Friends of Lafitte Corridor has submitted comments on New Orleans’ Draft Master Plan to the City Planning Commission. Download the PDF or read on.
Yolanda Rodriguez
Executive Director, City Planning Commission
Suite 9W03
Civic Center 1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, LA 70112-2123
Re: CITY OF NEW ORLEANS
MASTER PLAN DRAFT 9/14/09
October 12, 2009
Dear Ms. Rodriguez,
As a follow up to your staff’s recent presentation before the Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee, we are pleased to offer the following comments and suggestions concerning the Draft Master Plan. These comments represent our considered recommendations for bringing the Master Plan into alignment with the vision expressed in the Unified New Orleans Plan: “Redevelop the Lafitte Corridor as an Urban Mixed Use District with Central Greenway”, and with the goals and vision of the city’s Lafitte Corridor Greenway / Corridor Revitalization Project.
CHAPTER SEVEN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Goal 2: Restoration and expansion of New Orleans’ urban forest
Goal 4: A park within walking distance of every New Orleans resident
With the recent announcement that the city is poised to re-purchase the 17 acre “LIFT” tract, 30 acres of public land may soon be available for redevelopment within the Lafitte Corridor between N. Claiborne Ave. and N. Jeff Davis Parkway. This tract of land offers a unique opportunity for repair and expansion of the city’s urban forest, as well as for the development of new public recreational and/or open space amenities in an area that is underserved with green space. The Lafitte Greenway should be shown on the map of “green infrastructure” as an integral piece of the city’s network of parks and open space, linking Armstrong Park and City Park, and offering a greenspace connection to the “blueway” of Bayou St. John.
“Implementation”/ Getting Started:
“Use the Lafitte Greenway… to serve as a model for future greenway projects.”
Successful greenway design begins with the design of safe, effective connections to key nodes and trailheads. Plans for the repair and revitalization of Armstrong Park should be coordinated with planning for the Lafitte Greenway to ensure that a safe, effective linkage is created between the greenway and the park.
Also, we would be pleased to see Friends of Lafitte Corridor (FOLC) included in the list of nonprofit organizations that work on parks issues.
CHAPTER ELEVEN TRANSPORTATION
Goal 3: Transportation choice
3.K “Develop the Lafitte Greenway as a key bicycle and pedestrian corridor.”
Please ensure that the complete route of the Lafitte Corridor Greenway, from Basin St. to Canal Boulevard, is correctly indicated on all maps. Please note also that connections from the Greenway trailheads at Basin St. and Canal Boulevard should be indicated to ensure a safe continuous route is created via the Lafitte Greenway from the Mississippi River Trail to Lake Pontchartrain.
We are very gratified to see that construction of the Lafitte Greenway as a “key bicycle and pedestrian corridor” is included in the Implementation Plan.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN LAND USE PLAN
Goal: “Strengthen the city’s public realm and urban design character.”
We strongly support the employment of urban design guidelines and development standards as tools for shaping new development in key areas. It is our hope that the city’s Lafitte Corridor Greenway Trail Design and Corridor Revitalization Plan will include the drafting of urban design guidelines to support the growth of neighborhood-appropriate trail-oriented development along the Lafitte Corridor adjacent to the greenway.
Planning District 4 Future Land Use Map — comments
- Basin St node: change future land use category from General Commercial to Mixed-Use Medium/Mixed Use High Density in order to promote trail- and transit-oriented development that is appropriately scaled to the adjoining historic neighborhoods.
- Lafitte Corridor between N. Claiborne and N. Broad: indicate continuous one-block deep band between St. Louis St and Conti as Mixed-Use Low Density to reflect current mixed use and to support trail-oriented development that is appropriately scaled to adjoining neighborhoods. Same on Lafitte Ave side of Corridor, area bounded by Lafitte Ave. and Orleans, N. Broad and N. Rocheblave.
We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to offer these comments and suggestions regarding the Draft Master Plan. On behalf of the members of the Board of Friends of Lafitte Corridor, and on behalf of the members of the Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee, we thank you and your staff for your dedication to the daunting task of charting a course to a healthier, more sustainable and more prosperous New Orleans.
Sincerely yours,
Bart Everson, President, Friends of Lafitte Corridor
Daniel Samuels, Chair, Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee