NEW ORLEANS — The city council is set to vote on amendments to the city’s Master Plan of the 21st Century at the Orleans Parish School Board building in Algiers.
There are several amendments that will be voted on, many of them focused on zoning, code, housing, and redevelopment.
The City Planning Commission and the city council adopted a framework in 2010 for the city’s physical, social, environmental, and economic future. It’s up for review every five years, but not more than once per calendar year.
Some of the major issues this year:
Future Land Use Map of the Master Plan
Council members are addressing zoning issues along the Pontchartrain Expressway, Uptown and land around Tulane University concerning residential, commercial and mixed-use areas.
Improving housing and neighborhoods
Council members would like to reinvent policies that will promote equity and access to opportunity, helping the housing needs of all income levels.
They’re also considering code enforcement changes with rental properties, establishing inspections – possibly a registry — while helping small and lower-income landlords.
They also want to address blighted and vacant sites – creating a unified program with direct investment strategies, encouraging innovative, experimental and low-cost uses of vacant property.
They’d like to create neighborhood centers along transit corridors and underutilized land too.
Historic properties
Council members are searching for ways to provide incentives for revitalization, as well as, providing financial support to low income homeowners, so they can comply with historic regulations.
Climate Change
They’ll consider approving the Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans plan, a strategic road map for the city to combat climate change — including 11 strategies and 25 actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent by 20 percent to 30 percent.
Other
They’re looking into enhancing and maintaining parks, open-green spaces and recreation areas, and the redevelopment of the Lindy Boggs Medical Center that’s been abandoned in Mid-City for years.
Here’s more detailed reports on the amendments.
