The Lafayette Consolidated Council Tuesday unanimously assented to the appeal from a Lafayette pastor who says a pair of Planning Commission requirements — two among several attached to preliminary approval for his subdivision development — would throw a major wrench in the works, according to a report in today'sAdvertiser.
The Rev. Jay Miller, pastor of The Family Church on Stone Avenue, was granted preliminary approval in April to develop Heritage Estates subdivision on land behind his church, which is on the east side of North University Avenue north of Interstate 10 near Acadian Hills Country Club. However, the planning department — in the interest of “connectivity” — is requiring Miller to extend Armor Avenue north into the proposed development to increase access to and from Heritage Estates. The planning department is also requiring Miller to make one road in his planned neighborhood a connector between North University and an eventual extension of North St. Antoine Street to Pont Des Mouton Road. In an appeal filed with the planning department and forwarded to the council, Miller says he was “floored” when he learned of the requirements. Miller argues in the letter that such requirements — at the expense of The Family Church, which also operates Lafayette Christian Academy — would be a fatal blow to the church’s “7 year master plan.”
“We cannot afford the millions in cost, as it would halt and cripple our future growth,” Miller writes. In conclusion, the pastor targets his appeal to council members representing north Lafayette: “For years all we heard from our City Officials was ‘LET’S BUILD NORTH LAFAYETTE’,” Miller writes. “We have done our part since 1973. Every year our entire budget is poured right back into Acadiana and North Lafayette.”
For now, Miller and The Family Church will not be required to extend Armor Avenue to plan for future connectivity with a St. Antoine extension.
... written by Jason D. Faulk , May 27, 2009 - 02:34 am
From an aerial survey of the properties north of portland avenue on google maps service, it appears that armor avenue is a stub street, left open to directly connect with the neighboring land, and continue the street north. Nothing appears unreasonable or duly burdensome by connecting that street into the new subdivision. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...&t=h&z=16 There is also an intent by the recently released I-10 frontage road plan to pass through the area. How might that mix with this area?
The question here I see, is shall the west-east road connector serve a purpose to traffic mobility of the wider area (in the future and now), greater than the minimum road necessary to service the residential driveways of the proposed subdivision? If it does, then while we should expect our land developers to put in place an orderly, coherent and easily navigable street grid for perpetual public maintenance, reducing our overall costs. We should also consider sharing a part of the cost of the roadway, if what is needed would be functionally greater than that needed only for the private party's project, if it was to be considered in vacuum. If the traffic load will be greater than what is comfortable and consistent with the scale of homes fronting that roadway, then the developer should be encouraged to think outside of the 20th century box, and develop buildings and dwellings more consistent with a busier, higher trafficed roadway. The reward may be there, and the variety of dwellings may be needed amongst relatives and friends of the existing nearby residents, so that persons at different stages of life are able to live near friends and family. Whether this is true now, or in the future, a diversity of housing stock in necessary everywhere.
We saw some issues similar to this with the Montesano golf course southwest of the mall. For that project, a 4-lane boulevard was to be built to connect Johnston St. to Rue de Belier extension. It is now unfinished. It is fronted by the undulated back wall fence of other housing sites. Of course this will be expensive to build and maintain. The developer is already installing expensive infrastructure for all these low density developments.
We cannot as a city, build without connectivity, lest we continue to turn into that dreaded abomination known as Baton Rouge, which is now paying heavily to connect its streets and reduce its gridlock. Development for growth's sake alone, or 'let's build north lafayette' is a futile exercise if no one can get from here to there when the final review is made.
There should, must be a solution to this conundrum.
We must also not forget that all land developers have a responsibility to future generations for the effects of all additions to a community that they make. If they do not, we should insist that they do. If we do not, we are to blame when gridlock happens later, and government comes back and asks for tax increases and authority to further indebt us to pay for these connector/service roads. In environmental quality discussions, this is called externalizing the costs.
I hope someone reads this, that will find a positive impact from this. And finally, whatever happened to the Louisiana Speaks process? Did our state not make an honest attempt to institute some wholistic planning for development practices? Where are those? Why aren't we following them? Why do we let anything fly?
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http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...&t=h&z=16
There is also an intent by the recently released I-10 frontage road plan to pass through the area. How might that mix with this area?
The question here I see, is shall the west-east road connector serve a purpose to traffic mobility of the wider area (in the future and now), greater than the minimum road necessary to service the residential driveways of the proposed subdivision? If it does, then while we should expect our land developers to put in place an orderly, coherent and easily navigable street grid for perpetual public maintenance, reducing our overall costs.
We should also consider sharing a part of the cost of the roadway, if what is needed would be functionally greater than that needed only for the private party's project, if it was to be considered in vacuum. If the traffic load will be greater than what is comfortable and consistent with the scale of homes fronting that roadway, then the developer should be encouraged to think outside of the 20th century box, and develop buildings and dwellings more consistent with a busier, higher trafficed roadway. The reward may be there, and the variety of dwellings may be needed amongst relatives and friends of the existing nearby residents, so that persons at different stages of life are able to live near friends and family. Whether this is true now, or in the future, a diversity of housing stock in necessary everywhere.
We saw some issues similar to this with the Montesano golf course southwest of the mall. For that project, a 4-lane boulevard was to be built to connect Johnston St. to Rue de Belier extension. It is now unfinished. It is fronted by the undulated back wall fence of other housing sites. Of course this will be expensive to build and maintain. The developer is already installing expensive infrastructure for all these low density developments.
We cannot as a city, build without connectivity, lest we continue to turn into that dreaded abomination known as Baton Rouge, which is now paying heavily to connect its streets and reduce its gridlock. Development for growth's sake alone, or 'let's build north lafayette' is a futile exercise if no one can get from here to there when the final review is made.
There should, must be a solution to this conundrum.
We must also not forget that all land developers have a responsibility to future generations for the effects of all additions to a community that they make. If they do not, we should insist that they do.
If we do not, we are to blame when gridlock happens later, and government comes back and asks for tax increases and authority to further indebt us to pay for these connector/service roads.
In environmental quality discussions, this is called externalizing the costs.
I hope someone reads this, that will find a positive impact from this.
And finally, whatever happened to the Louisiana Speaks process? Did our state not make an honest attempt to institute some wholistic planning for development practices? Where are those? Why aren't we following them? Why do we let anything fly?