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Regional planning commission ratifies 2024 annual report and approves Complete Streets program with matching funding
Summary
The Houma–Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission ratified its 2024 annual report and voted to participate in a Complete Streets program run by the Center for Planning Excellence (CPECS), committing $10,000 from commission funds with the parish matching $10,000; commissioners also approved a $13,000 micro-demonstration project component.
The Houma–Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission ratified its 2024 annual report and approved a staff recommendation to participate in a Complete Streets policy-development program administered by the Center for Planning Excellence (CPECS), with cost-sharing from the commission and parish.
Staff described the Complete Streets proposal as a 12-month project to develop a formal policy, conduct outreach, convene advisory meetings, perform up to four community walk audits and deliver presentations to the parish council. The total program cost is $41,000; CPECS (via an LSU AgCenter grant) offered to cover $21,000, leaving $20,000 as a local match. Parish administration committed $10,000 and the planning commission agreed to provide the remaining $10,000. "I'll make a motion to move forward with the complete streets policy recommendation by the staff to spend the $10,000," Commissioner Michael Billotte said; Commissioner Smith seconded and the motion passed.
Commissioners also approved a second motion to fund a micro-demonstration component — temporary, low-cost roadway demonstrations at up to one intersection — for an additional $13,000; that motion passed as well. Staff and multiple commissioners said adopting an official Complete Streets policy would improve the parish’s competitiveness for DOTD Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants and could help attract reimbursement funding for future projects. "We can actually apply to the transportation alternatives program… they will reimburse us 90% of any project that is accepted by the department," Commissioner Billotte said during the discussion.
The commission also ratified its 2024 annual report at the same meeting. Staff identified master-plan updates, a Main Street Corridor master plan effort, FEMA CLOMR/CRS work and a comp-plan update scheduled for the fall as priorities for 2025.
Staff will form an advisory committee to work with CPECS, coordinate community outreach, and include commission representation on that committee. The commission directed staff to proceed with contract and project-implementation steps consistent with the approved funding commitments.
