| "Long before Katrina, our six coastal counties were embracing smart growth. " | |
| Tina Shumate , Mississippi Comprehensive Resource Management Bureau |
|
Over the past seven years, coastal resource managers in Mississippi have introduced local communities to smart growth concepts, developed geographic information system (GIS) capabilities in small municipalities, and provided tools for local managers to use to address storm water and other issues.
These efforts paid off for the state after Hurricane Katrina devastated its coastline.
Shortly after the storm, Mississippi's governor established a Commission for Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal to develop a comprehensive storm recovery plan for the state. More than 500 volunteers—including coastal resource managers from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources—contributed 50,000 hours to complete the commission's 190-page final report in only four months.
"It was easy to jump on board" with the governor's commission, says Tina Shumate, director of the Department of Marine Resources' Comprehensive Resource Management Bureau, because many of the tools the bureau had provided to local communities in the past were directly applicable to the post-storm redevelopment process.
Existing bureau tools, such as the Storm Water Management Toolbox and the GIS Land Suitability Model, were used by many of the 14 committees established by the governor's commission that were tasked with addressing specific areas of concern ranging from agriculture to land use to the future of tourism.
"All the GIS stuff that NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] and EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] have been paying for all these years—the committees needed it," Shumate says.
Other bureau information was equally valuable. A Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Management Plan completed August 20—just nine days before the storm—provided the only comprehensive source of information after the storm on Mississippi's heritage sites, attractions, and structures. The report enabled the governor's commission to quickly determine the amount of damage to state historic structures and the number that were lost.
The bureau's work also helped speed the progress of dozens of town hall meetings held by the governor's commission that included discussions about smart growth principles.
Shumate notes that because of groundwork laid by the bureau before the storm—such as hosting annual smart growth conferences—the town hall meetings were able to accomplish more than many people anticipated in a short period of time.
"Long before Katrina, our six coastal counties were embracing smart growth," Shumate says.
"It wasn't a word they hadn't heard before."
The final report of the governor's commission included strong arguments for smart growth concepts, such as encouraging more pedestrian-friendly streets and a better mix of commercial, office, and residential uses in rebuilt neighborhoods.
"You always wonder if the work you are doing is really making a difference," notes Shumate. Because of the support the bureau was able to provide to the governor's commission, "we know we have been making a difference."
For more information on the Governor's Commission for Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal, point your browser to www.governorscommission.com. You also may contact Tina Shumate at (228) 216-4201.
