City to get comprehensive development plan proposal

Within a month, the City of Eunice will have a proposal for drafting a comprehensive development plan.
Kevin Belanger, director of the South Central Planning and Development Commission, told city officials, the city’s Economic Development Committee and other interested persons at a meeting Tuesday that his non-profit, quasi-government agency could have a proposal for areas of concern regarding future growth and development in two to four weeks.
He was careful to note that his commission and the others like it around the state are not economic development agencies.
Instead, they help communities develop the road map to be followed as the communities evolve year to year. One way to explain the difference -- comprehensive development outlines how and where new business will be accommodated; economic development hustles to land the business.
Belanger’s organization actually does not have St. Landry and Eunice under its geographic wing. But it is leading the re-formation of the Acadiana Regional Development District, a unit idled by a failure to properly execute by past officials.
Once the ARD is back on its feet and officially recognized, Belanger’s district headquartered in Gray will turn affairs of the rejuvenated district over to the Acadiana Planning Commission.
Within a week or so, Iberia and Lafayette Parishes are to be officially back under the APC umbrella. St. Landry has previously signed on with four other parishes.
Belanger said estimated cost of developing the comprehensive plan will be less than $100,000, a sum that caused a collective inhaling of breath among his listeners.
Belanger’s commission has a staff of 70 and operates with a $12.5 million budget.
“There is a cost, but we can work on helping you find dollars to help pay for it,” he said, noting various agencies that are a possible help in the underwriting.
If the City Council signs on, developing the plan draft will take 12 to 18 months, Belanger said.
There is substantial public involvement in the process, including formation of a steering committee of individuals interested in the process.
Once a draft is ready, a number of public hearings are held to solicit input and revisions are made if determined appropriate.
Then, by state law, the proposal goes to a city Planning Commission, a panel not now in existence. Once approved by that commission, the plan goes to the City Council for consideration.
And once adopted, the plan becomes the guideline for the most desirable long-range development of the community.