Survey says coastal protection is No. 1 worry in Vermilion Parish

After two years in the making, the Vermilion Parish Comprehensive Resiliency Plan is complete, and the plan shows coastal protection is the number one worry of Vermilion Parish residents.
Recently, Sides and Associates handed the Vermilion Parish Police Jury three spiral books of information that took two years to compile.
The books of information were created to help guide the Vermilion Parish Police Jury into the future of Vermilion Parish.
One book is a map index that shows all of the voting districts, hospital districts in the parish, along with flood elevation maps, and maps about agriculture.
Another book is a 66-page book on funding sources on getting money for future projects in the parish.
The third book is a 116-page book of compiled information from community meetings throughout Vermilion.
Over the last two years, a comprehensive resiliency board, made up of parish residents and Sides and Associates, conducted public survey meetings in Abbeville, Gueydan, Erath, Forked Island and Maurice
After two years of asking residents what they thought were the most important need in the parish, coastal erosion and hurricane protection are the two most popular answers.
Here are other questions asked and their answers during the survey.
What are the key issues of the parish over the 10 to 15 years?
• Coastal erosion, hurricane protection, saltwater intrusion and loss of jobs.
What improvements are needed in the rural areas in Vermilion Parish?
• Affordable housing options, coastal protection, economic development, education, lower property insurance and roads.
What do they treasure about Vermilion Parish?
• The Wetlands, culture, food, small town feel, natural resources and the land.
Residents were asked what resource needs protecting?
Coastal wetlands was everyone’s top choice throughout the parish. Right behind saving the coast was saving the farming industry in Vermilion Parish.
Culture did not get too many votes when it comes to protecting.
Coastal Protection was on the mind of people in Forked Island. Forked Island residents were asked what improvements they would like to see in Vermilion Parish.
• Repair, resurface La. 35
• Coastal protection, build levees
• Put rock levees to stop water from coming on land in Forked Island and destroying our homes and property.
Erath agreed with Forked Island residents:
• More protection along the coast
• Rebuild barrier reefs
• Restore coastal levees
• Everything needs improvement
• Improve in stopping crime.
Further north in Vermilion Parish, Maurice residents were asked the same question about improvements.
• Lower home insurance
• Roads
• Coastal protection
Gueydan residents want to improve on:
• Fire protection
• Roads
• Industry
The creation of the Comprehensive Resiliency Plan was made possible through a grant provided through the State of Louisiana of Community Development and Disaster Recovery Unite from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.