Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 23above and would include participationby architects, planners, engineers, attorneys,builders, building officials, andother professionals who might provideassistance to communities as they implementthe Commission’s recommendations.Additionally, the Design Centershould partner with public universitiesto provide access to students in theseprofessions who are willing to performinternships and provide assistance intheir areas of study.Mississippi statutes currently providea viable mechanism for providingpublic university research and assistance.The University Research Center(URC) was created in 1998 partially inresponse to filling the statewide planningand development void resultingfrom the demise of the Mississippi Researchand Development Center. Thisresource taps the expertise of specialists,researchers and graduate studentswithin the eight public universities forthe purpose of developing the state andhelping its citizens obtain a higher qualityof life. 9 The Commission anticipatesthat the URC would be a member ofthe proposed Mississippi RenaissanceAdvisory Council and would be primarilyresponsible for the implementationof the state Design Center.Local Design CentersThe Commission also recommendsthat each city and county, with assistancefrom the Mississippi Development Authorityand the Advisory Council, createlocal design centers to provide localzoning and building officials, as well asprivate developers, with practical, technicalassistance from land use planners,code experts, architects, and engineersprovided through government agencies,universities, and volunteer organizations.The design centers would assistIt is impossible and irrational toplan land use without planning transportation uses and methods.There are no issues more important to smart land use andlivability of coastal towns than moving the railroad and reversingthe customary expansion of interstate-standard highwaysthat are detrimental to neighborhoods and downtowns.Every regional agency and every county and city shouldevaluate transportation planning in conjunction with landuse planning. Future development should promote interconnectivityand provide non-automotive public transportationalternatives in the form of trolleys, light rail and sidewalksthat connect all neighborhoods and provide access to retail.each community in drafting necessaryamendments to comprehensive land useplans and in tailoring the SmartCode tothe specific needs of each community.One of the successes of the charretteprocess and the Commission was theinvolvement of the local communities.Addressing the social impact of thecharrette process, the Renewal Forum’sreport suggested that the rebuildingprocess should include a “central coordinatingand communications centerto facilitate the flow of information regardingevery aspect of recovery and rebuilding.”10 Through their local designcenters, citizens can gain access to informationand resources to assist in theimplementation of the SmartCode, thePattern Book and revised building codes.Local Housing ResourceCentersIn the coming months, proceduresshould be implemented to shorten the