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2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 192
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
SPECIAL DISTRICTS. Requests the Lafayette Economic Development Authority to
develop and implement a comprehensive economic development strategic plan for the
northern part of the city of Lafayette.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Lafayette Economic Development Authority to develop and
3 implement a comprehensive economic development strategic plan for the northern part of
4 the city of Lafayette.
5 WHEREAS, the parish of Lafayette is set apart by its strategic location, a world-class
6 workforce, a pro business climate, and an unmatched quality of life, which offers the
7 essential elements to ensure the growth and development of its business community; and
8 WHEREAS, these attributes, complemented by a high tech infrastructure and quality
9 real estate, make the parish of Lafayette a unique place to live, work, play, and do business;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, there exists in the city of Lafayette areas which have become slums,
12 blighted, and distressed because of the unsafe, unsanitary, inadequate, or overcrowded
13 condition of the structures therein, or because of inadequate planning for the area; and
14 WHEREAS, the northern part of the city of Lafayette is integral to the overall
15 economic health of the city and parish, however, this area has suffered from decades of
16 disinvestment while other areas of the parish have enjoyed growth from public and private
17 investments; and
18 WHEREAS, in 2008, the Legislature of Louisiana enacted Act 912 of the Regular
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1 Session, which created the "North Lafayette Redevelopment Authority", a political
2 subdivision of the state, to address, in part, the general and economic welfare of the city
3 through housing, commercial, office, hospitality, recreation, education, infrastructure and
4 utility capacity, manufacturing, industrial, research, retail or other activities which will
5 create or retain jobs, maintain or diversify industry, including new or emerging technologies,
6 or maintain or increase the tax base; and
7 WHEREAS, since the enactment of Act 912 of the 2008 Regular Session, the
8 northern part of the city of Lafayette still lacks the redevelopment that Act 912 sought to
9 address, while other areas of the city and parish continue to show a strong foundation for
10 growth; and
11 WHEREAS, one reason the other areas of the city and parish show such a strong
12 foundation for growth could be attributed to the strategic planning of the Lafayette
13 Economic Development Authority (LEDA); and
14 WHEREAS, a political subdivision of the state, with its territorial limits and
15 jurisdiction extending throughout the parish of Lafayette, LEDA was originally created in
16 the 1970s as a harbor and terminal district, and became LEDA in the 1990s; and
17 WHEREAS, as written in statute, LEDA seeks to foster and support economic and
18 industrial development and education in cooperation with private business enterprises,
19 financial institutions, educational institutions, nonprofit institutions and organizations, state
20 government and political subdivisions of the state, the federal government, and other
21 organizations or persons concerned with research, development, education, commercial
22 application, and economic or industrial development in ways which increase the economic
23 base of the parish and region; and
24 WHEREAS, LEDA has the authority to enter into any cooperative endeavor in the
25 form of economic development assistance between or among the district and the state, any
26 of its local governmental subdivisions, political corporations, or public benefit corporations,
27 the United States or its agencies, or any public or private association, corporation, or
28 individual; and
29 WHEREAS, LEDA has the authority to enter into any cooperative financing for any
30 method of financing and economic development project between or among the district and
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1 the state, any of its local governmental subdivisions, political corporations, or public benefit
2 corporations, the United States or its agencies, or any public or private association,
3 corporation, or individual; and
4 WHEREAS, LEDA has the authority to enter into any cooperative development
5 project between or among the district and the state, any of its local governmental
6 subdivisions, political corporations, or public benefit corporations, the United States or its
7 agencies, or any public or private association, corporation, or individual; and
8 WHEREAS, most of LEDA's money comes from a parishwide property tax that was
9 set by the state legislature and never approved by voters and does not require a vote of the
10 public; and
11 WHEREAS, LEDA's most recent financial report shows that at the end of 2019, it
12 had a $16 million net position; and
13 WHEREAS, although LEDA and North Lafayette Redevelopment Authority are
14 located within the boundaries of the parish of Lafayette, the economic development,
15 redevelopment, and monies allocated to those respective political subdivisions have not been
16 proportionate; and
17 WHEREAS, other communities across the country have successfully implemented
18 economic development and redevelopment strategies by partnering with local, state, federal,
19 and private entities, including but not limited to Austin, TX; Nashville, TN; Greenville, SC;
20 and Atlanta, GA's Beltline; and
21 WHEREAS, LEDA is encouraged to use its authority to enter into any cooperative
22 endeavor, cooperative financing, cooperative development or any other form of cooperative
23 economic development activity in the northern part of the city of Lafayette, given the fact
24 that the parish of Lafayette is able to foster an economy that supports a growing population
25 and diverse industry sectors where a quarter of the local workforce is employed in mining
26 (energy), construction, manufacturing, and information.
27 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
28 does hereby urge and request the Lafayette Economic Development Authority to develop a
29 comprehensive economic development strategic plan that at a minimum includes the
30 planning elements of SWOT analysis, strategic action plan, an evaluation framework, and
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1 a plan for economic resilience for the northern part of the city of Lafayette.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Lafayette Economic Development Authority
3 assembles a professional, highly qualified economic development consulting team, reflecting
4 diversity, equity, and inclusion for the purpose of assessing the feasability of redeveloping
5 the northern part of the city of Lafayette.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan developed by the consulting team shall
7 address all of the following:
8 (1)(a)How many properties are owned by LEDA in the parish of Lafayette?
9 (b)Identify those properties by address and list the usage of each property.
10 (2)(a)How many properties are owned by LEDA in the northern part of the city of
11 Lafayette?
12 (b)Identify those properties by address and list the usage of each property.
13 (3)(a)How many businesses have been recruited, within the last five years, by
14 LEDA for economic development projects within the parish of Lafayette?
15 (b)List the names and purposes of each business.
16 (c)How much money was spent on the recruiting of these businesses?
17 (d)List the month(s) and year(s) of the recruiting of each business.
18 (4)(a)How many businesses have been recruited, within the last five years, by
19 LEDA for economic development projects in the northern part of the city of Lafayette?
20 (b)List the names and purposes of each business.
21 (c)How much money was spent on the recruiting of these businesses?
22 (d)List the month(s) and year(s) of the recruiting of each business.
23 (5)(a)How many businesses are currently being recruited by LEDA?
24 (b)List the names and purposes of each business.
25 (c)What areas of the parish are these businesses being recruited to locate?
26 (d)How much money was being spent on the recruitment of these businesses?
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the consulting team shall not be required to
28 provide any confidential or sensitive information in the plan submitted pursuant to this
29 Resolution.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the consulting team shall submit the plan
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1 requested by this Resolution no later than December 31, 2021, to the Senate Committee on
2 Local and Municipal Affairs.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
4 Gregg Gothreaux, President and CEO, Lafayette Economic Development Authority.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SR 192 Original 2021 Regular Session Boudreaux
Requests the Lafayette Economic Development Authority to develop and implement a
comprehensive economic development strategic plan for the northern part of the city of
Lafayette. Requires that the plan be submitted no later than December 31, 2021, to the
Senate Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.
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