"St. Tammany Parish is facing its moment of truth," said Janet R. Howard, president and chief executive officer of the private, nonprofit, citizen-supported organization based in New Orleans.

"Unless the parish confronts (urban) sprawl head-on with aggressive growth management, it will eventually destroy the natural beauty and quality of life that form its most valuable assets," Howard said. "Now is the time to implement the vision so clearly enunciated (by citizens) in the vision for New Directions 2025."

Citizens in 1999 outlined the vision, or goals and guidelines, for New Directions 2025. Among the many things citizens said they want in the parish's master plan were laws to preserve the parish's rivers, streams, wetlands and environment.

They also said they want protection of rural scenic roads; a transportation system to deal with growing gridlock on major roads and highways; commercial developments clustered in nodes around major intersections; laws to ensure proper infrastructure, such as roads and drainage, is in place before new developments are approved; and regulations to preserve historic areas and the identities of parish communities.

But if the parish is to realize those visions and other goals set out in the vision for New Direction 2025, radical changes must be made in parish laws and procedures, the report states. Otherwise, the vision will continue "to disintegrate before citizens' very eyes," the bureau said.

And its report recommends numerous actions the parish can take to ensure the vision for New Directions 2025 becomes a reality. The recommendations include:

-- Adopting an ordinance or home rule charter amendment to give the provisions of New Directions 2025 the force of law. That would require all other laws and regulations, as well as government actions, to conform to the master plan.

-- Adopting development procedures that limit the Parish Council's discretionary powers in land-use decisions and creating "a zoning system that is largely immune to the discretion of government officials" and which keeps "citizen-endorsed plans front and center."

-- Adopting comprehensive zoning regulations that conform to the master plan.

-- Restricting future developments to sites adjacent to existing commercial and residential areas.

-- Implementing a land-use and transportation plan that mandates "through street connections" for future residential developments.

-- Finding a money source to buy land for parish parks and preserves.

Most parish officials contacted Tuesday said they had not seen the bureau's report and said they could not comment. But Parish President Kevin Davis said the parish has moved or is moving to implement many of the bureau's suggestions.

Davis said the report "identifies the need for many land-use and zoning revisions" and the parish is in the process of making those revisions.

"It's good to know that the Bureau for Governmental Research supports our efforts by calling for many of the land-use reforms that St. Tammany has already undertaken," he said. For example, Davis recently got the Parish Council to place on the Jan. 17 ballot a 2-mill, parishwide property tax to buy open land for public conservation and preservation.

And parish officials say land-use regulations and laws will be revamped after the Parish Council approves a proposed future land-use plan as part of New Directions 2025. Rezoning of properties to conform to the new plan also will follow, they said.

"We appreciate the interest the Bureau for Governmental Research has taken in St. Tammany," Davis said. "We welcome their support as we continue our initiatives" to maintain the parish's quality of life, he said.

The bureau's report can be found at its Web site, www.bgr.org.