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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/26/2021 - EAST MULBERRY PROJECT UPDATEDATE: STAFF: October 26, 2021 Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, City Planner Travis Storin, Chief Finance Officer WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION East Mulberry Project Update. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to provide Council with an overview of the plan update process thus far, and gather feedback on the strategic approach to plan-making and annexation evaluation. Staff will share an update on public engagement, present the approach for guiding principles and share a preliminary financial analysis. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on the plan direction and timeline? 2. What input would Councilmembers provide regarding the direction of annexation planning? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Project Outcomes Following adoption of an updated East Mulberry Plan, the fiscal impact analysis will provide information nece ssary for Council to consider possible annexation of the “enclave” portion of the East Mulberry area presently in Larimer County’s jurisdiction. The major deliverables of the project are: • Adoption of the East Mulberry Plan (previously known as the Eas t Mulberry Corridor Plan) that captures the community’s desired vision for the next 20-30 years, consistent with City Plan; • An assessment of existing infrastructure conditions and recommended future City infrastructure investments and programs, consistent with the East Mulberry Plan; • A revenue and cost estimate associated with future annexation and infrastructure and operational needs, including potential annexation phasing options by sub-area; • Recommendations for short-, mid- and long-term implementation strategies A successful Plan Update will express a vision for an attractive, unique part of our community that addresses important economic and housing goals. A thorough Annexation Assessment will provide a balanced understanding of the benefits a nd tradeoffs of implementing the East Mulberry Plan vision, should the area come into the City’s jurisdiction. It will also include several specific scenarios for how the potential annexation could be phased over time to address the additional cost to provide City services. October 26, 2021 Page 2 History The last amendment to the East Mulberry Plan (previously referred to the East Mulberry Corridor Plan) was completed in 2003, which was jointly adopted by the City and Larimer County. A lot has changed in Fort Collins and the surrounding region since the time of the Plan’s adoption, including a major update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan (2019). A Plan update is needed to reexamine the East Mulberry area relative to emerging trends and key policy recommendations found in the City Plan Update and to ensure that the East Mulberry Plan is a relevant and useful tool for guiding public and private investment in the future. A three-square mile area of unincorporated County land completely surrounded by land within the city limits, referred to as an 'enclave’, was formed along East Mulberry in August 2018 that permits the City to annex the area after three years. Although not statutorily required to annex the enclave, the City has an agreement with Larimer County that such an enclave annexation will be pursued when it becomes eligible. Given the size of the East Mulberry enclave, such an annexation could be phased over several years. In preparation for Council’s future discussions of a potential enclave annexation, an analysis of new revenues and new service costs is being developed along with the operational impacts to the City and community benefits so that data -driven decisions can be made on annexation options. Our Shared Purpose The agreement mentioned above between the City and Larimer County has established a Growth Management Area (GMA) that concentrates urban development in areas that affords greater efficiency in urban service provision. As areas within the GMA have urbanized over time, the City has traditionally annexed t hose areas to match service needs with their level of development intensity. Because the East Mulberry area has become more densely populated, the area’s needs have evolved toward a more complete range of urban services for industrial, commercial, and residential uses. These services include, among others, public infrastructure updates and maintenance, police services, and connected urban design. In addition to an examination of urban service needs, a comprehensive community engagement plan is being implemented to guide the plan framework. Residents, business owners and others who are involved within the East Mulberry area are being engaged to think long-term about the vision and priorities for the future. The previous plan focused on the East Mulberry area as a “corridor” along the State Highway 14 frontage. This plan will focus more broadly on the area as a unique destination, which can embrace its existing character while envisioning long-term opportunities. This plan will also focus on ways to integrate the area into the broader Fort Collins community, with which it is already closely linked, and identify barriers to that vision. The East Mulberry area is unique within Northern Colorado. It is one of the largest industrial areas in the region and boasts over 500 businesses. Some of those businesses are known regionally, nationally, and even internationally for their products and services. The area also has several neighborhoods with housing that is, on average, more affordable than much of the broader Fort Collins area. EAST MULBERRY PROJECT UPDATE Community Engagement Community engagement for this plan has focused primarily on the business owners and residents within this area. While this area is important to the community of Fort Collins and the North ern Colorado region as a whole, Area Plan engagement usually occurs first with those who experience and interact with the place on a daily basis as an employee, business owner, resident or a combination of these. Sessions so far have included the following topics: • General Q&A Sessions on April 29th with 60 total participants • 6 listening sessions were held in June, July, and August • Community Visioning Sessions will occur at the end of October to establish a shared vision for the area • A Community Advisory Group has been formed with area business owners and residents • Outreach tools include a webpage, active newsletter and targeted business outreach through the Chamber of Commerce October 26, 2021 Page 3 Some of the primary issues that have been highlighted thus far in the public engagement process and internal conversations include: • Respecting the unique character of the area • Exploring funding options to support infrastructure • Enhancing and protecting natural resources Guiding Assumptions for Principle and Strategy Development Public engagement and internal staff conversations have uncovered 3 “pillars” of this project and assumptions that will help to guide the formation of strategies to address the unique issues within the East Mulberry area: • Aspirational - Strategies that advance a shared City Vision • Legacy - Strategies that bring properties into “compliance” appropriate to the area context and proportional to the impact of the use • Foundational - Services that must be implemented as a top priority, aligned with annexation phasing Lenses for Annexation Evaluation Staff has taken a “triple bottom line” approach to the annexation evaluation. While financial considerations are very important in the decision-making process, there are other considerations to balance in this process. Therefore, staff has developed three distinct buckets of lenses for evaluation: • Economic (infrastructure, capacity, services, revenue, redevelopment) • Social (displacement, attainable housing, affordable business spaces, Industri al and Ag Land Uses) • Environmental (protection, enhancement, integration) These guiding assumptions and lenses will guide the work of defining the framework of the plan and the formation of strategies with community members and internal staff. Preliminary Financial Analysis The City has partnered with a financial consultant, Economic Planning Systems (EPS), who has developed an Excel-based scenario modeling tool to measure the fiscal impacts resulting from alternative phasing, sequencing and funding options related to potential annexation(s) of the enclave area. The fiscal model is structured to evaluate the impacts of providing the full suite of City services within the potential annexation area. Core assumptions include providing all existing govern mental services and electric, stormwater and broadband utility services. Water and wastewater services are excluded from the analysis and will continue to be delivered by the incumbent providers. The modeling is structured to capture all expected ongoing revenues and expenses (i.e. sales taxes, property taxes, street maintenance, patrol services, etc.). On the capital side, one-time revenues such as capital expansion fees (CEF) and plant impact fees (PIF) are modeled, as are required expenditures (i.e. stormwater infrastructure, new parks, etc.). The difference between expected revenues and expenses is the Net Fiscal Impact, an indication of whether new sources of revenue will be required. The potential annexation area was mapped using GIS data to break out the land parcels into logical planning units (following existing land use designations, historical area characterizations, City Plan guideposts, etc.) that allows for easier comparison of sequencing and phasing alternatives. The area currently has an inventory of approximately 1,100 housing units and 500 businesses. Significant growth in both segments can be expected over the next 20 to 30 years. Some projects are already in the early development stages. The following is a summary of the preliminar y, early-stage financial analysis. The results present a view of the full annexation of the area and potential growth buildout over a 20-year timeframe. Sequencing, alternative October 26, 2021 Page 4 timeframes, land groupings and funding mechanisms are still in the very early stages of evaluation. This evaluation exercise includes significant resident, business owner, partner and other stakeholder outreach. The analysis breaks out the fiscal impacts for both governmental services and utility services. Preliminary Fiscal Impact Estimates The analysis assumes existing city rates, fees and cost structures will be applied to the potential annexation areas. No new fees or increases to rates are included in the base analysis. Operating impacts are shown both on an annualized basis and for the 20-year total. Capital impacts are shown for the 20-year total timeframe only. Estimates of the personnel requirements needed (at full-service levels) are included. The summary above assumes a 20-year development of the annexation area. The timing and need for services will be dependent on the types of services provided (police services, for example, would be required up front upon annexation; parks maintenance needs would be ramped up with the potential development of new facilities). On the governmental side, new capital expansion fees would help offset the increased operating costs needed for providing services. Timing and sequencing of potential annexation areas would determine if additional funding sources would be required. On the utility side, there is an expectation of heavier infrastructure requirements up front (both to acquire assets from existing providers and to buildout and connect to our existing systems). Offsets would be available from new development fees and potential rate adjustments to the customer base. Next Steps • Continued Public engagement • Continued Internal staff engagement • Continued Financial Assessment - Formation of annexation phasing options ATTACHMENTS 1. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF) East Mulberry Area UpdateOctober 26, 2021City Council Work SessionTravis Storin, Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Dave LenzATTACHMENT 1 2Questions for Council1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on the plan direction and timeline?2. What input would Councilmembers provide regarding the direction of annexation planning?DL2 Slide 2DL2 We need to frame this upfront for "what are we asking of council?" - I copied in the current questions form the AIS.David Lenz, 10/12/2021 Overview• Strategic Alignment• Project Guiding Assumptions• Annexation Phasing Options• Preliminary Financial Analysis3 Strategic Alignment East Mulberry Map5 Engagement Update• Q&A Sessions April 29th: 60 total participants• 6 listening sessions in June, July and August• Outreach tools:• Webpage• Newsletter• Chamber Outreach• Community Visioning Sessions• Working Group Sessions• Community Advisory Group6 7City Plan Core ValuesLivabilityAttainable Housing OptionsA vibrant economy with good jobsSafety and StabilityCommunityA culture of open, honest communicationA commitment to equity, diversity and inclusionStrong public and private social servicesSustainabilityA strong and diverse economyCareful management of growth and resourcesProtection of the Natural Environment Strategic Alignment8SAFE 5.2 - Meet the expected level of core and specialized police services as the community growsNLSH 1.7 - Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the Mulberry Corridor ECON 3.3 - Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting, sustaining and renewing businesses NLSH 1.5 - Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve problems, and foster respectful relations East Mulberry Plan - Vision9How can the plan reflect unique area character?What are funding options to support infrastructure?How can natural resources be enhanced and protected? Existing Conditions10Infrastructure• Stormwater• Streets• ElectricalImprovements, Affordability, Character• Residential streets without sidewalks• Street maintenance, SIDs• Displacement SensitivityDesign Standards• Landscaping• Parking• Pedestrian/Bicycle Access 11Bottom Line• Fulfills Intergovernmental Agreement to Annex and expand services to urbanized areas• Mitigate displacement through thoughtful application of existing City standards• Integrate new “greenfield” development into existing area character and urban structureBenefits of Annexation• Costly for City as a whole• Increase in certain fees and taxes (stormwater fee & sales tax for some retail goods)Drawbacks of Annexation• Inequities of Services between City and East Mulberry Area continue to occur• Infrastructure continues to deteriorate• Urbanization continues to occur without urban services & standardsDrawbacks of not AnnexingKS1 Slide 11KS1 Kyle Stannert, 10/7/2021 Project Guiding Assumptions Key Considerations13• Community Members question efficacy of infrastructure maintenance/improvements• Community Members report a feeling of being left outOver focusing on affordability• Community Members express discomfort with options for financing improvements• Community Members express a feeling of loss of identityOver focusing on ImprovementsDesired Outcome: Community BuildingWhat to Avoid: Lose identity or accessibility of areaKey Considerations: Affordability and Improvements Guiding Assumptions: Foundational• Expand 24/7/365 services to this area, these business owners and residents• Prioritize health and safety issues and investments• Determine most impactful health and safety improvements based on area context• Prioritize strategies that meet the intent of a shared community vision14 Guiding Assumptions: Legacy• Develop approach for gradual compliance as upgrades occur (signage, uses, buildings)• Consider tiers of non-conforming status based on most pressing compliance issues • Prioritize infrastructure upgrades that address critical connectivity gaps and failing infrastructure issues15 Guiding Assumptions: Aspirational• Determine how this area fits within the broader Fort Collins community vision• Prioritize implementation of design improvements that promote walkability and sense of place Create opportunities for housing choices• Define character identities throughout the plan area to guide building design, wayfinding, branding investments16 Macro Project Timeline17Data Collection Area Plan/Financial Analysis Enclave Eligible for Annexation•2021 Deliverables: 1) Policy Recommendations and 2) Assessment of Costs and Revenue for Annexation Decision Making•2022 Deliverables: Land Use Plan (EMP) and Proposed Annexation Phasing PlanCommunity Engagement2021Q1 Q2 Q3Mulberry Project Timelines (Overview)Q42022Q3 Q4Annexation Evaluation Annexation Phasing Options 19Lenses• Infrastructure• Capacity• Services• Revenue• RedevelopmentEconomic• Displacement• Attainable Housing• Affordable Business Spaces• Industrial Land Use• Agricultural Land UseSocial• Protection• Enhancement• IntegrationEnvironmentalPublic Engagement East Mulberry Map: Sub-Area Characterization20INDUSTRIALI-25I-25Ag/GREENFIELDAg/GREENFIELDCOMMERCIALDL1 Slide 20DL1 Sylvia - we ned to adjust this one with new shapes to cover all the annexation areas re; Kelly D's commentsDavid Lenz, 10/11/2021 Preliminary Financial Analysis Fiscal Impact Model22Annexation AreaJobsHouseholds=Persons Served+RevenuesExpendituresNet Fiscal ImpactsOn-Going:TaxesProperty TaxSales/Use TaxFees/Permits/Charges for ServicesUtilitiesRate/fee revenueCapital:CEFTCEFPotential Sources:Improvement FeeService Area:Average factors for: financial, community, plan/dev/trans, executive, judicial, IT, legal, sustainability, otherCase StudiesPoliceStreet MaintenanceParksStormwaterBroadbandLight & PowerCapital ExpendituresOn-Going:Annual Net Fiscal Impact by Subarea10 and 20 Year Cumulative Utility BreakoutL&PBroadbandStormwaterCapital:Capital RevenuesExpenditures by Service and Subarea 23Existing and Future ConditionsExisting Growth Potential Total Future PotentialPremisesHousing Units ~ 1,100 3,400 - 4,000 4,500 – 5,100Businesses ~ 500 300 - 500 800 – 1,000StreetsCenterline Miles ~ 45 12 - 18 57 - 63Acreage~ 1,260 1,400 2,660 24Preliminary Fiscal Impact EstimatesGovernmental ServicesOperating Impacts Capital Impacts PersonnelAverage Annual($M per year)20 Year Total($M)20 Year Total($M)FTERevenues $5 - $7 $100 - $140 $80 - $12040 - 60Expenses $8 - $12$160 - $240$20 - $40Net Impact($3) - ($5) ($60) - ($100)$60 - $80Utility Services Operating Impacts Capital Impacts PersonnelAverage Annual($M per year)20 Year Total($M)20 Year Total($M)FTERevenues $9 – $15 $180 - $300 $20 - $4020 - 30Expenses $8 - $12$160 - $240$110 - $170Net Impact $1 - $3 $20 - $60($90) - ($130) Summary25•Economic• Infrastructure investment• Guiding Cohesive and Responsible Urban Growth• Important Community Gateway• Driving Engine of Industrial Business•Social• Equity• Preservation• Anti-Displacement•Environmental• Preservation• Conservation• Appropriate Buffers 26Wrap Up1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on the plan direction and timeline?2. What input would Councilmembers provide regarding the direction of annexation planning?