Slidell residents who attended the final public input meeting Wednesday night for the Slidell Master Plan were given class work as a means of letting urban planning consultants know what residents want for their city’s future growth.

The focus of the meeting was land use, and Steve Villavaso of Villavaso and Associates and Jeff Messina of Urban Systems handed out maps and questionnaires to the participants asking them what were things the city could do to improve the use of land.

The questionnaire was broken into three parts: quality of life issues, economic development and housing. Under quality of life residents were asked what activities and areas in Slidell should be implemented to make life more enjoyable. Some residents suggested more activities for children and families, such as family-friendly fairs and festivals like the Slidell Heritage Festival. One man suggested the city needs more venues for live music.

Villavaso suggested a plan that stresses green and smart growth.

That brought up a suggestion that has been expressed at the other eight public master plan meetings, to put in more bike paths in the city and to finish the connection of the Tammany Trace to Heritage Park. Several residents said the city needs more sidewalks so that walking is more accessible.

The idea of a cultural and performing arts center was brought up. Most participants said the arts and culture services were functioning, but the city needs to work on bringing back the centers for art and culture like the Senior Center, the Recreation Center and the Arts and Culture Center. Most everyone agreed all these things should be centered in Olde Towne, which will help to attract visitors to the city.

On the economic development front, participants were asked to mark on city maps where they think more medical facilities, shopping areas and tourist centers should be located.

Most residents agreed the city doesn’t need any more hospitals. Villavaso reminded them that medical facilities are a good economic engine. The issue may be solved, because the Summit Fremaux project is planning to build several medical office buildings in the next couple of years. There was even a suggestion that if there is a new hospital, it should be built on the site of the Factory Outlet Mall off Old Spanish Trail.

Shopping should be made easier and more convenient, said some of the residents, and again that means building more sidewalks, and bike paths.

Villavaso said Slidell is growing to the west, and if shopping areas are built, they should have “walkability” and easy access.

Bill Hauser, executive director of Keep Slidell Beautiful Committee, said all the talk was how to use land. He suggested people should also be talking about non-use of land, putting in more green space and parks.

On the tourist center part of the questionnaire, residents said a tourist reception center should be put in Olde Towne, at the Train Station and off the new Interstate10 interchange at Fremaux Avenue.

Everyone agreed there should be more housing choices for residents. Again, the participants were asked to mark a city map on where certain types of housing should be located. Housing choices included hotels, townhouses, duplexes, apartment complexes and mixed-use apartments built over commercial businesses.

Villavaso said cities cannot specify upscale and lower scale areas for housing. That is against federal law.

“Everyone has to be offered housing choices,” Villavaso said. “Cities have to make sure that housing is of high quality and up to code.”

That brought up a discussion on regulations and zoning and how to control the growth of certain housing.

“You can control how people use the land, but you cannot control how people own land,” Villavaso said. He added that is the basis for most master plans, and zoning regulations are important.

“But we need enforcement of the standards, or this plan will be a waste of time,” resident Buddy Lloyd said.

Villavaso said enforcement is a central theme of the master plan.

The results of the questionnaire will be included in the final draft of the master plan, which is meant to direct the growth of Slidell over the next 20 years. The consultants plan to present the first draft of the plan to the Slidell City Council in late September.