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Louisiana Speaks – Vernon Parish Recovery Plan
Vernon Parish Louisiana Parish Plan as of Thursday, January 31, 2013 Table of Contents I. Introduction A. Parish Overview B. What Happened II. Recovery Process A. Overview B. Louisiana Recovery Planning C. Louisiana Speaks D. Local Community Involvement E. Recovery Methodology III. Parish Recovery Goals A. Recovery Needs and Priority Issues B. Recovery Vision and Strategic Goals IV. Recovery Projects A. Parish Project List B. Recovery Sectors C. Recovery Values D. Key Recovery Projects V. Implementation A. Implementation Recommendations B. Strategic Recovery Timeline VI. Appendix A. Parish Disaster Impact Assessment B. Recovery Tools C. Project Selection Criteria Introduction Vernon Parish Vernon is a rural parish on Louisiana's western border with Texas. The engines of the parish economy are the timber industry and support for the U.S. Army’s Fort Polk, a training center for light infantry and specialforces units. Part of the parish in the New Llano area was settled as an experimental Socialist colony at the turn of the twentieth century. Timbering still contributes steadily to the prosperity of Vernon, while hunting and fishing tourism increases each year. Leesville's charming downtown features turn of the century homes and businesses. After surviving a disaster such as a hurricane, people often reevaluate what is important in their lives (or their communities). Vernon Parish residents were asked what they most valued about their community, and they responded: “We treasure our heritage and history. The natural resources, especially fishing and wildlife, are a community treasure. We want to preserve Fort Polk and the timber industry.” Vernon Parish - What Happened On Friday, Sept. 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita struck the coastline of Louisiana near the Texas border as a strong Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 120 mph1 . Rita battered Vernon Parish for more than 24 hours. At the height of the storm, at approximately midnight, areas of the Parish were experiencing sustained winds of 85 to 95 mph. The eye of the hurricane passed through Cameron Parish and Sabine Pass, and then tracked north through Vernon Parish before being downgraded to a tropical storm late Saturday afternoon. Several tornados were reported throughout the Parish, causing extensive damage to the region’s timber industry. Vernon Parish became a focal point for residents evacuating from other parishes located near the coastline. According to the Sheriff’s department, more than 2,500 people registered with the parish as evacuees, and an additional 4,000 people were estimated to be staying with friends or relatives within the parish2 . After the hurricane struck, many parish residents began to evacuate themselves, due to the amount of damage sustained, the loss of power, and the decreased water and sewage capacity in various areas throughout the area. Approximately 50 percent of the homes and businesses in Vernon Parish received some damage, with 15 percent receiving major damage and 4 to 5 percent being a total loss. There were no major injuries reported within Vernon Parish as a result of the hurricane. 1 National Climatic Data Center, NOAA 2 Mr. Ken Noble, Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Department Recovery Process PLANNING PROCESS FOR LOUISIANA LONG-TERM COMMUNITY RECOVERY This Parish Recovery Planning Tool offers a look at how LongTerm Community Recovery (LTCR) planning works and how it has been developed in Louisiana. Included in this section are overviews of recovery strategies development, a summary of planning tools — some of which have been developed in Louisiana in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and a look at Louisiana public and community input into LTCR planning. Louisiana has embarked upon the most ambitious recovery planning efforts the country has seen. Widespread damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and multiple levee failures in New Orleans resulted in the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. More than 20 parishes are affected displacing over 1.4 million Louisiana residents across 50 states, many of whom have yet to return. More than 1,000 lives were lost; 217,000 homes and 18,000 businesses were damaged. Today, Louisiana faces the challenge of rebuilding one of the country’s most historic cities, a host of treasured communities across southern Louisiana, and an economic and housing infrastructure that in some parishes has been totally wiped out. The return of small businesses, governmental facilities and services are critical to Louisiana’s recovery. The restoration of acres of damaged or destroyed agricultural crops and fields as well as environmentally fragile waterways and wetlands that protect the Louisiana coast add to the recovery challenge facing the state. Ports, oil and gas drilling sites and shipping lanes that support energy and transportation needs for the country need to be restored as well. LOUISIANA RECOVERY PLANNING Louisiana LongTerm Community Recovery planning is about developing a sustainable, longterm vision for stormaffected communities so that rebuilding will provide better protection for Louisiana citizens, improve our communities and preserve those things most treasured by our people. LTCR planning in Louisiana is a partnership between the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency LTCR team. The LRA is Governor Kathleen Blanco’s leadership team for Louisiana recovery. As the cornerstone for the state’s overall recovery planning strategy, the LTCR planning process is assisting Louisiana government and community leadership in identifying high recovery value projects that can make the most of the recovery dollars to be invested in communities and the state. Parish teams that include state and federal planning partners were established across southern Louisiana and worked with local governments to develop customized recovery planning products and processes that are heavily dependent upon public input. More than 400 professionals were brought to the state through this partnership to work on Louisiana’s recovery effort. LOUISIANA SPEAKS: PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY INPUT TO RECOVERY LongTerm Community Recovery planning is about people and the communities in which they live. Public involvement and input is critical to the success of LTCR. LOUISIANA SPEAKS is the public face of the LRA and federal planning partnership. It brings together Louisiana citizens, federal agency technical staffs, local and regional planning bodies, citizen committees, nonprofits and local, state and national industry experts to identify and address Louisiana’s longterm recovery needs and opportunities. An important public input component of the process is a community visioning process that solicits broad representation of the local community so that recovery needs are thought about differently from preexiting community needs and immediate disaster relief. Longterm needs are captured and recorded through a series of input activities. The Louisiana LTCR planning process involves local community and state leadership at every level and includes workshops, community meetings, public open houses, draft plan reviews, neighborhood charrettes and regional plan visioning. It is important that every voice be heard as key decisions and funding priorities are set for Louisiana’s disaster recovery. To that end, LOUISIANA SPEAKS hosted a series of events and engaged in several data collection activities to reach as many Louisiana citizens as possible to solicit input into the planning and visioning process. To date, over 10,000 Louisiana citizens have participated in the Louisiana LTCR planning process. Through the use of survey instruments, traditional media and alternative outreach, and with the help of local United Way chapters, the Salvation Army, United Council of Churches and Volunteer Organizations Assisting Disasters, more than 80% of Louisiana citizens displaced by the hurricanes had an opportunity to share their thoughts about Louisiana recovery. OUTREACH EFFORTS INCLUDE: PARISH “SCOPING” MEETINGS. Posthurricane meetings were held by federal technical teams with parish and local officials to begin the parishbyparish needs assessment process. GOVERNMENTAL WORKSHOPS FOR RECOVERY PLANNING. Parish and local officials together with state and federal technical teams use GIS maps and other planning tools to envision a new future for each affected area. LOUISIANA RECOVERY PLANNING DAY. With the help of the American Society of Landscape Architects, American Planning Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Urban Land Institute, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Institute of Architects, International Economic Development Council and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s LongTerm Community Recovery Planning team, 37 Open House events were held simultaneously in 20 southern Louisiana parishes, five instate and 12 outofstate cities to solicit input from Louisiana citizens about their vision for parish and state recovery. More than 4,000 Louisiana citizens participated, sharing their ideas for rebuilding their neighborhoods and communities. Events reminded the nation about critical issues and needs facing Louisiana. PHONE SURVEY, ONE-ON-ONE INTERIEWS, STAKEHOLDER PRESENTATIONS AND ON-GOING CONTACT. More than 3,000 Louisiana citizens have participated in phone surveying to offer their input to Louisiana LTCR planning. Many community leaders have participated in oneonone interviews. Recovery planning presentations and ongoing contacts have been made to community stakeholder groups — economic development teams, chambers of commerce, civic groups, nonprofit organizations and others. Parish LTCR teams continue ongoing community contact. In addition to events hosted by LOUISIANA SPEAKS, several communities are engaged in their own planning process through LOCAL COMMUNITY RECOVERY TASK FORCES or RECOVERY COMMITTEES. Perhaps the most visible of these is the Bring New Orleans Back committee. The LTCR planning process provides assistance and support to local task forces and/or committees, and continues to provide planning tools and technical expertise through the parish recovery teams. Additional citizen and local government input continues through NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING CHARRETTES I, II AND III conducted in Lake Charles, Erath, Delcambre, Abbeville and Arabi. REGIONAL PLAN WORKSHOPS allow another opportunity for community involvement in the planning process. Vernon Parish - Community Involvement Executive Summary The public participation process for the Long Term Community Recovery (LTCR) process in Vernon Parish has been very robust. All layers of the community, including government, business and community leaders have been engaged in the planning process since the inception of the program in November. With the establishment of the Vernon LTCR Committee, the parish is wellpositioned to continue with the planning process on its own, and appears ready to build on the successes achieved to date. Stakeholders ● Vernon Parish ❍ Police Jury ❍ President of the Police Jury ❍ Sheriff’s Department ● ● ● ● ❍ Emergency Preparedness Director ❍ School Board and Superintendent ❍ Chamber of Commerce ❍ Tax Assessor’s Office ❍ Community Action Council ❍ Tourism Commission Village of Anacoco ❍ Mayor Town of Hornbeck ❍ Mayor City of Leesville ❍ City Administrator ❍ City Council ❍ Police Department ❍ Building Inspector ❍ Wastewater Treatment Plant ❍ Housing Authority Town of New Llano ❍ Mayor ❍ ● ● ● Town Council Village of Simpson ❍ Mayor ❍ Aldermen ❍ Town Council Social Service Organizations ❍ Representatives from local church groups ❍ Leesville Area Ministerial Alliance (LAMA) ❍ Vernon Ministers Associations ❍ Vernon Parish Community Coalition ❍ Rotary Club ❍ Byrd Hospital ❍ TriState Rehabilitation Hospital ❍ Knights of Columbus ❍ American Legion ❍ Veterans of Foreign Wars Other ❍ Local Businesses ❍ WalMart, Wheel Mart, Leesville Lumber ❍ Fort Polk ❍ Regional Planning District Representatives ❍ Leesville Daily Leader (Newspaper) Local Committee / Task Force The Vernon Parish LongTerm Community Recovery Committee was formed to be the main driver of this process. As stated above, the membership of the committee is comprised of various stakeholders from throughout the parish; it generally meets biweekly to discuss the status of the project and provide comments on the plan. At a Jan. 9, 2006, meeting of various stakeholders throughout Vernon Parish Bobby Hickman, Leesville Chief of Police, was selected to be the Chairman of the Vernon Parish LTCR Committee. The Committee is presently comprised of: ● Mayors from the incorporated towns in the Vernon Parish ● Representatives from the Vernon Parish Police Jury, Chamber of Commerce, and School Board ● City of Leesville City Administrator and a representative from the city council ● Local citizens and business owners who are serving as subcommittee leads for the various sectors: housing/community development; human services; environmental; infrastructure; economic development; transportation The subcommittee leads from each of the sectors recruited other citizens and business owners to serve on the subcommittee to help identify potential projects within that particular sector. Subcommittees meet on an as needed basis to discuss the projects that they have identified and to provide additional information into the project summaries. Members of the LTCR team work directly with each subcommittee to assist them in writing the project descriptions and to help facilitate the meetings, if requested. Input Events ● ● Governmental Workshop – (Dec. 14, 2005). Thirtythree community officials and representatives gathered at the Vernon Parish Fairgrounds to provide information that lays the groundwork for future steps. The meeting resulted in a list of issues, barriers, showstoppers, treasures, and partnerships for the LTCR Program. Louisiana Recovery Planning Day – (Jan. 21, 2006) Approximately 60 people participated in this open house event at the Vernon Parish Fairgrounds. The LTCR Team worked for over a week advertising the event in each of the communities within the Parish by distributing meeting flyers to churches; posting flyers at businesses; placing yard signs in strategic highvisibility locations throughout the Parish; and fax flyers to the schools and public officials’ offices. Two local radios stations conducted onair interviews with the Parish Lead to describe the event and encourage public participation, and aired Public Service Announcements throughout the week. Attendees placed markers on a map to indicate their homes; results indicated that there was widespread participation from most areas of Vernon Parish. ● ● Storefront Grand Opening-- (Jan. 12, 2006) that was attended by approximately 20 people. The event was a front page news story in the Leesville Daily Leader and top story on Channel 5 News. Direct Input LTCR Team members conducted facetoface interviews with the Mayors and City and Town Council members from Anacoco, Hornbeck, Leesville, New Llano, Rosepine, and Simpson, to determine the issues most important to each community. The public affairs officer for Fort Polk was interviewed to inquire about the needs and issues concerning Fort Polk. In addition to the interviews with public officials, interviews were also conducted with the director of the Chamber of Commerce in Vernon Parish, the City of Leesville building inspector, lumber industry representatives, the school board superintendent, along with many local residents of the parish. Day-to-day interaction with local decision-makers, general public Members of the LTCR team have attended and participated in various meetings of the local governments within Vernon Parish, including the local city council, police jury, and other governmental bodies such as the school board. Team members have also participated in the meetings of other nongovernmental groups such as the Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, Kiwanis, and VFW. On a daily basis, members of the LTCR team staff a Storefront located in the center of Leesville. People are welcome to meet with the staff and provide comments and ask questions about the LTCR program. Local leadership of implementation The main focus has been on developing projects and working with the community to gather information. Once the implementation phase of the program begins, the Vernon Parish Police Jury President, Melvin Haymon, and the LTCR Committee Chairman Bobby Hickman, Leesville Chief of Police, would be the likely selections for the principle points of contact. View the Parish Summary Page from Louisiana Planning Day (PDF) RECOVERY METHODOLOGY Recovery planning is complex. With a wide variety of needs, limited resources and as many opinions as to what is important as there are people, LongTerm Community Recovery (LTCR) planning can be even more complex. The LTCR planning process uses a stepbystep method to identify, evaluate and prioritize needs, define projects and develop implementation strategies. RECOVERY NEEDS. Disaster events disrupt the normal functioning of a community. The extent of damage differs for each event, and in each disaster the affected region, state, country and community has varying degrees of resources and capabilities available to address recovery needs. Planning professionals, in partnership with local community leadership and citizens, assess community damage and recovery capability to determine the impact of disasterrelated destruction. The assessment process identifies recovery needs that exist within predisaster community growth and development needs. Defining disaster related impacts and needs creates a community base line. An example of a disaster impact could be, “We lost 75% of our affordable housing.” An identified community need could be, “We need to rebuild affordable housing.” RECOVERY PRIORITY ISSUES. Certain recovery needs are more immediate than others — either they help “jump start” community recovery efforts; they are necessary before other projects can be done; or they have an immediacy that must be recognized. After identifying recovery needs, LTCR professionals work with community members to prioritize needs. Sometimes recovery needs are further complicated by additional issues that require consideration. For example, a community might identify a need to “rebuild affordable housing,” only to find that flooding or storm erosion has reduced the amount of land available for building. While priorities are different from parishtoparish, Louisiana residents who participated in Open House events agreed on several key issues. The following are among Louisiana citizens' top three recovery concerns: • better hurricane protection and levees • development of new housing • restoration of coastal areas RECOVERY GOALS. Establishing a community vision and goals is an important step in the LTCR process. It provides a structured framework that helps to guide recovery policies and the development of recovery programs and projects. Vision and goals also act as a standard the community can use to evaluate the progress of its recovery efforts and the amount of work still needed. Recovery vision and goals are informed by public input. Planning professionals help communities identify community recovery goals and those are confirmed through additional public input. Using the housing example, a community vision might be, “We value diversity.” A community goal might be, “We need to create 100 units of lowincome housing in the downtown area by January 2007.” RECOVERY PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. Clearly defined recovery projects, programs and policies aid communities in leveraging external funds (from foundations, philanthropists and other funding sources) and as a base from which to apply for government funds (Community Development Block Grants as an example). Projects are ranked according to recovery value (high, moderate, low or community interest) and the ranking further aids in obtaining funding. Recovery values are objective and determined by applying an evaluation methodology that includes a determination of how well each meets stated goals and its relationship to the overall recovery effort. A more complete description of the Recovery Value Tool, which is used to establish project recovery value, is found in the RECOVERY PLANNING TOOLS section of this website. Recovery projects included in the Parish RPT are ones that directly address needs resulting from the disaster and are additional to those already planned through other programs. Recovery projects are assigned a recovery value using a standardized methodology found in The LongTerm Community Recovery Planning Process: A Guide to Determining Project Recovery Values. Higher recovery value projects are consistent with community recovery visioning and goals, focus on overall community recovery and can achieve multiple recovery benefits. The RPT is a dynamic instrument; as new community needs are identified the Parish RPT will be able to reflect those changing conditions. Project modifications are still occurring. Parish RPT enhancements and refinements are ongoing. RECOVERY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND FUNDING SOURCES. The final stage in the process involves the development of an implementation strategy that outlines funding resources and processes to accomplish recovery projects. Using a Strategic Recovery Timeline (SRT), communities can plan how projects will be completed and track progress. More information on the SRT can be found in the Recovery Planning Tools section of this website. It is important to recognize that several recovery projects, programs or policies may be required to meet a single recovery goal, and projects can meet multiple goals. Parish Recovery Goals Vernon Parish - Priority Issues Economic and Workforce Development ● Attract new and diversified businesses, both large and small. Attract more family oriented restaurants, not just fast food. ● Attract better paying jobs that will encourage people to want to live here. ● Revitalize downtown Leesville. ● Expand the existing industrial park. ● Attract new and diversified businesses, both large and small. Attract more family oriented restaurants, not just fast food. Environmental Management ● Preserve, protect, and properly develop Toledo, Vernon and Anacoco Lakes, along with adjacent parks. ● Preserve, maintain and protect forests. Provide funding for replanting and debris cleanup, as well as for forest fire protection. ● Protect the wildlife. Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration ● Flooding from Sales Creek ● Protect and maintain the remaining coastal wetlands and reclaim what was lost. Human Services ● ● Establish a well organized and carefully planned emergency preparedness plan that also addresses community/social service programs. A multipurpose community center is needed to provide adequate evacuee shelter, additionally it would provide a place for young people and seniors to utilize, and an alternate meeting location to the Parish Fairgrounds facilities. ● Provide a vocational school to provide training for skilled labor. Existing schools also require improvement and modernization. ● The health care system needs improvement with the addition of more specialized medical professionals in the area. Transportation and Infrastructure ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Improvements are required to all public utilities. Power lines should be placed underground, water and lift stations should have emergency generator backups. Evacuation routes need to be modernized, widened, and better managed. Designated service stations should be required to have emergency backup generators. Road improvements are needed to many of the roads in Vernon Parish, specifically Highways 171, 28, and 8. A plan to alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 171 is required. Potential solutions include a bypass, and/or additional local roads that parallel Highway 171. Provide new and affordable housing options, including multifamily, patio homes, condominiums, and single family homes throughout the Parish. Leesville Airport needs to be improved and upgraded in order to attract additional businesses to the area and assist in emergency transportation needs during a disaster. Additional capacity is needed to many of the communities throughout Vernon Parish for water and sewer systems. Housing and Community Development ● ● Existing housing facilities require renovation and/or remodeling to comply with current codes and standards. Establish a zoning and land use planning commission to control growth, manage development plans and ensure they are consistent with the Parish’s vision. Adopt building codes and inspection procedures to ensure proper construction practices are met. Vernon Parish - Local Recovery Vision In the next 10 to 20 years Vernon Parish will: ● Be a vibrant community flourishing with diversified large and small businesses throughout the Parish ● Be a welltrained, welleducated and wellcompensated workforce, full of lifelong Vernon Parish residents ● Have wellorganized and wellplanned residential communities with a wide variety of housing options for all income levels ● Be the envy of the state and the nation due to our beautiful lakes, fish and wildlife resources, recreational areas and vibrant timber industry ● ● ● ● Ensure that Leesville has a revitalized and thriving downtown revolving around our history and heritage, specifically our Historic Courthouse Building Maintain our smalltown atmosphere, low crime rate, quality public school system, and the spirit of camaraderie throughout our entire community Have a wellequipped multipurpose community center which will also serve as an emergency evacuation center Plan and implement a wellmanaged evacuation plan for our residents and for our southern neighbors to find refuge in the event of a future emergency Parish Goals Environmental Housing and Community Development ● ● Repair 295 damaged homes in Vernon Parish within 6 to 12 months. ● Replace approximately 50% of the 118 severely damaged homes, as identified by FEMA, within 36 months. ● Economic and Workforce Development Public Health and Healthcare Take concrete steps within 3 to 5 years to improve the water quality of two impacted lakes and ensure orderly development on adjacent properties. ● ● Increase local capacity to control growth, consistent with the Parish vision, by establishing a parishwide planning commission within 12 months. Initiate local measures within 12 months to attract new and diversified businesses, both large and small, to Vernon Parish. Create renewal area on east side of U.S. Highway 171 to encourage replacement of deteriorating businesses within 12 to 24 months. ● Construct comprehensive streetscape improvements in the Downtown Leesville Historic District within 36 months. ● Expand the North Leesville Industrial Park by 150 acres within the next 18 to 24 months. ● Provide health care services, facilities and workforce training in order to support a health care system that meets the changed needs resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, by 2012. Transportation and Infrastructure Public Safety ● Repair and expand the capacity of the Sabine River Bridge for those evacuating east/west within 12 to 24 months. ● Make necessary improvements to all evacuation routes within 4 years. ● Promote growth in Vernon Parish by extending the availability of sewer lines, where feasible, within 3 years. ● Provide auxiliary power to all critical infrastructure and essential service facilities within 6 to 12 months. ● ● ● Human Services Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration ● ● Revise and update the parish’s emergency preparedness plan to provide better communication and cooperation between agencies within the next 12 months. Within 3 months provide local stakeholders and parish residents with emergency preparedness training designed to enhance current levels of readiness. Rebuild key emergency communications infrastructure within 3 months to ensure seamless parishwide emergency communications. Build a multipurpose community center for the Parish within 30 months that will also provide adequate shelters for coastal and regional evacuees. Within 12 to 24 months improve the drainage of the Sales Branch area of Sales Creek to prevent future flooding. Recovery Projects Sector Project Name Recovery Value Housing and Community Development Establish a Parish Planning Commission Low Recovery Value Economic and Workforce Development Establish Vernon Economic Development Corporation Low Recovery Value Transportation and Infrastructure Complete and Expedite U.S. Highway 28 Expansion Community Interest Transportation and Infrastructure Implement Watershed Planning Comm. & Sewer System Low Recovery Value Public Safety Rebuild the Emergency Communications Tower Community Interest Human Services Build MultiPurpose Community Ctr/Evac. Shelter Low Recovery Value Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration Dredge and Clear Sales Creek for Flood Prevention Low Recovery Value Recovery Sectors The ability to view projects by Recovery Sector (areas of specific interests) facilitates collaboration between similar projects within a parish, or among multiple parishes. The nine Recovery Sectors were developed using the framework established by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), the Office of Gulf Coast Recovery and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s LongTerm Community Recovery team. Local residents; state, local and federal governments; community stakeholders; nonprofits and private industry can compare local recovery projects with recovery projects in neighboring parishes or parishes across the state. Recovery Values Projects are assigned a “Recovery Value” based on their ability to help jumpstart a community’s recovery from a natural disaster or incident of national significance. Projects that positively contribute to recovery typically address a broad range of issues that promote a functioning and healthy economy, support infrastructure optimization, and encourage provision of a full range of housing opportunities. Predicated on a series of general criteria, each project in a LTCR plan was assigned a High, Moderate or Low Recovery Value, or fall into the "Community Interest" category. High Value recovery projects are directly related to storm effects; address multiple affected areas/sectors; have likely funding sources and high local support; and hence provide the most storm recovery benefit. Moderate Value recovery projects are more limited in scope, span, impact or benefits. They have limited support or benefits and less definable outcomes. Low Value recovery projects are more indirectly linked to the disaster or damages, have little community support. Community Interest recovery projects may have significant local support, but do not have any relationship to the disaster, would not produce results within five years, or do not produce identifiable benefits to promote recovery. However, a community may want to complete a project that has high visibility and strong community support but a moderate or community interest recovery value in order to have an immediate success and sustain the community interest and support for LTCR. Key Projects by Sector Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Establish a Parish Planning Commission Recovery Value Low Recovery Value Goal Increase local capacity to control growth, consistent with the Parish vision, by establishing a parishwide planning commission within 12 months. Sector Housing and Community Development Scope Many areas within Vernon Parish will benefit from the project, especially in the unincorporated areas, that do not have zoning regulations, subdivision regulations, or building code requirements. These controls do however exist within the City of Leesville and Town of New Llano. This project would commence with a comprehensive planning document that inventories the physical and cultural attributes of the parish as a basis for suitable future land use. It will also focus on the historical economic basis of the parish as an aid to determining future land use policy and anticipated trends. This approach will facilitate safe and orderly development in the event of another hurricane as well as improvements to the quality of life in the region. The result will lead to sustainable future development that will fulfill the postdisaster needs of the parish and neighboring parishes to the south. Once a planning and zoning commission is formed by the police jury, attention will focus on the parish plan and future land use, zoning, subdivision regulations, and building construction guidelines in conformance with the international building code. The steps proposed to establish these controls are as follows: 1) The Vernon Parish Police Jury would establish a Planning and Zoning Commission in accordance with applicable State of Louisiana law. 2) The newly formed Planning and Zoning Commission would adopt bylaws to govern itself. 3) The Planning and Zoning Commission would adopt subdivision regulations based on a review of sample regulations from neighboring jurisdictions and an effort to be compatible with the City of Leesville, the seat of parish government. 4) The Planning and Zoning Commission reviews state building code requirements and recommends to the police jury a building code for the regulation of the construction of all buildings. 5) The Police Jury adopts a Building Code and Permit Fee system and hires/contracts a Building Inspector. 6) The Police Jury contracts for a parish master plan to include existing and future land use studies and the development of a zoning ordinance. 7) The Planning and Zoning Commission recommends plan approval and the respective zoning ordinance and map to the Police Jury. 8) The Police Jury adopts the parish master plan, zoning ordinance, and land use map. Continued administration of the land use control system is funded by building permit fees and the general fund. Estimated Costs $ 75,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Establish Vernon Economic Development Corporation Recovery Value Low Recovery Value Goal Initiate local measures within 12 months to attract new and diversified businesses, both large and small, to Vernon Parish. Sector Economic and Workforce Development Scope The Economic Development Corporation will be formed as a 501(c)(3) organization. A 501(c)(3) is defined as an organization that is a nonprofit entity to which contributions are taxdeductible to the extent permitted by law. The focus will be to serve as the lead entity for economic development. The organization will serve as an economic development leader in the parish by coordinating and collaborating with all municipalities, parish officials and staff, chamber members, and the general population. The VEDC will serve as a catalyst for economic development in the parish by coordinating and collaborating with all municipalities, parish officials and staff, chamber members, and the general population. The VEDC will function as the lead entity to undertake economic development planning and marketing in the parish. The VEDC will focus efforts on business development, research and funding assistance for businesses. Business Development • Facilitate expansion of local existing industries and businesses. • Assist in locating a building or site for new development. • Coordinate with the local training providers on training for new and existing workers. • Assist companies in applying for incentives offered by the State Department of Economic Development and Department of Labor. Research, Resource and Referral • Provide data on available sites, buildings and industrial parks. • Compile lists of area businesses and their products/services from OEDC databases. Funding Assistance • Locate funding sources for businesses, especially through nontraditional sources. • Help businesses obtain available state and federal program funds. Attracting new businesses to Vernon Parish is the primary goal of the VEDC. The VEDC will develop a comprehensive parish wide marketing plan which will help Vernon Parish continue to grow. The VEDC shall be a subsidiary organization of the Chamber of Commerce. Its creation shall take the following steps: • The existing Economic Development committee of the Chamber of Commerce will be the initial Board of Directors of the VEDC. The committee will add members as best meets their needs. • The Board will adopt bylaws and apply to the IRS for tax exempt status. • The Board will market the VEDC to all municipalities within the parish, the membership of the Chamber, and the police jury, to raise funds. • The Board will secure office space, furnishings, and equipment within the community. • The Board will advertise for and hire an Executive Director. Estimated Costs $ 60,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Complete and Expedite U.S. Highway 28 Expansion Recovery Value Community Interest Goal Make necessary improvements to all evacuation routes within 4 years. Sector Transportation and Infrastructure Scope The expansion of U.S. Highway 28 from Leesville to Alexandria from a 2lane highway to a 4lane highway is an ongoing project and a priority project for LADOTD. The project has been divided into several phases, some of which have been completed, are near completion, soon to be let, or waiting for funding. There are three sections of U.S. Highway 28 where construction has not begun; two of these sections are within Vernon Parish, with the third section within Rapides Parish. Two of the sections already have funding, while the third section, located within Vernon Parish, has yet to be funded. The section within Vernon Parish that has received funding is project number 417010015, which extends ten miles from the junction of LA 121 to the junction of LA 465. According to LADOTD this section will be let in December 2006, and is estimated to cost approximately $19,320,000. The cost estimate for this section of highway was completed prehurricane; therefore it is likely that the actual costs for construction could be as much as 20% higher than originally estimated. This could place the cost of this construction over $23 million. Should this occur, the LADOTD will need to determine if it will continue to fund the project or reject the bids. Given the importance of this highway, it is important that additional funding be sought to continue the project and to not postpone other sections of the highway to later dates. The second section of U.S. Highway 28, which has yet to be funded, extends 4.3 miles from the junction of LA 465 to the Vernon/Rapides line. The cost estimate for this section of highway is $15 million. Since this section of highway would be the only section of highway between Leesville and Alexandria to remain a 2lane highway, it is in all likelihood that this section of highway will receive funding within the next five years in order to complete the entire stretch of highway. The third section of U.S. Highway 28 that has been approved for funding is project number 417020024, which extends from the Vernon/Rapides Parish lines to LA 121, within Rapides Parish. The cost estimate of this section is $20 million and is scheduled to be let in July 2007. U.S. Highway 28 is a part of a highway system being sponsored by the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition, which was formed to promote improvements in deployment routes for Army installations near the Gulf Coast. It is made up of representatives of communities along the proposed corridors in Texas and Louisiana. The Gulf Coast Strategic Highway System was initially conceived as an upgrade of existing highways in Texas and Louisiana. The simple objective was to provide better highways between Fort Bliss, Fort Hood and Fort Polk and the strategic ports at Corpus Christi and Beaumont. This new "Trans Texas" route would cross the Sabine River about 10 miles south of Toledo Bend Reservoir, connecting with Louisiana Highways 8 and 28, a short distance from Fort Polk. U.S Highway 8 and U.S. Highway 28 pass through Leesville, Alexandria and Jonesville before crossing the Mississippi River. Portions of this highway are already four lane highways, with other sections being improved. The Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition has supported the upgrade of all sections of the corridor across Central Louisiana. This project also ties with a proposed new interstate, Interstate 14, which passes through the midsections of Mississippi, Alabama and into Eastern Georgia. Legislation proposing this route has been introduced in Congress by members from the three states involved. It would provide an important alternative to I10 and I20, both of which carry significant longhaul freight traffic, would relieve some of the truck traffic congestion in the Atlanta area, and would provide an alternative route between Houston and Baton Rouge, which is already in need of congestion relief and was overextended during evacuations. Estimated Costs $ 42,000,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Implement Watershed Planning Comm. & Sewer System Recovery Value Low Recovery Value Goal Take concrete steps within 3 to 5 years to improve the water quality of two impacted lakes and ensure orderly development on adjacent properties. Sector Transportation and Infrastructure Scope This project primarily focuses on the water quality in Anacoco and Vernon Lakes. Many of the homes in the area have private sewage systems that drain directly into the lakes. Many homes do not provide adequate protection from household waste pollution. Attention was especially drawn to this issue after Hurricane Rita. Many households within the Parish, including those around each of the lakes, housed additional people who evacuated to Vernon Parish. The increase in population using the existing septic systems placed a major strain on the systems capacity. Flooding was not a major issue in Vernon Parish during the hurricane, since the area had been under drought conditions for several weeks prior to the storm. Had conditions been such that the ground was saturated, the seven inches of rain that did fall during the storm would have produced severe flooding conditions that would lead to an environmental disaster. The Vernon Parish Lake Commission recently lowered the Vernon Lake by 4 feet and conducted a survey to document private septic tank discharge into the lake. Robert Shirley, Chairman of the Lake Commission, conducted the survey. 410 homes were inspected; more than 50% had inadequate sewage systems. The homeowners were subsequently issued citations. This project also intends to provide a rural public wastewater management system within the watershed areas of both lakes to prevent such a disaster, as described above, from ever occurring. The number of homes that could connect to such a system depends on the amount of available funding and preliminary engineering studies documenting the project’s feasibility. Available data indicates that at least 250 homes could receive service from this system in an initial phase. Sewer service would only be provided to areas where building density would be economically feasible. A starting point for the project would be within the Town of Anacoco and the homes near the town that are directly on the lake. Preliminary engineering (Phase 1) studies will define collection and treatment alternatives, including research for alternative design systems. The most affordable and flexible system would be a low pressure, small diameter pipe collection system that would take effluent from primary treatment tanks (or grinder pumps) at each dwelling. The water from these tanks would be pumped under pressure to a treatment facility. Preliminary observations indicate that there are three treatment options (or a combination of the three): 1. Pump the effluent to Hornbeck. This option may work in the northern section of the watershed. The wastewater treatment facility in Hornbeck would need to be upgraded to increase its capacity. 2. Pump the effluent to the City of Leesville's wastewater system for treatment. The connection could be made in the Fairgrounds area. The treatment plant would need an up grade to increase capacity. 3. Construct a new wastewater treatment facility in a strategic location between both lakes. A secondary benefit of this project is the development of additional infrastructure in the lake region to encourage new housing growth and promote economic development within the Parish. The Police Jury should apply for a USDA RD Technical Assistance Grant to fund an engineering feasibility study for this project. The Vernon Parish Lake Commission, created by the Police Jury, should be the lead developer of this project. It is intended that the Lake Commission will change its status into a Utility District that will meet State and Federal legal requirements. The existing Lake Commission will, therefore, function as the utility board. Additional funding opportunities include: • Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities, Department of Agriculture • Solid Waste Management Grants, Department of Agriculture • Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants, Department of Agriculture. The water quality in Anacoco and Vernon Lakes was significantly impacted by the hurricane due to increased effluent runoff from private septic systems. The Watershed Planning and Utility Commission will promote and through access to utility service direct the orderly development of residential and commercial property adjacent to the lakes. Estimated Costs $ 4,000,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Rebuild the Emergency Communications Tower Recovery Value Community Interest Goal Rebuild key emergency communications infrastructure within 3 months to ensure seamless parishwide emergency communications. Sector Public Safety Scope Rebuild the Parish's Emergency Communications Tower, increasing the height from the original 300 feet to a height of 480 feet. Vernon Parish’s Emergency Communications Tower was destroyed during Hurricane Rita due to the high winds during the storm. The tower is a critical element of the emergency responsiveness of the parish. The scope of work includes: Removal of the fallen tower and the damaged heliax cable from the adjacent building. Removal a 10FT x 6FT section of metal siding. Removal of a damaged door. Removal of a 10 FT x 10 FT section of metal roof panel. Installation of a new 500 FT guyed tower with three antennas, foundation and guy anchors up to current codes and standards. Installation of new Heliax cabling between the radio room adjacent to the tower and the antennas located at the top of the tower (2000 FT of cable). Installation of new metal siding to match existing siding (6 FT x 10 FT section). Installation of a new 3'0" W x 8'0" H Steel Man door. Installation of new 6 FT x 10 FT section of metal roof panel. Repair the amplifier of the radio repeater/transmitter equipment. Vernon Parish is self insured; therefore, no claim was filed for the damaged sustained to the tower. The Police Jury submitted a Project Worksheet (FEMA Form 9091) on October 14, 2005 to request financial assistance in replacing the tower. The Parish received $20,000 from the United Way on January 18, 2006, with a condition that the Parish must provide matching funds. The Communications Tower is included in the Parish's Hazard Mitigation Plan. Vernon Parish made an original request to FEMA for assistance under the Public Assistance program. Vernon Parish would like to increase the height of the tower to 480'. This increase is necessary due to the terrain and will improve communication capabilities. The additional request for funding is considered an "Improved Project". Should the additional funding request through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Funding Section 406 not receive approval, the Parish would only restore the structure to the original height of 300'. Estimated Costs $ 180,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Build MultiPurpose Community Ctr/Evac. Shelter Recovery Value Low Recovery Value Goal Build a multipurpose community center for the Parish within 30 months that will also provide adequate shelters for coastal and regional evacuees. Sector Human Services Scope A modern community center will be developed for the parish that will be utilized as an economic development mechanism. The facility will also serve as a safe evacuation center to address the issue of inadequate evacuation facilities encountered during Hurricane Rita. Shelter space and services were not available for all those who entered the parish seeking assistance. The Central Louisiana Red Cross has proposed to dedicate approximately $3 million dollars towards the construction of a community center for Vernon Parish. A presentation to the Vernon Parish Police Jury on Monday, February 6, 2006, outlined their offer to provide financial support for the project. With this funding, the Parish government can begin construction of a community center/evacuation shelter within 12 months of an approved design. Vernon Parish submitted a letter of interest to the Central Louisiana Red Cross on February 27, 2006. The Central Louisiana American Red Cross chapter submitted an initial report to Magna Corporation and the Canadian Red Cross via electronic mail on March 3, 2006. The Vernon Parish plan included the following requirements of the proposed facility : • 30,000 sq. feet of Sheltering Space • 3,500 sq. feet for Kitchen, Restroom and Shower Facilities • 4,000 sq. feet of Warehouse Space • 2,500 sq. feet of Office Space/Meeting Rooms This new construction will develop a shelter facility with: • Dressing and Shower Areas • Laundry Facilities • Kitchen Facility • Communication Center • Warehouse Space • Emergency Power • Animal Sheltering Capabilities Additional uses of the facility may include, but not be limited to the following: • Computerized Learning Facility • Small Business Incubator • Office space for lease to new/existing community based organizations. • Community Recreation Department The Community Center could host cultural events such as concerts, plays and the Vernon Parish Symphony. Additionally, this facility would incorporate all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act for designation as a "Special Needs" shelter. The facility would be designed to provide adequate space to accommodate other community based organizations that could support recovery efforts following a disaster. The Vernon Parish Police Jury is in the process of selecting a suitable location for this facility. Current site evaluations are focused on available open space within the parish to accommodate such a structure. It is a requirement of the Central Louisiana Red Cross that Vernon Parish support the facility with ongoing maintenance. In an effort to incorporate several smaller projects, the proposed Economic Development Corporation would manage the revenue generation effort. Additional funding opportunities include: • Equipment/computers for a Computerized Lab through Microsoft Giving ProgramsMicrosoft’s Unlimited Potential Program. • WK Kellogg Foundation grant for Rural Development and Youth and Education. • Hasbro Foundation provides grants to fund universally accessible play spaces. • Program on Human and Community Development, John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. • Goizueta Foundation offers grant opportunities in the areas of education, human services, arts & cultural and services to the disabled. • IBM Corporation provides grants in the areas of Adult Education and Workforce Development. A cooperative training opportunity to expand current funding through WIA, using the Community Center as a training site. • JC Penney offers grants for Civic Betterment. • Texas Instruments Foundation grants support civic, educational, research, charitable, health, welfare and cultural organizations. • Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants through USDA Rural Development. Estimated Costs $ 3,600,000 Key Projects By Sector Vernon Economic Development Corporation Project Name Dredge and Clear Sales Creek for Flood Prevention Recovery Value Low Recovery Value Goal Within 12 to 24 months improve the drainage of the Sales Branch area of Sales Creek to prevent future flooding. Sector Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration Scope The Sales Branch area of Sales Creek, between LA 171 and Castor Creek, floods during periods of very heavy rain. The project aims to alleviate the conditions that cause flooding by clearing debris and dredging the creek. The Sales Branch area of Sales Creek, between LA 171 and Castor Creek, needs to be dredged and cleaned out to remove hurricane related and other debris which is contributing to the conditions that are causing the area to flood during heavy rainfall. The City of Leesville did clean up as much debris as possible utilizing their existing resources and funds. However, there is still additional work that needs to occur to better mitigate any potential flooding conditions. On December 13, 2003, over 40 acres in this area, including 14 businesses, which were considered to not be within the floodplain, were flooded due to heavy rains. The same situation would have likely occurred due to the 7 inches of rain that fell during Hurricane Rita. There had been a long drought prior to the hurricane, which allowed the ground to absorb much of the rain instead of creating the same flooding conditions. This project is meant to prevent future flooding and ensure that this level of damage does not happen again. Estimated Costs $ 100,000 Implementation Implementation Guidelines “A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.” - Frank Herbert, Dune The process of preparing this plan spanned six months. The implementation process, to be successful, will require a longer commitment. Although the magnitude of the challenge may be daunting, it is worth considering that each decision – large and small – is now made easier by the direction given by the plan. In addition, decision makers will be able to grasp the interconnectedness of issues and solutions, and act decisively and with greater confidence. To insure that implementation proceeds in an orderly and coordinated fashion, it is important to adopt a process which clarifies tasks, responsibilities and timelines. The diagram on the following page illustrates a sample process which is applicable to this plan. It identifies a stepbystep procedure which, if followed, will maintain the integrity of the plan and produce tangible results. BEGINNING The first phase of an implementation program is critical. Excitement generated by expectations of the plan’s positive impact is at a peak and enthusiasm is high. In order to maintain this momentum, it is essential to program some very visible successes early in the implementation process. The best strategies involve aligning plan implementation with current projects that support established goals so that: 1. The ongoing projects can benefit from the new energy of the plan; and 2. The community sees positive results flowing from the implementation process. The Allen Parish Recovery Plan has some distinct advantages along these lines because there are several ongoing projects and efforts which can become part of this process. The phasing sequence table on this page illustrates the projects and initiatives identified during the master plan divided into three categories – ongoing efforts, nearterm projects and longterm projects. Among the ongoing projects are several which are already funded and are in development. Others are awaiting funding to proceed. Concentrated efforts on these ongoing projects would almost guarantee a successful beginning to the implementation phase. THE PROCESS The following is a description of the implementation process along with the diagram mentioned earlier. It is meant to serve as an example of the kind of issues which need to be addressed as the implementation moves forward. Some adjustments will have to be made according to the municipalities, and by other civic groups and subdivisions so that they can lend support to implementation efforts and use the plan to guide and enrich their ongoing efforts. Step 1: Formal Adoption of the Recovery Plan – This is an important step because it gives validity to the plan and enables local officials to use it when seeking support from both private and public agencies. It would also be advantageous to have it adopted by the parish’s Step 2: Form Implementation Team – The reason many plans fail to achieve their goals is a lack of responsibility for implementation. Therefore, once the plan is adopted, the next step is to officially gather a group who will be tasked with monitoring its implementation. This group should be diverse in composition (see diagram examples) and should include people and entities that have the skills and passion necessary to accomplish the task. The team should be made aware of the duration of their participation as well as the responsibilities and rewards of participation. The responsibilities will be outlined in the following steps. In the initial phases it may be advisable to contract all or part of this work to a professional “coach” or consultant if resources can be made available. As resources permit, permanent staff should be hired to coordinate and generate implementation efforts. Step 3: Develop Action Steps – This part of the process should be approached with deliberation and commitment. There are several intermediate activities within this step. First, the team must identify which initiatives and projects are most urgent. These can then be prioritized and divided into “ongoing”, “nearterm” and “longterm” efforts. In the early stages it is important that selections include some projects which: ● will have a highly visible positive impact in the community; ● have a high probability of success; ● involve a wide cross section of the community; and ● will build confidence and increase the capacity of the community to take on more difficult tasks. Next, a strategy is developed that attempts to identify the assets required to affect the desired results. As shown on the chart, at least three major issues need to be addressed: ● ● ● What is needed? (i.e. project data, research, planning, funding, etc.); Who will be responsible and what their responsibilities will be? (i.e. assemble a committee, compile required information, determine costs, secure applications, monitor progress, make presentations) If necessary, where the funding will come from? Next, it is important to identify a variety of funding sources and to focus on building mutually advantageous partnerships between local, regional, public and private sources. Local funds might come from municipal funds, parish funds, the Tourism Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, area foundations, etc. Private funds can come from area businesses, individuals, Indian tribes, families, etc. State and federal funding sources might include the Corps of Engineers, Land and Water Conservation Service, Transportation Department, Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries, DoTD, Economic Development Council, etc. It is a mistake to become totally dependent on grant funding. Rarely are these funds available without a local match, and the reporting and accounting for their use is often very timeconsuming. Next, a public information campaign should be organized which will allow the team to communicate its efforts, successes, and delays to the community. Ideally, this step will help attract willing volunteers who will join in the overall effort, help keep expectations high and insure the integrity of the effort. The final item is a “nuts and bolts” issue. In order to coordinate this effort, establishing a centrally located implementation headquarters should be a high priority. It will help guarantee a unified effort that is well coordinated among the various participants and help to avoid confusion in the community. This will require some expenditures for communications and office supplies. Step 4: Develop Schedule – Once the preceding step is well defined, the team should agree upon a realistic schedule linked to the specific tasks required. The schedule should include: ● application deadlines, ● “drop dead” dates on essential intermediate tasks, and ● projected result timelines. This schedule will be very important to engage the local media and to maintain the support and enthusiasm of the community during what can be a very long process. Step 5: Go to Work – This terminology does not imply that no work is involved in arriving at this point. Rather, it is used in order to stress the importance of being well organized before attempting to tackle a complicated project. At this step, the work required should be well understood and can be approached in a coordinated fashion which will enhance the possibility of success and limit frustration. Maintaining a “can do” attitude among the team will be important as will providing consistent communication with all stakeholders. The communication function is crucial to maintaining trust and insuring the continued investment of public funds. Successes should be celebrated and problems honestly disclosed so that expectations are realistic. Step 6: Evaluation – The evaluation step serves two purposes: 1. Allow the team to report successes, assess progress, and share information. 2. Revise work plans in order to incorporate new strategies and abandon fruitless pursuits (events outside the control of the team may occur which can substantially change the direction and schedule of individual efforts.) Another important aspect of the evaluation is to maintain the confidence of the team and illustrate progress. Evaluations should be scheduled on a quarterly basis for all efforts and may need to be more frequent for fastermoving projects. As shown on the chart, the evaluation marks the completion of one cycle of the implementation process. The process begins again at Step 3: Develop Action Steps and continues to cycle again. Some projects may stay in the cycle many times before they are accomplished while others are in and out in a single cycle. In addition, it is important to consider that as projects are implemented and needs change, it will be necessary to revisit and update the plan. Plan updates, depending upon the success of implementation efforts, should be scheduled as soon as two years and no more than five years after completion. ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCES Please see the Appendix for additional implementation tools including a Guide to using the Parish Recovery Planning Tool, Funding for Recovery Projects resources. APPENDIX Appendix Vernon Parish--Damage Impact and Needs Assessment Economic and Workforce Development ● The Louisiana Department of Agriculture, Office of Forestry, estimates that 4.0% of the timber in Vernon Parish was damaged due to Hurricane Rita. ❍ 115 million board feet of pine timber was damaged, which represents 2 years worth of harvests damaged. ❍ ● ● ● 29 million board feet of hardwood timber was damaged, which represents 10 years worth of harvests damaged. The unemployment rate for Vernon Parish increased from 5.6% in November 2004 to 8.7% in November 2005. The number of people unemployed increased by 779 people. The assessed value on four selected properties in Vernon Parish prior to the hurricane was $16,740. The changed assessed value after the hurricane was $13,010, representing a loss of 22% of the assessed value. Unemployment claims have increased from 243 (preKatrina) to 912 (preRita). As of December 2005 there were 610 unemployment claims. (JHSC) Environmental Management ● ● ● ● There was a significant amount of debris collected and disposed of following the hurricane. Approximately 28,000 cubic yards of debris was collected and burned or buried in the Vernon Parish Landfill. The water quality in Anacoco and Vernon Lakes was significantly impacted by the hurricane due to increased effluent runoff from private septic systems. A considerable amount of illegal dumping into the lakes also raised additional water quality concerns. The amount of timber damaged by the hurricane resulted in extensive accumulations of debris in the forests. Much of this is being harvested as quickly as possible; however, atypical amounts will remain increasing fire hazards in drought conditions. The excessive loss of hardwood timber has negatively impacted wetland zones where they have been regulated and preserved. Human Services ● There was a lack of adequate evacuation facilities needed to provide proper shelter and emergency services during the hurricane. Shelter space and services were not available for all those who entered the parish seeking assistance Public Health and Healthcare ● It was necessary to evacuate many residents, especially those in mobile homes, special needs and some nursing homes, as well as some of those evacuating to the Parish, since there was no potable water or proper sewage available. Education ● Enrollment has increased by 1% in the school district. Specifically there has been an increase of 99 students in December 2005 versus December 2004 enrollments.(JHSC) Public Safety ● ● The emergency communications system was damaged when the radio tower was destroyed. There was an apparent breakdown of understanding of what the defined roles/responsibilities were in order for the parish to effectively handle the amount of evacuees. Key evacuation centers throughout the Parish did not have emergency generators to help keep the thousands of evacuees in somewhat comfortable conditions. Transportation and Infrastructure ● All areas of Vernon Parish lost electrical power for time periods ranging from several days to over two weeks. ❍ 41% of Vernon Parish was without power for approximately 45 days, with the other 59% still without power. ❍ 20% of Vernon Parish was still without power approximately 1 week after Hurricane Rita struck. ❍ The remainder of Vernon Parish had their power restored approximately 2 weeks after the storm. ● The loss of electrical power caused major outages and disruptions to the water supply and sewage systems. ● Service stations along key evacuation routes were left without the ability to provide fuel to those attempting to seek safer conditions. ● Many vehicles were running out of fuel along the side of the road due to the traffic congestion. ● ● There were reports of babies being born in the back of cars since there was no way to get to a hospital or for emergency equipment to navigate along the evacuation routes. The emergency communication system within the City of Leesville and the Parish were knocked out due to the power outages, as well as the loss (collapse) of the radio tower. ● Roads and highways designated as Hurricane Evacuation Routes were over extended causing massive traffic back ups throughout the Parish. ● Many public buildings and facilities within the Parish were damaged to some degree as a result of the storm. ● Leesville Elementary School ’s roof was blown off causing approximately $50,000 in damage. ● The radio communications tower for the Parish was knocked down, as well as the radio towers for the local radio stations. Housing and Community Development ● As a result of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita there was an increase of 569 (3.1%) households within Vernon Parish. (JHSC) ● ● Many homes and businesses within the Parish were damaged to some degree as a result of the storm. ❍ 50% of the homes and businesses had minor damage, such as damaged roofs. ❍ 15% received major damage, such as trees falling into a home or business. ❍ 5% of the damage was a total loss. There was damage to approximately 295 housing units in Vernon Parish, with major damage to at least 118 homes. (JHCS), 12/4/05 FEMA assessment. ● 3,708 households (17%), including 569 displaced households within Vernon Parish are considered eligible for FEMA assistance. (JHSC) ● The Small Business Administration (SBA) has received 86 applications by residents of Vernon Parish who were referred by FEMA. ● ● Despite U.S. Census data, there is a desperate need for decent, safe, sanitary affordable housing within the Parish, especially in the wake of the hurricane due to the increase in rent. Proper zoning, land use planning and building inspections are needed within the Parish. Sources Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office (Mr. Ken Noble), Tax Assessor, Police Jury, Lake Commission Leesville Daily Leader, 9/27/05 RECOVERY PLANNING TOOLS Suites of planning products are used to ensure appropriate technical support and planning consistency, allowing parish and sector planning views as well as a comprehensive platform from which to view regional and statewide projects. Those tools include: Self-Help Guide – The SelfHelp Guide was produced and rolled out in Louisiana for use in Louisiana’s disaster recovery and later for nationwide disaster recovery response. It is designed to assist those communities that have planning capacity and capability to recover from the disasters’ impact. “SelfHelp” communities can benefit from the experience and best practices captured from 12 previously successful longterm recovery pilot initiatives and incorporated into the Self Help Guide. Recovery Value Tool – Communities face many challenges following a disaster, including determining where recovery resources are to be best invested. The Recovery Value Tool guides federal, state and community planning teams in determining the recovery value of project ideas as they are identified by the community by using a systematic evaluation methodology to categorize projects as high, moderate or low recovery value. A fourth category, community interest projects, may not have a significant recovery value but may be of important interest to the community. Recognizing that tough choices must be made during the rebuilding effort, the Tool facilitates planning and implementation activities for those high recovery value projects that can have a catalytic effect on a community’s recovery. The Recovery Value Tool was created with the input of federal partners and developed from the experience and best practices captured from 12 previously successful longterm recovery pilot initiatives. It is currently being implemented across Louisiana, and will also be adopted for future disaster response in other areas of the country. Parish Recovery Planning Tool (RPT)– The Parish Recovery Planning Tool provides a transparent and collaborative forum for recovery planning and implementation. The site allows federal and state agencies, local parish governments, the general public and displaced Louisianans access to the planning process. The site identifies current project candidates for recovery, including Staffordeligible projects, provides the option to sort them by parish or by sector, and offers a list of available funding resources. The Parish RPT is an on going tool that will benefit parish, regional and state planning for years to come. The Strategic Recovery Timeline (SRT) is a project management tool that clarifies the complex relationships and interdependencies between the multitude of recovery activities, decision points, program deadlines and parish recovery projects. Developed by the Louisiana LTCR team, the SRT enables users to make timely decisions and illustrates responsibility for particular recoveryrelated activities. The SRT shows the sequence of events and decisions that need to occur before others. It also facilitates scenario analysis where decisionmaking, sequencing, duration of activities and interdependencies can be modified to show the potential impact of changes resulting from legislative, agency or other stakeholder actions. Because it facilitates analysis and recovery decisionmaking by clearly showing critical paths and milestones that impact the “windows of recovery opportunity,” the SRT is a critical component of LTCR planning activities. An SRT is being completed for five of the most heavily devastated parishes (Cameron, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard). The SRT will be continually updated to incorporate new information and changes regarding recovery activities. SELECTION CRITERIA As part of the Parish Recovery Planning Tool (RPT) planning process, a project review team went through projects identified by parish teams to determine their relevance to recovery. In addition they evaluated a projects ability to help jumpstart a community's recovery from a natural disaster or incident of national significance. During this process, some projects were identified that, while viable projects in their own right, are not recovery projects. These projects are not currently included as a part of the Parish RPT and funding and implementation assistance should be pursued through other, more relevant funding sources. Categories of Non-Recovery Projects Hospital projects Specific hospital projects were not included in the current plan because hospital capacity must be assessed for regional needs. As a prerequisite to including specific hospital projects in the Parish Recovery Planning Tool, a study of hospital capacity and needs for each region is included in the plan. Each Parish should submit Recovery projects based on the results of the study. Parishes should pursue specific mitigation or Public Assistance hospital projects through established FEMA programs. Levee projects Because of the damage from storm surge flooding in many parishes, elected officials and citizens have emphasized the importance of improved flood protection in many public meetings held as part of the longterm community recovery planning process. Often, increased flood protection is seen as a necessary step to spurring recovery of flooded areas. Levee projects are generally already in the process of being studied or executed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, these levee projects fall outside the scope of the recovery planning process due to their inherent scope of work, magnitude, cost, timing and the regulatory process for these types of projects. This plan does not exclude levees from future consideration. Concerned citizens and the parish government are encouraged to continue their dialogue with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Louisiana as flood protection and security are enhanced across the state. General Capital Improvement projects: Not related to recovery Generally, local government entities are responsible for constructing and maintaining their public infrastructure streets, sewers, water, and other structures. This public infrastructure needs regular maintenance and periodic upgrades or repairs on these systems and facilities. These public infrastructure projects should be included in the local government budget and capital improvement programs. Road widening and other roadway improvement projects may additionally be covered by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s State Transportation Improvement Plan. Public Assistance projects: Direct storm damage repair Much of the damage to public facilities caused by the storms will be covered under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which reimburses parishes and municipalities for repairs and cleanup. These projects are not included in the Parish RPT unless they were part of a larger Recovery Project, but represent a significant part of the recovery of any community. Hazard Mitigation projects: Avoiding future storm damage In addition to direct repair, buildings and other structures damaged by storms should be repaired to a higher standard that will be more resilient to future storm damage. FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation program provides funds for removing structures from flood zones, buying out homes in the flood zone, and repairing to higher storm standards. Mitigation projects were not included in the Parish RPT unless they were part of a larger Recovery Project.
