Client:
City of New Iberia
Jane Braud
(337) 369-2300
Awards:
• Louisiana Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects, Honor Award, 2004.
• Louisiana Chapter, American Planning Association, Outstanding Planning Award, Small Jurisdiction, 2004.

Since the initial settlement in 1779, New Iberians have worked to establish a home on the banks of Bayou Teche. There were challenges, but these challenges were overcome with determination and creativity. A visit to New Iberia today gives ample evidence of her history and continuing vitality.

Similar to other medium-sized cities around the country, New Iberia faces new challenges. The historic part of the city faces a dual task: to preserve its historical integrity as a tremendous tourism asset and to embrace the 21st Century by being the transportation, business and governmental nexus of a modern city. Residential areas also look for help while maintaining the quality of life and livability of small town neighborhoods in a sprawling growth cycle.

To prepare this plan, Moore Planning Group, LLC (MPG) conducted an inventory of a wide variety of factors including regional influences, soils, hydrology, circulation, and zoning. The city was subdivided into distinct zones for analysis. Each zone was examined individually for opportunities, constraints and recommendations for improvement. By this process, goals could be established for improvements to each zone, that would in turn benefit the whole city.

The New Iberia Master Plan has encouraged city leaders by offering new insights into the physical nature of the community fabric. It has informed the public about many of the internal and external factors that influence the growth and development of their city and has inspired the business community, as well as, private individuals who have come forward with funding to expand the planning effort and begin implementation.