Architect cites need to avoid suburban sprawl

By SCOTT DYER
Advocate staff writer
Published: Jul 28, 2006

A Lafayette architect dubbed the “rock star” of traditional neighborhood development said Thursday that the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita is giving Louisiana an opportunity to rebuild under a new concept that encourages mixed uses and emphasizes walking instead of driving.

Speaking at an East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council workshop, architect Steve Oubre noted that most cities have regulations that encourage suburban sprawl and actually discourage the types of mixed uses found in New Orleans’ French Quarter and other areas designed before 1890.

As an example, Oubre pointed to the Villages of River Ranch in Lafayette, which he designed. Oubre said the River Ranch project had to obtain 119 variances from the local development code to allow mixed uses, narrower streets and other features that are illegal there.

The traditional neighborhood development encourages mixed uses, in part because it encourages people to walk instead of drive. Streets are laid out in grids instead of cul de sacs to give motorists a variety of routes and ease congestion that frequently occurs when there is only one way in and out of a subdivision.

East Baton Rouge planning officials are considering the traditional neighborhood development concept. It is a stark contrast from the suburban sprawl model that cities such as Houston have used to guide new growth.

But as a result, the average Houston resident spends about 2.5 hours per day commuting to and from work, Oubre said. “If someone worked in Houston for their entire career, they would have spent about 3‰ years of their life driving back and forth to work,” Oubre said. That translates into having less time to spend with children and families, at least during the work week, Oubre said.

Before 1890, towns were designed so residents could walk to businesses from home, he said. Today, he said, most cities are designed around the automobile to the point that the only way to access some businesses is with a vehicle. “We need to design cities so that driving is not a mandate, but an option,” Oubre  said.

City-parish planning staff have already included many of the concepts that Oubre discussed in a proposed new traditional neighborhood development ordinance slated to go before the Planning Commission in October.

Planning Director Troy Bunch said Thursday that the new ordinance is aimed at creating a new mechanism to allow developers to use traditional neighborhood concepts for new subdivisions.

Charles Landry, an attorney who often handles major development projects before the Planning Commission and Metro Council, said the ordinance is needed to prevent multiple waivers required to build traditional neighborhood developments under the city-parish codes.

“People are suspicious when a developer applies for one or two variances, much less more than 100,” Landry said, referring to River Ranch in Lafayette.

Story originally published in The Advocate