Opelousas Downtown Masterplan Officially Adopted by City Council

OPELOUSAS, LA — The Opelousas Downtown Master Plan was formally adopted by the Opelousas City Council on Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

The plan establishes a new vision for a livable and sustainable Opelousas over the coming years, according to officials.

Developed with community input in conjunction with the Center for Planning Excellence consulting team over the past two years. The plan addresses a wide variety of issues and top challenges, including housing and economic diversification, public safety, and parks and recreation in a manner that will provide residents equitable access to services, recreation, and jobs.

“The Master Plan builds on the momentum we are already seeing in our community,” said Opelousas Mayor, Julius Alsandor. “We are one of Louisiana’s most historic towns and have witnessed how downtowns like ours can be transformed with good planning and strong partnerships. This plan for our community’s future will ensure Opelousas regains its rightful place among the top downtown areas in not only our region, but the entire state and southern U.S. We stand on our commitment of a well-planned, resilient and livable city for current and future residents for years to come.”

The Plan establishes five individual sub-districts within the Opelousas Downtown Development District (ODDD). These sub-districts were inspired by the existing conditions of downtown Opelousas today, but they are also visionary in their framing. They take cues from the form and use of existing buildings, but with an eye toward how these areas can each grow and contribute to a vibrant downtown environment. The district is divided into the following sub-districts: Downtown Mixed-Use Core Sub-District, Innovation Sub-District, Commercial Corridor Sub-District, Highway Commercial Sub-District, and Neighborhood and Community Services Sub-District, each designed for the city to respond to the needs of constituents and businesses.

According to Lena Charles, Chairwoman of the Opelousas Downtown Development District, the official adoption of this Master Plan Ordinance is a significant step in the partnership between The City of Opelousas and ODDD and for the town as a whole. “This adoption by the city council is important because it makes it not just our plan, but a plan for The City of Opelousas as well. It is recognition of the fact that we are serious about revitalization, and provides the guide needed to move forward with a unified vision,” she said.