From The Guardian UK
By Cain Burdeau

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Every part of this devastated city, from neighborhoods below sea level to mainstays of its storied culture, could have a chance to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

As officials put together a blueprint for New Orleans’ rebirth, a commission appointed by Mayor Ray Nagin was expected to recommend on Wednesday that residents be given the power to decide what shape their neighborhoods should take.

The Bring New Orleans Back Commission hopes to form a clearer picture of what areas would be rebuilt by the end of the year. Its recommendations, which could become part of the master rebuilding plan, will likely draw fire from urban planners, who say many sections of the city are not safe from future flooding.

Building levees capable of withstanding a Category 3 storm and creating a government-funded reconstruction corporation to buy out land and properties are pivotal to the commission’s rebuilding plans, according to members of the urban planning committee.

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