HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem-3-Revisded-Council-Priority-Process-Supplemental1
12/11/2012
Councilmember Scharff
Revised Council Priorities 2013
It has come to my attention that I should have only submitted 3 suggested
priorities. Here they are:
1. Build a Parking Garage-Address the downtown parking issues by committing to
build a Build a Parking Garage where it will do the most good.
a. We have an additional 7.6 million going to the infrastructure Reserve
Fund. This combined with the money in the parking fund allows us to build a
parking garage if we so choose.
b. This garage would not have to be encumbered by Parking Assessment rules
and the City could choose to permit it to draw the maximum number of cars
out of the neighborhoods. The City would have a free hand to determine how
best to do this. This would open up a lot of possibilities on how to address
the parking issues.
2. Increase Resident and Visitor Enjoyment of our Commercial areas.
Possible thoughts as to how to accomplish this are:
a. Phase out non-conforming non-retail uses
b. Protect existing retail uses
c. Expand Ground Floor retail uses in mixed use areas
d. Build retail linkages and corridors to the SOFA area
e. Extend a Percent for Art Policy to non-municipal projects
f. Look at sidewalk widths and uses
g. Look at making King Plaza a vibrant area with Food Trucks or outside cafe
with tables and chairs like a european plaza.
h. Encourage Public spaces and the use of public spaces, e.g. free wifi hot spots
with tables.
3. Technology
Identify areas of the City that technology could be used to:
a. Increase Productivity
b. Save Money or resources (Sustainability)
c. Increase Transparency
d. Increase residence convenience or quality of life.
e. More efficiently use existing resources (i.e. Parking)
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12/11/2012
Councilmember Pat Burt - Council Priorities 2013
The following recommendations are intended to follow the new Council adopted Priority
Setting Guidelines”. At the same time, the Priorities should not be as specific as actions
or plans.
Recommended Priorities:
I have tried to avoid terms that are subjects, for example “Infrastructure”. Instead the
Guidelines suggest topics that and will receive “particular, unusual and significant
attention” should be achievable within three years or less, such as “Infrastructure
Strategy and Funding
1. Infrastructure Strategy and Funding
This has been the top Council priority over the past year, even though it was
not officially defined as a Priority. The need to re-build our aging infrastructure
and adequately invest in its maintenance has been the subject of Council
initiatives for over 15 years (and resulted in a $10 Million per year Infrastructure
Management Plan). However, our current goal is the large task of developing a
strategy and funding sources for major remaining infrastructure needs.
2. Technology Innovation
Use of technology in city government is not new, nor will it end in three years.
However, including it as a priority is intended to identify it as an area of
‘particular and significant attention’ over the next three years. Consistent with
the vision of the City Council and City Manager, we have already begun a
focused program of transforming our use of technology to improve efficiency
and reduce costs, improve service, and conserve resources.
3. The Future of Downtown
The council and staff have recently discussed a variety of important and
converging downtown issues including; neighborhood parking, parking garages,
traffic, the development cap, downtown TDM programs, the and the 27
University/Intermodal Center Master Plan. We have already recognized that
most of these issues will be emphasized in the coming 1-2 years.
In addition, I believe that it remains important for the Council to state our enduring
“Core Values” (or Guiding Principles) as a community. These values have comprised the
majority of what the Council has defined as Priorities in recent years. By establishing
our new Guidelines, the Policy and Services Committee has moved the Council toward
more clear and meaningful actual Priorities, but we have not included discussion of the
purpose and importance of defining our core community values. Clearly, these lasting
values are important the past and present Councils and the community. Consequently,
included is a separate set of prospective values. I hope that we will have part of our
discussion at the January retreat on this subject and either act upon the Core Values or
agendize the subject for future consideration.
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12/11/2012
Core Values:
1. Sustainable City Finances
2. Emergency Preparedness
3. Environmental Sustainability
4. Youth Well Being
5. Valued Quality of Life