HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/27/2004 - ECONOMIC VITALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY ACTION GROUP DATE: April 27, 2004
COUNCIL: Tharp STUDY SESSION ITEM
Weitkunat
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
STAFF: Fischbach/Jones/Biggi
Heffernan
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Economic Vitality and Sustainability Action Group Update.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
The purpose of this discussion is to update City Council on the progress of work and future
activities of the Environmental Vitality& Sustainability Action Group (EVSAG).
This report describes EVSAG's purpose, membership and participation, scope of work, process
and timeline considerations, tasks completed, and future activities.
Council Update:
The EVSAG was created by City Council Resolution 2004-006. This resolution called for
reaffirmation of the City's previously adopted economic policies; creation of EVSAG; creation
of an Economic Advisor position within the City; and the creation of an ordinance amending
Chapter 25 of the City Code (Vendors Fee) and thereby establishing an Economic Vitality and
Community Sustainability Fund.
The nineteen (19) member Economic Vitality and Sustainability Action Group is comprised of
17 citizens and two Council members. The group represents a broad and balanced spectrum of
community views concerning economic development and community sustainability. (Group
member biographies are available on the City of Fort Collins website.) EVSAG meetings are
held weekly on Thursdays at 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. in the CIC room located at 300 LaPorte Avenue.
Meetings have been attended by citizens, the media, and supporting City staff.
Group purpose and scope of work was established in direct reference to the tasks mentioned in
Council Resolution 2004-006. The purpose of the group is to identify:
A. Economic challenges, strengths, and issues facing the (Fort Collins) community.
B. Specific economic strategies to leverage the community's strengths and overcome the
community's problems.
C. Business clusters where existing community assets give Fort Collins a competitive
advantage.
D. Partnerships and operating structures that can most effectively implement the economic
goals and strategies of the City Council.
E. Specific measures and benchmarks in which to measure the economic health of the
April 27, 2004 Page 2
community.
F. Establish guidelines for funding and Economic Vitality and Community Sustainability
Fund and for utilizing monies deposited into the Fund.
G. Provide a report and recommendations to the City Council no later than June 30, 2004
At its early meetings the Economic Vitality & Sustainability Action Group recognized it has a
narrow timeline in which to perform the above work activity. They also decided to develop a
report containing recommendations establishing guiding principles for City Council's future
economic work. To accomplish this, the group adopted the following order of tasks and
corresponding timeline.
Item Task Name 1 st Meeting Date 2nd Meeting Date
A Economic Challenges, Strengths, Issues March 4, 2004 March 11, 2004
B Economic Strategies March 18, 2004 March 25/A ril 1
E Measure &Benchmarks Aril 8, 2004 Aril 15, 2004
C Business Clusters Aril 22, 2004 Aril 29, 2004
* City Council Study Session Update April 2 2004
D Partnerships &Operating Structures May 6, 2004 May 13, 2004
F EVCS Fund Guidelines May 20, 2004 May 27, 2004
G EVSAG Re ort Creation June 3/10, 2004 1 June 17/24, 2004
* City Council EVSAG Report—5th Tues. June 29, 2004
Tasks accomplished to date include completion of Task A. (see Attachment 2) by performing a
Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats (SWOT) analysis and partial completion of Task
B. by conducting extensive group discussion of possible strategies; consolidation of related
strategic concepts; prioritization of remaining strategies; and clarification of top strategic
recommendations. The group has also had early conversations about Measures & Benchmarks,
Business Clusters, and Partnerships & Operating Structures. The group would clearly like to
express to Council that the Theme & Strategy statements (see Attachment 3) represent a work in
progress.
In conducting this work the group found it essential to adopt a clear definition of Sustainability.
The definition is as follows. (Please refer to the Sustainability diagram contained in
attachments.)
"Sustainability is the long term socia4 economic, and environmental health of our
community. A sustainable community remains healthy without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their needs. Quality human-scale urban
design, energy-efficient building practices, economic health, diversity of housing,
public safety, environmental protection, and mobility will all make Fort Collins a
sustainable community."
Future tasks and next steps include completion of the remaining scope of work tasks and
preparing the final report to City Council no later than June 30, 2004.
April 27, 2004 Page 3
ATTACHMENTS
Sustainability Diagram and Definition
Strength, Weakness, Opportunities,Threats
Themes and Strategies
•
Econo
SustAin . .
•
•Sustainabluiry
"Sustainability is the long term social, economic, and
environmental health of our community. A sustainable
community remains healthy without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their needs. Quality
human-scale urban design, energy-efficient building
• practices, economic health, diversity of housing, public
safety, environmental protection, and mobility will all
make Fort Collins a sustainable community."
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• Economic Vitality and Sustainability Action Group
Strengths, Challenges/Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
Strengths
Geographic location
• Poudre River
• Scenic beauty
• Good parks and recreation activities
• Recreational opportunities
Open space
• Bike trails
• Proximity to DIA
Knowledgeable/involved/informed community
• Educated workforce
• High internet usage and broadband
• Telecommuters
• Desirable community for seniors/retirees
Large entrepreneurial population
• Presence of small business assistance resources (i.e. SBDC) and incubators
• Diversity in faith community and services they provide
• Diverse set of businesses
• Reasonable cost of labor
• Great micro loan program
• Presence of federal research, other facilities (i.e. CDC,BLM)
Active cultural community
• Emerging arts and cultural community
• Strength of historic downtown
Great public services
• Strong healthcare
• Competent City staff
• Low cost of utilities
• Poudre Schools
• CSU and Front Range Community College presence
• Multi-modal transportation developing
Windpower program
Revised: 04/01/2004
Challenges/Weaknesses
Budget cuts to higher education
• Lack of higher education funding and facilities
• Failure of integration of higher education(CSU,FRCC) into community
• Technological transfer of CSU into business
• Lack of funding for tech transfer
Higher cost of land and employment base
• Lack of good sites for businesses and industry
• Difficulty traveling around northern Colorado
• Land available for industry
• Affordable housing
• Percentage that people pay for living/homes
• Increasing number of retirees could shift job/housing balance
Jobs
• Losingjobs
• A lot of low paying jobs
• Loss of existing primary jobs
• High percentage of government jobs
Dark Matter
Competition between local governments for revenue
• Neighboring communities commercial growth
• Other regions recruiting our retail,jobs
• Challenge to increase tax revenue
• Reliance on sales tax
• Over-reliance on retail
• Gallagher/TABOR—high business tax
• Lack of funding for transportation capital
• Appropriate role of government in economic development
Barriers to redevelopment within the City
• Perception of City as anti-business
• Cumbersome/very difficult process for development
Global issues(i.e. massive deficit/interest)
• Outsourcing issues
• Global offshoring
• Health insurance for small business
• Failing in literacy
Revised: 04/01/2004
• Infrastructure and environmental issues
• Decrease in quality of life from population growth
• Decrease in environmental quality
• Traffic congestion
• Lack of agreement re: what to do with the Poudre River area
• Water supply
• Under utilizing existing resources
Lack of diversity
• Lack of intellectual infrastructure for businesses
• Too high a percentage of our economy based on developmentibuilding
• Fear/lack of innovation in development
• Not knowing how and where to find information
• One daily newspaper in town
• Lack of organizational collaboration
• Lack of well-developed clusters
Don't understand structural change in economy
• Early stage financing for"start ups"
• No wet lab space
• Vulnerability of downtown
• Opportunities
Branding Fort Collins
• Tout environmental and parks and rec opportunities
• The Poudre River
• Promote downtown
• Focus on business clusters that make sense for Fort Collins
• Improve cultural climate and attract tourism
• Leadership in clean energy development(solar, clean engines emissions technology,
water economy, fuel,hydrogen, etc.)
• New Belgium Brewery as a model for other businesses
• National recognition of our community's assets ("Best of lists, other recognition)
• Model for a healthy community, supporting active lifestyles
Encourage redevelopment
Develop part of Old Town that are ripe for change
Create a culture of entrepreneurship in Fort Collins
• Create a new economy of economic gardens
• Use environmental resources and combine with entrepreneur to create new kinds of
businesses
• Attract more business capital
• Growth pays its own way for infrastructure
Revised: 04/01/2004
Leverage our resources better in and out of the community
• Train our own and keep them here
• Determine how to use the bright people here in our community
• Create a business information clearinghouse
• Opportunity for retraining
• Build better bridges between educational community and business community
• Do creative partnerships with other communities, e.g. revenue sharing
• More public/private partnerships
• Educate community regarding economic issues
• Become a learning community
• Define what literacy means(read newspaper;understand software use)
• Set up sister city relationships and plan outsourcing partnerships to advance
entrepreneurial center of Fort Collins
Threats
Impacts of growth
• Stress on infrastructure
• Undesirable growth in outlying areas
• Other cities aggressive, undesirable growth
• Environmental damage
• Limited water supply
• Excessive population growth
• If a way cannot be found to make urban growth boundary work
• Loss of uniqueness
Globalization
• Inability to get primary jobs
• Global economic issues
• Entrepreneurs are mobile—they'll leave
• Value could be migrating out and our institutions can't address this
Shortfall of funding for public services and facilities
• State and federal funding methods
• Loss of retail tax base
Lack of funding for transportation
• Over and under retailing
• Financing of public/higher education
Attitudes
Institutions are not capable of making or getting ahead of structural changes
• Elitist attitude
Paralysis through analysis
• Victim mentality
• Public perception that"they" are not part of the solution
• "Business as usual"mentality—need to break out and think of new opportunities
• Growing intolerance of different cultures, sex,race, creed,religion, and politics
Revised: 04/O1/2004