New Orleans, LA – June 26, 2009 – Today, Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson issued the following statement regarding Wednesday’s defeat of Senate Bill 75:
“Senate Bill 75, a measure that would have politicized and derailed the City’s master planning process, was defeated on the House floor Wednesday night by a vote of 54 to 37.
“This significant win for New Orleans was the result of hours and hours of work by an extraordinary coalition of New Orleanians – neighborhood leaders from Lakeview to the Lower Ninth Ward, non-profit organizations, the business community, elected and appointed City officials, and many others. Against the odds, we came together to save the City’s master plan and the promise it holds for quality of life and economic development in every corner of the City.
“For the efforts of all these groups, I offer my deepest gratitude.
“I want to first thank the neighborhood leaders who turned out to fight for the master plan. These leaders have spent precious time and energy in citywide, district, and neighborhood planning meetings, charting the future of their communities. They trekked to the Capitol for several days to convince legislators that New Orleanians want and need a master plan for the future development of our City.
“I also offer thanks to my colleagues on the City Council, particularly to Councilmembers Shelley Midura and Stacy Head, who appeared in Baton Rouge to defend a master plan with the force of law on behalf of the City. I also thank Mayor C. Ray Nagin and the City Attorney’s Office for taking a clear position that Senate Bill 75 would have violated the New Orleans Home Rule Charter. Members of the City Planning Commission and its staff were also powerful advocates for our City’s right to plan its future without interference from the State.
“For masterfully spearheading our efforts with legislators in Baton Rouge, I owe a special thanks to the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region. I also thank the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors, the Home Builders Association, and AARP Louisiana for their relentless efforts in our support.
“For their public opposition to this bill, I thank Citizens for One Greater New Orleans, the Preservation Resource Center, and the Bureau of Governmental Research. I also thank the New Orleans Downtown Development District for their educational efforts on the potential negative impact of this bill to development in our City.
“I would also like to thank my staff, who accompanied me on almost a dozen trips to the Capitol throughout the past month working in opposition to this bill.
“Lastly, I want to offer a personal pledge to the residents of New Orleans concerning the master plan. While I was in the Capitol late Wednesday night, I listened as a couple of New Orleans-area legislators explained that some of their residents feared their communities would be left out of this master plan. To them, I say: New Orleans belongs to all of us. And, as Councilmember-at-Large, I am committed to supporting a plan for redevelopment of all areas of the City.
“Rather than being a reason our communities cannot return, this master plan will be the reason our communities can not only return, but thrive and grow. We cannot expect legitimate developers and residential-friendly businesses to invest in areas like New Orleans East, the Lower Ninth Ward, Lakeview, and Gentilly until they can see that the City is committed to those areas. This is exactly why we need a master plan with the force of law. It will show that the City finally has a clear strategy for development.
“I urge you to view a copy of the working draft of the master plan online at http://www.nolamasterplan.org/. Please read the sections that apply to your neighborhood and give your feedback online. You can also sign up for email alerts of upcoming planning meetings in your district. If you have complaints, please contact my office, and we will put you in touch with the Planning Commission and the Goody Clancy consultants responsible for drafting this plan.”
