More than 500 expected to attend growth summit

Years ago, “planning” and “zoning” were dirty words around the Capital Region. But now several parishes, including Pointe Coupee, Ascension, West Feliciana and St. Charles are all completing or starting comprehensive plans for land use. That growth in interest in planning is mirrored in the expansion of the Center for Planning Excellence’s Smart Growth Summit. More than 500 people are expected to attend the fourth annual event this week, says Rachel DiResto, CPEX vice president. “This has allowed us to choose speakers and topics that are very relevant to communities in our region,” she says. That includes issues such as transportation, coastal planning and blight. The event kicks off Wednesday evening with a speech from Andres Duany, the national guru of New Urbanism. It’s appropriate that Duany is giving the keynote address for the event; in 1998, he was involved in a series of planning meetings to discuss downtown Baton Rouge. “That was the first proactive planning exercise that people in Baton Rouge participated in,” DiResto says. “It’s very exciting to see how downtown has played out more than 10 years after that.” Another national expert speaking at the event is John Fregonese, whose Portland firm has been selected to update the East Baton Rouge master plan. The Metro Council is set to vote on a $1.85 million contract with Fregonese Associates Wednesday evening. If that deal is approved, Fregonese could be talking at his Thursday evening speech about the potential changes to the Horizon Plan. Admission to the summit is $25, but students and professors can get in for free and scholarships are available. For more details, click here.—Timothy Boone