Importance of Public Participation
Useful Information | Useful Websites | Questions & Answers
Lead Consultant Firm | Contact Information

Project Overview

The City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East Baton Rouge is reviewing proposals from professional consulting parties to assist in the preparation of an update to the Master Plan. The consultant and planning staff will work together to create a comprehensive plan and accompanying communication and interagency coordination plans to address the impact of growth and development in the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge. The scope of services in the RFP link below details the tasks to be performed by the consultant.

The Mayor-President believes that this is the appropriate time to initiate an overall update to the existing Master Plan to provide direction in the areas of land use, infrastructure, community services, growth management, and quality of life for the community. The goals and objectives set forth in the new Master Plan will be implemented by modification to the Unified Development Code and other development-related ordinances where appropriate.

The City-Parish engaged the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to provide an Advisory Services Panel. This panel focused on strategies to identify the elements necessary to serve as the basis for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to update the existing Master Plan (Horizon Plan). The ULI Advisory Services Panel stated that the Planning Consultant responsible for updating the Master Plan should have the ability to create a Master Plan with a “strong vision which will provide the direction, clarity, and purpose Baton Rouge needs to become America’s Next Great City.”

The ULI Advisory Services Panel expressed the importance to acknowledge that “implementation holds the key to a successful plan.” The Panel identified the following keys to successful plan implementation:

extensive community involvement and education;

priority of action items, based on the Vision of the City-Parish;

constant and careful monitoring of the Plan as it is implemented;

periodic, cautious amendment of the Plan; and

appropriate and adequate resources provided to implement the plan goals.

The selected Planning Consultant must develop a Master Plan that incorporates all of these keys to successful implementation. Also, the Panel identified the need to focus on comprehensive transportation planning and interagency coordination. Presently, plan implementation is coordinated by the Planning Commission as the lead agency for the existing Master Plan. Additionally, the new Master Plan must be proactive, not reactive or “Zoning Driven.”

The panel stressed the importance of “crafting a clear vision and creating a simple, usable plan with clear implementation strategies. The plan should be both visionary and simple to understand and implement. The plan should clearly state a vision, prioritize implementation measures, and recommend specific incentives to achieve the vision.”

Importance of Public Participation as a Component of this Master Plan

Public participation and outreach is critical to the Master Plan process. From the outset of the planning process, the citizenry must be thoroughly involved and educated about the process to encourage proactive plan development and implementation. The consultant will be responsible for developing a user-focused communication plan, conducting public meetings and disseminating information about updates during the comprehensive plan process. This includes preparing agendas and other materials required for the meetings, attending the meetings, and leading the discussion to ascertain the consensus of the group. The outcome of these meetings is to generate broad community engagement, foster ownership of plan among all stakeholders, and encourage public and private leadership to shape a bold and focused parish-wide vision.

Useful Information
	City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge Comprehensive Plan
	East Baton Rouge Parish/City of East Baton Rouge RFQ for Comprehensive Plan
	ULI Planning Advisory Services Panel Report
	Horizon Plan 2007 Five Year Update (Fifteen Year)
Useful Websites
	Baton Rouge Area Foundation
	Baton Rouge Community College Strategic Plan
	Baton Rouge Loop
	Baton Rouge Major Street Plan
	Baton Rouge Park and Recreation Commission Capital Area Pathway Project
	Capital Region Planning Commission Transportation Improvement Plan
	Center for Planning Excellence
	Downtown Development District
	Green Light Plan
	Louisiana Speaks
	LSU Master Plan
	Plan Baton Rouge 1 and 2
	Smart Growth Leadership Institute Audit Report
	Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge Strategic Plan
Questions & Answers RFQ Questions & Answers  Lead Consultant Firm
Fregonese Associates (RFP)
	ABMB Engineering	Brown & Danos Land Design, Inc
	ECONorthwest	Franklin Industries
	GOTECH, Inc.	James A. Richardson
	Kimley-Horn and Associates	Marmillion/Gray
	Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates	Sienna Architecture Company
	Trahan Architects	Urban Insight Group
	WHLC Architecture

Contact Information

All concerns and questions regarding the RFP, the selection process, terms, conditions and technical specifications shall be directed in writing to:

Office of the Planning Commission
Attn: Troy L. Bunch, Planning Director
P.O. Box 1471
Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Or email at tbunch@brgov.com. All telephone inquiries should be made to (225) 389-3144.

Direct contact with the Mayor-President or Office of the Mayor-President, or Metropolitan Council member, or Planning Commission member or any Committee member is NOT allowed. Any attempts to establish contact with any of the aforementioned individuals will result in disqualification.