Client:
Avoyelles Parish Police Jury
Atchafalaya Basin Program
Mr. Weber “Chip” Johnson
(318) 253-7291
Awards:
• La. Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects 2006 Presidents Award of Excellence for Planning
• La. Chapter, American Planning Association, Outstanding Planning Award for a Plan, Small Jurisdiction, 2005.

The Avoyelles Parish Community Master Plan is used by parish leaders and citizens to help guide the sustainable growth and development of the parish. Avoyelles Parish has a rich history of successfully using its unique character and strengths to overcome challenges. This uniqueness is recognized as an asset and integrated into the master plan for infrastructure and economic development that preserve and enhance essential parish character. Moore Planning Group, LLC (MPG) helped establish the following objectives for the master plan:

• Identifying the prevailing needs of the community.
• Bringing together ideas, goals and strategies for possible solutions and concentration of resources.
• Identifying funding opportunities.
• Implementing assistance including establishing funding priorities and schedules.

MPG’s research identified specific opportunities for Avoyelles Parish. These opportunities included creating parish gateways; linking developed areas with public recreational destinations, such as cultural trails and wildlife corridors; improving highways to better facilitate commerce, safety; and enhancing the parish’s image. Funding opportunities, such as grant and assistance programs available through various government agencies and private programs, are listed in the plan.

This master plan stimulated the establishment of the Avoyelles Parish Economic Development District, a board composed of representatives from the police jury, school board, each of the nine parish municipalities, and area businesses. This board played a prominent role on the master plan steering committee and has assumed the primary role in plan implementation. Avoyelles Parish Economic Development District has retained MPG to serve as the implementation and funding assistance consultant.