’s, the Union Pacific railroad
is on the right side of the image.
Chapter 2 | Regional Context
page 10
2. Mississippi River
West Baton Rouge Parish is located in the Lower Mississippi River
Valley. The greater Mississippi River Watershed is the largest
watershed in the United States; encompassing 1,245,000 square
miles or 40% of the continental United States. The Mississippi River
stretches 2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Over geologic time the River has changed courses numerous
times depositing rich layers of silt and sedimentation in the basin to
produce some of the most biologically diverse and fertile agricultural
lands in the country. Before channelization the natural process of
avulsion or delta switching created the unique features of oxbows
and bayous in South Louisiana; the diagram to the right illustrates
past courses of the River.
Throughout United States history the Mississippi River has occupied
a central place in commerce. In the 18th and 19th Centuries
agriculture flourished in the Mississippi Delta and New Orleans
was established as a hub of international trade. Today the River
continues to serve as a pillar of the regional economy.
Mississippi River Meander Belt; Harold Fisk, 1944
Before construction of the levees the Mississippi River was a dynamic river often
changing its courses. The Meander Belt Map illustrates the various courses of the
river throughout history. West Baton Rouge is located in the top portion of the map.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 11
The Port of Baton Rouge is a key link to the Gulf Intercoastal
Waterway and the Mississippi River making it a critical gateway
to ports in Florida, Texas, Latin America and Europe. The Port of
Baton Rouge is designated a foreign trade zone enabling goods to
be brought in without paying duties for processing manufacturing or
assembly. The port’s 45 foot deep channel and 3000 feet of deep
water berthing space can accommodate the largest barges; and the
port’s infrastructure provides direct multimodal access to ship, barge,
truck and rail.
Image of the Port Allen to Baton Rouge Ferry 1930’s, prior to the construction of I-10
the Port Allen Ferry provided access to downtown Baton Rouge.
Image of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge’s deep water berthing space.
Chapter 2 | Regional Context
page 12
3. Regional Location
Located between the Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya Basin,
West Baton Rouge Parish has traditionally been enriched by its
adjacencies. By car it is located only minutes from downtown Baton
Rouge, one hour from Lafayette, one and a half hours from New
Orleans and thirty minutes from St. Francisville. West Baton Rouge
Parish is easily accessible via Interstate 10, Highway 190, and
Highway 1 (Figure 2-3).
The Mississippi River which forms the eastern boundary of the
Parish has played an important role in shaping the Parish’s
economic, cultural identity and natural landscapes. West Baton
Rouge Parish provides an attractive rural quality of life yet is less
than 10 minutes from downtown Baton Rouge, and easily accessible
to the larger Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area. The Parish’s lifestyle
is influenced in large part by its strong agricultural heritage and
abundant natural resources.
Figure 2-3. West Baton Rouge Parish In Context Of The State Of Louisiana
While agriculture remains at the foundation of the Parish’s heritage
industries such as petrochemical and plastics; transportation and
logistics; and residential growth are factors which will influence future
land use in the Parish. Understanding the Parish’s position in context
of the larger metropolitan area as well as current demographic,
employment and land use trends is essential to creating a plan for
the future that balances conservation with sustainable growth.
In order to capitalize on its location in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan
Area, regional planning and cooperation is essential to achieving
West Baton Rouge Parish’s vision for the future. Membership in the
Capitol Region Planning association enables West Baton Rouge
Parish to directly participate and shape regional issues including
transportation and infrastructure, environmental preservation, energy
conservation, and air quality improvements.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 13
West Baton Rouge Parish is strategically
located within close proximity of both
the larger Baton Rouge Metropolitan
Statistical area and the Lafayette
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Figure 2-4. West Baton Rouge Regional Context
Chapter 2 | Regional Context
page 14
Table 2-6. Baton Rouge MSA 2000-2010 Population Change
Parish
4. Demographics
Overview
When planning for the future growth and development of the Parish,
it is important to understand demographic shifts, trends, and future
expectations. This chapter summarizes historical trends while
projecting West Baton Rouge Parish’s role in the region as it relates
to citizen aspirations and growth scenarios discussed in the next
chapter, Chapter Three: Guiding Principles. As part of a nine parish
metropolitan area, West Baton Rouge Parish has experienced
growth as well as forced migrations due to Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. Not only is the Parish expecting moderate future growth, but
it is also incorporating resiliency principles for future opportunities
and threats that coastal Louisiana communities face. Considering
the Parish’s strategic location, this plan accounts for projected
demographic, economic, and development impacts both within the
Parish as well as in its regional context.
Table 2-5. West Baton Rouge Parish Population 1900-2010
Year
Population
Decennial Growth
1900
10,285
--
Annual Change
--
1910
12,636
22.9%
2.3%
1920
11,092
-12.2%
-1.2%
1930
9,716
-12.4%
-1.2
1940
11,263
15.9%
1.6%
1950
11,738
4.2%
.4%
1960
14,796
26.1%
2.6%
1970
16,864
14.0%
1.4%
1980
19,086
13.2%
1.3%
1990
19,419
1.7%
.1%
2000
21,601
11.2%
1.1%
2010
23,788
10.2%
1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Decennial Growth
Population Growth
Ascension
39.92%
30,588
Livingston
39.44%
36,212
West Baton Rouge
10.12%
2,187
East Baton Rouge
6.62%
27,319
St. Helena
6.44%
678
West Feliciana
3.40%
514
Iberville
.20%
67
Pointe Coupee
.17%
39
East Feliciana
-5.12%
-1,093
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
Population in West Baton Rouge Parish has been increasing
since 1900 except for a decline during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Between 1950 and 1960 the Parish experienced its most rapid
population growth at 2.6% per year. Since 1970 population growth
has remained constant at about 1% per year except for a period
of almost no growth between 1980-1990 (Table 2-5). Despite the
forced migrations caused by Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005,
West Baton Rouge did not experience the rapid population change
evident in other parishes. In 2010 West Baton Rouge’s population
was 23,788 and averaged about 124 people per square mile, which
is congruent with a rural parish and the State of Louisiana average of
104 people per square mile.
Baton Rouge MSA
The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of nine
parishes: Ascension, Livingston, West Baton Rouge, East Baton
Rouge, St. Helena, West Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and
East Feliciana. According to the 2010 Census the Baton Rouge MSA
had a total population of 802,484 people. Of the nine parishes, West
Baton Rouge Parish had the third largest population growth of 2,187
people between 2000 and 2010. Both Ascension and Livingston
Parish grew by almost 40% between 2000 and 2010 at 39.92% and
39.44% respectively. Iberville and Point Coupee grew by less than
1% and East Feliciana’s population declined by 5.12%.
page 15
Housing
Of West Baton Rouge Parish’s total 9,324 housing units, 66%
represent single family, 8% multi family, and 25% mobile homes;
31% of the total housing units have been built since 1990. Almost
75% of West Baton Rouge Parish residents own their homes which
accounts for 8,688 units, of which the remaining 2,264 are rental
units. The median value of owner occupied housing units is $125,000
with 51.1% of owners with mortgages and 48.9% of owners without,
according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
The high percentage of mobile homes in the Parish combined with
the fact that 57% of renters spend over 30% of there household
income on housing suggest that there is a demand for more
affordable housing options. As discussed in detail in Chapter
Five, moderate growth projections forecast an additional 1,912
households by the year 2030, there is an opportunity to incorporate a
proportionate number of affordable housing units.
Figure 2-7. Baton Rouge Msa Population Per Square Mile, 2010
While West Baton Rouge Parish has not experienced the explosive
growth of Ascension and Livingston Parishes, a moderate growth
rate is expected to continue allowing for strategic economic and
development opportunities while maintaining the Parish’s rural
character.
Migration
According to the 2009 Census population estimates, 58.5% of
the population living in West Baton Rouge Parish commuted to
work outside of their parish of residence. In Livingston Parish the
percentage was slightly higher at 66.1% while Ascension Parish
was slightly lower at 52.3%. This is contrasted with only 11.6%
of East Baton Rouge Parish residents commuting outside of the
parish to work. West Baton Rouge Parish’s ratio of jobs to residents
offers opportunities to increase the Parish’s job base outlined in the
economic development chapter.
Population Distribution
According to the 2010 Census, West Baton Rouge Parish’s
population is 60% white, 37.7% black and 2.3% Hispanic.
The percentage of male and female in West Baton Rouge Parish is
consistent with the national average 49.% female, 50.7% male and
the median age is 35.8 years.
Education and Income
For the population 25 years and older; 82.2% of the population have
at least a high school diploma and 16.9% have a bachelor’s degree
or higher while 18% have not finished high school or an equivalent.
This is slightly below the national average of 84.4% and 27.5%
respectively. The median income of households in West Baton
Rouge Parish was $46,485 with a mean income of $57,009 this is
slightly above the Louisiana median income of $42,167 according to
the U.S. Census, 2009 American Community Survey.
Chapter 2 | Regional Context
page 16
Chapter 3: Vision
1. Guiding Principles
The Comprehensive Master Plan is based on guiding principles
that reflect the citizen’s values and their vision of the Parish. The
following guiding principles were created through widespread
community involvement and were developed to ensure that planning
recommendations and policies reflect the community’s values.
Heritage
The future of West Baton Rouge Parish should build upon
exceptional natural and physical assets as well as the distinctive
culture of respective communities. Future development should
enhance unique places, character and lifestyle choices within the
Parish rather than imitating predictable suburban patterns adjacent
to major metropolitan areas.
The guiding principles concisely articulate the quality of place West
Baton Rouge Parish citizens want the Parish to be in 20 years. As an
expression of shared values the guiding principles provide the policy
benchmarks and guide the goals and strategies that are detailed in
the Comprehensive Master Plan. The guiding principles for West
Baton Rouge Parish:
Balance
Successful long-term development in West Baton Rouge Parish
will require growth in a manner that protects the predominate rural
lifestyle. Individual interests must be balanced with agricultural land
use; new development must be balanced with natural wetlands and
hydrology; and growth in the residential population must be balanced
with Parish employment opportunities.
Image of the Back Brusly Live Oak Tree estimated to be over 350 years old.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 17
Connected
The future of West Baton Rouge Parish must be characterized by
a robust network which respectfully links communities physically,
socially and culturally. Future resources should target connective
structures and institutions in an effort to build lasting neighborhoods,
villages, towns and Parish.
Grounded
Parish development patterns, economic foundations and cultural
traditions are literally rooted in the natural landscape. Future
development must be characterized by a responsible stewardship of
these assets for the benefit of present and future generations.
Choice
Plans for development in the Parish should expand the range of
housing, retail and services available to all residents. Success will
require support for rural, urban and blended lifestyles in an effort to
attract new residents and commercial interests. Opportunities for
traditional development unique to the Parish must be provided as
well.
Objective
Future development must be based upon an objective plan for
growth rather than the latest political agenda or most powerful
individual lobby. Permitting, development approvals and variance
decisions must be guided by a consensus comprehensive plan that
will benefit all Parish residents.
Image of Port Allen Elementary School located in Port Allen. © Josh Peak
Chapter 3 | Vision
page 18
2. Smart Growth Principles
In addition to the guiding principles defined by citizens in the
preceding chapter, the recommendations and development growth
scenarios contained in this document are also informed by lessons
learned from the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2005.
The need for Louisiana communities to build strong resilient
communities that improve quality of life and cultivate economic
opportunity came to the forefront in Louisiana planning initiatives.
The “Smart Growth Principles” outlined below have become
benchmarks for success in communities nationwide in response
to increasing community concerns about the need for new ways
to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and
enhance community vitality. This plan incorporates citizen guiding
principles, Louisiana resiliency practices, and smart growth principles
customized specifically to the unique challenges and opportunities
of West Baton Rouge Parish. The following smart growth principles
are from The Smart Growth Network, a collaborative effort of several
non-profit and government organizations in conjunction with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Smart Growth Principles
Take Advantage of Compact Building Design
Smart growth provides a means for communities to incorporate
more compact building design as an alternative to conventional,
land consumptive development. Compact building design suggests
that communities be designed in a way which permits more open
space to preserved, and that buildings can be constructed which
make more efficient use of land and resources. It also provides
and protects more open land to absorb and filter rain water, reduce
flooding and stormwater drainage needs, and lower the amount of
pollution washing into our streams, rivers and lakes.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices
Providing quality housing for people of all income levels is an
integral component in any smart growth strategy. By using smart
growth approaches to create a wider range of housing choices,
communities can mitigate the environmental costs of auto-dependent
development, use their infrastructure resources more efficiently,
ensure a better jobs-housing balance, and generate a strong
foundation of support for neighborhood commercial centers, and
other services.
Create Walkable Neighborhoods
Walkable communities are desirable places to live, work, learn,
worship and play, and therefore a key component of smart growth.
Walkable communities locate within an easy and safe walk
goods (such as housing, offices, and retail) and services (such
as transportation, schools, libraries) that a community resident
or employee needs on a regular basis. To foster walkability,
communities must mix land uses and build compactly, and ensure
safe and inviting pedestrian corridors.
page 19
Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
Growth can create great places to live, work and play—if it responds
to a community’s own sense of how and where it wants to grow. The
needs of every community and the programs to address them are
best defined by the people who live and work there.
Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense
of Place
Smart growth encourages communities to craft a vision and set
standards for development and construction which respond to
community values of architectural beauty and distinctiveness, as
well as expanded choices in housing. It seeks to create interesting,
unique communities which reflect the values and cultures of
the people who reside there, and foster the types of physical
environments which support a more cohesive community fabric.
Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost
Effective
For a community to be successful in implementing smart growth, it
must be embraced by the private sector. Only private capital markets
can supply the large amounts of money needed to meet the growing
demand for smart growth developments. Governments that make
the right infrastructure and regulatory decisions will create fair,
predictable and cost effective smart growth.
Mix Land Uses
Smart growth supports the integration of mixed land uses into
communities as a critical component of achieving better places to
live. By putting uses in close proximity to one another, alternatives to
driving, such as walking or biking, once again become viable. It can
enhance the vitality and perceived security of an area by increasing
the number and attitude of people on the street. It helps streets,
public spaces and pedestrian-oriented retail again become places
where people meet, attracting pedestrians back onto the street and
helping to revitalize community life.
© Josh Peak
Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty and Critical
Environmental Areas
Open space preservation supports smart growth goals by bolstering
local economies, preserving critical environmental areas, improving
our communities quality of life, and guiding new growth into existing
communities.
Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices
Providing people with more choices in housing, shopping,
communities, and transportation is a key aim of smart growth.
Communities are increasingly seeking these choices in an effort to
improve beleaguered transportation systems.
Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing
Communities
Smart growth directs development towards existing communities
already served by infrastructure, seeking to utilize the resources
that existing neighborhoods offer, and conserve open space and
irreplaceable natural resources on the urban fringe.
Source: www.smartgrowth.org
Chapter 3 | Vision
page 20
3. Growth Scenarios
Based upon the historical, demographic, community and best
practices analysis three alternative growth scenarios were
developed to highlight the choices in managing future growth. The
three alternative growth scenarios were then reviewed by Parish
administration and DAC and presented to the public. Input from the
public presentation was consolidated into the citizens’ preferred plan
(Figure 3-11)which serves as the foundation upon which the future
land use plan was developed.
Each growth scenario illustrated the existing development and the
land area needed to accommodate future residential growth through
the year 2030. The average density for residential development is 5
units an acre, and 1 unit per acre in the rural part of the Parish. The
average density accounts for land needed for future rights-of-way,
utilities and infrastructure; and public uses.
Future development projections were derived using an aggressive
growth model of 3% annual population increase; resulting in a 2030
population of 42,964 almost doubling the 2010 current population.
The number of new households added in all three scenarios was
derived by dividing the average household size of 2.74 (Census 2009
ACS Estimate) persons per households by the projected population
growth. The aggressive growth model will add an additional 6,998
households by the year 2030.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Each scenario shared the underlying premise that prime farmlands,
woodlands and environmentally sensitive areas should be preserved
to the maximum extent possible. Each scenario was differentiated
by strategies and patterns for accommodating future growth. The
River Plan directed new growth along the Mississippi River closely
following existing roadways and infrastructure. The Village Centers
Plan directed new growth into compact village centers limiting
expansion into prime farmland and natural areas and strengthening
existing communities. And the Corridor Plan reduced development
pressure to existing farmland in the north by directing growth to the
existing population centers in the southern portion of the Parish.
Closely following existing trends as the majority of recent growth has
taken place in the southern portion of the Parish.
page 21
The River Plan
The River Plan (Figure 3-8) assumed future
growth will follow historical development patterns
and occur in compact districts along the high
ground next to the Mississippi River. Due to
the Mississippi River’s natural levee the land
located adjacent to the river’s edge is higher in
elevation than surrounding lands and less likely
to experience frequent flooding.
Infill development was concentrated around
the three municipalities of Port Allen, Brusly
and Addis; and new districts were developed
in the north around Chamberlin and Bueche.
The plan designated rural resource areas to
maintain back swamps, farmland, floodplains
and wetlands as open space. Specific planning
initiatives outlined in the River Plan included:
• Re-routing the Union Pacific railroad spur to
restore the natural hydrology and turn the
existing rails right-of-way into recreational
trails.
• Intracoastal bridge crossing added at the
Highway 415 / I-10 interchange to provide
alternate traffic crossing.
• Highway LA-1 as a corridor for new residential
neighborhoods and retail centers.
• Regional retail development at the Highway
415 interchange.
• Equestrian / multi purpose trail connecting
north and south regions of the Parish
connecting through new eco-park / regional
parks in the north and central regions of the
Parish.
• Development of a regional trail network.
Figure 3-8. The River Plan
Chapter 3 | Vision
page 22
The Village Centers Plan
In the Village Centers Plan (Figure 3-9) the
growth strategy focused new development
around the existing villages of Erwinville, Port
Allen, Brusly and Addis. A new village center
was proposed at Chamberlin to take advantage
of existing infrastructure, schools, and parks.
Directing growth to areas already served
by existing infrastructure maximizes public
investment, conserves financial resources
and prevents the encroachment of residential
neighborhoods into prime agricultural areas.
The Village Centers concept emphasized the
traditional mixed use neighborhood pattern
with interconnected walkable developments
and street networks. Compact clustered
development preserves large contiguous
tracts of farmlands and natural areas. Specific
planning initiatives outlined in the Village
Centers Plan included:
• Addition of new intracoastal crossing and
network of connected local roads.
• Focus development in existing centers of
Chamberlin, Erwinville, Port Allen, Brusly
and Addis. Mixed use developments were
connected to existing developments by an
interconnected network of local roads.
• Reinvestment in existing neighborhoods,
facilities, schools and parks.
• Regional retail center located in Port Allen.
• Development of a regional sewer system to
consolidate septic tanks and package plants.
• Development of a continuous multi-purpose
trail on the levee.
Figure 3-9. The Village Centers Plan
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 23
The Corridor Plan
The Corridor Plan (Figure 3-10) assumed
growth would follow the development of
Highway 415 to Highway 1187 connector
in the southern portion of the Parish.
Development of mixed use neighborhoods
were concentrated between Highway 1 and
the new connector road. The north and west
parts of the Parish are preserved as natural
resource areas. Specific planning initiatives
outlined in the Corridor Plan included:
• Residential and mixed use development
concentrated through the central and
southern districts of the Parish along the
Highway 415 to Highway 1187 and LA 1
corridors.
• Three neighborhood centers and regional
retail located along Highway LA-1 in
southern district.
• Regional park and multi purpose trail located
in the northern district.
• Preserves the largest amount of continuous
farmland by directing future growth to the
southern portion of the Parish.
Figure 3-10. The Corridor Plan
Chapter 3 | Vision
page 24
Citizens’ Preferred Plan
During the February 2011 public work session the three growth
scenarios were presented to the public for evaluation and input.
Participants from the north, central and south regions of the Parish
were tasked to work as groups in a collaborative format to identify
priority future development patterns and establish a direction for the
development of the preferred plan.
Figure 3-11 is a composite overlay of the diagrams generated by
each working group at the work session. The diagram illustrates
broad public consensus regarding the vision and the foundation for
the preferred growth scenario which has been developed into the
future framework plan presented in Chapter V.
The Preferred Plan incorporates elements from each of the three
growth scenarios. Specific high priority planning initiatives include:
• Regional retail center located at Highway 415 / I-10 Interchange.
• New bridge crossing over the intercoastal canal at Highway 415.
• Re-route Union Pacific rail spur at Highway LA-1 to follow the
Intracoastal Canal providing rail access to the proposed intermodal facility.
• Inter-modal and logistics facility located at the Intracoastal Canal.
• Industrial job centers concentrated around existing industrial
facilities in Westover, Port Allen and Shintech.
• Compact, walkable mixed use Village Centers in Erwinville,
Chamberlin, Lobdell, and LA 1 South.
• Neighborhood Centers at Lobdell park, Port Allen, Brusly and
Addis.
• Development of a regionally integrated pedestrian and bicycle
network.
• Development of a regional park highlighting the Parish’s unique
ecosystem.
Figure 3-11. February 2011 Work Session Composite Overlay
At the February 2011 public work session residents generated
diagrams illustrating their preferred growth vision for the Parish.
Figure 3-11 is a composite overlay of the diagrams created by
citizens working groups during this work session.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Part 2: Plan Elements
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 26
Chapter 4: Economic Development
1. Overview
Since 2005 the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
has experienced dramatic economic growth. In the nine parishes
that comprise the Baton Rouge MSA, the number of new jobs have
increased by 7.2% and the number of new firms by 33.9%. The
population of the Baton Rouge MSA has also exceeded 800,000
people, changing the competitive position and market of the region.
West Baton Rouge Parish has unique competitive advantages
to capitalize on the growth of the Baton Rouge MSA including:
Riverfront access; The Port of Greater Baton Rouge; abundantly
zoned industrial land; existing industrial centers; multimodal
transportation; proximity to Lafayette MSA; and Interstate 10 access.
Table 4-13. West Baton Rouge Employers
Company
Employees
Industry
Petrin Corporation
670
Specialty Trade Contractors
Turner Industries Group
565
Commercial / Industrial Machinery
Trinity Materials Inc.
400
Ship Building and Repairing
Wal-Mart
300
Retail
Placid Refining
200
Petroleum Refineries
Exxon Mobil Lubricants
140
Petroleum Oil and Grease Manufacturing
Martin-Brower Co.
138
Grocery Wholesalers
BP Lubricants
102
Petroleum Oil and Grease Manufacturing
Southern Packaging
100
Wood Container / Pallet Manufacturing
Ikaria
80
Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing
Westside Galvanizing
80
Metal Coating, Engraving Manufacturers
Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 27
Employment
West Baton Rouge Parish had a total of 11,561 persons in the work
force and an unemployment rate of 8.4% in June 2011 according
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the employed population 16
years and older the leading industries were educational services,
health care and social assistance 21%; and manufacturing 14%.
The median income of households in West Baton Rouge Parish
was $46,485; 83% of households received income and 18%
received retirement income other than Social Security. The Parish’s
largest employers are Petrin Corporation, Turner Industries, Trinity
Materials, Wal-Mart, and Placid Refining (Table 4-13).
Table 4-14. West Baton Rouge Total Employees by Industry Sector
The Louisiana Workforce Commission prepares ten year
employment projections by industry for the Baton Rouge
RMLA (Table 4-15). The largest net growth for the 2008-2018
period is projected to be in Health Care and Social Assistance;
Accommodations and Food Services; Administrative and Waste
Services; Educational Services; Retail; and Other Services. Other
industry sectors with positive projected growth include Mining;
Finance and Insurance; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation;
Transportation and Warehousing; and Manufacturing. Management
of Companies and Enterprises as well as Agriculture, Fishing,
Forestry, and Hunting are projected to loose employment. These
projections are consistent with national trends.
Table 4-15. Baton Rouge RLMA 2018 Projected Employment by Industry
2010 Estimate = 11,561 Employees
Industry
Employment Projections
Employees
Industry Sector
NAICS
2018 Growth
2018 %
11
-313
-15.1%
Construction
2,422
Agriculture, Fishing, Forestry, and Hunting
Manufacturing
1,624
Mining
21
300
17.8%
Retail Trade
1,421
Utilities
22
7
0.3%
Accommodation and Food Services
1,045
Construction
23
226
0.5%
31-33
1,747
5.8%
42
446
2.9%
Health Care and Social Assistance
720
Manufacturing
Educational Services
692
Wholesale Trade
Public Administration
587
Retail Trade
44-45
4,481
9.2%
Other Services 544
Transportation and Warehousing
48-49
1,337
9.1%
Finance and Insurance
448
Information
51
235
3.7%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
276
Finance and Insurance
52
1,951
13.8%
Professional, Scientific and Technical
234
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
53
756
13.1%
Wholesale Trade
229
Professional, Scientific,Technical Services
54
1,635
7.8%
Waste Management and Remediation
190
Management of Companies & Enterprises
55
-341
-6.6%
Information
106
Administrative and Waste Services
56
4,558
20.1%
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
85
Educational Services
61
4,501
10.5%
Unknown classification
60
Health Care and Social Assistance
62
11,350
21.4%
Utilities
51
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
71
548
10.6%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting
46
Accommodation and Food Services
72
8,658
26.5%
Management of Companies and
39
Other Services, Except Public Admin.
81
3,503
7.7%
Mining
14
Government
90
2,406
5.9%
Source: Louisiana Economic Development, West Baton Rouge Parish Profile
Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission Employment Projections to 2018, 2011
Chapter 4 | Economic Development
page 28
2. Economic Development Goals
and Strategies
The economic development goals and strategies are designed
to guide the Parish in making long range regulatory and policy
decisions related to economic development. Implementation of the
strategies will help the Parish achieve a sustainable and prosperous
future.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Economic Development Goals
•Build and strengthen the West Baton
Rouge Parish economy.
•Support the rural landscape by creating
an ecological climate that enhances the
economic viability of productive working
lands and natural resources.
•Capitalize on the Parish’s multimodal
transportation network to strengthen the
local economy.
page 29
Economic Development Strategies
ED - 1. Create an attractive employment environment.
Increasingly regions must compete to attract and retain businesses
and residents. The long term economic growth of the Parish is
dependent on creating a sustainable environment that is attractive to
both employers and residents. Strategies to position the Parish as an
attractive employment environment include:
• Use the future land use map to guide future growth in a predictable
sustainable manner giving businesses the confidence to make long
term investments in the Parish.
• Mix compatible land uses; ensuring the close proximity of housing
and job centers. As transportation costs continue to become more
expensive, the availability of housing next to jobs will become a
priority.
ED - 2. Improve air quality.
West Baton Rouge Parish is currently designated as an EPA nonattainment status area for unacceptable levels of 1-Hr Ozone
(designated in 1992) and 8-Hr Ozone (designated in 2004), as of
August 30, 2011 (http://epa.gov/oaqps001/greenbk). Non-attainment
status has the potential to negatively impact economic growth by
limiting production capabilities of existing industries, preventing new
industries from moving to the Parish and could ultimately result in
the loss of federal highway funds. While non-attainment is part of a
larger regional problem, locally the Parish can take steps to improve
air quality.
• Promote compact mixed-use developments which reduce average
daily trips and vehicle miles travelled.
• Encourage walking and biking instead of driving, for example
utilize safe routes to school to reduce bus trips.
• Use the future land use map to focus new development in strategic
areas to create walkable vibrant mixed-use developments that are
attractive to residents and businesses.
• Replace existing vehicle fleets with fuel efficient vehicles.
• Promote a better quality of life; invest in schools, parks, trails
and recreational amenities; encourage the development of well
designed communities that provide diversity in housing, shopping,
jobs, and amenities.
• Partner with industry to develop plans to control emissions.
• Promoting higher grade, cleaner burning diesel fuels in off-road
machinery.
• Promote effluent and emissions monitoring.
• Promote in Parish job creation to lessen out of Parish commuting.
• Preserve areas around existing industrial uses for future growth
and establish policies to prevent the encroachment of residential
into heavy industrial zones (e.g., chemical refining, manufacturing
etc.).
• Preserve sites on the Mississippi River and Intercoastal Waterway
for future transportation, warehousing, and industrial uses.
• Promote the development of a highly skilled workforce by providing
educational opportunities focused on the Parish’s growth sectors.
• Preserve the Parish’s agricultural and natural resources to retain
the qualities that make West Baton Rouge Parish unique.
Chapter 4 | Economic Development
page 30
ED - 3. Target economic development initiatives to grow, retain, and
attract businesses in the Parish’s industry clusters.
Focus economic development initiatives on the industry clusters in
which the Parish has a strategic advantage.
• Agriculture and Food
• Eco-tourism and Recreation
• Energy and Petrochemical
• Forest Products
• Transportation and Logistics
ED - 4. Encourage the development of a highly skilled work force
to serve the existing industrial base through the development of a
technical education center and industrial training programs.
The energy and petrochemical industry, the Parish’s largest
employment cluster, relies on a highly skilled workforce. The Parish
should continue to support the Capital Area Technical College as
well as look for other opportunities to develop educational programs
promoting the development of a highly skilled workforce.
Aerial photo of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge
The Parish should explore the development of a technical education
center to position the Parish as a leader in industrial and other highly
skilled occupations. Possible partners include LSU, Baton Rouge
Community College, and the Capitol Area Technical College. A
possible campus could be developed on the school board property
next to the Capitol Area Technical College.
Promoting quality retail development increases the Parish’s tax base
and addresses quality of life issues that make the Parish attractive to
residents and employers. Strategies to encourage retail development
include:
ED - 5. Continue to support the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.
According to the The Economic Impact Study Update, conducted
by the Louisiana State University Ports and Waterways Institute,
the Port of Greater Baton Rouge generated over 20,000 jobs state
wide and contributed over 118 million in tax revenue to the four
parish area of East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension
and Iberville. West Baton Rouge Parish should continue to find
opportunities to capitalize on the Port.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
ED - 6. Encourage the development of quality retail opportunities to
serve residents and regional needs.
• Promote quality mixed-use development in neighborhood and
village centers that provide community level retail to support
residents needs.
• Promote the development of regional retail center at the Interstate
10 / Highway 415 interchange (Figure 4-16), and develop a tax
increment financing district to support infrastructure improvements.
page 31
ED - 7. Promote the development of a
multimodal transportation and warehousing
facility.
Take advantage of West Baton Rouge Parish’s
unique access to rail, Mississippi River,
Intercoastal Waterway, highway and the Port
of Baton Rouge to develop a multimodal
transportation and warehousing facility. The
Future Land Use Map identifies two specific
locations for a multimodal transport facility:
LA-1 at Hwy 415 (Figure 4-16)
• Currently the Hwy 415 Connector is in the
planning stage, but will give the site direct
access to I-10.
• Site has direct access to the Intracoastal
Canal and harbor access.
• Relocating a section of Union Pacific rail
(as outlined in TM - 6 on page 82) would
allow the development of a rail switch yard
and provide access to the deep water Port of
Greater Baton Rouge.
• Site offers large acreage which is ideal for the
logistics facilities.
Choctaw Road Site (Figure 4-16)
Regional Retail
LA 1 / HWY 415
Multimodal Facility
Choctaw Rd.
Multimodal Facility
al
ast
aco
Intr
• Site has direct access to Intracoastal.
• Plans to relocate Union Pacific Railroad (as
outlined in TM - 6 on page 82) would allow
access to the regional rail network.
• Development of Hwy 1157 connector (see TM
- 3 on page 80) would provide direct access
to LA-1 and I-10.
• Site has access to deep water Port of Greater
baton Rouge via the Intracoastal Canal.
Figure 4-16. WBR Parish Future Vision Plan
Chapter 4 | Economic Development
page 32
ED - 8. Promote and support the development of a Parish wide trail
and recreation system.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that trails improve the
local economy by increasing property values, tax revenues, and
expenditures on recreation, providing business opportunities, and
capturing tourist dollars for lodging, food and services. For example,
the St. Tammany Trace, a 31 mile “rails to trails” path in Tammany
Parish Louisiana, received 196,000 visitors in 2009 and has greatly
contributed to the revitalization of the downtown Abita Springs.
The development of the West Baton Rouge levee trail and “rails to
trails” path (TM - 14 on page 87) would provide similar economic
impacts and contribute to the quality of life issues that residents
expressed during the planning process.
ED - 9. Promote and support a strong, sustainable, locally-grown
food system by developing a “buy local” program.
“Buy local” is a growing, high-value trend in food production and an
important component of a sustainable economy. Specific initiatives
for developing a “buy local” program include:
• Support community supported agriculture (CSA) programs that
allow farmers to sell memberships to customers in exchange for
fresh-from-the-farm, seasonal produce, meats and dairy products.
• Support the development of a West Baton Rouge Parish farmers
market on both sides of the river.
• Marketing “local food” to Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge
Area restaurants.
• Supporting and encouraging organic and free range agriculture
practices.
• Partnering with LSU to develop an agricultural incubator.
• Partner with the Big River Economic and Agricultural Development
Alliance (BREADA) to increase the economic opportunities for
small, family-owned farms in Louisiana. BREADA supports a
diverse and healthy community by promoting Louisiana’s small
family farms, fishers, local chefs and food artisans.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Local farmers markets support sustainable lifestyles by providing
fresh, seasonal products with limited transport and packaging.
© Natalie Maynor
page 33
ED - 10. Cultivate sustainable, high-value economic development
strategies that rely on traditional rural landscapes.
Support the development of sustainable innovations in existing
agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry industries. The new Point Bio
Energy wood pellet facility is an excellent example of this initiative.
Another example would be the development of biomass for fuel
production and other green industries.
ED - 11. Collaborate with local and regional organizations to promote
the development of eco-tourism, agritourism and related industries.
Develop partnerships with the West Baton Rouge Parish Tourist and
Convention Bureau, LSU, ULL Center For Cultural & Eco-tourism
and others to promote the development of eco-tourism and argitourism.
Agritourism and eco-tourism are both growing trends in the tourist
industry. Agritourism includes activities such as picking fruits and
vegetables, riding horses, tasting honey, learning about wine and
cheese making, or shopping in farm gift shops and farm stands
for local and regional produce or hand-crafted gifts. Whereas
eco-tourism is a form of tourism to visit unspoiled natural areas,
with minimal impact on the environment being a primary concern.
Tourists are attracted to cultural heritage sites and natural areas to
learn about local culture, flora and fauna. In both forms of tourism
the goal is to ensure that direct financial benefit is provided to local
economies, as opposed to mass tourism.
Preservation of land for a wildlife refuge takes advantage of the parish’s
natural resource and conserves it for future generations.
ED - 13. Explore the development of a national wildlife refuge.
Consistent with strategies building upon West Baton Rouge Parish’s
natural assets, the creation of a natural wildlife refuge would provide
habitat protection, increase tourism and provide national exposure to
the Parish. The US Fish and Wildlife Service offers guidance on the
national wildlife refuge designation process.
ED - 12. Develop a regional sized environmental park that provides a
range of recreational and educational opportunities.
Promote the development of a regional sized park and natural area
highlighting West Baton Rouge Parish’s unique ecosystem and
natural landscape. The school board property or Boy Scouts’ site are
possible locations. Activities could include hiking, camping, biking,
horseback riding, and canoeing, with provisions for educational
learning centers and venues for gatherings. To be a regional
attraction the park should be of sufficient size to accommodate a
range of users and activities (see PF - 17 on page 99).
Chapter 4 | Economic Development
page 34
Chapter 5: Land Use, Housing and Neighborhoods
1. Land Use Overview
Current land use patterns and trends in West Baton Rouge Parish
reflect the Parish’s rich agricultural history, early cadastral patterns
and recent influences such as the growth of the petrochemical
industry, expansion of the Port of Baton Rouge and warehousing
industry, and the development of suburban neighborhoods. The
Parish’s historical development is closely tied to its location along
the Mississippi River where the early settlements of Port Allen,
Brusly and Addis, were developed near the river’s natural levee, on
the highest ground. These traditional land use patterns, however,
have been threatened by recent trends such as strip commercial
development along corridors and the leap frog development of large
lot subdivisions in agriculture areas.
Despite these trends West Baton Rouge Parish’s large contiguous
tract of wetlands, forest and agriculture are still mainly intact. Almost
86% of the Parish is classified as: wetlands (44%), agriculture (32%),
or batture (10%). Residential, commercial, industrial and other
developed uses account for less than 10% of the Parish’s total land
area; the remaining 4% includes the municipalities: Addis, Brusly,
and Port Allen.
While almost 1/3 of the Parish’s land is used for agriculture or
related land uses there are currently no agricultural preservation or
conservation programs in place. Maintaining and perpetuating the
long term viability of farming will be a challenge in the face of future
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
growth. Scattered residential development, the national trend of a
declining agriculture industry, and the subdivision of large tracts of
lands as they are passed from generation all threaten the long term
viability of agriculture.
Existing Land Use
The existing land use pattern in West Baton Rouge Parish have been
shaped by natural features and agricultural heritage. Figure 5-18 on
page 35 summarizes the existing land uses in acres and percent
of total land area. Approximately 44% of the Parish is wetlands, 10%
batture and the second largest land use is agriculture comprising
32% of the total land area. Commercial, industrial and residential
uses comprise the remaining land uses (Table 5-17).
Over the past several decades as population growth has occurred
in the Parish residential, commercial and industrial uses have
spread north of Interstate 10, changing traditional land use patterns.
Residential growth has occurred in a sporadic pattern and has been
most pronounced in agricultural areas in the northern part of the
Parish.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s zoning ordinance and subdivision
regulations play a major role in shaping the location, intensity and
character of new development. The generalized zoning map (Figure
5-19) largely reflects the existing land use patterns. The continuous
commercial zoning on major corridors reflects a commercial overlay
that will result in strip development and the continuation of dispersed
commercial uses. Currently the Parish excessive zoning capacity;
page 35
The Parish’s historical development
is closely tied to its location along
the Mississippi River where the early
settlements of Port Allen, Brusly and Addis,
were developed near the river’s natural
levee, on the highest ground. These
traditional land use patterns, however, have
been threatened by recent trends such
as strip commercial development along
corridors and the leap frog development of
large lot subdivisions in agriculture areas.
Existing Land Use
Table 5-17. West Baton Rouge Existing Land Use
Land Use
Commercial
Acres
Percent
803
1%
Light Industrial
1,017
1%
Heavy Industrial
2,147
2%
Public Owned
1,816
2%
Residential
2,359
2%
Rural Residential
2,603
2%
Cities and Towns
5,414
4%
Parks / Recreation
702
1%
Agriculture / Open Space
38,860
32%
Batture
12,328
10%
Wetlands
52,471
44%
Total Land Area
120,520
100%
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 5-18. Existing Land Use
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 36
land zoned as agriculture has an underlying use allowing single
family residential development at density 6 units per acre. The
excessive zoning capacity of the agriculture zoning district has led
to dispersed residential development patterns and can potentially
impact future agriculture practices by breaking up large continuos
tracts of farmland into smaller parcels that are impractical to farm.
Population Projections
According to the 2010 U.S. Census West Baton Rouge Parish
experienced a 10.1% percent population growth rate for the ten
year period between 2000 and 2010; or approximately 1% per year.
Additionally the Baton Rouge MSA experienced a 14% population
growth rate for years 2000-2010.
model would result in a 2030 population of 42,964 almost doubling
the 2010 current population.
The number of households added in both models was derived by
dividing the average household size of 2.74 persons per household
(U.S. Census 2009 ACS Estimates) by the projected population
growth. The moderate growth model results in an additional 1,912
households by the year 2030 while the aggressive growth model
adds and additional 6,998 households by the year 2030.
Table 5-21 and Table 5-20 illustrate a moderate growth model of 1%
annual increase in population and an aggressive growth model of
3% annual population increase. The moderate growth model yields a
2030 total population of 29,026 residents wile the aggressive growth
Table 5-20. Moderate Population Growth 1% Annually
Year
Population
Households
Households Added
2010
23,788
9,931
--
2015
25,001
10,374
443
2020
26,277
10,839
908
2025
27,617
11,328
955
2030
29,026
11,843
1,912
1% annual linear population growth projections
Table 5-21. Aggressive Population Growth 3% Annually
Year
Population
Households
Households Added
2010
23,788
9,931
--
2015
27,577
11,314
1,383
2020
31,969
12,917
2,489
2025
37,061
14,775
3,461
2030
42,964
16,929
6,998
3% annual linear population growth projection.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 5-19. Existing Zoning
page 37
Development Capacity
West Baton Rouge Parish currently has over 34,000 acres of
land that is potentially developable (Fig. 5-17). For this purpose
developable land is classified as vacant land that is not in the 100
year flood plain or impacted by environmental constraints. At current
growth rates West Baton Rouge Parish has enough land capacity to
support future growth for the next 100 years.
The vast majority of the vacant potentially developable land is
zoned as agriculture with an underlying use allowing single family
residential at a density of 6 units per acre. The excessive zoning
capacity of agricultural zoning classification has the potential to
impact future development patterns resulting in a continuation of a
dispersed and fragmented development pattern.
Key Land Use Issues
• Approximately 83% of the Parish total land area is agriculture,
wetlands, forest or batture. Development and conservation of this
land over the next decade will provide the opportunity to create a
more resilient sustainable development pattern.
• Current development proposals are occurring in a piecemeal
fashion with little sense of how they fit into a logical and
coherent overall land use pattern. Current conflicts include the
encroachment of residential neighborhoods on heavy industrial
petrochemical plants and agricultural areas.
• Extensive areas of the Parish are in the 100 year flood zone,
future development in these areas greatly reduces the resiliency of
the Parish, requires expensive flood insurance and interrupts the
natural hydrologic cycles.
• West Baton Rouge Parish largely lacks mixed-use land use
patterns with easy connections between neighborhoods and uses
such as parks, schools, retail and employment centers. Rising
transportation cost have resulted in increased demand for walkable
neighborhoods, and proximity of housing next to employment
centers.
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 5-22. Developable Land
Image illustrating prime developable land; which includes undeveloped land that is not
impacted by wetlands and is not located within the 100 year flood plain.
• West Baton Rouge Parish has extensive natural resources that
provide important ecological benefits including natural storm water
management, water quality improvement, wildlife habitat and
recreation.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 38
2. Future Land Use
Future Land Use
The future land use map (Figure
5-24) identifies the desired pattern
of land use in West Baton Rouge
Parish and provides a framework to
be used in conjunction with the land
use goals and strategies to guide
new development, future zoning
changes, and policy decisions related
to land use. The future land use
map identifies the following land use
categories:
Table 5-23. WBR Generalized Future Land Use
Land Use
Village Center
Acres
Percent
670
1%
Neighborhood Center
317
0%
Regional Retail
286
0%
Commercial
1,604
1%
Light Industrial
3,214
3%
Heavy Industrial
3,965
3%
Public Owned
1,155
1%
Residential
3,669
3%
Rural Residential
3,950
3%
Cities and Towns
5,414
4%
Parks / Recreation
1,692
1%
Agriculture / Open Space
31,001
26%
Batture
12,328
10%
Wetlands
51,255
43%
Total Land Area
120,520
100%
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 5-24. WBR Future Land Use Map
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 39
Residential
Residential land uses are divided into two categories to reflect the
difference in development patterns between the north and south of
the Intracoastal Waterway. While residential is the predominant use
in these categories, uses such as parks, schools, neighborhood retail
and community centers may be appropriate uses.
Rural Residential (less than 4 dwelling units per acre)
The intent of this land use category is to permit development in rural
areas of the Parish where the existing land use is largely agriculture
or open space. The rural residential land use is intended to preserve
the Parish’s rural character and allow farming, livestock, and other
rural activities.
Residential (4-8 dwelling units per acre)
This residential land use category largely reflects the existing
development pattern in neighborhoods and more developed parts
of the Parish. It includes smaller lot single-family, two-family, and
multi-family residential dwelling types. The intent of the Residential
category is to maintain established neighborhood character and
encourage residential infill and redevelopment that includes a
complementary mix of housing types. In general, such development
should fit with existing neighborhood scale and character, although
provisions can be made to incorporate higher multi-family or higher
density development as appropriate.
Rural Residential land use
include small farms featuring
large lots and other uses
consistent with an agricultural
community.
Residential land use includes
a range of housing densities
including single family (image
below left), attached and
town homes (left).
Residential land use includes
a range of lot sizes including
zero lot lines and traditional
neighborhood lots.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 40
Mixed-Use Development
Mixed-use development consists of several different types of
uses including residential, retail, and office that benefit from close
proximity. The comprehensive plan encourages the development of
mixed-use walkable developments.
Village Center
The village center incorporates a diverse mix of residential,
commercial, employment, and civic uses. The village center
accommodates expanded civic uses such as a community center,
schools, post office, a village green and become a hub for the
surrounding areas. The neighborhood center contains a mix of
housing types including single family, attached and town homes,
multi-family and housing over retail in compact development patterns
that promotes walking and biking as opposed to driving.
Downtown Natchitoches, Louisiana
The Village Center land use includes residential
commercial and civic uses.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Neighborhood Center
Smaller in scale than the village center, the neighborhood center
applies to areas where the primary use is residential but includes a
mix of housing densities, neighborhood serving retail, professional
office space, service and other community oriented activities and
uses for the surrounding residential. The neighborhood center
contains a mix of housing types including single family, attached
and town homes, multi-family and housing over retail in compact
development patterns that promotes walking and biking as
opposed to driving. The neighborhood center should also include
schools and public parks. Neighborhood serving commercial areas
accommodates retail sales and services for the daily needs of
residents such as convenience shopping, dry cleaners, hair salons
and barber shops, day care centers, coffee shops, professional and
business service offices, etc. The neighborhood center is compatible
with the Traditional Neighborhood Development or large Planned
Unit Development.
Winter Park Town Center, Florida
Neighborhood Center land use includes a range of
housing densities and neighborhood serving retail within
easily walkable districts. © EPA Smart Growth
page 41
Commercial
The commercial land use includes neighborhood retail, office and
professional uses, low intensity office warehouse, institutional, and
governmental buildings; mixed-use developments and high density
residential uses may be appropriate uses .
Commercial land use include
a wide range of uses,
including retail, shopping
centers and restaurants with
outdoor dining.
Regional Center
The Interstate 10 and Highway 415 interchange presents an
opportunity to develop a regional serving retail center supported by
proximity to Baton Rouge and traffic from neighboring parishes. The
regional center could develop as an outlet mall, big box center or
similar sized regional serving development.
Light Industrial
Light industrial includes light manufacturing, distribution, repair
facilities, and other uses that do not emit dust, pollution, or impose
threats to health and safety. Compatible uses include multimodal
transport facilities (ED - 7 on page 31).
The regional retail center
incorporates regional serving
retail and other commercial
uses. Due to their size, these
are not compatible with
Village and Neighborhood
Centers.
Heavy Industrial
Heavy industrial includes heavy manufacturing uses, such as
petrochemical refineries, tank farms, and other uses that have the
potential to affect adjacent uses with excess noise, pollution, and
pose other health and safety threats.
Heavy Industrial land uses
include chemical plants,
refineries and other uses
that can potentially impact
adjacent uses with noise,
pollution and safety issues.
Light Industrial land use
includes uses such as
wholesale operations,
warehouses and general
office.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 42
Public
This land use classification includes existing public uses such as
schools, community centers, and governmental buildings. Existing
large parcels of school board property are also included in this
category.
Parks and Recreation
This land use includes existing public and private parks and
recreation facilities including ball fields, golf courses and community
centers. Open space and other permanently protected lands may
also be included within this category.
Public land uses include governmental
buildings and other community facilities.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Parks and recreation includes ball fields,
such as Alexander Park in Brusly.
© Josh Peak
page 43
Agriculture and Open Space
Agriculture and open space refers to land use that is primarily used
for agriculture, livestock or timber harvesting. Farmsteads and other
uses compatible with agricultural practices are also allowed.
Batture
The batture land use classification refers to the land located between
the Mississippi River and the levee, it is intended that this land
should remain undeveloped due to frequent flooding and Army Corps
of Engineers Levee regulations.
Wetlands
While wetlands are not a use activity, significant portions of the
Parish have been designated as such by the National Wetlands
Inventory. Due to existing regulations, the expense associated with
mitigation, and the important ecological functions wetlands serve the
majority of designated wetlands should remain undeveloped.
Agriculture and Open Space includes land
used for livestock, among other uses.
© Josh Peak
Batture land use includes area between the river and its
levees. Due to the important role of levees and common
flooding, these areas should remain largely undeveloped.
Wetlands are areas which are vital to local ecosystems
and hydrological processes. Steps should be taken to
minimize development impact in these areas.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 44
3. Land Use: Goals and Strategies
The land use goals and strategies are designed to guide the
regulatory, investment and development decisions to achieve a
resilient and sustainable land use pattern. Figure 5-25 illustrates
targeted growth areas and the desired future settlement patterns.
The land use goals address:
• The character of new development, including walkable compact
mixed-use neighborhoods; and the conservation of natural
resources.
• Desired patterns of growth in new areas and infill in existing
neighborhoods.
• Land use relationships including mixed-use and buffers between
non compatible uses.
• Conservation of environmental resources.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Land Use Goals
•Maintain West Baton Rouge Parish’s
rural character and natural resources
while accommodating future growth in
an equitable, compact, and sustainable
pattern.
page 45
The image illustrates major corridors and
targeted future growth areas: Erwinville
Village Center, Chamberlin Village Center,
Westover Village Center, Port Allen
Neighborhood Center, LA-1 South Village
Center, Brusly/Addis Neighborhood Center
and the development of regional serving
retail at Interstate 10 and Highway 415.
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 5-25. Future Development Areas
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 46
Land Use Strategies
• Creating opportunities for walkable and accessible neighborhoods,
centers, parks, schools, and employment areas.
LU - 1. Create compact, walkable, mixed-use village and
neighborhood centers that provide a range of housing choices,
ample open space and parks, expanded retail and services for
residents, and opportunities for social interaction.
• Establishing activity centers that contribute to a sense of place,
community, and the economy through quality design and
“synergistic” relationships between different uses (e.g., residential,
retail and jobs).
A key objective of the PlanWEST Future Land Use Plan is to
encourage the development of compact mixed-use, humanscaled pedestrian-friendly village and neighborhood centers.
Village and neighborhood centers refer to traditional neighborhood
developments that are centered within ½ mile walking radius from a
central place such as a civic/cultural center or mixed-use commercial
district. Village and neighborhood centers are comprised of a
connected street network, neighborhood parks and multiple land
uses within walking distance. The advantages of compact mixed-use
developments include:
• Reducing dependency on automobiles and increasing
opportunities for walking and biking.
• Providing diverse housing types to meet the needs and life cycles
of residents (e.g., attached, detached, housing above stores, etc.).
The Future Land Use Map (Figure 5-24) identifies the following
growth areas:
• Erwinville Village Center
• Chamberlin Village Center
• Westover Village Center
• Port Allen Neighborhood Center
• South Village Center
Image illustrating a walkable mixed-use and mixed density development
that responds to local hydrological conditions.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• Brusly/Addis Neighborhood Center
page 47
LU - 2. Develop minimum thresholds for village and neighborhood
centers.
To ensure village and neighborhood centers have the density to
support desired uses, minimum thresholds should be established.
Possible thresholds include:
• Be a minimum of 50-100 acres.
• Contain a mix of land uses including retail, office, civic and
residential.
• Contain a mix of housing densities and types including single
family, single family attached, live-work, and multi-family.
encourage mixed-use, mixed-density development
• Develop a Rural Residential zoning district to minimize conflicts in
agricultural districts.
• Revise and amend the Agricultural zoning district to restrict uses
not compatible with agricultural practices.
• Develop a Regional Retail Overlay District as identified by the
Future Land Use Plan.
LU - 5. Adopt Smart Growth codes to parallel existing development
codes.
• Consist of a connected street and block network of complete
streets.
Adopting smart growth codes to complement existing code will
ensure future development is compliant with smart growth principles.
• Provisions for ample open space and parks.
LU - 6. Promote infill development.
• Connected to centralized sewer and utilities.
Infill development refers to new development on vacant or under
utilized land within established communities and neighborhoods.
The benefits of infill development include reducing consumption
of agriculture and forest lands; making better use of existing
infrastructure and lowering the cost of public services (i.e. schools,
sewer and utilities); strengthening real estate markets and property
values; and reviving older, established neighborhoods.
• Adopt urban design guidelines to ensure high quality mixed-use
development.
• Reserve locations for schools, parks and other civic facilities.
LU - 3. Use the Future Land Use Plan as a guide to develop detailed
Village and Neighborhood Center plans for the areas described
above.
To ensure future growth areas develop in manner consistent with
the future land use map, detailed district plans should be developed
to illustrate the location of right-of-ways, parks, lots and blocks,
mixed-use districts, housing and open space (see section 5.4 District
Framework Plan).
Steps to promoting infill development include working with
municipalities and developers to: identify priority infill areas; develop
an infill parcel inventory; and identify and remove potential regulatory
barriers to infill development.
LU - 4. Use the Future Land Use Plan as a guide to revise and
amend existing zoning regulations.
The Future Land Use Plan identifies the desired future development
pattern of the Parish. Review and revise the existing zoning map and
zoning districts to provide for uses consistent with the future land use
plan.
• Develop Village and Neighborhood Center zoning district to
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 48
LU - 7. Improve the character and quality of new development.
To preserve the rural character and quality of West Baton Rouge
Parish’s built environment. The Parish should develop basic design
standards to ensure future development is compatible with the long
term vision of the Parish. The Louisiana Land Use Toolkit is a set of
model development regulations that can serve as a resource for local
governments. Examples of issues that could be addressed include:
• Building mass, bulk, and façade appearance (e.g., to avoid large
blank walls and visual incompatibility with established adjacent
uses)
500’ Buffer
1000’ Buffer
2000’ Buffer
Residential
Neighborhood
(for illustration purposes)
• Building/parking lot relationships (e.g., to avoid buildings oriented
to large expanses of parking)
• Exterior lighting (to avoid spillover of light and glare from buildings
and parking lots onto adjacent properties)
• Placement and types of signs
• Sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes in Village and
Neighborhood Centers
• Landscaping and tree protection standards to enhance functions
such as native species diversity, stormwater management, shade,
and buffering of adjacent uses.
Figure 5-26. Land Use Buffer
Diagram illustrating buffers between non compatible heavy industrial and residential
land uses (for illustration purposes only.
LU - 8. Establish transitional standards and buffers to reduce the
impacts of high-intensity industrial uses on lower-intensity land uses.
Citizens expressed concern during the planning process regarding
the negative impacts of industrial refining plants and tank farms on
the visual character of the Parish. Additionally, specific concerns
included the negative impacts associated with the expansion of the
Port of Baton Rouge tank farm facility on existing residential land
uses. To address these concerns, buffers and transitional standards
should be incorporated into the Parish’s Zoning Code. Examples of
these standards include:
• Require a 2000’ heavily forested buffer between heavy industrial
land uses (e.g., tank farms, chemical refining plants, mining) and
residential / commercial uses
• Require a 250’ minimum heavily vegetated buffer and setback from
any major road or highway
• Develop land use transitional standards to step down intensity of
uses where appropriate
Established neighborhoods can inform new developments; this double alley of oaks
provides deep shade and rich character to this streetscape while offering an area
for stormwater retention and suggesting opportunities for pedestrian use.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• Limit new heavy industrial uses (e.g., tank farms, chemical refining
plants, mining) to areas with comparable existing uses
page 49
LU - 9. Reduce the environmental impact of buildings and encourage
resilient development.
LU - 11. Maintain critical environmental resources and flood plains as
open space.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council buildings account
for 72% of the total electricity consumed and 39% of energy use,
minimizing the impact of buildings on the environment through green
building techniques and low impact site development standards
is critical to conserving energy and preserving natural resources.
Sustainable building practices, such as passive solar building
siting, energy efficient building systems, use of renewable energy,
green roofs, on-site water recycling, and native landscaping can be
integrated into existing and new development through increased
education, awareness, and incentives.
• Encourage developers to use
sustainable land development
practices such as low impact
development techniques
Maintaining West Baton Rouge’s wetlands, flood plains, and
environmentally sensitive areas is essential to the Parish’s long
term resiliency and environmental health (see Figure 6-40 on page
62). Wetlands and flood plains reduce the Parish’s vulnerability
to storm damage and natural events by absorbing floodwaters and
increasing groundwater infiltration. Tools for minimizing disturbances
to environmental resources include:
• Remove regulatory obstacles that
prevent the use of sustainable
technologies (wind turbines,
solar panels, water harvesting,
green roofs and storm water best
management practices)
• Discourage development that impact wetlands and floodplains
• Implement a riparian buffer program and develop setbacks along
bayous and waterways to maintain flood storage capacity
• Encourage conservation cluster subdivisions that preserve flood
plains and wetlands as open space
• Ensure compliance with FEMA base flood elevation maps
LU - 12. Establish the Traditional Neighborhood Developments
(TND) as the preferred residential and mixed-use land use pattern.
• Revise regulations to incorporate
zero impact development ordinances
• Encourage new developments
that preserve wetlands and avoid
impacts in flood zones
• Enact provisions to minimize building footprints and maximize
open space
Bioswales can help mitigate
stormwater runoff associated
with new developments
LU - 10. Encourage new development in areas adequately served by
existing schools, infrastructure, and public facilities.
Encouraging new development in areas served by existing
infrastructure is essential to preserving the rural character of the
Parish as well as maximizing the Parish’s investment in existing
schools, public facilities and infrastructure. The future land use map
identifies targeted growth areas that take advantage of existing
infrastructure investments. The Parish should encourage future
growth in these areas.
The purpose of a Traditional Neighborhood Development Zoning
District (“TND District”) is to encourage mixed-use, compact
development and facilitate the efficient use of services. A TND
District diversifies and integrates land uses within close proximity to
each other, and it provides for the daily recreational and commercial
needs of the residents. A TND District is a sustainable, long-term
community that provides economic opportunity and environmental
and social equity for the residents.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s existing TND Zoning District should be
encouraged as the primary future land use pattern for mixed-use and
residential growth. Extending and improving the existing TND pattern
as infill or new development where infrastructure is present, can
help to maintain the viability of existing communities while diverting
growth from surrounding agricultural areas, and lessening the
impacts of rural sprawl.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 50
4. District Framework Plans
The comprehensive plan addresses West Baton Rouge Parish
on several different scales from the regional context to smaller
geographical subareas within the Parish. For planning purposes
the Parish is divided into three districts or subareas. Parish North
includes Bueche, Erwinville, and Chamberlin; Parish Central
includes Port Allen, Winterville, and Lobdell; Parish South includes
Addis and Brusly. The district framework plans are intended to
guide future development and be used by the Parish to benchmark
future development proposals within the overall framework of the
comprehensive master plan.
Parish North
Parish North includes the unincorporated settlements of Erwinville,
Bueche and Chamberlin. The north district is comprised largely of
agricultural and rural residential land uses. Rural residential uses
include smaller farm homesteads 5-10 acres in size along with
mobile homes on large acreage lots. Commercial development is
sparse on the Highway 190 corridor with the exception of a small
concentration in the Erwinville settlement. Future development
pressure coupled with the national trends of a declining agriculture
industry will potentially have the greatest impact in the north leading
to a continuation of a dispersed development pattern and increasing
conflicts between agricultural and residential developments.
A key objective of the Future Land Use Plan is to target specific
growth areas for future development. The Erwinville and Chamberlin
village center framework plans are intended to capitalize on existing
investments in infrastructure and to guide the future development of
compact mixed-use neighborhoods.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 51
Parish Central
North District Key Planning Recommendations
Parish Central includes Port Allen (the largest municipality in the
Parish), Winterville, and Lobdell. The central district is comprised
of primarily heavy industrial, agriculture and residential land uses;
and includes major employment centers: Exxon, Placid, and the
Parish administration offices. The transportation network provides
convenient access to downtown Baton Rouge via Interstate 10 and
Highway 190.
• Use the framework plan to guide development of mixed-use
village centers with supporting land uses use in Erwinville and
Chamberlin.
• Ensure future developments make provisions for parks, community
centers, and institutional uses.
• Coordinate planning of infrastructure with development of
proposed village centers
The Parish Central framework plan is intended to guide the
development of mixed-use neighborhood centers and supporting
uses that capitalize on its strategic location next to Interstate 10 and
Highway 190 and proximity to downtown Baton Rouge.
• Continue to support agricultural uses in the north and advocate for
development that limits impacts to waterways, wetlands and does
not encroach upon agricultural uses.
Chamberlin
Village Center
Erwinville
Village
Center
US-
190
Bueche Rd
Section Road
Figure 5-27. Parish North Framework Plan
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 52
Central District Key Planning
Recommendations
• Promote the development of a
regional retail / employment center at
the I-10 / Highway 415 interchange
as identified by the Parish Central
framework Plan.
Westover
Village Center
US
- 19
0
Industrial
Expansion
ers
• Minimize conflicts between
incompatible land uses; prevent the
encroachment of residential into heavy
industrial areas.
Port Allen
Neighborhood
Center
• Improve key corridors to support
multiple modes of transportation and
mix land uses; advocate for street
trees along Highway LA-1.
• Promote development that minimizes
impact to flood plains, wetlands, and
waterways.
HWY LA 1
Lobdell Park
Neighborhood
Center
Hwy-415
Rip
ari
an
Bu
ff
• Use the framework plan to promote
the development of mixed-use
neighborhood centers at Port
Allen and Lobdell. Promote the
development of an interconnected
street network that connects to
existing roadways.
I-10
Port Allen
Regional
Retail Center
Hwy 415 to LA 1
Connector
nal
l Ca
l
ac
Rai
Intr
ed t
s
o
n
p
e
Pro lignm
A
ta
oas
Figure 5-28. Parish Central Framework Plan
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Multimodal
Facility
page 53
South District Key Planning
Recommendations
11
87
C
n
aria
Rip
Future
TND
Y
ail
dR t
e
s
po
en
Pro lignm
A
LA
Int
Multimodal
Facility
Y
on
ne
cto
r
oa
rac
HW
l
ana
lC
sta
HW
Parish South includes the municipalities
of Addis, Brusly and a recent annexation
by Port Allen. The south district is the
most populated district in the Parish.
Current land uses include agriculture,
warehousing, commercial and
residential. The proposed highway 415
to LA-1 connector is expected to spur
additional growth in the district. The
Parish South framework plan is intended
to guide future development.
1
Parish South
fers
Buf
Multimodal
Facility
LA 1 South
Village
Center
Town
of
Brusly
Future
Development
Area
• Advocate for the development of the
multimodal facility (see ED - 7 on page
31).
• Advocate for the relocation of the
Union Pacific railroad.
• Encourage the development of mixeduse communities with supporting land
uses and provisions for parks and
civic uses.
Town
of
Addis
• Support the development of the Levee
trail and “rails to trails” multi-purpose
path (see TM - 14 on page 87).
Brusly / Addis
Neighborhood
Center
• Encourage infill development in
existing neighborhoods and interstitial
parcels.
Figure 5-29. Parish South Framework Plan
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 54
The majority of the housing units in West Baton Rouge Parish
were built after 1950, with the largest percentage built in the 1980’s
(20.2%). Generally the number of housing units has increased
consistently with population growth.
5. Housing and Neighborhoods
Overview
The quality, location, cost and livability of West Baton Rouge’s
neighborhoods and housing are central issues to the creation of a
sustainable resilient future for West Baton Rouge Parish.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s existing housing stock can be
characterized as predominately single family interspersed with
mobile homes. According to the 2009 U.S. Census ACS, single
family housing represents 65.2% of the total housing stock and
mobile homes represent 25.3% of the total housing stock together
these two categories comprise 90.5% of the total housing units in the
Parish.
Table 5-30. West Baton Rouge Housing Type 2009
The majority of West Baton Rouge Parish residents own their own
home (73.9%) with rental units comprising the remaining 26.1% of
the total housing units (Table 5-32). Of the total occupied housing
units one person households accounted for 23.3% of the total
households and two person households accounted for 30.9% of
households. The total households with the primary householder
over the age of 65 is 20.6%. Suggesting demand for senior housing
and alternatives to single family will increase as the population ages
and demographics follow the national trends shifting from traditional
families with children to more diverse households types.
The median average price for owner occupied housing units is
$125,200 according to the 2009 ACS (Table 5-31). However 22%
or 1,436 units are valued less than $50,000, which can be attributed
to the large percentage of mobile homes in the Parish. Additionally
19.7% or 1,188 of the total households are valued between $ 50,000
- 99,000; 40.6% of the total housing units in the Parish are valued
below $100,000.
Table 5-31. West Baton Rouge Housing Value 2009
Housing Type
Units
Percent
Value Owner Occupied Units
Units
Percent
1 Unit, Detached
6,155
65.2%
Less than $50,000
1,436
22.2%
1 Unit, Attached
93
1.0%
$50,000 to $99,999
1,188
18.4%
2 Units
145
1.5%
$100,000 to $149,999
1,271
19.7%
3 - 4 Units
373
4.0%
$150,000 to $199,999
1,220
18.9%
5 - 9 Units
106
1.1%
$200,000 to $299,999
1,162
18.0%
10 - 19 Units
41
0.4%
$300,000 to $499,999
150
2.3%
20 + Units
Mobile Home
Boat, RV, Van, Etc.
79
0.8%
$500,000 to $999,999
17
0.3%
2,392
25.3%
$1,000,000 or more
15
0.2%
59
0.6%
Median (dollars)
$125,200
--
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey
page 55
Key Housing Issues
Table 5-32. West Baton Rouge Household Size 2010
Household Size
Units
Percent
Total Occupied Households
8,688
100.0%
1- Person Household
2,022
23.3%
2- Person Household
2,682
30.9%
3- Person Household
1,637
18.8%
4- Person Household
1,392
16.0%
5- Person Household
595
6.8%
6- Person Household
242
2.8%
7- Person Household
118
1.4%
Average Household Size
2.67
--
Average Family Size
3.16
--
Owner Occupied Housing Units
6,424
73.9%
Renter-Occupied Housing Units
2,264
26.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
• West Baton Rouge Parish’s housing stock is not very diverse. A
significant portion of West Baton Rouge Parish’s neighborhoods
have relatively large lot and relatively expensive housing, there is a
demand for affordable and empty nester type housing.
• A large percentage of households in West Baton Rouge Parish
are one and two person households (54.2%), suggesting there is a
demand for different types of housing models.
• Housing should not be considered in isolation, but rather in
relation to other land uses, facilities and services that are essential
to supporting residential needs and the quality of life citizens
desire. Providing infrastructure to compact mixed-use village and
neighborhood centers is more cost efficient and economically
responsible than providing infrastructure in low density single use
districts.
• A large percentage of the total housing units in West Baton Rouge
are mobile homes (25.3%), suggesting that there is a demand for
more affordable types of permanent housing.
Table 5-33. West Baton Rouge Year Housing Built 2009
Year Built
Units
Percent
Built 2005 or later
525
5.6%
Built 2000 to 2004
908
9.6%
Built 1990 to 1999
1,502
15.9%
Built 1980 to 1989
1,909
20.2%
Built 1970 to 1979
1,667
17.7%
Built 1960 to 1969
983
10.4%
Built 1950 to 1959
983
10.4%
Built 1940 to 1949
306
3.2%
Built 1939 or earlier
660
7.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 56
6. Housing and Neighborhoods:
Goals and Strategies
The housing goals and strategies are intended to guide West Baton
Rouge Parish in making regulatory, investment and policy decisions
related to the Parish’s housing stock. The strategies are designed
to achieve a range of housing types that meets the needs of diverse
demographic and income groups; to create livable attractive and
equitable neighborhoods.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Housing and Neighborhoods Goals
•Foster distinctive, attractive, equitable,
and sustainable communities and
neighborhoods.
•Provide a range of housing types, and
promote the development of affordable,
accessible housing appealing to a
diverse group of ages and incomes.
page 57
Housing and Neighborhoods Strategies
HN - 1. Encourage a minimum of 80% of new housing to the growth
areas identified on the future land use map.
The future land use map identifies five growth areas; directing a
minimum of 80% of future residential development to these areas
provides a number of benefits:
• Focuses new development in and around existing communities;
revitalizing existing neighborhoods, capitalizing on infrastructure
investments already in place.
Riparian Buffer
• Ensures adequate infrastructure is in place to meet future
demands, allowing the Parish to be more efficient with fiscal
resources and capital expenditures
• Allows the development of a capital improvement plan and
predictable method for planning long term investments
Single Family
• Conserves natural resources for future generations
HN - 2. Coordinate the provisions of housing with supporting land
uses, transportation and infrastructure.
A key objective of the Plan West future land use plan is to encourage
the development of compact, walkable, mixed-use centers
adequately served by infrastructure, and an efficient transportation
network.
Specific initiatives include:
• Promoting the development of mixed-use neighborhood and
village centers that provide convenient access from housing and
neighborhoods to jobs and services.
• Providing pedestrian and bicycle connections between
neighborhoods, schools, and parks.
Park
Mixed-Use / Density
Neighborhood
Node
Commercial
• Encouraging growth in areas served by existing centralized waste
water service.
Figure 5-35. Port Allen Neighborhood Center
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 58
HN - 3. Promote energy efficiency in new and existing housing.
Establishing a green building program with requirements for energy
efficiency can significantly reduce the energy cost of new housing
while contributing to a more sustainable environment. The United
States Department of Energy’s Building Energy Codes Program
can be used as a guide to developing code requirements. Other
resources include the National Association of Home Builders’
National Green Building Standard, the U.S. Green Building Council’s
LEED Homes and LEED Neighborhood Development, and Energy
Star qualified homes.
HN - 4. Encourage the development of housing that meets a diverse
range of needs, incomes, and life cycles.
Zoning and subdivision regulations for growth areas should be
revised to accommodate housing types that fit the needs of a diverse
population including seniors, empty nesters, young professionals,
and families. Developments should be mixed-use and mixed income
and provide a range of housing types including single family,
apartments, townhouses, accessory dwelling units or “granny flats,”
and flats over retail in mixed-use districts.
HN - 5. Improve the quality, character and livability of future
neighborhoods.
Steps to creating quality neighborhoods include:
• Develop and adopt a tree ordinance requiring the planting of street
trees in new residential communities, with an approved tree list
and standards for spacing and maintenance.
• Encourage the inclusion of parks and open space in
neighborhoods.
• Encourage a connected street network (i.e., neighborhoods
connect to neighborhoods) and avoid dead ends or cul-de-sac
streets.
• Limit block lengths to a maximum of 600’ or where appropriate to
400’ to allow for connections to 800’ existing stub outs.
• Adopt corridor preservation ordinance to preserve future right-ofways in order to create a interconnected street network.
The Parish’s Traditional Neighborhood Development ordinance is
an example of an existing regulatory approach that can be used
to promote diverse housing types and uses. The development of
compact, mixed-use neighborhoods served by existing infrastructure
will lower housing cost, promote affordability, and maximize the
Parish’s investment in existing infrastructure.
Figure 5-36. Section 2.5 of the Louisiana
Land Use Tool Kit (Version 3.0)
The Land Use Tool Kit offers a wide range of model ordinances.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 59
Narrow lots promote
walkable neighborhoods
and support mixed-use
districts.
Shared right of ways
promote biking
Rain gardens filter and
infiltrate stormwater.
Pervious paving
allows stormwater
absorption
Street trees provide shade
and traffic calming.
Figure 5-37. Residential street section
Street section identifies strategies to promote livable, walkable, and diverse neighborhoods
while utilizing water management best practices. See Table 5-21 on page 36.
Chapter 5 | Land Use, Housing, and Neighborhoods
page 60
Chapter 6: Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural
Resources
1. Overview
Natural and Agricultural resources have played an important role
in shaping the settlement pattern of West Baton Rouge Parish and
remain at the core of the Parish’s sense of place, culture, heritage
and economy. Today more than 85% of the Parish’s total land area is
comprised of wetlands, batture, and agriculture lands (Figure 6-38).
These, along with the Parish’s wide range of natural resources,
including bayous, forest, productive working lands and valuable
wildlife habitat, together, form the Parish’s green infrastructure
network. In order to form conservation strategies, these resources
are broken down into two categories: agricultural resources and
natural resources.
Natural Resources
West Baton Rouge has substantial natural resources including
wetlands, forest and battures. Wetlands comprise 44% of the Parish
total land area and batture lands account for an additional 10% of
the land area (Figure 6-38) According to the LSU Ag Center the
approximately 45,000 acres of land is leased for the purpose of
hunting and outdoor recreation. Throughout the planning process
citizens expressed the importance of maintaining and enhancing
West Baton Rouge’s natural resources as a critical component to the
recreational and cultural identity of the Parish.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
West Baton Rouge Parish has numerous bayous, streams, flood
plains and smaller watersheds that are an integral component of
the Terrebonne and Atchafalaya Basin watersheds; maintaining
the quality of the Parish’s waterways is essential to the overall
regional water quality. While many of the Parish’s waterways are in
good condition the Upper Terrebonne Watershed Study (2009) has
identified several impaired segments due primarily to sedimentation.
(Figure 6-40) identifies the Parish water resources and 100 year
flood plains.
The topography of West Baton Rouge Parish is relatively flat with
the highest ground located closest to the Mississippi River. The land
slopes in a west ward direction towards the Atchafalaya Basin, with
the elevation ranging from 75’ above sea level to - 8’ below sea level
(Figure 6-41).
Agricultural Resources
Generations of farmers have sustained a diverse agricultural
economy defining West Baton Rouge Parish’s rural character.
Forest products, sugarcane and soybean production are the primary
agricultural products. Agriculture is a significant resource in the
Parish representing an annual economic impact of over $28 million,
with over 23,000 acres in agricultural production, 1,250 acres of
crawfish ponds, and 2,900 head of cattle. However the future of the
Parish’s agricultural and natural resources depends on land use
decisions being made today. It is essential to plan for a future land
use pattern that balances the needs of agriculture with sustainable
growth.
page 61
Despite increasing development pressure;
West Baton Rouge Parish’s large contiguous
tract of wetlands, forest and agriculture are
still mainly intact. Almost 86% of the Parish
is classified as: wetlands (44%), agriculture
(32%), or batture (10%). The availability
of these resources for future generations
depends largely on land use decisions made
being made today.
Existing Land Use
Table 6-39. Agriculture and Natural Resources
Land Use
Acres
Percent
Agriculture / Open Space
38,860
32%
Batture
12,328
10%
Wetlands
52,471
44%
Total Land Area
120,520
100%
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 6-38. Existing Agriculture and Natural Resources
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
N Riv
er Rd
page 62
Bu
ec
he
Ro
ad
Ex
t
Arbro
brot
otth Rd
d
Bueche Rd
West Baton Rouge Parish is located in
the greater Upper Terrebonne Watershed.
Numerous bayous and smaller water ways
transverse the Parish. Due to the low
topography approximately half of the parish
is located in the 100 year flood plain.
Bueche
Prot Island
he Rd
u ch
Buec
W Bue
d
u de Rd
Burnside
B
Rive
r Ro
r
lD
Flynn
lyynn Rd
R
hil
see
Ro
ad
R
om Rd
Romain
St.Romain
SSt.
ad
Ro
he
ec
Bu
Smithe
Solitude Point
Chamberlin
ld Rd
Erw
Erwinville
Rougon
R
ougon
ouggon
on Road
Road
oa
SecƟon
Ɵ Rd
d
t
e Ex
rvill
ntee
innt
NW
Old Misss.
HW
Y 119
0
River Brridge
S Winterville
tterville
villle Rd
Rd
Bellmont Rd
B
A le
Al
ndal
Dr
e Rdd
you
s Ba
ra
Poyd
Calum
et Rd
LLaŌon
Ō Lane
L e
deelll Hwy
LLobdell
Lobd
Rosedale Rd
Rebelle
R
Rebel
belllllee Ln
Ln
Turnerr Rd
Flood Zone A,A1
Port Alle
en
10
tate
Inters
River
Miss. R
Bridgee
N Lin
ne Rd
Sun Plu
s Pkwy
nal
al Ca
s al
st
rcoa
Inte
Am
meer
icaaann
ic
Way
y
ive
r
Rd
HW
Y LA
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EEm
mily
ilillyy Dr
Dri
riv
iv
ivvee
SR
WM
aaiin
SStt
Rd
h
Choctaw
Brusly
planWEST
Natural Systems
Hydrology
Waterways
FEMA Flood Zones A, A1
Addis
Ponderosa Ln
Water Bodies
Ln
ddiss Ln
Ad
Add
St
in St
in
ain
Maaai
M
Mississippi Ri
River
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 6-40. Existing Hydrology and Flood Zones
d
nR
so
ard
Sid
h
Ric
HW
Y1
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
14
8
page 63
The existing topography of West Baton
Rouge Parish is characteristic of the regions
formation as a deltaic plain. The highest
elevation land is located closest to the
historical natural levee of the Mississippi
River; elevations from 70’ above sea level
to -8’ below sea level in the south western
portion of the Parish.
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 6-41. Existing Topography and Elevation
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 64
Mississippi River at Port Allen during the Spring 2011 floods. © Josh Peak
Key Natural Resource Issues
Key Agricultural Resource Issues
• Abundant natural resources including wetlands, forests and
bayous.
• West Baton Rouge’s farmland provides multiple, scenic, economic
and environmental benefits and was identified as one of the
Parish’s most valuable assets during the public process.
• Runoff from urban development and agricultural land use poses
a continuing threat to the water quality of bayous and rivers
throughout the Upper Terrebonne Watershed.
• Hunting Leases account for 45,000 acres of land in West Baton
Rouge Parish.
• Large percentage of West Baton Rouge Parish is in the 100 year
flood zone.
• Local groundwater and aquifer depletion are exacerbating
saltwater intrusion trends. This threatens to contaminate the water
supply for both human consumption and agricultural irrigation.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• Opportunities to grow the agritourism and eco-tourism industry.
• The Parish’s location next to a major metropolitan area makes
it well positioned to capture markets in growing high-value food
trends such as organic and buy local.
• Scattered development has begun to fragment large continuous
tracts of farmland and is causing conflicts between new neighbors
and established farmers. These trends threaten the viability of
future farming practices.
• Currently there are no agricultural preservation programs in place
to allow farmers who are interested in preserving their heritage the
opportunity to do so.
page 65
2. Natural Resources Goals and
Strategies
The natural resources goals and strategies are designed to guide the
Parish in making regulatory, investment, and other decisions related
to the Parish’s wetlands, forest, open space and environmental
resources. The agricultural goals and strategies will help the Parish
achieve the vision of a sustainable environment that supports a high
quality of life and preserves resources for future generations.
Natural Resources Goals
• Support
the management, use and
continued sustainability of West Baton
Rouge Parish’s natural resources and
environmental heritage.
• Actively
pursue the conservation of West
Baton Rouge Parish’s wetlands, open
space, wildlife habitats, and unique flora
and fauna by encouraging development
in non- environmentally sensitive areas.
• Protect,
restore, and improve the
environmental quality of the Parish’s
open space system.
© Josh Peak
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 66
Natural Resources Strategies
• Adjust codes to encourage better water management at
commercial, industrial and residential scales.
NR - 1. Support efforts that promote outreach and education about
the collective responsibility for protecting and preserving the Parish’s
natural resources and environmentally sensitive ecosystems.
• Encourage private landowners to preserve wetlands and limit
impacts in floodplains.
Preservation and conservation of West Baton Rouge’s natural
resources depends on both proactive initiatives among public leaders
and policy makers as well as broad public support. Increasing public
awareness of the importance of the Parish’s ecological resources is
critical to building support for conservation initiatives. Local advocacy
groups including the LSU Ag Center, Louisiana Wildlife Federation,
Friends of the Atchafalaya, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries, among others are valuable resources in promoting
environmental conservation initiatives.
NR - 2. Develop a green infrastructure approach and plan to
preserve, manage, and restore natural resources as an integrated
system.
Green infrastructure is a strategically planned and managed network
of forest, parks, greenways, conservation easements, and working
lands with conservation value that support native species, maintain
natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources,
and contribute to the health and quality of life for communities and
people. A formal green infrastructure plan provides a framework for
future growth by prioritizing what open space should be protected
and what open space should be available to development.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s green infrastructure network
encompasses a wide range of landscape elements, including natural
areas, such as wetlands, woodlands, flood ways, waterways, wildlife
habitat, nature preserves, wildlife corridors, greenways, parks,
forests, farms, and ranches. Steps to managing the Parish’s green
infrastructure network include:
• Consider wildlife and its habitat as a primary component in the
Parish’s approach to its overall land use planning process and
development decisions.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• Actively foster the efforts of private, non-profit organizations in
addressing issues such as water quality, habitat protection and
natural resource management.
• Explore the application of resource conservation zoning to forested
lands, wetlands, and critical wildlife habitat.
• Protect publicly owned natural areas from development,
encroachment and uses that degrade their natural character.
• Advocate the idea of a single open space system regardless of
jurisdiction, ownership or parcel division.
• Develop strategies to encourage the preservation of wetlands and
limit the impact of development within floodplains.
• Preserve critical wildlife habitats and linkages between these
habitats to protect the overall health and biodiversity of the Parish’s
ecosystem.
The benefits of a green infrastructure plan include:
• Reduced and delayed stormwater runoff volumes
• Enhanced groundwater recharge
• Stormwater pollutant reductions
• Reduced sewer overflow events
• Increased carbon sequestration
• Urban heat island mitigation and reduced energy demands
• Improved air quality
• Additional wildlife habitat and recreational space
• Improved human health
• Increased land values
page 67
NR - 3. Encourage development in lands free from environmental
constraints.
Maintaining and enhancing land used for agriculture and forestry is
an important element of future land use plan. By identifying these
areas the Parish can sustain productive farm and forest land, and
other natural resources, and take steps to maintain contiguous tracts
of open land.
NR - 4. Support the creation of land trust, conservation easements
and other innovative models to conserve natural resources.
Natural resource preservation is essential to the long-term
environmental health of the Parish and the larger Upper Terrebonne
Watershed. Preservation of natural resources such as wetlands,
forest, and battures provides valuable wildlife habitat, contributes to
better water quality and improves overall air quality. Potential tools to
preserve natural resources include:
Land Trust
Land trust are local, regional, statewide, or national organizations
that protect lands that have natural, ecological, recreational, scenic,
historic, or productive value. Land trusts acquire land by outright
purchases, conservation easements, or through land donations.
They can be organized as private, nonprofit, or public organizations;
they can hold title to real estate and accept donations. A number of
national organizations, such as the Land Trust Alliance, the Trust
for Public Land and the Nature Conservancy provide support for
traditional conservation land trusts.
Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are deed restrictions that landowners
voluntarily place on their land to protect important resources. They
are used by landowners to authorize a qualified conservation
organization or public agency to monitor and enforce the restrictions
set forth in the agreement. In return for their stewardship, the
landowner may receive additional tax credits.
Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)
A TDR ordinance allows property owners in designated sending
areas (e.g., valuable agricultural or woodlands resource lands) to
transfer development potential to parcels in designated receiving
areas (e.g., Growth Areas). Typically, owners purchasing the
development rights are allowed to develop at a higher residential
density in receiving areas than otherwise would be permitted under
existing zoning. The highest quality natural resources lands are often
designated as sending areas. TDR programs can be established at
the municipal, parish or state level.
The use of TDR programs to preserve agricultural land and open
space has been successful in many places across the Country such
as the Pinelands in New Jersey; Warwick Township in Lancaster
County; Montgomery County, Maryland and Boulder County,
Colorado. To be an effective land preservation program for West
Baton Rouge Parish, TDR programs should be used in conjunction
with other preservation programs for example agricultural zoning.
This is necessary to create a demand for development rights.
NR - 5. Encourage landowners to play active roles in conservation.
Develop various media and environmental outreach education
programs to encourage private landowners to protect their wetlands
and/or to minimize wetland alteration during activities such as
farming and timber harvesting and to increase public awareness of
wetland values and the status of wetlands.
NR - 6. Explore the creation of growth boundaries to preserve open
space and concentrate new development within strategic areas.
Urban growth boundaries are an effective regulatory provision
to guide development to strategic areas and preserve natural
resources. Growth boundaries are planning boundaries that identify
the outer limits of an urban area’s long-term growth. Usually
designed as rings around urban concentrations, the boundaries
encourage compact and efficient developments, steer more
development to established neighborhoods, reduce the cost of public
services, and preserve natural resources. Farmland protection is also
an added benefit of implementing growth boundaries. The future land
use map could be used as a guide to implement a growth boundary
plan.
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 68
NR - 7. Work with regional, state, and federal agencies to develop a
comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of the Parish’s water
resources.
West Baton Rouge Parish has abundant water resources including
bayous, rivers, lakes and swamp lands, a comprehensive plan to
improve the Parish waterways will ensure the continued health of the
Parish’s water resources. Currently the Parish is participating in the
Upper Terrebonne watershed study; continued involvement in the
planning effort is the first step in developing a plan to improve the
quality of the Parish’s water resources.
NR - 8. Develop and implement a riparian buffer program.
Riparian buffers are natural vegetated areas adjacent to streams
and water bodies that are protected from disturbance. Riparian
buffers perform a number of functions to improve water quality by
filtering sediments, preventing erosion, and removing agricultural and
non-point source pollution from runoff (Figure 6-42). The economic
benefits of riparian buffers include minimizing property loss from
flooding by slowing flood waters and allowing water to infiltrate and
recharge ground water supplies. Additionally riparian buffer provide
valuable wildlife habitat and improve the quality of fisheries.
NR - 9. Encourage best management practices to control flooding,
erosion and stream sedimentation and lessen the impacts of nonpoint source pollution on waterways.
Bioswales, rain gardens, riparian buffers and natural drainage
techniques mitigate pollution and allow water to infiltrate into the
soil, recharging aquifers. Natural drainage techniques also reduce
the need for complex, expensive and environmentally intrusive
engineered stormwater systems.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 69
Figure 6-42. Riparian Buffer Program
Illustration of how the Riparian Buffer strategy
could be implemented near Hwy 190 at Stumpy
Bayou in West Baton Rouge Parish.
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 70
3. Agricultural Resources Goals
and Strategies
The agricultural resources goals and strategies are designed
to guide the Parish in making regulatory, investment, and other
decisions related to conserving and supporting the business of
agriculture. The agricultural goals and strategies will help the Parish
maintain its agricultural heritage while achieving the vision of a
healthy sustainable environment.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Agricultural Resources Goals
• Preserve
the productivity and viability of
West Baton Rouge Parish’s agriculture
lands, natural resources, and critical
habitats while supporting a sustainable
robust economy.
page 71
Agricultural Resources Strategies
AG - 1. Enact local right-to-farm legislation.
Local right-to-farm ordinances maintain a supportive environment
for farmers by limiting farmer/non-farmer neighbor conflicts. They
are particularly useful where new residential and commercial
development occurs adjacent to active farms. While new residents
may be drawn by the charm of the rural landscape, they soon
realize that farm operations create dust, odors and noise. In reaction
to these perceived nuisances, non-farm neighbors may lodge
complaints with the Parish or file lawsuits that can cripple or shut
down farm operations. A local right-to-farm ordinance can help new
residents prepare for living in a farming community.
AG - 2. Explore the development of a Purchase of Agricultural
Conservation Easement Program (PACE) and Mitigation Laws to
preserve the economic viability of existing and future agricultural
practices.
Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE)
PACE programs pay farmers to protect their land from development.
Landowners voluntarily sell agricultural conservation easements
to a government agency or private conservation organization. The
agency or organization pays the difference between the value of the
land for agriculture and the value of the land for its “highest and best
use,” which is generally residential or commercial development.
PACE programs allow farmers to cash in a fair percentage of the
equity in their land, thus creating a financially competitive alternative
to selling land for non-agricultural uses. Permanent easements
prevent development that would effectively foreclose the possibility
of farming. PACE provides landowners with liquid capital that can
enhance the economic viability of individual farming operations and
thus help perpetuate the family owned farm.
Mitigation Laws
Farmland mitigation laws and policies attempt to compensate for the
conversion of agricultural land to another use by requiring permanent
protection of “comparable” agricultural land. For Example King
County, Washington, has a “no net loss of farmland” policy. The
policy prohibits the conversion of agriculture land unless an equal
amount of agricultural land of the same or better quality is added to
the county’s agricultural production zones.
Matthew Moore’s land-art project on his family’s Arizona farm illustrates the effects of
suburbanization in agricultural areas. For this land-art installation outside of Phoenix,
Matthew Moore used sorghum and black-bearded wheat to represent a subdivision
being developed on a part of his family’s farm.
Fragmentation of large tracts of agricultural lands threatens the economic viability of
farming. It can also cause nuisance conflicts between neighbors and farmers.
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 72
AG - 3. Reduce conflicts between agriculture and other land uses.
Scattered residential development in rural areas causes
fragmentation of agricultural land, creates conflicts with neighbors,
and causes escalating land prices; all of which can have a negative
impact on the profitability of farming. In West Baton Rouge Parish
the nature of sugar cane harvesting and burning is already having
negative impacts on farm / neighborhood relationships (Figure 6-43).
Potential tools to reduce conflicts include:
• Farmland Buffers
Required buffers around the edges of a new development project
can limit nuisance lawsuits, by maintaining a suitable distance
between farms and housing. For buffers to be effective in limiting
off-site impacts, they should be relatively wide and densely
forested.
• Agriculture Protection Zoning
Agricultural protection zoning designates areas where farming is
the primary land use and discourages other land uses in those
areas. APZ limits the activities that are permitted in agricultural
zones. The most restrictive regulations prohibit any uses that
might be incompatible with commercial farming. APZ stabilizes
the agricultural land base by keeping large tracts of land relatively
free of non-farm development. This can reduce the likelihood of
conflicts between farmers and neighbors.
• Agricultural District Programs
Agricultural district programs allow farmers to form special areas
where commercial agriculture is encouraged and protected.
Typically, programs are authorized by state law and implemented
at the local level. Enrollment in agricultural districts is voluntary.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Figure 6-43. Image Illustrating Prescribed Burning
Image illustrates the common practice burning of sugar cane
fields; encroachment of residential into agricultural areas has the
potential to cause conflicts between neighbors and farmers.
AG - 4. Promote agricultural conservation and nutrient management
practices to protect West Baton Rouge Parish’s waterways and the
larger Upper Terrebonne Basin Watershed.
Sedimentation and nutrient runoff are serious threats to the regional
water quality in West Baton Rouge Parish; encouraging nutrient
conservation and erosion control practices can minimize the negative
impacts of agricultural practices. Implementing a riparian buffer
program (NR-8. on page 68) is one tool to improve the water
quality of West Baton Rouge’s waterways. Riparian buffers preform a
number of functions to improving water quality by filtering sediments,
preventing erosion, and removing agricultural and non-source point
pollution from runoff before it enters the waterway (Figure 6-42).
page 73
AG - 5. Institute an ongoing multi-faceted approach to supporting the
business of agriculture.
Sustaining farm viability is important to agricultural land use and the
local economy. The growing demand for alternative management
systems (e.g., organic, pasture-raised, locally grown food, and
antibiotic-free meat, etc.) offers potential growth for agriculture in
the Parish. Other potential elements of an economic development
strategy for agriculture include:
• Support and enhance agricultural infrastructure.
• Support and enhance traditional livestock agriculture in regional
and local markets.
• Support opportunities for on-farm energy production techniques
(e.g., methane power).
• Promote agritourism, farmers’ markets, farm stands, and
accessory farm businesses.
• Support the development of community supported agriculture
(CSA) programs. CSA has become a popular way for consumers
to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. A farmer offers
a certain number of “shares” to the public. Interested consumers
purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in
return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week
throughout the farming season.
• Create local distribution chains to reduce barriers to selling West
Baton Rouge agricultural products.
• Develop a “Buy Local” Program to market West Baton Rouge
Products.
© Josh Peak
• Consider supporting services which would benefit local farmer
as well as keep jobs and revenue in the Parish, for instance,
sugar cane milling and refining may be feasible within the Parish.
If located properly, this could eliminate highway conflicts with
shipping. Additionally, there is opportunity for innovation in refining
cane ethanol for growing biofuel markets.
Chapter 6 | Green Infrastructure: Natural and Agricultural Resources
page 74
Chapter 7: Transportation and Mobility
1. Overview
West Baton Rouge Parish’s transportation and circulation network
plays an important role in defining present and future land
development patterns. Development activity and intensity is directly
influenced by its proximity to major transportation corridors. As with
majority of Louisiana motor vehicle travel is the only viable mode of
transportation.
West Baton Rouge Parish road network is structured around major
corridors that connect municipalities and unincorporated areas
within the Parish to the greater region. Rural roads provide access
to agricultural and rural areas; and local roads provide access to
neighborhoods.
It is critical to the long term development of an efficient transportation
network that the future land use plan and the transportation element
are closely coordinated. The future land use plan targets the majority
of future growth to occur in mixed-use village and neighborhood
centers. Future transportation improvements should be focused to
connect existing and planned growth areas.
The mix of land uses affect the efficiency of the transportation
network by directly influencing the average number of trips and
vehicle miles travelled to carry out day to day activities. Mixed-use
developments generate less traffic and can reduce the number of
average daily trips when compared with single use neighborhoods
and districts. This is significant, as the average number of trips
in a day affects traffic times, air pollution, and demand for road
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
and infrastructure improvement projects, amongst other issues.
Lessening all of these factors is congruent with the public’s opinion
of preferred quality of life improvements, as voiced at the community
workshops. A mix of land uses, shared parking, sidewalks and bike
lanes are critical components to an efficient transportations system.
Existing Transportation Networks
There are three major transportation corridors in West Baton Rouge
Parish. Interstate 10 running east west with interchanges at Highway
415 and Highway LA-1. U.S. Highway 190 runs east west through
the central part of the Parish; and Highway LA-1 runs north south
from Highway 190 to the southern parishes. The Horace Wilkinson
(New Bridge) and Huey Long (Old Bridge) provide Mississippi River
crossings.
Intra-parish collector roads provide intra-parish travel routes
connecting local roads to arterial networks. The major collector roads
are River Road running north south along the levee; Bueche Road
and Rosedale Road also serve as major collectors.
Railways
West Baton Rouge Parish is served by three mainline railroads that
provide freight service to existing petrochemical industries and the
Port of Baton Rouge; the Illinois Central, Kansas City Southern, and
Union Pacific Railroads. While the railroads provide necessary freight
access, limited opportunities for additional vehicular rail crossings in
southern portion of the Parish is limiting the amount of development
that can occur west of the Union Pacific Railroad.
page 75
Road Functional Classifications
• Interstate
The Interstate System consists of
all presently designated routes of
the Interstate System.
• Arterials
These roadways provide the
highest level of mobility at the
greatest vehicular speeds for the
longest uninterrupted distances.
Generally, these roadways provide
connections between cities,
metropolitan regions, and bordering
states.
• Collectors
These roadways provide an
intra-regional level of mobility,
connecting the arterial network
with the local roadways. In rural
municipalities with no arterial
roadways, these roadways can
provide the highest mobility.
HW
Y1
Rosedale Road
I-10
HW
Y
LA
-1
• Local Roadways
These roadways provide the lowest
level of mobility by accessing
adjacent land use, serving local trip
purposes, and connecting to higher
order roadways. Vehicular speed
limits range between 15 M.P.H. in
urban centers to 40 M.P.H. in the
rural hinterlands.
Source: FHWA Functional Classification
Guidelines, Concepts, Definitions, and
System Characteristics, US Department
of Transportation, Federal Highway
Administration, 2000
90
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 7-45. Existing Road Functional Classification
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 76
Key Transportation and Mobility Issues
The Capitol region Transportation Planning Commission through
the Congestion Management Process has identified the following
corridors as congested and operating below satisfactory levels of
service.
This segment is 9.0 miles long and has a CMP segment number
of 79. The average daily capacity of this segment is 32,000, the
volume is 38,333 and operates at a LOS F. There were 39 crashes
per mile on this segment in 2008.
Other planning issues include:
• N. Alexander Ave/LA-1 (I-10 – LA-118)
This segment is 0.80 miles long and has a CMP segment number
of 309. The average daily capacity of this segment is 32,000, the
actual volume is 33,916 and operates at a LOS E. There were 47
crashes per mile on this segment that occurred in 2008.
• Growth in the Parish has stressed the capacity of a number of the
major corridors resulting in traffic delays, especially in the at the
intracostal canal.
• I-10 WB (I-110 – East Baton Rouge Parish Line)
This segment is 0.8 miles long and has a CMP segment number
of 3. The average daily capacity of this segment is 51,000, the
volume is 53,817 and operates at a LOS F. There were 5 crashes
per mile on this segment in 2008.
• The Parish is comprised of singular, divided land uses, which
cause inefficient use of roads, yielding additional traffic.
• I-10 EB and WB (LA 415 – East Baton Rouge Parish Line)
This segment is 4.16 miles long and has a CMP segment numbers
of 1 and 2. The average daily capacity in EB and WB directions
of this segment is 22000; the actual daily flow is 28,334 in EB
direction and 24,058 in WB direction; and operates at a LOS F.
There were 76 crashes per mile on this segment in year 2008.
• LA-1 (I-10 – LA-118)
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• In the southern portion of the Parish the local road network is
disconnected causing local traffic to be directed to LA-1.
• Presently there is only one Intracoastal crossing on LA-1 causes
long delays during peak traffic; currently the Parish is developing
plans to provide an additional crossing.
• Limited opportunities for additional vehicular rail crossings
in southern portion of the Parish is limiting the amount of
development that can occur west of the Union Pacific Railroad.
• The Parish does not have an integrated bike and pedestrian
network.
page 77
Roadway congestion is measured on the
roadway volume to capacity ratio (V/C). A
V/C less than 0.85 is considered undercapacity, 0.85 to 0.95 is considered near
capacity, 0.95 to 1.0 is considered at
capacity, over 1.0 to 1.5 is considered overcapacity and greater than 1.5 is severely
over-capacity.
LA Highway 1, Highway 415, and I-10
are severely congested operating above
intended capacity.
Source: Volume to Capacity Map; Baton
Rouge Metropolitan Transportation Plan
Update, 2009
HW
Y1
90
Rosedale Road
HW
Y
LA
-1
I-10
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 7-46. Existing Road Volume To Capacity
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 78
2. Transportation and Mobility
Goals and Strategies
The transportation and mobility goals and strategies are designed
to guide the development of an interconnected, efficient and safe
transportation network. The strategies are organized by different
transportation modes vehicular and pedestrian.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Transportation and Mobility Goals
•Plan and implement an inclusive
transportation network that anticipates
future growth, provides a high level of
service, and safely accommodates a
range of users including pedestrians,
bicyclists, and automobiles.
•Develop the infrastructure for a regionally
integrated bicycle and pedestrian
network
page 79
It is critical to the long term development of
an efficient transportation network that the
future land use plan and the transportation
element are closely coordinated to ensure
future development is adequately served by
infrastructure.
HW
Y1
90
Rosedale Road
HW
Y
LA
-1
I-10
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 7-47. Future Connectivity Map
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 80
Transportation and Mobility Strategies
TM - 1. Increase transportation network efficiency, capacity, and
connectivity.
As West Baton Rouge Parish continues to grow, specific
measures will be needed to maintain sufficient roadway capacity
to accommodate increased traffic demand from new residential,
commercial and mixed-use developments. Future transportation
improvements the Parish should continue to monitor and assess the
need for include:
• Extension of Bueche Road to Rosedale Road; eventually
extending to I-10 with a new interchange.
• Developing a new east west road linking Bayou Poydras Road to
Highway 415; alignment of the proposed road will occur between
Rosedale Road and I-10.
TM - 2. Implement the proposed Highway LA-1 to Interstate 10
intracoastal crossing toll road.
The construction of the Interstate to Highway LA-1 connector
is currently in the planning stages and will provide a second
intracoastal crossing which will connect Highway 415 to LA-1 (Figure
7-48).
TM - 3. Using the connectivity map, develop plans to construct a
new road joining Highway 1157 to the Highway 415 / Interstate 10
connector described above.
TM-2. HWY 415
Connector
TM-3. HWY 1157
Connector
TM-5 LA 1
Green Street
TM-4. Parker Ln.
to Choctaw Rd.
A Highway 1157 to 415 route would provide an alternate route to
LA-1 in the southern portion of the Parish alleviating congestion and
safety issues associated with LA-1.
TM - 4. Develop plans to extend Parker Lane to Choctaw Road.
As identified on the connectivity map, extending Parker Lane to
Choctaw Road would provide an alternate route for north-south travel
in the Brusly / Addis area, currently Highway LA-1 is the only route.
Additionally this road would be the first phase of the larger Highway
1157 to Highway 415 connector described above.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Figure 7-48. Enlarged Future Connectivity Map
page 81
Live Oak Allee’
On-street
Parking
HWY LA 1
Bike Lane
Figure 7-49. Highway LA-1 Proposed Streetscape
Rendering of LA-1 in Port Allen shows the potential for context sensitive street and
mobility improvements within the existing right-of-way.
TM - 5. Advocate for a “green street” approach with sensitivity to
context; adding street trees, bike lanes, and sidewalks to Highway
LA-1 in Port Allen, Brusly and Addis.
Highway LA-1 is a priority street for greening and roadway
improvements. Due to the width and traffic speeds LA 1 currently
divides the communities of Port Allen, Addis and Brusly. Adding
Live Oak street trees, bike lanes and sidewalks to the portions of LA
within the municipalities will slow traffic down, improve safety, and
image of the public realm. The perspective above illustrates street
trees, sidewalks, bike lanes, and on street parking while maintaining
the existing right of way. (Figure 7-49)
Before image of Highway LA 1 in Port Allen.
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 82
TM - 6. Advocate for the long term relocation of the section of Union
Pacific Railroad parallel to Highway LA-1 between the Intracoastal
Canal and Sid Richardson Road.
A major concern expressed by citizens during the planning process
was the lack of connectivity east and west of the Union Pacific
Railroad. Opportunities for additional crossing are severely restricted
and would require consolidating or eliminating an existing crossing,
as a result development west of the railroad has been limited.
Additionally the railroad impedes the natural east west drainage
flow causing flooding in existing neighborhoods on both sides of
the railroad tracks (Figure 7-48). The connectivity map identifies an
alternate route for this section of the railroad. Benefits of the longterm relocation of the existing railroad include:
• Allowing development to occur west of LA-1.
• Increasing east west connectivity.
Proposed Rail
Alignment
Existing Rail
Alignment to
be relocated
Existing Rail
to Remain
• Improving drainage and limiting the impact of future floods.
• Provide an opportunity for a multipurpose path within the existing
railroad right-of-way.
• Allowing the proposed inter-modal facility at Choctaw Road direct
rail access.(ED-6. page 31)
The existing rail line parallel to LA-1 makes east-west connectivity difficult, dividing the
communities of Port Allen, Brusly, and Addis. © Josh Peak
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Figure 7-50. Proposed Union Pacific Rail Alignment
page 83
Infill Development
Multi-purpose
Path
Live Oak Allee’
HWY LA 1
Bioswale
Figure 7-51. Proposed Union Pacific Rails to Trails
TM - 7. Develop and adopt a corridor preservation plan to preserve
future right of ways from development.
Union Pacific Railroad
Right of Way
Image rendered to show the potential for a north-south, multi-purpose path at the
existing Union Pacific Railroad line near Brusly.
Using the future connectivity map as a guide, develop a corridor
preservation plan (Figure 7-47). Corridor preservation provides
numerous benefits to communities, taxpayers, and the public at
large. Preserving right-of-ways for planned transportation facilities
promotes orderly and predictable development. As communities
grow land must be set aside for the transportation infrastructure
needed to support development and to maintain a desired level of
transportation service.
TM - 8. Develop and adopt roadway design standards.
Original north-facing image for rendering above; shows east-west disconnection due
to LA-1, Railway, drainage ditches and utilities.
Better functioning roads require better design, developing roadway
design standards ensures that the design of roadways are
compatible with the intended land use and users. The Louisiana
Land Use Tool Kit 3.0 Subdivision Code is a set of model ordinances
containing roadway design standards that can be adopted by the
Parish or help guide the development of design standards
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 84
TM - 9. Develop a context sensitive transportation network to prevent
the negative impacts of infrastructure on the Parish.
Context-sensitive streets refer to the planning and design of
transportation and infrastructure projects that address environmental,
scenic, and historic values along with mobility, safety, and
economics. This approach is designed to adapt conventional
engineering approaches to local conditions. It can be used, in
designing roadways and other improvement projects, to maintain
the rural character or to ensure that roadway improvements do not
compromise the integrity of cultural landscapes in rural parts of the
Parish.
Street section illustrates a complete
street and a context sensitive design
approach. Other strategies illustrated
includes stormwater best management
practices and mixed-use developments
which provide urban amenities and
shopping within livable compact
centers. See TM - 10 and PF - 12.
Residential above retail in
mixed-use centers.
TM - 10. Develop a “complete streets” policy and design standards
to accommodate pedestrian, bicyclist, and transit in future roadway
improvement projects.
A complete streets policy ensures an integrated transportation
network that safely accommodates the needs of all users including
pedestrians, transit users, motorists, children, the elderly, and
bicyclist. Complete streets provisions include sidewalks, crosswalks,
bicycle lanes, multi-use paths and transit lanes. With the introduction
of The Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2009/2011, adoption of a
complete streets policy will position the Parish for future regulatory
requirements.
Rain gardens filter and
infiltrate stormwater.
Dedicated bike lands in high
traffic areas
Rain garden
overflow drain.
Figure 7-52. Village Center Street Section
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 85
TM - 11. Preserve and enhance the visual quality and scenic views
along West Baton Rouge Parish’s major corridors.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s scenic landscapes, working farms, and
rural character are qualities treasured by residents. Enhancement
and protection of the visual quality of the Parish’s major corridors
are important to maintaining the Parish’s rural character and scenic
views. Developing a rural corridor overlay district is one approach
to preserving the natural and scenic qualities of the Parish’s rural
corridors.
Corridor overlay districts and rural highway zoning are effective
techniques for preserving the traditional rural character and scenic
quality of road and highway corridors. By working with developers
and employing design guidelines, new homes and buildings are
carefully sited and designed to minimize their visual impact from the
road. Additional provisions include sign regulations and requirements
for parking lots and fencing. The Parish should develop priority
roads for further study. Possible roads include: LA-1, Rougon Road,
Bueche Road, Rosedale Road and River Road
The street section illustrates a
rural corridor overlay district and
vegetated buffers to preserve the
Parish’s scenic qualities. Other
initiatives illustrated include shared
bike lanes and stormwater best
management practices that alleviate
flood risks and recharge aquifers.
See TM - 11 and TM - 8 on page
83.
Figure 7-53. Rural Corridor
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 86
TM - 12. Develop an integrated
Parish wide bike and pedestrian
network.
The future bike and trails map
Figure 7-54 is intended to guide
the development of a parish wide
bicycle and pedestrian network.
Steps to implementing:
• Identify opportunities to
establish dedicated bike lanes or
designated shared right of ways
within existing roadways.
• Incorporate dedicated bike
lanes into roadway improvement
projects consistent with a
complete streets and safe routes
to school policy.
HW
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90
• Establish a parish wide levee trail
and bike path.
• Incorporate bicycle and
pedestrian facilities into future
transportation projects whenever
possible.
Rosedale Road
HW
Y
LA
-1
I-10
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 7-54. Future Bike and Trails Map
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 87
Brusly Community Center
Infill Development
Infill
Development
Figure 8-56. Rendering Illustrating Shared Bike Lanes And Infill Development.
TM - 13. Work with the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board to
promote Safe Routes to School Initiatives.
The safe route to school initiative provides funding to local
governments for the education, enforcement, and infrastructure
improvement strategies to make routes safer for children to bicycle
and walk to school.
TM - 14. Advocate for a rails to trails path on the Union Pacific
Railroad right of way described in TM - 6 on page 82.
Community
Center
Village Festival
Grounds
Levee Trail
Figure 8-55. Proposed West Baton Rouge Levee Trail
Image rendered to show the proposed multi-purpose path and open space on the
Mississippi River Levee at East Main St. in Brusly.
TM - 15. Utilize the Mississippi River levee to create a continuous,
Parish-wide multipurpose trail.
The Parish should develop a partnership with the Army Corps of
Engineers to develop a continuous levee trail, unifying riverfront
communities and subdivisions; the levee trail would become a
section of the larger Mississippi River Trail (see also PF - 14 on page
98).
As mentioned earlier (TM - 6 on page 82), relocating the Union
Pacific Railroad will allow the development of a multipurpose path
within the existing right of way. Linking with the proposed levee trail
(TM - 12 on page 86) will provide a multipurpose trail loop within
the southern portion of the Parish linking Brusly, Addis, and the
proposed neighborhood centers with schools and parks (see Figure
7-48).
Chapter 7 | Transportation and Mobility
page 88
Chapter 8: Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
1. Overview
The public facilities, services, and infrastructure within the Parish
includes utilities; parks and recreation; community centers; schools;
libraries and infrastructure. The quality of the Parish’s public facilities
and infrastructure is an important measure of the city’s attractiveness
to residents and businesses.
Parks and Recreation
West Baton Rouge Parish’s parks and recreation facilities include
community centers as well as active recreation fields (Table
7-57). While Parish residents have access to over twelve different
recreation fields and facilities, they have expressed the desire to
have an expanded opportunity for recreational areas. The Parish
lacks a connected trail network and residents have expressed the
need for smaller local parks for passive recreational opportunities.
Governance
Many of the issues and trends affecting the Parish are not limited to
the Parish’s unincorporated boundaries. Issues related to land use,
storm water management; public services; utilities and transportation
are regional and local problems that can only be addressed through
cooperation between regional agencies; the Parish administration
and the Parish municipalities: Addis, Brusly, and Port Allen.
Increased communication and cooperation among intergovernmental
agencies can ensure the long-term fiscal health of jurisdictions and
enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for West Baton
Rouge residents.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Table 7-57. WBR Parks and Recreation Facilities
Park or Facility
Description
Addis Community Center
Community Center
Addis VFW Hall
Community Center
Alexander Park
20 Acres; Multi-Purpose Fields
Erwinville Recreation
27 Acres; Community Center; Fields
Lobdell Park
20 Acres; Athletic Fields
Lukeville Park
5 Acres; Athletic Fields; Courts
Multipurpose Arena
Arena
Myhand Park
18 Acres; Athletic Fields
Rivaut Park
Athletic Fields
Soccer Complex - Port Allen
Athletic Fields
WBR Community Center
Community Center
William & Lee Park
Pool
Winterville Park
5 Acres; Playground
page 89
Public Facilities
West Baton Rouge Parish’s citizens
are served by many types of public
facilities including the West Baton
Rouge Parish School System, the
Parish Library, the Parish Museum,
and the Parish Courthouse and
Administration buildings. West
Baton Rouge’s growing and
changing population will need
expanded and new community
facilities to meet the growing need
and quality of life expectations.
The locations of these new
community facilities is an important
planning consideration that impacts
accessibility and can influence
future growth patterns in the Parish.
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 8-58. Existing Parks, Recreation and Schools
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 90
Infrastructure
West Baton Rouge Parish water
supply is provided by four water
districts, each district is responsible
for funding and maintenance of its
current system. Groundwater is the
primary source of drinking water
and it is supplied by fifteen different
well sites that draw water from
the Mississippi Alluvial Aquifer.
While the aquifers appear to be
an endless supply; as demand
for fresh drinking water increases
the potential for aquifer depletion
is a major concern. West Baton
Rouge Parish’s aquifers are being
depleted faster than they are
being naturally recharged, if this
trend continues the threat of salt
water intrusion threatens to render
the ground water supply unfit for
consumption.
Water District 1
Parish wastewater treatment is
served by a combination of septic
tanks; municipal centralized
service; Parish centralized service;
and community package plants.
Increasingly the cost associated
with maintaining a diverse system
is becoming financially unfeasible.
Developing a regional sewer
system will provide the necessary
infrastructure to accommodate
future growth in the parish.
Water District 4
Water District 3
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 8-59. Existing Water and Sewer Facilities
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Water District 2
page 91
Key Planning Issues
• There is a need to increase collaboration between Parish and
municipal governments to reduce conflicts, competition, duplicated
efforts, as well as establish land use expectations around
boundaries.
• Annexation agreements between the Parish and Municipalities will
provide an orderly predictable environment to regulate growth and
the allocation of resources.
• Parish wastewater treatment is served by a combination of septic
tanks; municipal centralized service; Parish centralized service;
and community package plants. Increasingly the cost associated
with maintaining a diverse system is becoming financially
unfeasible.
• As demand for fresh drinking water increases the potential for
aquifer depletion is a major concern.
• Residents have expressed the desire to have an expanded
opportunity for recreational areas. The Parish lacks a connected
trail network and residents have expressed the need for smaller
local parks for passive recreational opportunities.
• Improperly sized culverts at Highway LA 1 and the Union Pacific
railroad are leading to increased flooding.
• A number of the Parish’s waterways are experiencing increased
flooding due to excessive siltation, including the following: Tiger
Bayou, Grand Bayou, The Parish Canal, and The Chamberlin
Canal.
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 92
2. Goals and Strategies
The Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure goals and
strategies are designed to guide the Parish in making regulatory,
investment and policy decisions related to public facilities services
and infrastructure.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Public Facilities, Services, & Infrastructure
Goals
•Develop and support a process for
intergovernmental and inter-jurisdictional
coordination and collaboration.
•Promote water conservation, ecological
landscaping practices; and energy and
resource conservation.
•Accommodate future growth in areas
serviced by existing or future planned
Parish and municipal sewer districts.
•Develop and implement an integrated
sustainable stormwater management
strategy.
•Enhance the Parish’s parks, trails and
community open space infrastructure to
support the aesthetic, recreational, and
quality of life needs of residents.
page 93
Public Facilities, Services and Infrastructure
Strategies
PF - 3. Develop a process for intergovernmental cooperation
to lessen conflicts and competition between the Parish and the
municipalities.
PF - 1. Develop a cooperative endeavor with Addis, Brusly and Port
Allen to ensure future development on the edge of the municipality is
compatible with both the Parish and municipalities’ overall vision.
As previously mentioned a cooperative endeavor agreement allows
intergovernmental agencies such as the Parish and municipalities
to engage jointly in the undertaking of projects, use of funds or
providing services. The Parish and municipalities should develop
a cooperative endeavor to prevent future conflicts associated with
growth and development specific initiatives include:
The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement under La. R.S.33:1321,
et. seq., “The Local Services Law” authorizes different governing
bodies, such as parishes and municipalities, to “engage jointly” in
undertaking projects, including the joint use of “funds, facilities,
personnel or property”. Under the cooperative endeavor agreement
the Parish and municipalities can jointly govern edge development by
designating an extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) planning boundary in
designated areas around each municipality.
PF - 2. Develop an annexation policy with Addis, Brusly, and Port
Allen to ensure predictable, orderly growth.
It is essential to the long term financial health of the Parish and
municipalities that future annexations are governed in a predictable,
orderly process. The following are suggested minimum criteria to
guide future annexations:
• The annexation represents a logical extension of the city’s
boundaries and contributes to more unified area, or the boundaries
of the annexation area allow existing city boundaries to be made
more uniform through the elimination of irregular boundary lines
and unincorporated islands of land.
• Adequate municipal services exist to serve the area, or a plan
including funding is in place.
• The boundaries of the proposed annexation are drawn in a manner
that makes the provision of public services geographically and
economically feasible.
• The annexation proposal includes a legally binding commitment
to fairly and equitably share the cost of future public needs, such
as: parks and open space, schools, fire protection services, roads,
utilities and public facilities.
• Develop mutually agreeable long-term annexation agreements to
prevent ad-hoc annexations
• Develop agreements to share the cost associated with growth
including infrastructure investments, transportation improvements,
and cost of providing services.
PF - 4. Continue to provide a high level of service among West Baton
Rouge Sheriff and municipal police, fire and emergency response
services.
By concentrating new development in the planned growth areas
emergency services can concentrate their resources, maintain
effective response times, and continue to provide a high level of
service.
PF - 5. Develop conservation guidelines for all public buildings,
including schools, Parish offices, and community facilities.
Buildings are heavy users of natural resources and significantly
contribute to the amount of greenhouse gases that affect climate
change. Increasingly the rising cost of energy sources associated
with fossil fuels will make energy efficient buildings a necessity.
Steps to developing conservation guidelines for public facilities
include:
• Utilize the future land use plan to begin upgrading existing facilities
and plan new facilities in areas of development to minimize
impacts on infrastructure.
• Require all large appliances in public facilities to be Energy Star
rated.
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 94
• Use native and resilient plant species; allow vegetation to season
with the weather and develop landscaping water conservation
guidelines.
efficient and predictable service. Specific steps to developing
regional service include:
• Establish HVAC commissioning on existing buildings. Testing and
Balancing HVAC systems ensures the heating and cooling is as
efficient as possible without requiring new equipment. Consider
installing remote or automated AC controls.
• Develop a capital improvement program to coordinate the
expansion of infrastructure with the occurrence of new
development.
• Require new building to have HVAC systems designed for
efficiency and commissioned. Consider incorporating a monitoring
system to inform efficiency measures of future projects.
• Require ‘low flow’ or ‘no flow’ plumbing fixtures in new buildings.
• Consider recycling grey water for landscaping irrigation at facilities.
• Utilize sustainable building strategies when designing new
facilities. Consider requiring LEED certification for new facilities.
The LEED handbook can be a useful guide, even if certification is
not sought.
PF - 6. Regionalize potable water service.
The Parish water supply is provided by four water districts, each
responsible for funding and maintenance of its current system.
Regionalizing water districts can improve operating efficiency, lower
cost and potentially provide a better level service.
PF - 7. Regionalize wastewater treatment service.
West Baton Rouge Parish’s wastewater treatment system includes
a mixture of septic tanks, community package plants (both privately
and publicly maintained), Parish centralized service, and municipal
centralized service. Maintenance and service of the existing
community package plants is a financial drain on the Parish.
Regionalizing wastewater treatment service can improve operating
efficiency, reduce cost and eliminate overflows due to poorly
maintained septic and package plants. In addition to addressing
structural improvements, regionalized service can incorporate best
management practices, water conservation, water reuse, green
technologies, and maximize economies of scale delivering more
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
• Develop a regional sewer plan.
• Develop a phasing plan to connect existing community package
plants to central service.
• Establish right of way requirements and a plan to acquire future
rights of way.
• Explore implementing an impact fee structure to equitably provide
service and share cost associated with new development.
PF - 8. Explore adopting a policy of concurrency and establishing
an adequate public facilities ordinance to encourage development
in areas served by existing or future planned wastewater treatment
infrastructure.
A concurrency or “adequate public facilities ordinance” is a type of
land development regulation that ties or conditions development
approval to the availability and adequacy of public facilities. The
purpose is to ensure the local government’s public facility system
of has sufficient available capacity to serve development at a
predetermined level of service (LOS). A development is determined
to be in compliance with the ordinance if its impacts do not exceed
the ability of public facilities to accommodate those impacts at the
specified LOS. If the proposed development cannot be supported by
the existing system the developer must either install or pay for the
required infrastructure improvements or postpone part or all of the
development until the local government provides the public facilities.
Alternatively, the Parish can elect to move up the priorities of
constructing new or expanded facilities. Such an ordinance
allows control over the timing of development and clarifies the
local government role in fulfilling its responsibility for providing
public infrastructure. It also creates a direct linkage between the
local government’s comprehensive plan and its long-term capital
improvement program and capital budget.
page 95
PF - 9. Implement riparian buffer program.
The Upper Terrebonne watershed study identified excessive siltation
as a major contributor to the decline of watershed quality within
the Parish. Riparian buffers are a simple cost effective solutions to
filtering sediment and agricultural runoff from stormwater before it
enters the waterways (see NR - 8 on page 68).
PF - 10. Ensure compliance with the Nation Flood Insurance
Program.
West Baton Rouge Parish should continue to maintain compliance
with the NFIP and develop regulatory standards that exceed base
guidelines in order to achieve Community Rating System (CRS)
credits. Specific regulations that qualify for CRS credits include:
• Prohibiting new buildings in the floodway or other part of the
floodplain and open space preservation (CRS Activity 420).
Reference NR - 2 and NR - 3 on page 67.
• Requiring new developments to provide detention/retention of
stormwater (CRS activity 450). Reference NR - 9 on page 68
and PF - 12 on page 96.
• Erosion and sedimentation control regulations that reduce siltation
and the resulting loss of channel-carrying capacity (also covered in
Activity 450). Reference riparian buffers NR - 8 on page 68 and
PF - 12 on page 96.
• Requiring developers to implement appropriate “best management
practices” that will improve the quality of stormwater runoff (CRS
Activity 450) Reference NR - 9 on page 68.
• Requirements for developers or sellers to publicize or disclose the
flood hazard on their properties are credited under CRS Activity
340.
• More restrictive floodway mapping, “zero rise floodway,” and “full
urbanization hydrology” requirements (also covered under CRS
Activity 410). Reference NR - 2 on page 66 and PF - 12 on page
96.
Source: FEMA Community Rating System Credit for Higher Regulatory Standards
2006
FEMA Community Rating System credit sheet, implementing strategies outlined in the
comprehensive plan will improve the flood rating score and lower insurance rates.
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 96
PF - 11. Promote water conservation and ground water infiltration
strategies to reduce the rate of aquifer depletion.
Groundwater is West Baton Rouge Parish’s primary source of fresh
water. As demand for fresh drinking water increases the potential
for aquifer depletion is a major concern. West Baton Rouge Parish’s
aquifers are being depleted faster than they are being naturally
recharged, if this trend continues the threat of salt water intrusion
threatens to render the ground water supply unfit for consumption.
Current estimates on the rate of salt water intrusion range from 100 –
900 feet per year. Steps to reduce ground water depletion include:
• Institute a water conservation plan to reduce water demand and
increase the efficiency of current systems.
• Recycle grey water and collected rain water for irrigation. Remove
any regulatory barriers which prevent reusing grey water for
flushing toilets or treating grey water for other on site uses.
Image illustrating naturalized stormwater management system and stormwater best
management practices.
• Develop a riparian buffer program to increase infiltration and
lessen effects of agricultural runoff on wetlands and waterways.
• Promote stormwater best management practices; use biological
systems to manage and infiltrate stormwater, reduce reliance on
engineered drainage systems (i.e. culverts and pipes), which do
not provide ground water infiltration.
PF - 12. Promote storm water best management practices and other
development methods to preserve the West Baton Rouge Parish’s
existing vegetation, maximize groundwater recharge, and minimize
impermeable surfaces.
• Regionalize water service as discussed in PF - 6 to mitigate
ground water withdrawal between different aquifer strata, and
better manage the system efficiencies.
Storm water best management practices contribute to the Parish’s
Green infrastructure system. Comprised of a host of proven
strategies, storm water best management practices are costeffective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Storm water best
management practices infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse
storm water to maintain and restore natural hydrological systems.
• Require permeable surfaces at a minimum percentage of land area
in commercial, civic, and municipal facilities.
• Consider mandating zero impact runoff regulations.
• Encourage the use of retention ponds and bioswales.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Examples include conservation subdivisions, zero impact
ordinances, green roofs, rain gardens, porous paving, and low
impact development techniques. To help preserve the Parish’s
existing vegetation and maximize groundwater recharge, storm
water management should seek to minimize the use of engineered
drainage solutions. In rural areas of the Parish any development
should preserve existing vegetation to the extent possible, especially
in riparian corridors to protect water quality and lessen the impacts of
storm events.
page 97
Figure 8-60. Hydrology Trends
Illustration demonstrates common geohydrology trends in West Baton
Rouge Parish. Unchecked, these trends threaten the safety and
effectiveness of the parish’s aquifers.
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 98
PF - 13. Develop a comprehensive
parks and recreation plan.
To meet the needs of a growing
and changing population the Parish
should explore the development
of a comprehensive parks and
recreation plan to assess future
needs, prioritize budgeting and
maintenance of existing and future
planned parks. As mentioned
throughput the comprehensive plan
the parks and recreation network is
one element in the Parish’s green
infrastructure network. The future
parks and trails map should be
used as a guide in developing the
parks and recreation plan (Figure
8-61).
Existing
Parks
PF - 14. Develop a network of
bicycle and recreational trails
throughout West Baton Rouge
Parish.
Regional
Eco-Park
Recreational opportunities desired
by residents include not only
parks and active recreational
facilities such as ball fields and
gymnasiums, but also walking,
hiking, and biking trails. Park
and recreational planning should
address trail development as
an integral component of the
recreation planning. The future
parks and trails map should be
used to guide the development of a
trail network (Figure 7-54).
3,000’
6,000’
Figure 8-61. Future Parks and Trails Map
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Proposed
Parks
page 99
PF - 17. Develop a regional sized environmental park that provides a
range of recreational and educational opportunities.
As mentioned in the economic development chapter, the Parish
should promote the development of a regional sized park and natural
area highlighting West Baton Rouge Parish’s unique ecosystem and
natural landscape. The school board property or Boy Scouts’ site are
possible locations. Activities could include hiking, camping, biking,
horseback riding, and canoeing, with provisions for educational
learning centers and venues for gatherings. To be a regional
attraction the park should be of sufficient size to accommodate a
range of users and activities.
PF - 15. Enact regulatory provisions and incentives for integrating
open space and recreational land into new developments.
Parkland dedication ordinances and conservation ordinances are
regulatory approaches to providing parkland or preserving open
space within new developments. They are a way to meet the
recreational and open space needs of new residents without public
investment in land acquisition or facility development. Development
of Parish parks, open space, and recreation plan is a prerequisite for
enactment of a parkland dedication ordinance. The Parish can utilize
existing park and recreation guidelines developed by the National
Recreation and Parks Association as a guide.
Image illustrating trail in a regional park highlighting the parish unique ecosystem.
PF - 16. Develop an integrated parks and greenways plan as a
component of the Parish’s green infrastructure network.
As mentioned Green Infrastructure Chapter the Parish’s green
infrastructure network should be viewed as part of an integrated
system that includes components such as wetlands, riparian
corridors, parks and recreational fields, community gardens,
and other green features. To implement this approach a green
infrastructure plan should be developed linking the Parish’s trails,
parks, wetlands and opens paces.
Chapter 8 | Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
page 100
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Part 3: Implementation
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 102
Chapter 9: Implementation
1. Overview
The goals and strategies identified in the comprehensive master
plan will only become a reality through a successful implementation
plan. Effective implementation will require a concerted effort by
West Baton Rouge Parish Administration, Parish Council and Parish
Departments to continuously use this document as a reference in all
future planning and policy decisions.
PlanWEST is the product of over five years of effort that depicts
community consensus expectations from public engagement, focus
groups, leadership, lessons learned, and best practices. This
comprehensive plan is entirely dependent upon its implementation
structure if expectations, ideas, and respective concepts are to yield
measurable results. The Parish Administration, Parish Council, Office
of Community Development, and City Departments bear the primary
responsibility for plan implementation requiring their concerted efforts
to continuously use this unified document as reference in all future
planning and policy decisions.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
The structure of this document provides guidance on what needs
to be accomplished, implementation strategies to achieve the
desired results, and associated time lines for actions, updates, and
monitoring. By design, expectations provide latitude for respective
groups to customize responses as individual efforts are better
defined. Coordinated commitment in implementing the vision
outlined in this document ensures West Baton Rouge Parish will
proactively develop in accordance with community expectations.
page 103
2. Comprehensive Plan Adoption
The Louisiana Revised statues identify the procedure for adopting
the comprehensive plan. The Planning and Zoning Commission is
responsible for adopting the plan in accordance to LRS 33:108. The
LRS 33:108 is as follows:
Louisiana Revised Statute 33:108.
Procedure of Commission; Adoption of Plan.
A. A commission may adopt a plan as a whole by a single resolution
or may by successive resolutions adopt successive parts of a
plan, said parts corresponding with major geographical sections or
divisions of the parish, in the case of a parish planning commission,
or of the municipality, in the case of a municipal planning
commission, or with functional subdivisions of the subject matter of
the plan, and may adopt any amendment or extension thereof or
addition thereto.
B. Before the adoption of a plan or any such part, amendment,
extension, or addition, a commission shall hold at least one public
hearing thereon. A parish planning commission shall give notice of
the purpose, time, and place of the public hearing by one publication
in a newspaper of general circulation throughout the parish at least
ten days prior to the date set for the hearing. A municipal planning
commission shall give notice of the purpose, time, and place of
the public hearing by one publication in a newspaper of general
circulation in the municipality at least ten days prior to the date set
for the hearing.
C. The adoption of a plan or of any such part or amendment or
extension or addition shall be by resolution of a commission. The
resolution shall refer expressly to the maps and descriptive and
other matter intended by a commission to form the whole or part of
a plan, and the action taken shall be recorded on the map and plan
and descriptive matter by the identifying signature of the chairman or
secretary of the commission.
D. Certified copies of the plan or part thereof shall be filed with the
division of administration, with the local legislative body and with the
clerk of court of the parish, except in the parish of Orleans where
certified copies of said plan shall be filed with the Commission
Council of the city of New Orleans and recorded with the register of
conveyances for the parish of Orleans.
Amended by Acts 1952, No. 458, §1; Acts 1968, No. 288, §2; Acts
2004, No. 33, §1.
Chapter 9 | Implementation
page 104
Louisiana Revised Statue RS 33:109.
Designating the legal status of the Comprehensive Plan.
3. Principles for Implementation
Following adoption of the comprehensive plan the Parish’s current
zoning and subdivision regulations should be revised and reviewed
to ensure consistency with the vision of the comprehensive plan.
Where inconsistencies are identified and as new ordinances are
required the Parish should amend the existing zoning codes.
Applications for zoning changes should demonstrate that the
proposed land use is consistent with the vision of the future land use
map and initiatives outlined in the comprehensive plan.
New development applications should be reviewed for consistency
with the comprehensive master plan and should not be approved if
contrary to the future land use map or the strategies outlined in the
comprehensive plan text. If development clearly conflicts with the
plan, approval should not be granted without an amendment to the
comprehensive plan by the Planning Commission.
Parish officials should consider the comprehensive plan when
making decisions on proposed projects, programs, and capital
improvement initiatives. The effectiveness of the comprehensive plan
relies in part upon the extent to which the Parish utilizes the plan’s
goals, strategies and diagrams as benchmarks to guide decisions of
proposed projects.
These principles are consistent with Louisiana Revised Statue RS
33:109, designating the legal status of the Comprehensive Plan.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
A. Whenever a commission has adopted a master plan of a parish
or municipality, as the case may be, or one or more major sections
or districts thereof and has filed certified copies thereof as provided
in RS. 33:108, no street, square, park or other public way, ground, or
open space, or public building or structure, or public utility, whether
publicly or privately owned, shall be constructed or authorized in
the parish or municipality, as the case may be, or in such planned
section or district until the location, character, and extent thereof
has been submitted to and approved by the commission. In case of
disapproval, the commission shall communicate its reasons to the
local legislative body which shall have the power to overrule such
disapproval by a recorded vote of not less than two-thirds of its entire
membership. However, if the public way, ground, space, building,
structure, or utility is one the authorization or financing of which does
not, under the law or charter provisions governing same, fall within
the province of the local legislative body, then the submission to a
planning commission shall be by the board, commission, or body
having such jurisdiction, and a planning commission’s disapproval
may be overruled by such board, commission, or body by a vote
of not less than two-thirds of its membership. The failure of a
commission to act within sixty days from and after the date of official
submission to a commission shall be deemed approval.
B. Whenever a parish or municipal planning commission has
adopted a master plan, the governing authority of such parish
or municipality shall consider such adopted master plan before
adopting, approving, or promulgating any local laws, ordinances, or
regulations which are inconsistent with the adopted elements of the
master plan.
Acts 2004, No. 859, §1, eff. July 12, 2004.
page 105
4. Monitoring the Plan
The comprehensive plan is a working document that can be adapted
to respond the changing needs of West Baton Rouge Parish’s
citizens and businesses.
The following are recommendations for developing a protocol to
monitor implementation of the comprehensive plan.
• Establish a process and procedure for the Office of Community
Planning and Development to submit an annual comprehensive
plan implementation report to the Planning and Zoning
Commission and West Baton Rouge Parish Council.
• Identify specific metrics or benchmarks to measure implementation
progress for specific initiatives.
• Maintain continuous open communication with residents, special
interest groups, and organizations to aid in monitoring plan
implementation.
• Provide specific ways for citizens to stay involved with the
implementation process.
Updating
The Parish should monitor the plan implementation and at a
minimum update the plan every five years. Revisions should include
a review of current trends and conditions and incorporate new
projects and modifications to the goals and strategies to reflect the
changing priorities.
Chapter 9 | Implementation
page 106
5. Action Plan
The action plan is a long term framework detailing specific actions
that should be undertaken to implement the planning goals outlined
in the comprehensive plan. The action plan is intended to serve as
a guide and provide a framework to guide the long term decision
making process and the allocation of resources. Consistent with the
comprehensive plan, the action plan should be regularly updated to
reflect changing trends and implemented actions.
The actions are listed in order of the comprehensive plan chapters
and are numbered according to the corresponding planning
strategy (Table 9-50 is a summary of the action plan). The following
information is assigned to each action:
The type of action are organized into four categories:
• Planning: Establishes policies to guide decision making or
requires additional planning for specific implementation initiatives,
or more detailed study to guide decision making.
• Regulatory: Adopting or modifying existing zoning, land
development, or subdivision regulations to achieve planning
objectives.
• Capital Investment: Implementing specific capital projects.
• Partnerships: developing specific partnerships among the public,
private, non-profit, and institutional sectors.
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
Each action is assigned a time frame:
• Ongoing Initiatives: Actions in this category require ongoing
coordination and planning.
• Short-Term Initiatives: Short term actions are anticipated to begin
within one to two years of adoption of the comprehensive plan.
• Mid-Term Initiatives: Actions within this category require
additional planning or detailed study and will require coordination
with other agencies. Due to the complexity of actions in this
category the expected time frame is two to five years.
• Long-Term Initiatives: Actions within this category will require five
to ten years to define needs, develop partnerships and establish
funding sources.
page 107
Table 9-65. West Baton Rouge Parish Action Plan
Action
Page
Action Type
Time Frame
Economic Development
ED - 1. Create an attractive employment environment.
29
Planning
Long-Term
ED - 2. Improve air quality.
29
Regulatory/ Partnerships
Ongoing / Long-Term
ED - 3. Target economic development initiatives to grow, retain, and attract businesses in the Parish’s
industry clusters.
30
Partnerships
Ongoing
ED - 4. Encourage the development of a technical education center and industrial training programs.
30
Partnerships
Mid-Term
ED - 5. Continue to support the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.
30
Partnership
Ongoing
ED - 6. Encourage the development of quality retail opportunities to serve residents and regional needs.
30
Planning / Regulatory
Mid-Term
ED - 7. Promote the development of a multimodal transportation and warehousing facility.
31
Partnerships
Long-Term
ED - 8. Promote and support the development of a Parish wide trail and recreation system.
32
CapitalInvestment
Mid-Term
ED - 9. Promote a sustainable, locally-grown food system by developing a “buy local” program.
32
Partnership
Ongoing
ED - 10. Cultivate sustainable, high-value economic development strategies that rely on traditional rural
landscapes.
33
Partnerships
Ongoing
ED - 11. Promote the development of eco-tourism, agritourism and related industries.
33
Partnerships
Mid-Term
ED - 12. Develop a regional sized environmental park that provides a range of recreational and educational
opportunities.
33
Partnerships
Long-Term
ED - 13. Explore the development of a national wildlife refuge.
33
Partnerships
Long-Term
LU - 1. Create compact, walkable, mixed-use village and neighborhood centers.
46
Planning / Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 2. Develop minimum thresholds for village and neighborhood centers.
47
Planning / Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 3. Use the Future Land Use Plan to develop detailed village and neighborhood center plans.
47
Planning
Mid-Term
LU - 4. Use the Future Land Use Plan as a guide to revise and amend existing zoning regulations.
47
Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 5. Adopt Smart Growth codes to parallel existing development codes.
47
Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 6. Promote infill development.
47
Regulatory / Planning
Short-Term
LU - 7. Improve the character and quality of new development.
48
Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 8. Establish transitional standards and buffers to reduce the impacts of high-intensity industrial uses
on lower-intensity land uses.
48
Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 9. Reduce the environmental impact of buildings and encourage resilient development.
49
Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 10. Encourage new development in areas adequately served by existing schools, infrastructure, and
public facilities.
49
Planning / Regulatory
Mid-Term
LU - 11. Maintain critical environmental resources and flood plains as open space.
49
Planning / Regulatory
Short-Term
LU - 12. Establish the Traditional Neighborhood Developments (TND) as the preferred residential and
mixed-use land use pattern.
49
Regulatory
Short-Term
Land Use
Chapter 9 | Implementation
page 108
Strategies
Page
Action Type
Time Frame
HN - 1. Encourage a minimum of 80% of new housing in areas identified on the future land use map.
57
Regulatory
Ongoing
HN - 2. Coordinate the provisions of housing with supporting land uses, transportation and infrastructure.
57
Planning
Ongoing
HN - 3. Promote energy efficiency in new and existing housing.
58
HN - 4. Develop housing that meets a diverse range of needs, incomes, and life cycles.
58
Partnerships / Regulatory
Ongoing
HN - 5. Improve the quality, character and livability of future neighborhoods.
58
Planning / Regulatory
Short-Term
Partnerships
Ongoing
Regulatory
Ongoing
Partnerships / Regulatory
Long-Term
Regulatory
Long-Term
Partnerships
Ongoing
Regulatory
Short-Term
Regulatory
Short-Term
Planning
Short-Term
Planning / Regulatory
Long-Term
Planning / Regulatory
Mid-Term
Partnerships / Regulatory
Long-Term
Partnerships / Planning
Ongoing
Housing and Neighborhoods
Natural Resources
NR - 1. Support efforts that promote outreach and education about the collective responsibility for
protecting and preserving the Parish’s natural resources and environmentally sensitive ecosystems.
66
NR - 2. Develop a green infrastructure approach and plan to preserve, manage, and restore natural
resources as an integrated system.
66
NR - 3. Encourage development in lands free from environmental constraints.
67
NR - 4. Support the creation of land trust, conservation easements and other innovative models to conserve
natural resources.
67
NR - 5. Encourage landowners to play active roles in conservation.
67
NR - 6. Explore the creation of growth boundaries to preserve open space and concentrate new
development within strategic areas.
67
NR - 7. Work with regional, state, and federal agencies to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve the
quality of the Parish’s water resources.
68
NR - 8. Develop and implement a riparian buffer program.
68
NR - 9. Encourage best management practices to control flooding, erosion and stream sedimentation and
lessen the impacts of non-point source pollution on waterways.
68
Agricultural Resources
AG - 1. Enact local right-to-farm legislation.
71
AG - 2. Explore the development of a Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (PACE)
and Mitigation Laws to preserve the economic viability of existing and future agricultural practices.
71
AG - 3. Reduce conflicts between agriculture and other land uses.
72
AG - 4. Promote agricultural conservation and nutrient management practices to protect West Baton Rouge
Parish’s waterways and the larger Upper Terrebonne Basin Watershed.
72
AG - 5. Institute an ongoing multi-faceted approach to supporting the business of agriculture.
73
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
page 109
Strategies
Page
Action Type
Time Frame
TM - 1. Increase transportation network efficiency, capacity, and connectivity.
80
Planning
Ongoing
TM - 2. Implement the proposed Highway LA-1 to Interstate 10 intracoastal crossing toll road.
80
Capital Investment
Short-Term
TM - 3. Using the connectivity map, develop plans to construct a new road joining Highway 1157 to the
Highway 415 / Interstate 10 connector described above.
80
Capital Investment
Long-Term
TM - 4. Develop plans to extend Parker Lane to Choctaw Road.
80
Capital Investment
Mid-Term
TM - 5. Advocate for a “green street” approach with sensitivity to context; adding street trees, bike lanes,
and sidewalks to Highway LA-1 in Port Allen, Brusly and Addis.
81
Capital Investment /
Partnerships
Mid-Term
TM - 6. Advocate for the long term relocation of the section of Union Pacific Railroad parallel to Highway
LA-1 between the Intracoastal Canal and Sid Richardson Road.
82
Capital Investment /
Partnerships
Long-Term
TM - 7. Develop and adopt a corridor preservation plan to preserve future right of ways from development.
83
Planning / Regulatory
Mid-Term
TM - 8. Develop and adopt roadway design standards.
83
Regulatory
Mid-Term
TM - 9. Develop a context sensitive transportation network to prevent the negative impacts of infrastructure
on the Parish.
84
Planning
Long-Term
TM - 10. Develop a “complete streets” policy and design standards to accommodate pedestrian, bicyclist,
and transit in future roadway improvement projects.
84
Planning
Long-Term
TM - 11. Preserve and enhance the visual quality and scenic views along West Baton Rouge Parish’s major
corridors.
85
Regulatory
Short-Term
TM - 12. Develop an integrated Parish wide bike and pedestrian network.
86
Capital Investment
Short-Term
TM - 13. Work with the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board to promote Safe Routes to School
Initiatives.
87
Partnerships
Ongoing
TM - 14. Advocate for a rails to trails path on the Union Pacific Railroad right of way described in TM - 6 on
page 82.
87
Capital Investment /
Partnerships
Long-Term
TM - 15. Utilize the Mississippi River levee to create a continuous, Parish-wide multipurpose trail.
87
Capital Investment /
Partnerships
Long-Term
Transportation and Mobility
Chapter 9 | Implementation
page 110
Strategies
Page
Action Type
Time Frame
Partnerships
Ongoing
Partnerships / Planning
Mid-Term
Partnerships
Ongoing
Planning
Ongoing
Planning
Mid-Term
Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
PF - 1. Develop a cooperative endeavor with Addis, Brusly and Port Allen to ensure future development on
the edge of the municipality is compatible with both the Parish and municipalities’ overall vision.
93
PF - 2. Develop an annexation policy with Addis, Brusly, and Port Allen to ensure predictable, orderly
growth.
93
PF - 3. Develop a process for intergovernmental cooperation to lessen conflicts and competition between
the Parish and the municipalities.
93
PF - 4. Continue to provide a high level of service among West Baton Rouge Sheriff and municipal police,
fire and emergency response services.
93
PF - 5. Develop conservation guidelines for all public buildings, including schools, Parish offices, and
community facilities.
93
PF - 6. Regionalize potable water service.
94
Partnerships / Planning
Long-Term
PF - 7. Regionalize wastewater treatment service.
94
Capital Investment
Long-Term
PF - 8. Explore adopting a policy of concurrency and establishing an adequate public facilities ordinance to
encourage development in areas served by existing or future planned wastewater treatment infrastructure.
94
Regulatory
Long-Term
PF - 9. Strategy: Implement riparian buffer program.
95
Regulatory
Short-Term
PF - 10. Strategy: Ensure compliance with the Nation Flood Insurance Program.
95
Regulatory
Ongoing
PF - 11. Promote water conservation and ground water infiltration strategies to reduce the rate of aquifer
depletion.
96
Planning / Regulatory
Short-Term
PF - 12. Promote storm water best management practices and other development methods to preserve
existing vegetation, maximize groundwater recharge, and minimize impermeable surfaces.
96
Regulatory
Short-Term
PF - 13. Develop a comprehensive parks and recreation plan.
98
Planning
Mid-Term
PF - 14. Strategy: Develop a network of bicycle and recreational trails throughout West Baton Rouge
Parish.
98
Planning
Mid-Term
PF - 15. Enact regulatory provisions and incentives for integrating open space and recreational land into
new developments.
99
Regulatory
Short-Term
PF - 16. Develop an integrated parks and greenways plan as a component of the Parish’s green
infrastructure network.
99
Planning
Mid-Term
PF - 17. Develop a regional sized environmental park that provides a range of recreational and educational
opportunities.
99
Planning
Long-Term
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
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Chapter 9 | Implementation
page 112
Figures and Tables
Figure 1-1.
Figure 1-2.
Figure 2-3.
Figure 2-4.
Table 2-5.
Table 2-6.
Figure 2-7.
Figure 3-8.
Figure 3-9.
Figure 3-10.
Figure 3-11.
Table 4-12.
Table 4-13.
Table 4-14.
Figure 4-15.
Table 5-16.
Figure 5-17.
Table 5-18.
Table 5-19.
Figure 5-20.
Figure 5-21.
Table 5-22.
Figure 5-23.
Figure 5-24.
Figure 5-25.
Figure 5-26.
Figure 5-27.
Figure 5-28.
Table 5-29.
Table 5-30.
Table 5-31.
Table 5-32.
Figure 5-33.
Figure 5-34.
Figure 5-35.
Table 6-36.
Figure 6-37.
West Baton Rouge Parish Aerial, 2009. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Parish Vision Plan��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
West Baton Rouge Parish in context of the State of Louisiana ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
West Baton Rouge Regional Context������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13
West Baton Rouge Parish Population 1900-2010������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
Baton Rouge MSA 2000-2010 Population Change����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
Baton Rouge Msa Population Per Square Mile, 2010������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15
The River Plan������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 21
The Village Centers Plan��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
The Corridor Plan ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 23
February 2011 Work Session Composite Overlay ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 24
West Baton Rouge Employers ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26
West Baton Rouge Total Employees by Industry Sector��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Baton Rouge RLMA 2018 Projected Employment by Industry ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
WBR Parish Future Vision Plan����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31
West Baton Rouge Existing Land Use ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35
Existing Land Use������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35
Moderate Population Growth 1% Annually����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Aggressive Population Growth 3% Annually��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Existing Zoning ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Developable Land������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37
WBR Generalized Future Land Use ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38
WBR Future Land Use Map ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38
Future Development Areas����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45
Recommended buffer for heavy industrial������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48
Parish North Framework Plan������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51
Parish Central Framework Plan����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 52
Parish South Framework Plan������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 53
West Baton Rouge Housing Type 2009 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54
West Baton Rouge Housing Value 2009��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54
West Baton Rouge Household Size 2010������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55
West Baton Rouge Year Housing Built 2009��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55
Port Allen Neighborhood Center��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 57
Section 2.5 of the Louisiana Land Use Tool Kit (Version 3.0)������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 58
Residential Street Section������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59
Agriculture and Natural Resources����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 61
Existing Agriculture and Natural Resources ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 61
PlanWEST | West Baton Rouge Parish
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Figure 6-38.
Figure 6-39.
Figure 6-40.
Figure 6-41.
Figure 7-42.
Figure 7-43.
Figure 7-44.
Figure 7-45.
Figure 7-46.
Figure 7-47.
Figure 7-48.
Figure 7-49.
Figure 7-50.
Figure 7-51.
Figure 8-52.
Figure 8-53.
Table 7-54.
Figure 8-55.
Figure 8-56.
Figure 8-57.
Figure 8-58.
Table 9-59.
Existing Topography and Elevation����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 62
Existing Hydrology and Flood Zones��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63
Riparian Buffer Program��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 68
Image Illustrating Prescribed Burning ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 72
Existing Road Functional Classification����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 75
Existing Road Volume To Capacity����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 77
Future Connectivity Map��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 79
Enlarged Future Connectivity Map ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 80
Highway 1 Proposed streetscape and street trees����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 81
Proposed Union Pacific Rail Alignment����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 82
Proposed Union Pacific Rails to Trails ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 83
Village Center Street Section ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 84
Rural Corridor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 85
Future Bike and Trails Map����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 86
Rendering illustrating shared bike lanes and infill development.��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 87
Proposed West Baton Rouge levee trail��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 87
WBR Parks and Recreation Facilities������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 88
Existing Parks, Recreation and Schools��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 89
Existing Water and Sewer Facilities ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90
Hydrology Trends ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97
Future Parks and Trails Map��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 98
West Baton Rouge Parish Action Plan ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 107
Chapter 9 | Implementation