Tanner Michael Guidry
October 23, 2012Tri-parish schools grade above state averages
October 23, 2012
About 50 local officials and citizens gathered last week to discuss Thibodaux’s 20-year plan, focusing on the city’s current land use and zoning ordinances.
“The (Thibodaux) Chamber of Commerce pushed us to look at land use and ordinances,” Mayor Tommy Echete said. “We needed someone to help facilitate and guide us in our efforts.”
The Thibodaux Tomorrow committee, formed about 18 months ago, has been working with the Baton Rouge-based Center for Planning and Excellence to outline solutions to some of the future issues, he said.
“They have interviewed elected officials, and now they are at the most critical part – talking to the public. We (elected officials) all have visions, but they may not be the perfect vision for the City of Thibodaux,” Eschete said of last Wednesday’s session at the Thibodaux Hook and Ladder Fire Station.
The Center for Planning Excellence helps communities design and enact master plans for transportation, infrastructure, affordable housing opportunities and environmental issues for a community’s future growth and development.
“We didn’t want someone to come here and force their way on us, but we are forcing our way on them and getting them to put it in writing,” said Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ben Harang, laughing. “The Center for Planning and Excellence will facilitate a plan and come up with zoning laws for land use that reflect today’s needs.”
Hailey Blakeman, community planner and project manager with Center for Planning and Excellence, discussed the several issues that the business has already looked at in regards to helping Thibodaux plan for the next 20 years.
“We have looked at current project descriptions and existing conditions and plans,” Blakeman said. “We have also met with the Thibodaux Tomorrow committee, and during a needs assessment, we toured the town, went over current plans and regulations, looked at mapping and talked to about 15 stakeholders to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the city of Thibodaux.”
Before asking residents in attendance to check off things they deemed most important in areas such as infrastructure and services, community character, the environment, economy and employment, development patterns and design standards and code enforcement, Blakeman ran several statistics by the crowd.
“The largest population groups in Thibodaux are 20- to 24-year-olds, 15- to 19-year-olds and then Baby Boomers,” Blakeman said. “These two groups – the younger generations and the Baby Boomers – used to want different things, but that is changing. Younger generations want smaller homes with easy access to shopping, and Baby Boomers are also looking to downsize.”
Even though 20-to 24-year-olds make up the largest age group, Center for Planning and Excellence research showed that the median age for residents of Thibodaux is 33.9, lower than the national average of 37.2 and the Lafourche Parish average of 36.5.
“There is also a large population of older women in the community,” she added.
In addition to highlighting the population’s age range, Blakeman’s presentation also went over several key findings of the town’s education levels, unemployment rates and where residents are working.
“Most of those who live in Thibodaux have completed high school, and the median income for residents here is $37,000,” Blakeman said. “The unemployment rate in Thibodaux is also lower then national average, but 20 percent here are living below the poverty line.”
As far as job opportunities go in the town, most residents held jobs in areas such as management, business, sciences or arts.
“Fifty percent of those who live in Thibodaux work in Thibodaux,” Blakeman said. “About 16 percent work in the parish, and 33 percent work outside of the parish.”
As residents checked off what they would like most to see improvements in around the city, Blakeman read off comment cards residents were asked to fill out as the checked in at the event.
“In your vision, give us a few words that come to mind about Thibodaux, like why you are here now and why your children will be here in the future,” Blakeman said. “Easy to get around. Clean, beautiful, safe and prosperous. We want to create a vision and review and update zoning map and codes based on your input, so please let us know what you would like to see.”
Thibodaux residents Harold Block and wife Jane were two of about 20 members of the general public looking over the charts like the design standards and code enforcement chart on community issues including developing commercial signage standards for all zoning classifications, ensuring codes encourage and support business development, enforcing codes that address conflicting issues such as noise in residential areas and creating balance between existing conditions and options for future growth.
“Things have been good for the last 30 years,” Block said. “I hope things stay the same as the town continues to grow.”
Thibodaux City Councilman Eddie Hebert, a resident of north Thibodaux, was also checking off issues he would like to see addressed in the community.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” Hebert said. “I love Thibodaux and I’ve seen it grow over the years. I know the city. It’s a good, safe place. We have a wonderful police department and a great mayor and city council. This (planning) is moving in the right direction for residents.”
Among the top things Hebert would like to see addressed as the city moves forward are job creation, monitoring blighted property so that buildings do not become a hazard to the community and more recreational opportunities for residents both young and old.
“I wish we had more industry to attract more people to live and work here,” he said. “The hospital and university are great, but we need more local jobs so people don’t have to leave town to work. We also need more arts and local entertainment for people. People here work hard and should have things to do here when they want to play hard.”
Thibodaux residents check off city issues they would liike to see addressed at the Thibodaux Tomorrow Community Visioning and Zoning Update meeting on Wednesday. About 50 local officials and residents attend ed the event.
