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Bayou Vermilion District’s Master Plan.

Our Vermilion. Our Future.  

Bayou Vermilion District is developing a refreshed Master Plan — guided by public input — to set a new vision for our organization. We’ve come a long way since the last Master Plan in 1985. Now, it’s time to come together and write our next chapter.   We are excited to work with you to craft a plan that creates a better Vermilion for all.  

 

The Master Plan Process 

Your Voice Matters 

The Vermilion touches us all in some way. We want to hear from folks across Lafayette as we develop our Master Plan to make sure we are reflecting community values.

Here are the ways you can get involved.  

Attend Our Open House 

Join us for an Open House May 13 to help us finalize our Master Plan. Interactive activities will give you the opportunity to update our organization’s vision and shape BVD’s priorities. We’ll also share what we’ve learned so far from our survey, focus groups, and desktop research. The result will be a Master Plan driven by you, for you.

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Time: 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Location: Vermilionville Performance Center

Survey – NOW CLOSED

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Master Plan survey! We received 370 responses between August 20 – September 19, 2025. Here’s an overview of what we learned from you:

  • General
    • The community still wants to see a nature-centric quality of life.
    • Public access to the river is a common theme.
  • Bayou Beautification & Health
    • Respondents are unsure about the Vermilion’s current water quality or BVD’s performance in improving it.
    • For respondents, good water quality means clean water for recreation and natural habitats, mainly related to decreasing trash in the waterway.
  • Economic Development
    • Survey results show economic development should be centered around the river as a natural, eco-tourism resource—not bringing about more risk to the river (i.e., via pollution, over development, etc.)
  • Cultural Preservation
    • Generally, respondents provided positive feedback on cultural preservation
    • Boating/paddling seems innately tied to culture.

 

This information is directly informing our Master Plan and the information we will present at the upcoming open house.

 

Download our Interim Master Plan Report here to learn more about our findings in Phase 1.