Local and Regional Planning Efforts

by LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio

Demographics

"The city of Baker identified the management and reduction of food risk as a high priority for recovery and resilience."

-Baker United Strategic Recovery Plan, 2018, p. 49

Since the 2016 flood, the city of Baker and its residents have participated in several planning processes to guide recovery and future development within and adjacent to its boundaries. With support from the Louisiana Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit (OCD-DRU) and the Capital Region Planning Commission (CRPC), Baker created and adopted a long-term recovery plan in 2018. The process created the following vision statement for the city of Baker:

“Baker is a resilient, cultural, historic, and innovative city of excellence. It is a model community that is competitive and attractive to both businesses and families. It provides high quality educational opportunities and is built on family values. Baker’s culture enables residents from all walks of life to accomplish their goals and dreams and to play a part in building a safe and healthy living environment.”

-Baker United Strategic Recovery Plan, 2018, p. 26

After creating the recovery plan, the city began updating its land use plan and working with the CRPC to create a bicycle-pedestrian master plan, which was adopted in early 2020.

Parish planning processes, such as the hazard mitigation plan and the stormwater master plan, also influence life in Baker as some roads and drainage ways are owned and maintained at the parish level. Currently, the city has several on-going hazard mitigation projects in progress that were identified in the recovery plan and supported through the parish hazard mitigation plan. These projects include brush clearing and drainage improvement projects, multi-phased sewer lift station improvements, emergency generator installation at city hall, and flood-proofing and wind hardening to city hall and the Groom Road fire station.

In addition to parish influence, state level planning processes also shape opportunities in Baker. For instance, the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) recently adopted a new bicycle-pedestrian master plan and the Baton Rouge Zoo and Greenwood Park master plan, which aim to increase connections between Baker and other parish cities. The state also launched the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, which is shifting stormwater management planning across the state to a regional watershed approach.