The Long Planning Process On The Gulf Coast

In Long Beach, Mississippi, the planning process has been long and slow, frustrating many citizens and public officials. Many people have an idea about what they want, but not many of those ideas mesh. Public officials are leaning toward New Urbanism, but the citizens and business owners object to what they see as uncharacteristic of their community.

"One alderman chimed in that he wanted downtown Long Beach to resemble Paris, at least in terms of its stroll-worthy ambiance. Others suggested models closer to home, such as the French Quarter in New Orleans or Ocean Springs, a quaint Gulf Coast neighbor whose sidewalk boutiques and sushi counters survived Katrina pretty well intact. It was then that a faction of merchants who had been grumbling quietly to themselves finally spoke up. 'We aren’t those places,' one of them shouted. 'We live in Long Beach, Mississippi.' Another opponent piped up. 'The fact is, people don’t want to walk,' he protested. 'It can’t happen here.' "