A master plan shaped by residents and stronger support for small businesses would guide John Cavalier’s administration if he is elected mayor of Denham Springs, he said in an interview with The Livingston Parish News.
Speaking on the newspaper’s weekly podcast with publisher and Executive Director of the Louisiana Press Association, McHugh David, Cavalier outlined proposals for redevelopment, neighborhood traffic, public safety, and communication between residents and city government.
Cavalier said a master plan should establish a shared direction while giving residents and business owners a role in identifying priorities.
“I don’t want it to be a top-down plan; it has to be a bottom-up plan,” Cavalier said.
He said residents should identify what they like and dislike about the city so their values and goals are reflected in the document.
“Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what I want in the plan,” he said.
Drawing on his experience operating bookstores in Denham Springs and Lafayette, Cavalier said Lafayette provides more documentation and support that help him anticipate the city’s direction and plan his business accordingly. He said Denham Springs needs similar clarity.
Cavalier described the city’s development needs primarily as redevelopment, saying much of Denham Springs is already built out. New projects, he said, should respect surrounding properties and existing infrastructure.
He called for updating development laws and ordinances, saying many are decades old and do not reflect changes in technology, building standards, and preferences. He said a public planning process would help establish rules residents and developers understand.
Downtown, Cavalier said the city needs written guidelines for its historic district so property owners know what is appropriate for preserving its integrity. He also called for more direct discussion among groups with differing views about downtown’s future.
On transportation, Cavalier said a master plan would give the city documented priorities when working with the state Department of Transportation and Development and parish government. Establishing those goals in advance, he said, would give officials a starting point for discussions about roads and other projects.
Cavalier said neighborhood traffic concerns have surfaced frequently while campaigning door to door. He cited drivers using residential streets as shortcuts, including streets connecting Florida Boulevard and Range Avenue, River Road, and Pine Street, where he lives.
He said he would like to examine traffic-calming measures, pointing to Covington’s use of different types of speed humps and its mayor’s newsletters explaining their purposes and results.
Cavalier also called for adopting a complete streets ordinance, which he said is recommended in the city’s bicycle and pedestrian plan. He said a model ordinance is already included in the plan and argued that incorporating infrastructure improvements upfront would be less expensive than adding them later.
Supporting small businesses would be another central focus, Cavalier said. He wants to revive efforts to establish a city Small Business Alliance, an idea he connected to Denham Strong’s work after the flood.
Cavalier said he had participated in several attempts to organize an alliance, including one before COVID interrupted those efforts.
As mayor, he said he would want people seeking a business license referred directly to him so he could share his experiences and connect them with others in the community.
He also proposed clearer instructions and education about the forms and processes required to open a business, saying the uncertainty can be intimidating. Introducing entrepreneurship to students could help young residents see opportunities to remain in Denham Springs and build businesses, he said.
Cavalier said residents also need more opportunities to participate in city decisions outside formal council and planning and zoning meetings.
He proposed putting more resources and agendas online, holding town halls, and publishing a newsletter. He also suggested separate Facebook pages for the mayor and City Council so each could provide updates about its work.
Those discussions, he said, should cover both citywide concerns and problems affecting only a block or two.
Cavalier pointed to a recent volunteer sidewalk cleanup as an example of community involvement. Volunteers removed overgrowth, sand, and gravel that obstructed sidewalks and accessible routes, he said.
He recalled a Southern Produce employee bringing volunteers watermelon and thanking them because he rode his bicycle to work daily. Cavalier said the encounter showed a direct benefit of the effort.
He said he wants city government to partner with churches, nonprofit organizations, and other community groups on projects ranging from trash pickups to informational sessions. Where available, city space, staff time, and resources could help groups expand their work, he said.
On public safety, Cavalier said he would begin by asking the police and fire chiefs what their departments need. He said he had met with both chiefs while preparing to run.
Cavalier identified employee pay as a concern, saying nearby jurisdictions have attracted officers with better compensation packages. He said the city should support employees both through departmental resources and compensation that provides security for their families.
In closing, Cavalier returned to the two issues he described as his main reasons for entering the race: a master plan and small business support.
“I want to embed in everyone’s head the idea that we need a master plan, and the idea that small business is the right business to go at,” he said.
