CC 2020-01-28_11a Discussion of Strategic Concepts
MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JAMES A. BERGMAN, CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
DATE: JANUARY 28, 2020
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Open discussion about strategic concepts developed by staff. No policy decisions will be
made by the Council but comments, input and direction are being sought.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There is no cost or staffing impact from this action.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council receive and discuss strategic concepts developed by
staff and provide comments, input and direction.
BACKGROUND:
On March 12, 2019, Council Member George requested, and the Council concurred,
that items be placed on a future agenda regarding Council priorities. On May 14, 2019,
the Council received information about visioning and strategic planning options and
unanimously agreed to direct staff to provide an update to the 2007 Strategic Plan and
bring it back to the Council for review and discussion.
On June 11, 2019, the Council reviewed and discussed the 2007 Strategic Plan with
annotations of completed, partially completed and non-started goals, strategies and
tactical activities. Many comments were given by Council Members (see attachment 1,
City Council Meeting Minutes from June 11, 2019) and culminated with an
understanding that staff should return in the future with a reprioritization of remaining
goals.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
A review and reprioritization of remaining goals seemed to lack a larger and overall
coordinated vision. Staff is returning to Council to very broadly discuss strategic
concepts with a larger vision. Establishing a larger vision will allow staff to create
individual plans for each concept to be reviewed by the public and the Council in the
future and to potentially incorporate some activities into budget priorities that will be
Item 11.a. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
JANUARY 28, 2020
PAGE 2
discussed by the Council in the coming months. Vision concepts to be discussed are as
follows:
• Continue Core Services;
• Improve community communication, connections, and collaboration;
• Enhance community preparedness efforts;
• Maintain existing infrastructure and amenities;
• Create community capacity to address complex community issues and to react to
outside influences; and
• Design a comprehensive economic development system that benefits many
segments of the community.
Within each of these concepts, staff also will discuss existing City projects and a few
new project ideas to better illustrate the larger vision.
ADVANTAGES:
Dialogue between the Council, staff, and community is always advantageous.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages have been identified regarding this item.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Receive and discuss early strategic concepts developed by staff;
2. Do not receive and discuss early strategic concepts developed by staff; or
3. Provide staff direction.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance
with Government Code Section 54954.2.
Attachments:
1. City Council Meeting Minutes from June 11, 2019
2. PowerPoint Presentation
Item 11.a. - Page 2
Minutes: City Council Meeting Page 6
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Council comments ensued in support of Alternative 2 – West Branch Street as the preferred
alternative. Mayor Ray Russom requested that Mr. Ririe’s presentation regarding pavement
basics be posted to the City website.
Action: Council Member Storton moved to select Alternative 2 – West Branch Street to include
the 2019 Base Bid for Digouts and Striping on West Branch Street, to include Bid Alternatives 1
and 2, and the following years of 2020 and 2021 for the Curb Ramps on James Way and the
Overlay and Striping on James Way. Mayor Pro Tem Barneich seconded, and the motion passed
on following roll call vote:
AYES: Storton, Barneich, Paulding, George, Ray Russom
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
11.b. Consideration of Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget Update.
Administrative Services Director Esenwein presented the staff report and recommended that the
Council approve the detailed budget adjustments and requests for additional appropriations listed
in the Budget Update Report and adopt a Resolution approving the FY 2019-20 Budget. Staff
responded to questions from Council.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. No public comments were received.
Action: Council Member George moved to approve the detailed budget adjustments and
requests for additional appropriations listed in the Budget Update Report and to adopt a
Resolution entitled: “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO
GRANDE ADOPTING FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2018-19 & 2019-20
BIENNIAL BUDGET AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT BUDGETED”.
Mayor Pro Tem Barneich seconded, and the motion passed on following roll call vote:
AYES: George, Barneich, Paulding, Storton, Ray Russom
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
11.c. Consideration of Update to 2007 Strategic Plan.
City Manager Bergman presented the staff report and recommended that the Council review and
discuss the 2007 Strategic Plan Update and provide direction to staff. Staff responded to
questions from Council regarding goals and strategies listed under the areas of Recreation (grant
funding for Soto Sports Complex), Infrastructure (Rule 20a funds for undergrounding of utilities
on Grand Avenue), Public Safety (Neighborhood Officer Program), Economic Development
(vacant land and potential hotel or other development opportunities, attracting businesses to the
City) and Affordable Housing.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. No public comments were received.
Council comments and suggestions regarding the Strategic Plan Update ensued as follows:
ATTACHMENT 1
Item 11.a. - Page 3
Minutes: City Council Meeting Page 7
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Council Member George:
• Thanked staff for quick turnaround on providing this update;
• Would like to see a clean version of the Strategic Plan;
• Remove all accomplished items;
• Each Department Director to remove items that they deem are no longer a priority;
• Prioritize remaining items that are on the list and add any new items;
• Identify any other funding sources in addition to the General Fund;
• Bring a rough draft to Council for discussion as a working draft to prepare for presentation
to the public;
• Would like to see community involvement in a more unorthodox manner and not in a
workshop format to encourage public engagement and input, such as a gathering at a
park;
• Would like the Strategic Plan to address all the things currently underway such as the E.
Grand Avenue Master Plan, Halcyon Complete Streets Plan, Camp Arroyo Grande,
Central Coast Blue, looking at different ways to generate revenue; Soto Sports Complex
Master Plan; update of the Circulation Element, which is key as it relates to potential
development on the Fredericks property and addressing El Campo; and prioritize the
Pavement Management Plan;
• The most important key to the success of the City’s economic development efforts and the
Strategic Plan is to find the balance between responsible growth for generating revenue
while maintaining who we are as a City, our culture, our way of life, and small town charm.
Council Member Paulding:
• This Strategic Plan status report of the prior 10 year plan was really important in order to
pursue an update and would serve as a good format for a creating a 2020 Strategic Plan;
• Focus update on tactical goals and strategies;
• Liked idea of including a performance tracking mechanism and including timelines to
determine what is feasible;
• Remove accomplished items;
• Have each Department do a priority analysis on uncompleted goals;
• Add in additional funding sources for each goal;
• Agreed with unorthodox public outreach to garner community feedback, such as for the
goal/strategy identified in ED-6 and what the community wants to see in terms of growth;
• Supports in general the Central Coast Blue project as a high priority, implementation of
the E. Grand Avenue Master Plan; completing the Housing Element Update and
prioritizing affordable housing; and Soto Sports Complex Master Plan should be a high
priority.
Council Member Storton:
Agrees with comments stated so far and would add the following:
• Under Economic Development, would add strategic direction to “recognize the importance
of maintaining and enhancing our publicly owned infrastructure needs to create an
environment of right-sized services for our citizens, visitors, and ongoing economic
prosperity”;
• Identify Brisco Interchange Regional Center as an area of regional and economic
importance, the enhancement of freeway access will support existing businesses with a
concentration placed on development of other regional business opportunities, such as
one or two hotels, an improved events/library center, and enhanced regional
Item 11.a. - Page 4
Minutes: City Council Meeting Page 8
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
transportation needs and the City will work with the County of San Luis Obispo and other
entities as needed to address these specific needs;
• Under Economic Development goals, did not see much about Mixed-Use opportunities;
• Agreed that the Williams/Fredericks property is a long term future opportunity for the City
that we need to look at and determine if our citizens agree with it, as it relates to potential
development of hotels, tech parks, car dealerships, livable spaces and job creation, and
having discussions about impacts to water, traffic, and delivery of City services;
• Under Affordable Housing, suggested adding that the City will support local control
decision making in affordable housing endeavors as opposed to the State coming in and
trying to force mandates that take that ability out of our control;
• Identify gaps in goals that have specific numbers that need to be completed;
• Identify Soto Sports Complex Master Plan as its own goal;
• Identify Camp Arroyo Grande as its own goal;
• Under Infrastructure, continue to emphasize that improvements to the City’s infrastructure
shall be planned to meet the demands of the community’s future and avoid unfairly
passing on financial burdens to future generations;
• Water conservation information needs to be updated and added to continue moving
forward in this direction;
• Under FAC-2, identify any enhanced Emergency Operations Center (EOC) needs, as
appropriate;
• Under FAC-3 regarding utilization of alternative energy solutions to increase energy
efficiency in City facilities, are there any joint City, County or regional projects that we can
go into with the County particularly in the area of the Brisco overpass area;
• Under tactical goals for Transportation as it relates to bike lanes, identify new locations.
Mayor Pro Tem Barneich:
• Acknowledged roughly 68% goals accomplished or mostly accomplished, as well as 3%
that is not applicable anymore;
• Strategic Plan worked; is a good road map for everyone to highlight what is important to
the City and for the citizens to tell us what they think;
• It is important to update this in a 2020 Strategic Plan;
• Referred to a community engagement event held in the past at the High School that
garnered a lot of participation and suggested a similar event for seeking input into an
updated Strategic Plan;
• Liked suggestions by Council Member George as far as the proposed process and road
map for updating the Strategic Plan;
• Economic Development – there are different ideas about what this means and needs to
be discussed further; acknowledged current efforts underway; increasing low income and
affordable housing; and maintaining small town feel and quality of life;
• Looks forward to the public’s view of what is important.
Item 11.a. - Page 5
Minutes: City Council Meeting Page 9
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Mayor Ray Russom:
• Thanked Council Member George for her comments which have set this process off in a
good way;
• Be careful with removing accomplished goals as some may involve ongoing programs and
strategic efforts, such as increasing energy efficiency in City facilities, implementation of
additional bike lanes, funding strategies outlining the City’s long range financial plan, etc.;
• Agrees that where possible, add measurable goals;
• Supports bringing the Strategic Plan to the public for assistance in reprioritizing the list;
• Chamber of Commerce can assist in public outreach;
• Would not start public outreach until after the E. Grand Avenue Master Plan is presented
and approved.
Brief Council and staff discussion ensued regarding the timeline for presenting the E. Grand
Avenue Master Plan.
No formal action was taken on this item.
12. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
Council Member Storton stated that he would be absent from the next Regular City Council
meeting.
Mayor Ray Russom announced the dedication of the Recreation Services building in the name of
Mark M. Millis held last Friday, stated it was an exceptional event, and thanked staff for organizing
the event.
Mayor Ray Russom stated there is no such thing as flushable wipes and stated she will provide
more information on this issue at a future meeting.
13. CLOSED SESSION
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Ray Russom adjourned
the meeting at 10:56 p.m.
/s/Caren Ray Russom, Mayor
ATTEST:
/s/Kelly Wetmore, City Clerk
(Approved at CC Mtg 06-25-2019)
Item 11.a. - Page 6
Presentation and
Discussion of Strategic
Concepts
ATTACHMENT 2
Item 11.a. - Page 7
Tonight’s Discussion
Open discussion about strategic concepts.
No policy decisions will be made but comments, input, and direction
may be given to staff.
Much more talking in the future with expanded and comprehensive
public input and guidance.
Discussion of the development of a larger and overall coordinated
vision
Item 11.a. - Page 8
Strategic Goals vs Budget Goals
Strategic
◦Envisioning a desired future
◦Translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives
◦A sequence of steps to achieve the broadly defined goals or objectives
◦5 to 10 years in duration
◦Moving from one reality to a new envisioned reality
Budget
◦2 years
◦Implementation
◦Starting soon
◦Focus on core services
◦Little capacity to make major shifts
◦Some of these concepts can be considered in the upcoming budget process
Item 11.a. - Page 9
Summary of Strategic Concepts
Continue Core Services
Improve community communication
Enhance community preparedness efforts
Take care of existing amenities and infrastructure
Create community capacity and future options
Develop a comprehensive economic development program
Item 11.a. - Page 10
Assumptions
Assumption of the General Community Opinion
◦Close connection to our history and place
◦We have an excellent quality of life
◦We want to be a better Us!
◦Safety, security and economic health
Item 11.a. - Page 11
Who are we?
Item 11.a. - Page 12
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
35 to 39 years
40 to 44 years
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years
55 to 59 years
60 to 64 years
65 to 69 years
70 to 74 years
75 to 79 years
80 to 84 years
85 years and over
Arroyo Grande
Population by Age
U.S. Census Estimate 2017
Item 11.a. - Page 13
How are we Organized
Item 11.a. - Page 14
Cityhood is a Choice and Requires Participation
Item 11.a. - Page 15
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Professiona l
Staff
Continue Core Services
Item 11.a. - Page 16
Context is Key
We are the latest generation of people who have inhabited this place.
Every group of people who has been here has had to modify the area in order to successfully
stay here.
We are the most people who have ever lived here at one time.
We are the most prosperous community to ever live here.
We cannot be here in these numbers and with this much quality without public infrastructure
and services.
The City organization and its services are a foundational aspect of full and meaningful lives for
everyone.
Item 11.a. - Page 17
City Services Ensure Foundational Needs
Item 11.a. - Page 18
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Professional Perspective
◦Understand foundational needs and importance of public services
◦Realistic about external and internal forces
◦Understand the most likely impacts from these forces
◦Adapt or adjust without diminishing what is Us.
◦Build more capacity to increase community quality of life.
Item 11.a. - Page 19
Improve Community
Communication,
Connections, and
Collaboration
Item 11.a. - Page 20
Potential Programs
Citizens Academy to provide a
working knowledge of the City
Enhanced communication efforts
Community satisfaction surveys
Item 11.a. - Page 21
Enhance Community
Preparedness Efforts
Item 11.a. - Page 22
Potential Programs
Individual preparedness
Fuel modification policies
Enhanced training and practice
Item 11.a. - Page 23
JOIN THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TEAM
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY.
~
READY.GOV /VOLUN"
Maintain Existing
Infrastructure
Item 11.a. - Page 24
Conceptual Programs
Sales Tax Ballot Measure
◦How does this achieve the goal?
◦Increasing sales tax revenue to fully fund deferred maintenance
◦Ensure the “lowest lifetime operating costs of infrastructure to the taxpayer”
◦1% sales tax can raise approximately $4 million annually
Item 11.a. - Page 25
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Item 11.a. - Page 26
Approxi!mate Mai nte na nce Costs for each PC I Range
100 ~-----------------------------
z 80 0
E
Q z
0 60 ~ ..... z
LU
:i LU 40
> <(
0.
20
$3 per Square Yard
Fog Seal
Sllurry Seal or Mi cro Surfacing
$16-42 per Square Yard
Multi-layer Resurfacing or
Th in Aspha lt Lift w 'lh Pav ing Fabric
$60 per Sq are Yard
Heavy Asp ha I Patch ing with
Heavy Asphalt Overlay
$117 per Square Yard
Full Reconstruction
Asphalt over Agg Base
o -◄--------------------..,._,;..__ ______________ _
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
AGE OF PAV EMENT
Create Community Capacity
Item 11.a. - Page 27
Ongoing Program
Ensure a Sustainable Water
Supply through Central Coast
Blue
◦How does this achieve the goal?
◦Phase 1 protects from sea water intrusion
◦Ensures water availability during successive
dry years and severe droughts.
◦Phase II (distant future) can provide new water
for future needs.
Item 11.a. - Page 28
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Ongoing Program
Protect and Enhance
Freeway Access and City
Circulation
◦How does this help?
◦Fixes current local circulation deficiency
◦Protects access to key service and sales
tax generating areas.
◦Enhances future opportunities on West
Branch Street
Item 11.a. - Page 29
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Ongoing Program
Purchase Camp Arroyo Grande / Development of W. Branch Street hotel
◦How does this help?
◦Historic resource protection
◦Sale of property will allow purchase of Camp Arroyo Grande
◦Creates new amenity for residents
◦Provides estimated $600,000 annual hotel tax to General Fund
◦Supports tourism efforts
Item 11.a. - Page 30
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Conceptual Program
Regional Center 2.0
◦How does this help?
◦The County owned regional center
◦This property is not efficiently utilized
◦Could be the home to many needed
community facilities:
◦An expanded library and playground
◦Shared space for non-profits
◦County and City Offices
◦Conference facility
◦Cuesta College Satellite uses
Item 11.a. - Page 31
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Item 11.a. - Page 32
Design a Comprehensive
Economic Development
Plan
Item 11.a. - Page 33
Education and
Training
Head of household
jobs
Housing
Local Commerce
Tourism
Strong Community
Services
Item 11.a. - Page 34
t t
Conceptual Program
Economic Development Strategic
Plan
◦How does this help?
◦Data and analysis of the local market and
trade area
◦Identification of opportunity sites and
economic development tools and policies
◦Retail recruitment strategy
◦$700,000+ currently available (SB 1090 -
Community impact mitigation settlement)
Item 11.a. - Page 35
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Conceptual Program
Hourglass Project
Regional Jobs Plan
Foster Job Creation
Business Expansion
Regional Brand
Policy Development
Data + Analysis
Item 11.a. - Page 36
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Ongoing Program
Achievable Housing
◦How does this help?
◦Fresh look at ongoing housing
problem
◦Economic perspective
◦Link housing and jobs
◦Focus on the housing type that can
be built and sold to more of the
population
Item 11.a. - Page 37
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Conceptual Program
Zoning for Head of Household
Jobs
◦How does this help?
◦Provides land zoned for modern
manufacturing, design, and research
◦Circulation improvements can:
◦Solve existing traffic problems in front of the
High School due to offset off-ramp and
intersection.
◦Reduce new traffic impacts from recent
closure of Hwy 101 crossings
◦Remedy outdated left merge onto Hwy 101
Item 11.a. - Page 38
The People
18,000+
City Council
5
Item 11.a. - Page 39
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Item 11.a. - Page 40