Febuary 14, 2008

rezoning approval

The Metro Council approved the rezoning of the Ford Property to TND on January 23. This is a big step for Baton Rouge as we take our place as Louisiana’s largest city and the economic
center of the state. The Metro Council sent a clear signal that this city supports smart growth as we move into a new era.

Baton Rouge has so much to offer its citizens and those looking to move here for new opportunities. Expanding the mix of housing options is a large part of making Baton Rouge a
more attractive place for all of us.

Thanks to the Metro Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission for their support of the project. Thanks also to Boo Thomas and the Center for Planning Excellence for their help in the process. But most importantly, thanks to all of you for your continued faith in our ability, your letters and emails and your phone calls. It was important that the Council understand the desire that we all have for a better quality of life, for ourselves and our children.

Click here to see the Rezoning Approval release (PDF).

December 7, 2007

A6 Endorses Rouzan

Community activist group A6 formally endorsed Rouzan today saying that “the location and size of the former Ford Farm tract presents an ideal location for Baton Rouge to implement what its citizens, and those across south Louisiana said they wanted the future of urban Louisiana to resemble.”

Click here to see the A6 release (PDF).

December 6, 2007

CPEX Endorses Rouzan

The Center for Planning Excellence has endorsed the proposed Rouzan TND. CPEX noted that the project adheres to the 10 smart growth principles according to Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas, CPEX CEO. This comes on the heels of the endorsement of the Capital Region Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Click here to read the CPEX statement (PDF).

November 27, 2007

Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting

Monday, December 10th at
the Governmental Building,
222 St. Louis Street, Room 364

We need your support.

On December 10, we will introduce a new development to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Rouzan is the culmination of three years’ work by some of the most respected smart growth planners in the U.S. (Looney Ricks Kiss, PlaceMakers and Urban Guild). It is a traditional neighborhood development (TND) planned for the Ford Property, located on Perkins Road just east of College Drive. As you know, a TND exemplifies smart growth principles that are used in forward-thinking cities across the country, River Ranch in Lafayette being the closest example.

We are asking the Commission to approve rezoning the property from A-1 to TND and we need your help.

A small but vocal group from the surrounding neighborhoods has mounted a campaign of fear, misinformation and emotion to try and sway the Commission into voting against the rezoning.

In his editorial, J.R. Ball of the Baton Rouge Business Report dubbed these individuals NIMBYs, which stands for “Not In My Back Yard.” It is a cute saying for a very scary concept. The idea that a small but vocal minority could roadblock true smart growth in our community is something that keeps many developers from spending time, money and resources toward bringing forward-thinking developments to Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge is at a pivotal point in its history. New commercial and residential growth is happening at a tremendous pace. Our challenge as a community is to manage the growth in a manner that improves our community as a whole. To do this we must look to the smart growth movement and to what our neighbors have successfully done in other parts of the country. That is exactly what we have done with Rouzan.

But we need your help.

Please e-mail or call the Planning and Zoning Commission and ask them to approve the proposed rezoning so that Baton Rouge can begin to use the smart growth strategies others are using to provide an alternative to urban sprawl.

Second, call the Mayor’s office and your Metro Council member to ask that they too support Rouzan.

If you would like a “Support Rouzan” yard sign, e-mail us at tspinosa3@jts.com.

Most importantly, get the word out. Please let everyone you know who supports smart growth about the meeting.

It is important that those with the knowledge of the potential of smart growth have their voices heard at the commission and council level. If not, fear, ignorance and emotion threaten to be the deciding factors in the future development of Baton Rouge.

You can e-mail the Planning and Zoning Commission at planning@brgov.com or call them at 225.389.3144. Together we can plan a better Baton Rouge. Thank you for your continued support.

PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS

ELLENDER, Ervie 926-3681 (H)
9999 Goodwood Blvd.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815

WELCH, Roxson
774-1649 (H)
485-7118 (Cell)
412 Douceur Drive
Baker, Louisiana 70714

ARBOUR, Jerry 387-5557 (O)
Law Offices of G. Thomas Arbour
701 North Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

WINFIELD, W.T. 383-0822 (O)
2622 North Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

TASSIN, Martha Jane (Council Representative) Chairman
389-5165 (O)
10432 E. Grandeur Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815

MUSCARELLO, Frank
6224 Durande Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820

ALLPHIN, John 924-9940 (O)
2345 Dove Hollow Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809

GOMEZ, Herb Vice-Chairman 761-2000 (O)
P.O. Box 15652
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70895

JACKSON, Audrey Nabors
23990 Reames Road
Zachary, Louisiana 70791-9422

November 1, 2007

Public Meeting Held

Wednesday, November 7th

JTS will be hosting a neighborhood open house at the Marriott Baton Rouge on Wednesday, November 7th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm for residents of those neighborhoods that surround the proposed Rouzan Traditional Neighborhood (formerly known as the Ford Property). JTS representatives will be on hand from 4:00 pm till 8:00 pm to discuss the new Rouzan community and to answer questions from residents. Experts will be available for discussions and to gather community input throughout the evening on topics of interest including community design, traffic and drainage. Come for thirty minutes or stay for the entire four hours. We hope to see you there.

October 29, 2007

Montessori School Moved on Conceptual Plan

JTS announced that it has moved the location of the proposed Montessori School in its conceptual plan for Rouzan. “The original layout called for the school to back up to residences outside of our community”, said developer Tommy Spinosa. “Several individuals expressed concerns that we felt were valid, so we worked with our planners to move the school to a more interior location.”

Spinosa said that JTS has also met with residents both individually and in groups to address specific concerns regarding drainage and traffic. JTS drainage and traffic experts have begun working on solutions for these issues and will continue to work with the surrounding communities to ensure that Rouzan is a benefit to the entire community.

October 18, 2007

Neighborhood Meeting held at Marriott

JTS hosted another public meeting on October 18th for residents of those neighborhoods that surround the proposed Rouzan Traditional Neighborhood Development. Approximately fifty people were present to hear plans for the development and to ask questions of the traffic and drainage experts. The meeting was lively with lots of questions about the development and its expected impact on the surrounding communities.

October 13, 2007

Neighborhood Meeting Held at Louisiana Bankers Association Building

A neighborhood meeting was held with those whose residences surround the proposed Rouzan development. In attendance were individuals from Meadow Lea, Southdowns, Woodchase, as well as traffic engineers, planners and architects representing JTS. Although the meeting was only scheduled to last an hour, the positive discussions lasted well over 90 minutes as people asked questions about architectural issues, traffic and drainage.