EBR Parish Land Development Code Changes

On Wednesday, January 25, the Capital Section conducted their first Lunch and Learn of 2017.  Hosted by the East Baton Rouge Planning Commission, the Section joined with the local ASLA and AIA Chapters to hear a presentation related to recent land development code changes for EBR Parish. Presenters Frank Duke, FAICP (Planning Director), Ryan Holcomb, AICP (Assistant Planning Director), and Vance Baldwin, PLA, ASLA, CFM (Site Plan Manager) provided the 33 attendees with information regarding upcoming changes to the Unified Development Code that focused on Parking, Landscape and the creation of Design Levels and Character Areas. Duke termed his talk "Regulating by Place."

The local comprehensive plan, FUTUREBR, called for the creation of Character Areas and Design Levels in multiple locations throughout the plan.  These areas allow the Parish to create regulations by place instead of following a continual one size fits all development regulation approach.  Harkening back to the Transect philosophy, the Plan and code have been modified to recognize four principal development area types across the Parish: Downtown, Urban/Walkable, Suburban and Rural. The staff have also developed changes to the Parking and Landscape ordinances.  These changes provide for a more streamlined development code, are tightly integrated with each other and other sections of the code, and allow for greater site design flexibility.  Regulations for each Character Area are designed to enhance and embrace the development potential of the area, encouraging walkability where appropriate, changing design facades to encourage the use of street frontage, and revitalizing the landscape required on the site to be more beneficial than decorative.

The Planning Commission intends to act on the ordinance changes in the coming months.  Additionally it was noted that the five-year update process to FUTUREBR has begun, and that the Planning Commission will begin public meetings on the proposed changes to the plan in mid-March. Planners and landscape architects are asked to review these draft documents including the landscape ordinance, tree credit list, and parking ordinance; and to provide staff with feedback.

The Capital Section would like to thank the Planning Commission for  hosting the event and for the information provided. The Capital Section also thanks the ASLA Chapter for joining us at this Lunch and Learn.

 -- Lael Holton, AICP
    Capital Section Director

Draft Ordinances:

http://brgov.com/dept/planning/News/DraftOrdinances.htm

Adopted Urban Design Code:

http://brgov.com/dept/planning/UDC/UDC.asp