Laura Hall of Fisher & Hall Urban Design led the design team for the City of Pass Christian recovery plan after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, devastating virtually everything in its path. The widespread destruction and loss of place was unrivaled in U.S. history.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale turned to New Urbanist architect and town planner Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. Duany worked on behalf of the Congress for the New Urbanism in organizing a 7-day planning charrette for Rebuilding the Gulf Coast. He assembled approximately 150 architects, planners and engineers from all over the country to conduct a 7-day charrette for 11 Mississippi Gulf Coast towns. He designated Laura Hall as leader of the Pass Christian team. A recovery plan was prepared for Pass Christian which eventually led to the City hiring the design team to come back and prepare a SmartCode in February 2006.
