Urban design rules sought
Consultant would design smart code for development

By KEVIN BLANCHARD
Acadiana bureau
Published: Aug 25, 2006

LAFAYETTE — The City-Parish Planning, Zoning and Codes Department is looking to hire a consultant to help put together a smart code for Lafayette, which would make it easier for developers to build such urban design projects as River Ranch.

The City-Parish Council heard about the proposal during a budget hearing Thursday.

Generally, the smart code would encourage denser development and mixed commercial and residential uses. Currently, for a developer to embark on such a project, it requires a series of waivers because zoning and development rules don’t allow for special uses.

River Ranch required so many rules to be waived it was nicknamed “Waiver Ranch,” by the zoning staff.

There is already an existing template with general urban design rules available to governments. The consultant would take that template and customize it for use in Lafayette, Planning Manager Rebekah Raines said.

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