The Lafayette City Parish Council learned about the proposed Unified Development Codes on Tuesday.  Chief Development Officer of the Lafayette Consolidated Government says the codes coordinate the future development of both the city and parish. The codes include new zoning districts.  The zoning district for downtown will replace what is known as the “Central Business District.”

The proposed codes rules include: Outside dining as long as there’s an adequate walkway, storefronts are to have a certain percentage of windows and transparency and awnings are to be a set length.

Josh Benoit and Richard Dearborn says they are satisfied with how downtown looks.  “I like buildings with patios and they don’t have to be tall.  Just as long as there’s a place to sit outside. That’s all I care about really,” explains Benoit. “I don’t know. I don’t really get down this way much,” says Dearborn.

Emily Gruner is a downtown Restaurant Manager where the dining opens to the outside.  “Yes, it could use a little bit of uniformity and updating”

Gruner says she would like to see the downtown dressed up a bit. “We got to keep the authenticity, history and the uniqueness of downtown.”  In May, the codes are scheduled for a final vote.