COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT METHODS

Advisory Committee

The Just Imagine SWLA Advisory Committee helped kick off the master planning process in October 2021. Comprised of local leaders from both Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, the members’ extensive knowledge and diverse experiences helped guide the planning process through each step. They will continue to facilitate implementation for the next several years. Members of the Advisory Committee were hand-picked by the Community Foundation Southwest Louisiana to ensure equal and diverse representation across parishes and all industries or areas of interest.

Throughout the process, the Advisory Committee had six (6) meetings. These meetings strategically took place before the major community listening sessions during each step of the process to glean insight on responsibly engaging with the public, discuss presentation and discussion topics, and provide an opportunity to collaborate on approach.

Advisory Committee

• Kara Bonsall — Coastal Zone Administrator, Cameron Parish Police Jury

• Lauren Boring — Project Specialist, Planning & Development, City of Lake Charles

• Alberto Galan — Assistant to the Administrator, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

• Sandra Gunner — Special Projects Manager, Louisiana Office of Community Development

• Dr. Shannon LaFargue — Superintendent, Calcasieu Parish School Board

• Angie Manning — Vice President of Communications, Visit Lake Charles

• Nicole Miller — Program Manager,Disaster Housing Recovery, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

• Willie Mount — Former Mayor of Lake Charles and State Senator

• Glenn Pumpelly — Pumpelly Tire Company

• Jim Rock — Executive Director, Lake Area Industry Alliance

• Wade Rousse — VP of University Advancement and Executive VP, McNeese Foundation

• Marshall Simien — Attorney, Simien Law Firm

• Kenny Stinson — former Mayor of Town of Vinton

• Bart Yakupzack — Attorney, Jack Lawton Companies

Guiding Groups

Guiding groups for the Just Imagine SWLA master planning process offered relevant and technical plan-topic-area-specific feedback and recommendations, which governed the development of the 10 catalytic projects and numerous plan recommendations. Members of the Guiding Groups were selected for their plan topic group by the Community Foundation Southwest Louisiana based on their industry-specific expertise and diverse representation throughout Calcasieu and Cameron parishes.

Throughout the process, each Guiding Group met in individual roll-up-the-sleeves working sessions three (3) times, once during each step — Understanding, Testing, and Deciding. All of the guiding groups then met for a second time during the Understanding step on Zoom to reflect on what we heard from the community during the in-person meetings. During these meetings, the Guiding Group members offered technical support and advice, which helped clarify existing conditions, establish local priorities, and elevate beyond regional standards.

Community Planning Guiding Group

• Lauren Boring — City of Lake Charles

• Jennifer Cobian — Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

• Walter Council — Imperial Calcasieu Regional Planning Commission

• Jason Garcille — Capital Growth Burchalter

• Faith Hooks — Alliance for Positive Growth

• Christi Kingsley — West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital

• Carrie Kudla

• Clair Marceaux

• John Noble M.D. — Noble Development

• Jake Porche — Porche Advanced Systems

• Matt Redd — Redd Properties

• Gray Stream — Stream Companies

• Kimberly Vidrine — Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

• Bart Yakupzack — Jack Lawton Companies

INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDING GROUP NATURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES GUIDING GROUP

• Jerry Chaumont — Entergy

• Keith DeRousseau — Keiland Construction

• Stacy Dowden — City of Lake Charles

• Jason Elliot — Civil Construction Company

• Alberto Galan — Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

• Mike Hollier — Imperial Calcasieu Regional Planning Commission

• Mark McMurray — McMurray Leadership and Management

• Phillip Miller — Alfred E Miller Construction

• Jerry Milner — City of Westlake

• Marshall Simien — Simien Law Firm

• Devan Corbello — Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA

• Angie Manning — Visit Lake Charles

• Doug Miller — Grosse Savanne

• Stella Miller — Black Heritage Gallery

• Zoey Reed — Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

• Joe Stough — Ducks Unlimited National Board of Directors

• Thom Trahan — Brimstone Museum & Henning Cultural Arts Center

• Scooter Trosclair — Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge

• Jason VanMeter — Calcasieu Parish School Board

• Matt Young — City of Lake Charles

Housing Guiding Group

• Charla Blake — Project Build a Future

• Krystle Blue — Home Builders Association of SWLA

• Ross Byerly — Shelter Insurance

• Kimberly Dellafosse — City of Lake Charles

• Melissa Dickson — First Federal Bank of Louisiana

• Braylon Harris — SWLA Responds

• Nicole Miller — Calcasieu Parish Police Jury / Lake Charles Housing Authority

• Randy Roach — former Mayor Lake Charles

• Ben Taylor — Lake Charles Housing Authority

Economic Development Guiding Group

• Eric Avery — Crying Eagle Brewing Company

• Barry Brown — Red River Bank

• Mac Carheel — Carheel Consulting

• Kyle Edmiston — Visit Lake Charles

• Gary Gobert — Lake City Trucking

• Stephen Liles — Oak Grove Wealth Management

• Deb McCormick — Teamed Up Consulting

• Kevin Melton — Chennault International Airport

• Glenn Pumpelly — Pumpelly Tire

• Jolie Rhinehart — Phillips 66

• Jon Ringo — Port of Lake Charles

• Dennis Stine — Stine Home & Yard

Ambassadors

As part of the public engagement process for Just Imagine SWLA, the project team recruited 62 volunteers to serve as project ambassadors. After training, ambassadors were asked to gather community feedback through one-on-one interactions and small group meetings with the community. These ambassadors met with over a thousand people, and their efforts provided valuable thoughts and feedback that shaped the project vision and developed the 10 catalytic projects. In addition to coordinating and hosting these small meetings, ambassadors continued the Just Imagine SWLA master plan process by helping to promote large community meetings, volunteering at meetings and events, distributing surveys, and spreading information to the community.

Ambassadors

• Joy Abshire

• Edriena Alexander

• Josh Anderson

• Kennedy Anderson

• Katie Armentor

• Kaysie Bolton

• Kara Bonsall

• Damian Boudreaux

• Mallie Bowers

• Mac Carheel

• Timothy Ceasar

• Mark Conner

• Christine Detiveaux

• Mary Jo Diaz

• Amy Donald

• Daren Dotson

• Kathryn Shea Duncan

• Mary Kay Eason

• Lillian Emory

• Elizabeth Eustis

• Liz Fuselier

• Prissy Gayle

• Russ Godwin

• Georgina Graves

• Elijah Guillory Jr.

• Nomica Guillory

• Melinda Hardy

• Tom Hatfield

• Penny Haxthausen

• Faith Hooks

• Jessica Hutchings

• Rachel Judson

• Jean Kamla

• Heather Koonce

• Carrie Kudla

• Maria Laborde

• Bryan Lambert

• Sara Lasher

• Veronica Manthiel

• Robin Morales

• Deb McCormick

• Janet Melton

• Mark Mitchell

• Danielle Nava

• Monique Nichols

• Randy Partin

• Linda Patrick

• Katie Pennington

• Eloise Pruitt

• Claire Pumpelly

• Denise Rau

• Zoey Reed

• Cindy Robertson

• Jim Rock

• Jeanne Rogers

• Taylor Beard Stanley

• Philip Stelly, D.V.M.

• Liz Trahan

• Billy Vincent

• Brittany Zaunbrecher

Community Meetings

A total of nine in-person listening sessions and community workshops took place over the 12-month process to solicit feedback from residents, stakeholders, and community leaders. For each of the three steps in the process, there were three identical public meetings, one offered in each major geographic region in Southwest Louisiana — Lake Charles, West Calcasieu Parish, and Cameron Parish.

During the Understanding Step, the in-person meetings kicked off the community engagement process with listening sessions on November 15-17, 2021. As part of these three identical meetings, residents in Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, and Cameron Parish had an opportunity to answer the following four questions:

• What do you love about your community?

• What were the problems in your community before the 2020 storms?

• What are the hurdles you are facing now?

• What are your dreams for the future of your community?

In attendance at the three listening sessions were approximately 200 residents, including 52 in West Calcasieu, 114 in Lake Charles, and 38 in Cameron Parish. These conversations helped lay the groundwork for existing conditions and future ambitions for SWLA while also helping to establish the visions and goals for each plan topic area.

Three public meetings took place during the Testing Step on March 15-17, 2022. These testing workshops aimed for residents to confirm what was heard during the Understanding Step, provide feedback on the community-based visions and goals, and evaluate the 10 initial catalytic project proposals. Meeting attendees were asked the following questions:

• What ideas do you like? (green dots)

• What ideas do you not like? (red dots)

• What other ideas do you have?

Results from these meetings guided the refinement of the 10 catalytic projects moving into the Feasibility & Deciding Step and provided additional feedback on enhancing the projects for maximum community benefit. In attendance at the three listening sessions were approximately

175 residents, including 31 in West Calcasieu, 117 in Lake Charles, and 26 in Cameron Parish.

The final round of three in-person community meetings occurred during the Feasibility & Deciding Step on June 6-8, 2022. During these final conversations with residents from Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, meeting attendees were presented with 10 refined catalytic projects that included action steps, implementation timelines, potential funding sources and partnerships, project impacts on the region, and descriptions of relevance for Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. In an open house format, those in attendance could leave green dots on elements of each project they liked, red dots on elements of each project they did not like, and post-it notes where they had questions or additional feedback.

Online Interactive Map

The online interactive map served as a digital pin board for place-based feedback throughout the process. For those unable to attend any of the in-person community meetings, the interactive map allowed them to still participate in the Just Imagine SWLA process from the comfort of their home. The interactive map mirrored the same questions being asked during the public meetings. The first round of comments focused on areas that people love in their community, problem areas, and dreams for the future. The second round of comments focused on the catalytic projects.

Online Idea Walls

Just like the interactive map, the online idea wall provided an additional space for feedback without attending an in-person engagement session. The first round of comments focused on the five plan topic areas and what must be addressed from those areas in the 10 catalytic projects. The second round of comments focused on the extensive plan recommendations, and offered residents the opportunity to vote up for recommendations they liked, voted down on recommendations they did not like, and provide additional suggestions.

Online Survey

Across the project steps, there were three online surveys — one for each step of the project which mirrored the content covered in the in-person public meetings. During Step 1 — Understanding, the survey included four main questions:

• What do you love about your community?

• What were the problems in your community before the 2020 storms?

• What are the hurdles you are facing now?

• What are your dreams for the future of your community?

Just Imagine SWLA Ambassadors collected over 300 survey responses from friends and family, with an additional 1,089 responses from area high school students.

After presenting the 10 catalytic projects to the community during the Testing Step, the second online survey allowed respondents to answer questions about the projects that were of interest to them. This survey helped reveal which aspects of each project the community liked, disliked, and were unsure about. Nearly 360 responses were received.

At the end of the final round of public meetings during the Feasibility & Deciding step, the team used an exit survey to ask two questions for each catalytic project:

• What priority level would you assign this project?

• Do you support this project?

The team received 70 responses to add to those responses received during the in-person public meetings.

Hello Lamp Post

Hello Lamp Post is a friendly, interactive text messaging platform that allows residents and visitors to playfully interact with signs around their community and share their visions for the future. Signs across the region said “I’m Here to Chat” and offered an approachable, easy way for people to participate in the Just Imagine SWLA planning process from the comfort of the places they take their kids to school, visit on the weekend with family, or see on their way to work. Over 80 signs were placed across Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, and Cameron Parish, and brought in hundreds of interactions and ideas for SWLA.

Guiding Group

In-Person Public Meetings

Online Idea Wall

Online Interactive Map

High School Survey

Hello Lamp Post

Ambassadors

WHAT WE HEARD I STEP 1 — UNDERSTANDING

Over 1,700 people participated in Step 1, providing over 4,000 comments about the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for Southwest Louisiana.

Utilizing all engagement methods in the toolbox, the Just Imagine SWLA team explored every opportunity to reach the people of Calcasieu and Cameron parishes where they live, work, and do life to engage in the Just Imagine SWLA Planning Process. During Step 1 — Understanding, the focus of engagement was on trust building and storytelling, hearing the stories residents and stakeholders had to share, along with their visions for the future.

The breakdown of comments and participation by engagement method is as follows:

Guiding Group

• 55 Guiding Group members

• 350 comments received from participants

In-Person Public Meetings

• 200 In-Person Meeting attendees

• 1,030 comments received from attendees

Online Idea Wall

• 63 Idea Wall participants

• 192 comments on the Idea Wall

1,700

4,000

Across all engagement methods over people have participated, sharing a total of over comments and ideas

Online Interactive Map

• 84 Interactive Map participants

• 405 comments on the Interactive Map

High School Survey

• 1,052 high school survey responses submitted

Hello Lamp Post

• 124 interactions with Hello Lamp Post

• 252 comments received through text

Ambassadors

• In Person Meetings: 34, 839 attendees

• Virtual Meetings: 3, 20 attendees

• Emails: 3, 1125 people reached

Strengths

What do people love most about their community?

People and communities in SWLA are supportive, friendly, and family-oriented

Appreciation for beautiful, natural landscapes and waterways

People love and use the local parks and green spaces

Unique culture and heritage around food

The region, cities, communities, and neighborhoods are home

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities

The first step in understanding and processing all of the answers from Step 1 — Understanding was to identify the top 5-6 responses for the three questions asked across all engagement methods and sort them into their applicable plan topic area:

– What do you love about your community?

– What were the problems in your community before the 2020 storms? What are the hurdles you are facing now?

– What are your dreams for the future of your community?

Weaknesses

What are the biggest problem areas in the community?

Flooding and poor drainage

Traffic patterns, congestion, and poor circulation

The cost of all housing is going up and many households are being priced out

Lack of sidewalks, bike paths, and safe pedestrian routes

Abandoned properties and dilapidated buildings in need of repair

Difficulty attracting and retaining workforce in most areas of the economy

Opportunities

What are people’s dreams for the future of Southwest Louisiana?

Sidewalks, bike trails, and pedestrian paths in both developed and natural areas

More choices for restaurants and food experience

Attract entertainment and shopping amenities to the region

Improve parks and outdoor recreation (paddle boats, splash pad, playgrounds, etc.)

More places and activities for families and teens

Top Visions by Project Area

After reviewing the over 4,000 comments received during Step 1 — Understanding, 15 top visions arose to the surface as the most important opportunities for the future of Southwest Louisiana. Those 15 visions are broken down by plan topic area and illustrate the guiding inspiration for the rest of the Just Imagine SWLA Resilience Master Plan.

Community Planning Housing

• Improve bike networks and sidewalks/ pedestrian connectivity

• Offer more opportunities for family and youth activities

• Improve city codes and building standards with expedited/ease of city and parish processes

• Develop housing that is affordable for families of all incomes

• Diversify housing types, while limiting sprawl

• Improve existing housing

Economic Development Infrastructure

• Increase access to entertainment, shopping, restaurants, and grocery stores

• Activate and connect the waterfront

• Explore opportunities for economic development and diversity

• Improve the I-10 Corridor (Build a new bridge; develop and beautify areas visible from I-10)

• Improve connectivity by building new roads and bridges and fixing existing roads that are in poor condition

• Upgrade existing and build new drainage and flood control infrastructure

NATURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES

• Enhance outdoor recreational amenities, parks, and green spaces; plant trees

• Natural methods for shoreline protection and hazard mitigation

• Expand existing cultural and institutional assets