A 21st Century Plan for New Orleans, La - Fact or Fiction - Research Paper Example

 1. Introduction The damages that New Orleans has suffered due to the Hurricane Katrina would be considered as critical for the continuation of life in the specific city. In fact, many people believe that in the post-Hurricane Katrina period, there would be no chance for New Orleans to recover. In practice, the efforts made on supporting the revival of the city are significant. This trend is mostly reflected in the 21st Century Plan for New Orleans, a plan promoted the restructuring of New Orleans through a series of phases. In urban planning, the success of plans focusing on the recovering of damaged areas is depended on certain factors, including the potentials of these plans’ initiators to retrieve the funds necessary. At the same time, the alignment of the above plans with the existing urban planning regulations and the local politics is necessary for securing the viability of such plans, either in the short or the long term. These issues are discussed in this paper. Reference is made in particular to the key elements of the 21st Century Plan for New Orleans. Certain implementation strategies that could enhance the performance of this plan are suggested. At the same time, similar plans related to New Orleans are presented and analyzed at the level that they can be used as the basis for securing the success of the 21st Century Plan. 2. The 21st Century Plan for New Orleans 2.1 Presentation and analysis The City Planning Commission has initiated the 21st Century Plan in order to help the gradual recovery of New Orleans. Initially, the above plan seemed to be simple, as of its organizing and execution. In practice, it has been proved as having many implications all of which need to be carefully reviewed so that their effects on the plan are minimized. The key differentiation of the specific plan, compared to others of similar role, is the following one: the plan has been highly based ‘on the broad participation of the public’ (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, online article). This means that individuals across New Orleans would suggest their ideas in regard to the structure/ content of the Plan. Then, the authorities will take a decision having in mind the following fact: all plans have certain rates of failure, other more and other less. Also, amendments would be allowed, since the needs of people and the technological advancements can be differentiated through the decades. This means that the flexibility of the Plan would be a key requirement, among other characteristics, for its success. According to a description of the plan provided by ‘the Neighborhoods Partnership Network’ (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, p.2), the Plan is consisted from three, main, parts: ‘a summary of the Plan’s key ideas and content’ Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, p.2). This summary is also known as ‘Planning Framework’ (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, p.2) and incorporates viable information in regard to the process of applying the plan and for improving its performance in the modern market. The second important part of the Plan is the technical report, in which the technical aspects of the Plan’s implementation are described. The third part of the plan includes an Appendix where graphs showing the technical details of the plan are included (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, p.2) In general, the specific plan includes strategies that ‘can help the city to recover rapidly within the next 20 years’ (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009, p.2). At the same time, the plan can help particular needs of people, as for example, the housing and financial needs of individuals and so on. 2.2 Implementation strategies The implementation strategies used in each plan involved in this sector can vary. In any case, it is necessary that these strategies are closely monitored as of their progress. In this way, failures could be identified early and major damages can be avoided. In general, each urban plan is likely to be based on a particular implementation process, which can be quite complex when referring to individuals and organizations. The views of the literature in regard to the implementation phase of urban planning processes are also presented and evaluated, since they can help to identify effective implementation strategies for securing the performance of the plan under examination. Also, alternative plans should be also available, just in case that unexpected barriers and delays appear. 2.2.1 Key parts of implementation According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, in the context of urban planning, all master plans need to incorporate the following parts: ‘a) a clear design scheme, b) the placement of facilities, c) the road location, d) survey-information, e) a proximity map and f) an aerial photo’ (American Society of Civil Engineers 1986, p.370). It is implied that the 21st Century Plan of New Orleans need to address these issues so that its validity is secured. Moreover, it is noted that a master plan should not only refer to issues that are related to the urban planning needs of a region (United Nations Human Settlements Programme 2009, 85). It should also try to develop a link between urban planning and ‘local investment programs’ (United Nations Human Settlements Programme 2009, 85). In other words, a master urban planning plan is not simply a diagram for explaining the placement of infrastructure and building material. It is rather a mechanism for promoting the economic and political identity of a place, the recovery of which is attempted through the particular urban planning scheme. Stimson & Williams note that the implementation of a master plan, when referring to the urban planning process, would require necessarily the participation of the public. It is explained that the higher this participation is the higher the expected benefits for the people involved. At this point, it should be made clear that the 21st Century Plan does not incorporate only diagrams showing the status and the position of specific architectural features. Rather, it sets the criteria for the growth of the city, in all its aspects, including its economic an political status (Neighborhoods Partnership Network 2009). 2.2.2 Funding sources Funding is a critical part of any project. In urban planning, the identification of sources is critical mostly because the cost involved can be extremely high. In the literature, different approaches are suggested for covering the financial needs of projects. Sandercock & Attili (2010) note that the funds necessary for the development of projects can be effectively gathered using the multimedia. At the same time, Weiner (1989) believes that only developing a wide cooperation with local community, i.e. not necessarily through media, can cover the financing needs of a plan. 2.2.3 Legal requirements When referring to the legal requirements of a particular plan, reference is usually made to the legal rules that regulate the sector in which this plan belongs. According to the Nola City Council, such plans need to be verified ‘through a referendum’ (Nola City Council 2012), so that they have the support of citizens in case of failures and delays. It is explained that the plan that meets the terms of law is characterized as having ‘the force of law’ (Nola City Council 2012). The most common type of regulations used for regulating such contracts/ cases are those regulations referring to zoning ordinance (Nola City Council 2012), even if other type of regulations can also appear. Also, during the development of the plan it is necessary for certain terms to be met: a) an approval needs to be granted in regard to the use of land, b) an approval is also necessary in regard to the units that will be developed in a particular piece of land, as a result of the specific regulation. 2.2.4 Relationship to politics In the context of urban planning, the term politics is used not for showing the political beliefs of individuals but rather for indicating the social ethics and culture that characterize the region involved (Pflieger 2008). At the next level, it is easier to identify the potentials of these plans to succeed. In other words, politics is a term used not only for describing the political powers within a specific region, but also for beliefs of individuals in regard to a variety of social events (Yadav 1987). In this way, the preferences of locals in regard to a particular architectural project would be also identified. In addition, the suggested plan would have more chances to be welcomed by the community. According to the issues discussed above, the 21st Century Plan would require the following elements: a) an accurate and clear design, incorporating the issues discussed in section 2.2.1 above (American Society of Civil Engineers 1986), b) it should refer to its financial resources, i.e. the individuals or the firm that will fund the various phases of the process, c) it should be aligned with the existing laws and d) it should reflect the local social ethics and culture. The Plan under examination seems to meet all these requirements, meaning that it would have many chances to succeed. 3. Other initiatives related to urban planning in New Orleans The value of the 21st Century Plan for New Orleans can be understood only by referring to the conditions in which this plan was promoted. The term ‘conditions’ in the above case incorporates all elements of the Plan’s environment, including conflicting views and alternative projects. The value of the 21st Century Plan for New Orleans could be also understood by referring to other plans, of similar use, such as the ‘FEMA ESF-14 Long Term Recovery Plan and the Unified New Orleans Plan’ (Nola plans 2012, online report). 3.1 FEMA ESF-14 Long Term Recovery Plan for Orleans Parish The specific planning process is entirely funded by the ‘Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’ (Nola Plans 2012, online report). The specific process is one of the key parts of the Plan under examination. Indeed, in the website of the specific scheme it is explained that before the case of New Orleans, as damaged by the Hurricane Katrina, FEMA had not involved in such initiatives (Nola Plans 2012, online report). This planning process addresses individuals but not directly. In fact, in the context of this process people can ask their local authorities to support the interests of the community (Nola Plans 2012, online report). This means that the success of the above scheme is depended on the ability of local authorities to ask for the participation of citizens in the decision making process, meaning in this case the urban planning process. 3.2 Unified New Orleans Plan The ‘Greater New Orleans Foundation’ (Nola Plans 2012, online report) has funded the Unified New Orleans Plan. The cost of the above plan has been estimated to $5.5 million. An increase in cost due to delays or technical failures has been avoided, at least according to the data published by the local authorities. The specific plan, which is considered as the fourth process of this type, as initiated for the recovery of New Orleans, has an important advantage towards its precedents: it focuses on local politics, meaning that the recovery of the city is considered to be related to its history and its social and political framework (Nola Plans 2012, online report). Also, the above plan is ‘unified’ (Nola Plans 2012, online report), meaning that can incorporate all policies related to the various areas of the city are included in the plan and there is no need for additional documents (Nola Plans 2012, online report). 4. Conclusion The success of complex processes, such as the plan under examination, is often difficult to be guaranteed. The use of practices that have been already proved effective in the past could help to secure the performance of such plans. The 21st Century plan seems to be an important choice for promoting the recovery of New Orleans. Also, this plan could be further improved using the documents/ phases suggested in this paper. A critical disadvantage of the specific plan seems to be the following one: the discussion in regard to the elements and the role of the parts of the plan is in progress for quite a long. Even if this practice aims to support the improvement of the relationship between the community and the plans of these characteristics, still its effects are difficult to be precisely estimated in advance. It is possible for this reason that in New Orleans a series of urban planning phases have in progress simultaneously. Certain of these phases have been presented above in order to show the different content of each phase under the influence of different priorities and goals. Also, when having to manage such plans it is quite critical to check the availability of resources in advance, otherwise it is quite possible for a failure to appear. Under these terms, it can be noted that the 21st Century Plan, which is still in process, should be rather characterized as a fact and not as a fiction, but only if its requirements are met. References American Society of Civil Engineers. (1986).Urban Planning Guide. Reston: ASCE Publications. City of New Orleans. (2012) What’s new in city planning. Retrieved from http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/City-Planning/ Davidson, N. & Malloy, R. (2009). Affordable Housing and Public-Private Partnerships. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Neighborhoods Partnership Network (2009). The 21st Century Plan for New Orleans. Retrieved from https://www.communicationsmgr.com/projects/1371/docs/NPN%20summary_Original.pdf Nola City Council (2012). Resources. Retrieved from http://www.nolacitycouncil.com/resources/resources_masterplan_faq.asp Nola Plans. (2012) New Orleans Plans Database. Retrieved from http://www.nolaplans.com/ Pflieger, G. (2008). The Social Fabric Of The Networked City. Oxford: EPFL Press. Regional Planning Commission. (2012). Regional Transportation, Economic Development and Environmental Planning. Retrieved from http://www.norpc.org/ Sandercock, L. & Attili, G. (2010). Multimedia for Urban Planning: An Exploration of the Next Frontier. New York: Springer. Stimson, R. & Williams, J. (2001). International Urban Planning Settings: Lessons of Success. Oxford: Emerald Group Publishing. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. (2009). Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements 2009. London: UN-HABITAT. Weiner, E. (1999). Urban Transportation Planning in the United States: An Historical Overview. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Yadav, C.S. (1987). Urban Planning and Policies. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. Read More