Over the last couple of months the Lafayette Consolidated Government has been busy working on a project set to shape the future of Lafayette for the next 20-30 years.

Lafayette's Comprehensive Plan will be a citizen generated, all-encompassing guidebook to connect the Lafayette of today to the Lafayette citizens hope to see in the future.

City-Parish President Joey Durel explained the plan during his weekly "Lafayette Live" segment on "Mornings with Ken and Bernie".

An important distinction to make - this is not a "master plan". This will not tell you where to put streets, that kind of thing. This is more of a big picture thing.

Durel explained that numbers predict Lafayette's population to rise between 50 to 75,000 in the next 20 - 30 years, and the Comprehensive Plan is being constructed with that in mind.

Though the Comprehensive Plan is still early in it's development, the first stage has already been completed. A Vision Statement for the future formed entirely by citizen input along with help from outside consultants has been laid out and is now available on the LCG website.

In 2035, Lafayette is one of the nation’s most exceptional communities, renowned for its rich Cajun and Creole heritage, its creative scene and culture of innovation, and its authentic joie de vivre. Fueled by its desirable quality of life, its highly educated workforce and the community’s entrepreneurial spirit, Lafayette has attracted substantial investment and growth. This growth has been managed and absorbed in a manner that allowed Lafayette to retain its small town neighborliness and unique way of life.

(Lafayette Consolidated Government. Click here for the complete Vision Statement)

 

The next step in the development of the Comprehensive Plan will be determining how Lafayette can best use it's resources to meet the vision laid out in the Vision Statement. Forum meetings are ongoing and the LCG is urging all citizens to come out and offer their input.

The forums will take place at the following times and locations:
Thursday, November 15, noon, South Regional Library
Thursday, November 15, 6 p.m., East Bayou Baptist Church
Friday, November 16, 2 p.m., Heymann Center
Saturday, November 17, 9 a.m., Holy Rosary Institute, Windolph Hall

Residents interested in attending a meeting are asked to visit this website to register for the forum they’d like to attend in order reserve a keypad for voting and to make the check-in process quicker.

City-Parish President Durel expressed why he believes it's so important for citizens to attend the meetings and give their input.

We need people to show up and bring in a broad spectrum of thoughts.

Even if you don't like it, that's even more reason to be involved.

For more information on the Comprehensive Plan, visit LCGs website at: www.lafayettela.gov/comprehensiveplan

 

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