110 EAST SEVENTH AVENUE                                                                                                                                      PHONE: 985-869-2984

COVINGTON, LA 70433                                                                         e-mail: Keith@VillereTownPlanning.com

                                                                                                                              www.VillereTownPlanning.com

Keith Villere, FASLA

Town Planner / Landscape Architect / Mayor

25 years of proven leadership in design and planning of the built environment with a proven track record of success.

Professional Experience

Dewberry®                                                                                                                          

Senior Planner                                                                          November 2007 to Present

Hazard Mitigation Plan Update and Mitigation Actions Scoping for Grant, Iberia, Catahoula, Caldwell, Winn, and Allen Parishes and the City of Covington and Thibodaux  Project Lead for a team of planning and engineering professionals providing professional and technical assistance to a variety of cities and parishes across the State in the development of mitigation plan updates and or amendments as well as completing detailed scoping of mitigation actions under the guidance  of the Louisiana Planning Pilot Grant Program. Also leads company efforts in the updated plans hazard identification and risk assessment processes

Senior Planner                                                                      November 2005 to May 2007

Served as Recovery Support Branch, Implementation Support Unit Lead for Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Cameron and Calcasieu parishes.  Provided technical assistance to FEMA ESF14 Long Term Community Recovery Program as the team lead in Tangipahoa Parish after Hurricane Katrina.  Assisted Orleans and St. Bernard parishes in developing a long term recovery plan.

Selected Results

Coordinated Tangipahoa Parish’s Long Term Community Recovery Plan.

Assisted in drafting the Environmental and Coastal Management Projects for the Orleans and St. Bernard Parish Long Term Community Recovery Plans.

Assisted FEMA Implementation Support Unit efforts in hardest hit Louisiana parishes to implement recovery projects.

Villere Town Planning Associates, LLC                                               July 2003 to Present

Villere Town Planning Associates is a landscape architectural firm specializing in town planning and environmental design.

Owner

VTPA was established in early 2003 and offers town planning and environmental design services to government and private development clients. Clients include the Village of Tickfaw, City of Covington, Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation (VOA), Barataria-Terrfebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), City of Hammond Tree Foundation, Terrebonne Parish Tree Board, City of Mandeville, City of Covington and the Village of Tickfaw in addition to individual and corporate clients.

Selected Results

Chateau Carre, Landscape Design for multi unit apartment complex in New Orleans.

The Groves at Mile Branch Creek master plan and permitting.

City of Covington Zoning update, Green Laws and citywide sign ordinance.

Village of Tickfaw Existing Land Use Plan.

Village of Tickfaw Zoning update.

Grant writing including Transportation Enhancement Program funding.

Drafted Hammond, Louisiana green laws revision.

Analysis and development of green laws utilizing green space for BMP.

Analysis of City of Covington Code of Ordinances land development codes.

Covington Hazard Mitigation Scoping Pilot Program.

Participating on a team to rewrite Covington zoning ordinance form based codes.

Developed Resident Guides for BTNEP Invasive Species Unit.

Developed GIS for Village of Tickfaw.

Landscape design and permit applications.

City of Covington, Louisiana                                                            July 1991 – July 2003

Covington is a municipal government with a population of 8483 people, 128 employees and an annual budget of $9 million.

Mayor

Elected as mayor of the city for three consecutive four-year terms. Responsibilities included the management of the city including the direct supervision of department level managers.  Collaborated with attorneys, architects, engineers, land surveyors and other design professionals. Negotiated service contracts.

Selected Results

Improved the city’s planning department and organized the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

Reorganized the financial structure of the city.

Closed an old city dump in an environmentally sound manner.

Initiated recycling and curbside chipping of green waste.

Reclaimed a former sewer treatment facility as a neighborhood park.

Established technical schools in the city.

Responsible for over $8 million in grant money for city.

Moving force behind the formation of organizations such as the Covington Gardens Partnership, Covington Farmer’s Market, St. Tammany Work Initiative Network, Columbia Street Landing Concerts, Three Rivers Art Festival and the Spring and Fall Art Walks of Covington.

Natives Landscape Corporation                                                       June 1985-July 1991

Natives Landscape Corporation is a landscape architecture design build firm specializing in the use of native plant materials.

Owner / Principal

Selected Results

Firm had an excellent reputation of quality design and construction services.

Planning consultant to towns in western St. Tammany Parish.

Served as consultant to the City of Covington for land use and zoning. Worked with the city planning commission administering the zoning ordinance.

Drafted ordinances for City of Covington including Existing Land Use Plan, Downtown Building Inventory, Landscape Ordinance and revamped all commercial and residential zoning classifications.

J.J. Krebs and Associates, Inc.                                                         May 1983-June 1985

J.J. Krebs is a New Orleans civil engineering firm with a general practice serving southeast Louisiana.

Landscape Architect & Planner

Opened an office for Metairie, LA engineering firm in Covington.

Duties included subdivision layout and site planning for commercial and residential permits.

Selected Results

Established a presence of the firm in western St. Tammany Parish.

Landscape architect on staff of a large engineering and surveying office

Subdivision layout.

St. Tammany Parish,

Department of Parish Development                                                 June 1980-May 1983

Department of Parish Development is a of parish (county) government planning department in one of the fastest growing parishes (counties) in country.

Landscape Architect / Community Development Planner /

Subdivision Administrator

Held various positions including community development planner and subdivision administrator. Employed as Regional Planning Commission’s staff member in St. Tammany Parish.

Selected Results

Started Community Action Agency for parish (county) government.

Drafted a landscape ordinance for the parish that was the first “green law” in the state.

Subdivision administrator duties included review of subdivisions for adherence to ordinance.

Prepared successful Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the parish.

 

Education / Credentials

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Louisiana State University, 1978

College of Design, School of Landscape Architecture

Professional Registration

Licensed Landscape Architect, Louisiana, 2009

Licensed Real Estate Sales Agent, Louisiana, 2009

Related Education

Certified NCI Charrette Planner™

National Charrette Institute, 2004.

Seaside Institute

Great Homes for Great Developments, June 2001

Donaldson Real Estate School, May 1999

University of New Orleans Metropolitan College, Continuing

Education, Introduction Computer Drawing

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Andres Duany on Techniques of Traditional

Town Planning, July 1993

Speaking

Smart Transportation 2009

Resource Conservation and Development Council Annual Meeting

Building Greener Cities; Covington 2009

Louisiana Urban Forestry Council

Smart Growth in Louisiana

Louisiana Municipal Association, August 2005

Smart Growth in Louisiana Communities

Hosted by Senator Mary Landrieu

Hammond, LA, April 2005

Planning Concessions

Lormar Educational Services, October 2004

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference

New Orleans, LA, February 2003

Public Landscape Architecture Forum

ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo, November 2003

Teaching

St. Tammany Art Association

Landscape Design 2009

Delgado Community College,

Landscape Design Non-credit Course, Spring, 2003 & 2004

Activities

President, Louisiana Urban Forestry Council, 2009-10

President, St. Tammany Art Association, 2004-06

Graduate New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute,

Chamber River Region and Metrovision, Class of 2002

Graduate Leadership Louisiana, Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL), Class of 1998

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects, 2002

Distinguished Leadership Award for Elected Officials, American Planning Association,

LA Chapter, 1998

Special Appreciation Award, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, June 1998

American Hometown Leadership Award National Association of Towns and Township, 1996

President, Louisiana Chapter, ASLA, 1989-90