The City of Natchitoches Office of Community Development plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for residents, supporting economic growth, improving public infrastructure, and preserving the beauty and character of the community. The department oversees capital improvement projects, economic development initiatives, community beautification, and the maintenance of City-owned facilities and public spaces.

Capital Projects and Infrastructure Improvements

The Office of Community Development manages and coordinates capital projects designed to improve public infrastructure, expand recreational opportunities, and enhance community assets. Projects include street and streetscape improvements, park renovations, public facility upgrades, signage installation, and other infrastructure enhancements.

The department is also responsible for preparing, submitting, and monitoring the City’s annual Capital Outlay Budget requests to the State of Louisiana, seeking funding to support critical infrastructure improvements and community development priorities.

Economic Development and Business Growth

The Office of Community Development serves as the City’s economic development liaison, working with businesses, developers, investors, and community partners to encourage investment, job creation, and sustainable economic growth. The department assists prospective developers and businesses in identifying suitable properties, evaluating available infrastructure, exploring development incentives, and navigating opportunities within the City.

Community Development collaborates with the Natchitoches Economic Development Alliance (NEDA) to advance business recruitment, retention, expansion, and economic development opportunities throughout the Natchitoches area.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Community Beautification

The City’s Keep Louisiana Beautiful initiatives are housed within the Office of Community Development, reinforcing the City’s commitment to maintaining a clean, attractive, and environmentally responsible community.

Through its partnership with Keep Louisiana Beautiful, the department supports litter prevention, community cleanups, environmental education, beautification projects, and public awareness initiatives that encourage residents, businesses, and visitors to take an active role in protecting the community. These efforts include coordinating beautification improvements, promoting responsible waste disposal, supporting anti-litter enforcement awareness, and working with community organizations and volunteers to reduce litter and preserve public spaces.

Report Littering: Residents are encouraged to help keep Natchitoches beautiful by reporting littering through the statewide litter reporting hotline at 1-855-525-4883 (1-855-LA-LITTER).

Together, we can protect our environment, preserve our community’s natural beauty, and promote civic pride.

Beautification, Landscaping, and Facility Maintenance

The Office of Community Development oversees the City’s Beautification Crew, Maintenance Crew, and Carpentry Shop, which work collectively to maintain and enhance municipal properties, parks, and public spaces.

Under the direction of a licensed horticulturist, the Beautification Crew manages landscaping and seasonal plantings at prominent locations throughout the City, including the Natchitoches Events Center, gateway entrance signs, Front Street, the Rue Beauport Riverfront, and the hanging flower baskets throughout the Natchitoches Historic District. Many of the annual flowers and plants used in the City’s beautification efforts are cultivated at the municipal nursery and rotated seasonally to maintain vibrant and welcoming public spaces throughout the year.

The Maintenance Crew and Carpentry Shop are responsible for repairs, improvements, and general upkeep of City-owned buildings, recreational facilities, and public properties. Their work includes maintaining park amenities, pavilions, restrooms, and other municipal infrastructure. The department also coordinates with available workforce assistance programs and community partners to support maintenance and beautification activities.

Office Hours

The City of Natchitoches Office of Community Development is open during the following hours:

Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Saturday – Sunday: Closed

The Office of Community Development remains committed to building a stronger, more attractive, and economically vibrant Natchitoches through strategic investments, collaborative partnerships, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

The Natchitoches Arts Council is housed within the Office of Community Development. The Arts Council is a volunteer organization whose objective is to enhance the arts and promote Natchitoches as a cultural and artistic center of high quality. 

One of the main functions of the Natchitoches Arts Council is the selection and sale of the annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival Poster, which first began in 1980.  One poster is selected annually and sold in celebration of the annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival and Festival of Lights. 

Posters are on sale for $35 each and miniature versions of the poster are sold for $3 each. Through the years, proceeds from the poster sales have benefited such groups as the Natchitoches Art Guild, the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony and community theater. Funds that are raised also provide scholarships to students at Northwestern State University pursuing a degree in creative and performing arts.  Scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis to upper-level students who are pursuing a degree in Fine Arts, Music or Theater.

Previous year posters are still available for purchase in limited quantities. For more information or to purchase a Natchitoches Christmas Festival Poster, please call the Office of Community Development at (318) 357-3838 or complete a poster order form and return to the Natchitoches Arts Council. To view a poster order form, click here.

City of Natchitoches Early Childhood Education & Development (ECED)

Since 2014, the City of Natchitoches has operated an Early Childhood Education &

Development (ECED) program to support Type III childcare facilities throughout Natchitoches

Parish.  The mission of ECED is to provide meaningful support to educators who care for young

children and to serve as an advocate for families seeking access to high-quality early education

opportunities.

Support provided to Childcare Directors, Educators, and Parents includes:

• Guidance and resources to improve the quality of childcare and early learning.
• State-required fingerprinting services through IdentoGO for CCAP and other state and federal employment requirements.
• Bulletin board materials and laminating supplies to help providers create engaging, educational, and visually appealing learning environments.

📍 Location: 420 Fourth Street, Natchitoches, LA
🕒 Hours: Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
🌐 Scheduling: www.identogo.com

The first farmers market in Natchitoches was the Cane River Green Market, founded in 1999. In 2017, the market changed its name to the Natchitoches Farmers Market; however, the market’s vision remains the same – to promote healthy behaviors. The NFM makes fresh, local produce accessible to all. At the market you can eat healthy, connect with the community, and learn about nutrition, gardening and cooking.

The Natchitoches Farmers Market is open seasonally on Saturdays from 8am-12pm. It is located in downtown Natchitoches. The spring market takes place in April to July and the fall market runs October and November. The NFM features locally grown produce, meats, food products, plants, herbs, flowers, crafts, jewelry and much more!

The market offers Kids Club which consists of $5.00 of tokens given to the first 200 kids ages 2-13, to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables of their choice. The market accepts cash, Senior & WIC Nutrition Program vouchers, SNAP benefit cards, debit, and credit cards. 

The Natchitoches Farmers Market office is housed within The Office of Community Development, located at 420 Fourth Street.  Please contact Valerie Balthazar, Farmers Market Coordinator, at 318-663-5190 or visit the Ready Set Go Natchitoches website for more information www.readysetgonatchitoches.com.

The Community Garden is a collaborative project led by the City of Natchitoches. The garden is just over 10 acres and is located on city property near the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. We use the land to plant and harvest spring and fall crops including but not limited to: tomatoes, peppers, peas, greens and more.

The garden is an important educational community building tool. It offers a space to dig in and learn about gardening with your neighbors. We encourage individuals and organizations to get involved by signing up to volunteer. Organizations that contribute to planting, weeding, and harvesting can sell the produce at our community table.

The Community Garden office is housed within The Office of Community Development, located at 420 Fourth Street.  Please contact Valerie Balthazar, Farmers Market Coordinator, at 318-663-5190 or visit the Ready Set Go Natchitoches website for more information www.readysetgonatchitoches.com.

The Mobile Market provides fresh, local fruits and vegetables from our Community Garden. Kids Club, a free program for children ages 2-13, is offered to the first 50 youth. Kids Club provides free tokens equivalent to $5.00 to spend on fruits and vegetables.

The Natchitoches Mobile Market office is housed within The Office of Community Development, located at 420 Fourth Street.  Please contact Valerie Balthazar, Farmers Market Coordinator, at 318-663-5190 or visit the Ready Set Go Natchitoches website for more information www.readysetgonatchitoches.com.

The Portable Park is a mobile recreation unit with activities, games and exercise equipment. It is free to participate for all ages. Come and meet your neighbors and learn new games while getting exercise.

We have equipment for traditional sports such as: basketball, football, volleyball and soccer. You can also join us in non-traditional activities such as: chalk, hula hoops, and group games. For adults, we have a variety of weights, yoga mats and balance balls. Bring your family and participate in field day games, sack races, tug-o-war and relays. On hot days cool off with water activities and on occasion, a waterslide.

The Natchitoches Portable Park office located at 420 Fourth Street.  Please contact the Recreation Department at 318-357-3892 or visit the Ready Set Go Natchitoches website for more information www.readysetgonatchitoches.com.