Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 21rants. With the approval of water-basedcasinos, the coastline became furtherlittered with large, glitzy structures thatinterrupted and, even worse, blockedthe view of the Gulf of Mexico.Throughout the Renewal Forumand the work of the Commission,South Mississippi has been referred toas a “clean slate,” providing an enormousopportunity to rebuild in a waythat optimizes the natural beauty of theGulf Coast. Nowhere is this statementmore accurate than with regard to theHighway 90 corridor. Hurricane Katrina’swinds and flood waters destroyedmost, if not all, of the existing structuresalong this corridor. From Waveland toPascagoula, the structural remains canbe described as a fresh canvas awaitinga skilled artist’s creativity. Although thedamage is catastrophic, there is a seminalopportunity to create a beach boulevardthat invites pedestrians to stroll alongthe beach, provides light rail to moveresidents to and from work and home,transports visitors to and from hotelsand retail areas, and permits automobiletraffic, but at reduced speeds.Land use and transportation planningby coastal counties and cities and stateagencies should include a scenic boulevardconcept for Highway 90 and adjacentlands in all three counties. Likewise,if the CSX right-of-way becomesavailable, counties, cities, and state agenciesshould cooperate in creating a neweast-west corridor. These corridorsshould be beautifully landscaped andfriendly to adjacent neighborhoods,businesses, pedestrians, and tourists andshould maximize accessibility throughpublic transit and pedestrian walkways.An “overlay district” is a special zoningdistrict that is adopted by the eachcity to identify special resources or developmentareas. It is implemented byThrough theRenewalForum, landuse planners,architects,engineers, anddesignersevaluated the11 cities on theMississippi GulfCoast andpreparedsummaryreports forredevelopmentand revival.adopting new zoning provisions thatapply to that area consistently in eachcity. These regulations are in addition tothe existing provisions of the existingzoning ordinances. An overlay districtcan facilitate a wide array of developmentoptions and goals, including traditionalneighborhood development,transit-oriented development, clusterdevelopment, and historic preservation.The Commission recommends thatthe cities adjacent to Highway 90 cooperateto develop a model ordinancefor this transportation corridor. Theordinance should include consistentdevelopment requirements, setbacks,architectural specifications, and buildingrequirements. The ordinance alsoshould incorporate the SmartCode forproperties adjacent to the Highway 90right-of-way. The ordinance should encouragemixed uses, including downtownresidential and retail uses andneighborhood-friendly commercialuses.Highway 90 should be converted toa beach boulevard that encourages alternativemeans of transportation andhighlights the Gulf Coast’s most valuableasset, the waterfront. Each localgovernment along Highway 90 shouldadopt this ordinance as an overlay totheir existing zoning along the corridorand amend their comprehensive zoningplans accordingly. Likewise, upon acquisitionof the CSX right-of-way, a similaroverlay district should be created.Local governments ultimately will beresponsible for implementation. Theywill be responsible for retaining professionalsto assist with the developmentof an overlay district that is compatiblewith existing zoning and any revisedzoning in the coastal cities which borderHighway 90 and the CSX corridor.Local governments will require assis-