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Six Principles of Resilience: Build Stronger & Safer P
art of increasing resilience is identifying strategic, protected locations for new development. The maps in this section present an overview of current land use patterns, as well as a guide for future growth. Jean Lafitte, is at this time, a primarily residential community with a number of commercial and industrial uses scattered throughout the settlement. To grow as a stronger, safer community, it is important to capitalize on previous investments, while maintaining a firm understanding of environmental constraints. There have been significant investments made by the Town, state, and federal governments in specific areas of Jean Lafitte. The locations of these prior investments tend to be in areas with lower environmental risk. If treated carefully, these investments have the capacity to build value for adjacent properties. Economic resilience can grow by concentrating development around the Town’s most valuable assets. Whenever there is a significant local and federal investment in flood protection for Jean Lafitte, the Town has a responsibility to spend that investment wisely by building for a resilient economic future. By assessing the proposed Levee protections and placement and looking at existing land uses, Priority Development Areas emerge. In addition to looking at stronger areas to build, the Town can utilize existing planning aids such as The Best Practices Manual for Development in Coastal Louisiana as well as other tools developed by the Center for Planning Excellence to assist the town in strengthening the infrastructure, building, and preparedness for storm events.
Building stronger goes beyond buildings and levees to include infrastructure, roads, water systems, and the natural environment.
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