HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/25/2020 - REVIEW OF THE DRAFT 2020 STRATEGIC PLANDATE:
STAFF:
February 25, 2020
Tyler Marr, Deputy Director, Information & Employee
Services
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Review of the Draft 2020 Strategic Plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to present and gather City Council's feedback on the proposed 2020 Strategic Plan.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
For each of the seven Outcome Areas:
1. Does City Council support the proposed Strategic Objectives?
2. Does City Council have any feedback about the related sub-bullets?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Background
The City of Fort Collins Strategic Plan is an issues-based plan that sets strategic objectives to achieve over a five-
year timespan. It will be the basis of the City’s budget and operational plans for 2021 and 2022 and will be used to
assess and rank budget offers for the 2021-22 Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) budget process. The Strategic
Plan is updated every two years just prior to the BFO process beginning.
The Strategic Plan is based on identification and analysis of:
(a) City Council priorities and input,
(b) extensive community outreach both in person and online, and
(c) organizational inputs, such as emerging trends and issues; financial information; and workforce trends.
It is also directly linked to City Plan’s vision and principles and other Council-adopted master plans.
This is the fourth biennial City Strategic Plan. The Executive Lead Team and the chairpersons of the BFO Teams
carefully reviewed and considered the various inputs specified above. The 2018 Strategic Plan was used as the
baseline and then modified based on those inputs. Attachment 2 is a redline version that illustrates the changes
that have been made to the Outcome Introductions, Strategic Objectives and related sub-bullets in the 2020
Strategic Plan.
Following the February 25 Work Session, staff will update the Plan according to Council feedback and direction.
The strategic objective numbers may be modified based on grouping to similar objectives and overall readability
of the document. Additionally, the Communications and Public Involvement Office (CPIO) will take a “single-voice”
lens to the document and ensure that nomenclature and phrasing is consistent with other City documents and
publications. Any changes made from the version presented at this Work Session to the version presented to
Council for final adoption will be noted in those agenda materials. Council will consider adoption of the 2020
Strategic Plan on March 17, 2020.
February 25, 2020 Page 2
After adoption of the 2020 Strategic Plan, the City Manager, working with the Executive Lead Team, will prepare
the 2021-2022 Recommended Budget and present to Council by September 3. Council work session reviews
and budget hearings will be held in August, September and October, with Council determining the final budget
and appropriations by November 30, 2020.
Council Priorities
The following table indicates where the 2019-2021 City Council priorities can be found in the strategic plan:
Priority Strategic Objective
Affordable Childcare 3.2
Small Business Plan 3.3
Community Job Creation 3.2
Complete Electric
Undergrounding
3.5
Enhance Instream River Flows 4.6
Reduce Plastic Pollution 4.3
Impacts of Oil and Gas 4.2
Improved Air Quality 4.2
Optimization of Alleys 1.5
Equity and Inclusion 1.4
Low Income Rebates &
Benefits
1.3
Affordable and Achievable
Housing
1.1
Mobile Home Park
Preservation
1.9
Park Refresh 2.4
Equity in Culture & Rec
Programs
2.1
Encourage Transfort Use/ BRT
Corridors
6.3
High-Performing Board 7.2
Reimagine Community
Engagement
7.3
City Financial Sustainability 7.7
Reimagine Boards &
Commissions
7.3
Community Outreach
Public outreach and engagement for the 2020 Strategic Plan update took place in October and November 2019.
Staff combined online engagement via the OurCity platform with in-person presentations and pop-up engagement
events in order to reach community stakeholders, partner organizations, Spanish-speaking and other traditionally
underrepresented groups, and so-called “average” community members. Community organizations that were
unable to coordinate an in-person presentation were also sent information to share with their members
encouraging them to participate in the OurCity survey.
An overview summary of the community outreach is provided as Attachment 3, which includes key themes. This
information will be reviewed in the presentation.
February 25, 2020 Page 3
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2020 Strategic Plan (draft) (clean version) (PDF)
2. 2020 Strategic Plan (draft) (redlined to show changes) (PDF)
3. Outreach Summary (PDF)
4. Powerpoint presentation (PDF)
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
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2020 Strategic Plan
City of Fort Collins
ATTACHMENT 1
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
2
2020 Strategic Plan Table of Contents
Page
I. Introduction 3
II. Summary of Strategic Objectives 8
1. Strategic Outcome – Neighborhood Livability and Social Health 10
2. Strategic Outcome – Culture and Recreation 15
3. Strategic Outcome – Economic Health 18
4. Strategic Outcome – Environmental Health 22
5. Strategic Outcome – Safe Community 27
6. Strategic Outcome – Transportation and Mobility 31
7. Strategic Outcome – High Performing Government 35
III. Appendix
A. Performance Measures (to be updated in final version)
- Community Dashboard 39
- Strategic Objective Metrics (Strategy MAPs) 45
B. Long-Term Financial Plan 51
C. Glossary of Terms 56
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Introduction
The City of Fort Collins is a full-service municipal organization dedicated to providing
world-class services to 170,000 residents, 8,000 businesses, and numerous institutional
partners. Located sixty miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State
University (CSU), Otterbox, New Belgium Brewing, Odell Brewing and many
high-tech employers and small businesses, as well as an active and engaged resident
and business community. As both a community and city organization, Fort Collins is
recognized for its quality of services and amenities, sustainable management practices,
and a forward-thinking, innovative culture.
Fort Collins has a successful history of participatory community and organizational
planning to guide decision-making, City policies, and the delivery of services. Alongside
City Plan (Fort Collins’ comprehensive plan) the Strategic Plan reflects the values of the
community. While City Plan articulates a long-term community vision and growth
framework, the Strategic Plan outlines short- and mid-term objectives, influences the
City’s budgeting process, and guides the implementation of the City’s full range of
services, including:
Police
Fire Protection through a local authority
Streets, Transportation and Transit infrastructure & operations
Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas and Cultural facilities
Planning, Engineering and Community services
Sustainability Services – Economic Health, Environmental Services and Social
Sustainability
Utilities – Electric, Water, Wastewater and Stormwater
Gigabit-speed internet service through Connexion
Support Services – Leadership, Human Resources, Information Technology,
Communications and Public Involvement, Financial Services, City Clerk’s Office,
Facilities and Fleet Services, and Legal and Judicial Services
The 2020 Strategic Plan outlines key objectives and strategies that links City Plan and
the City’s organizational priorities.
Vision, Mission & Values
Vision:
To Provide World-Class Municipal Services through Operational Excellence and a
Culture of Innovation
Mission:
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Exceptional Service for an Exceptional Community
Values:
Collaboration - Excellence - Integrity - Outstanding Service
Safety & Well-being - Stewardship
The City of Fort Collins is deeply committed to high-quality public service and cultivating
an outstanding culture for its employees. A strong focus on ethics, compliance with all
regulations and laws, data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement are
foundational to City practices and culture. As recognition of the organization’s
commitment to providing exceptional service, the City of Fort Collins was recently
selected as a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award recipient.
The organization also aligns with the broader community values articulated in City Plan:
Livability – The City implements systems and processes to ensure consistent operations
and development of new facilities and programs oriented toward enhancing quality of
life. Decision-makers, employees and residents all have a hand in guiding resources
toward amenities such as natural areas and parks, well-maintained infrastructure and
safe neighborhoods. Livability also means working to address challenges around
equitable access to services and creating communitywide opportunities for attainable
housing and efficient transportation options.
Community – The City and decision-makers value honest dialogue and the input of
employees and residents as fellow problem solvers. Participation and collaboration on
how best to leverage community and City assets toward future opportunities and
challenges is encouraged in decision-making and planning processes. The City also
strives to create and demonstrate an inclusive environment representative of Fort
Collins’ growing diversity and changing demographics.
Sustainability - The City’s dedication to providing exceptional service is a commitment
for today and the future. Sustainability is deeply rooted in the organization and reflected
in strategies to reduce climate impacts and improve community resilience, support the
health of the economy through business retention and talent alignment, and embedding
considerations about equitable processes and outcomes in decision-making. The City’s
Triple Bottom Line Scan tool (TBL-S) assesses the economic, environmental and social
factors of decisions to improve overall outcomes, ensure that one aspect does not
dominate the decision-making process, and reduce impacts when trade-offs are
unavoidable.
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Guiding Themes & Principles
To achieve the City’s mission, vision and values, theStrategic Plan is aligned and focused
on continuous improvement in seven Key Outcome Areas:
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
Culture and Recreation
Economic Health
Environmental Health
Safe Community
Transportation and Mobility
High Performing Government
The City budget is also aligned across these seven areas, and revenue is allocated to
support policies and initiatives that drive improvement in each outcome. Each Outcome
Area includes specific objectives that define different focus areas. While each Outcome
Area has unique characteristics, City investment in a single objective regularly impacts
more than one outcome.
Major themes and areas of focus within the 2020 Strategic Plan, identified through
community outreach and engagement, or as a Council Priority, include:
1. Affordability – Improve access to a broad range of quality housing that is safe,
accessible and affordable. Address the increasing cost of living in Fort Collins
through diverse job opportunities and reduce the mismatch between available jobs
and skills in the workforce.
2. Multimodal Transportation & Public Transit – Improve traffic flow and safety, the
availability of transportation alternatives, and access to public transportation.
3. Equity, Inclusion and Diversity– Cultivate a safe and welcoming community
focusing on equitable engagement, outcomes and service delivery for all, leading
with race.
4. Environmental Sustainability – Identify and implement initiatives that achieve the
City’s environmental goals and objectives.
5. Community Vibrancy – Preserve the community’s sense of place with a high value
on natural areas, culture, recreation and park systems.
Fort Collins has long employed a Growth Management Area (GMA) to foster a compact
community, provide physical separation from our Northern Colorado neighbors, and
preserve and protect sensitive natural resources. As Fort Collins’ strong employment
and population growth continues and the community approaches the boundaries of the
GMA, a shift toward greater redevelopment and infill development is anticipated. The
2020 Strategic Plan themes and areas of focus highlight opportunities for continuing to
implement the community’s growth framework and community goals to increase the
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range of housing and transportation options, enhance community identity and create an
inclusive environment.
Strategic Advantages and Challenges
The City has identified a number of advantages and challenges that could impact the
implementation of Strategic Objectives described in this document. Advantages are
those strengths and attributes that will enable the City to achieve objectives; challenges
reflect attributes that could impair the ability to achieve objectives. Each of the
challenges described below are reflected in one or more Strategic Objective so that the
challenges will be addressed in future budget proposals.
Advantages:
1. A supportive, engaged and innovative community
2. A culture of excellence and continuous improvement driven by the City’s Vision,
Mission and Values
3. Engaged and committed employees with a strong focus on customer service
4. Collaborative local partners, such as Poudre School District, CSU, local service
providers, and primary employers
5. Municipal ownership of four essential Utilities – Light & Power, Water, Wastewater
and Stormwater
6. Strong revenue and City balance sheet, recently approved tax renewals, an Aaa
Moody’s credit rating, and a diverse local economy
Challenges:
1. Cost of living including childcare and housing that is affordable and available to all
income levels
2. Transportation and traffic issues related to trains, congestion and a high volume of
single-occupancy vehicles.
3. Balancing competing community desires and changing customer expectations within
available resources
4. Embracing and cultivating diversity, equity and inclusion for all, leading with race
5. Attracting, retaining and developing high-quality employees
6. Aging infrastructure and growth-related needs
7. Aligning regional partners around a common set of priorities
The Strategic Objectives associated with each Key Outcome Area are described in the
following tables. The Strategic Objectives are not listed in priority order and it should not
be interpreted that a Strategic Objective early in the list is of a greater priority than one
later in the list. Subsequent sections of this document include bullet details below each
Strategic Objective to provide additional context for the objective and its importance.
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Summary of Strategic Objectives
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
1.1 Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is affordable to
a broad range of income levels.
1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other identified high-
priority human service needs, and to make homelessness rare, short-lived and non-
recurring.
1.3 Improve accessibility of City and community programs and increase participation in
services to eligible, income-qualified residents.
1.4 Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or identities is
not a predictor of outcomes.
1.5 Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve
problems, and foster respectful relations.
1.6 Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development consistent
with City Plan.
1.7 Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the Mulberry
Corridor.
1.8 NEW: Preserve and enhance manufactured housing communities as a source of
affordable housing and create a safe and equitable environment for residents.
Culture and Recreation
2.1 Develop recreation and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive and
accessible, and that also drive attendance and cost recovery.
2.2 Address critical park, recreation equipment and trail lifecycle and maintenance
needs and continue the planned buildout of the system.
2.3 Create enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents and
visitors.
2.4 NEW: Identify criteria, process and funding options to refresh neighborhood and
community parks.
2.5 NEW: Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural areas, trails, and cultural and
recreation facilities for visitors and employees.
Economic Health
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional economic
resilience.
3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market to grow diverse employment
opportunities.
3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting,
sustaining and renewing businesses.
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment opportunities consistent with City Plan policies.
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3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring predictable
utility rates.
3.6 Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the community.
Environmental Health
4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100%
renewable electricity goals.
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality.
4.3 Make progress toward 2030 zero waste goals.
4.4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
4.5 Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and throughout
the community.
4.6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and its watershed.
4.7 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio while simultaneously maintaining existing
lands and access to nature.
4.8 (Moved from C&R) Create and maintain a safe, healthy and resilient urban forest.
Safe Community
5.1 Improve overall community safety while continuing to increase the level of public
trust and willingness to use emergency services.
5.2 Meet the expected level of core and specialized police services as the community
grows.
5.3 Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention,
community risk reduction and emergency response services.
5.4 Continue to deploy comprehensive emergency preparedness and management
strategies.
5.5 Address flooding risk for the protection of people, property and the environment.
5.6 Protect mission-critical physical and virtual infrastructure, in addition to privacy
data, against increasing cybersecurity threats.
5.7 Reduce incidents of and impacts from disruptive behavior of the transient
population.
5.8 Improve security at City facilities and properties.
Transportation and Mobility
6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel.
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all users
6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel, with
emphasis on growing transit ridership.
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I-25 improvements according to the multi-modal
environmental impact statement.
6.5 Maintain existing and aging transportation infrastructure and address missing
facilities to meet targeted levels of service.
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6.6 Manage parking supply and demand Downtown, along the MAX corridor and near
Colorado State University.
6.7 NEW: Manage safety, congestion and quality of life impacts from train operations in
Fort Collins.
High Performing Government
7.1 Provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a
culture of innovation.
7.2 Maintain the public trust through a high performing board, as well as organizational
transparency, legal and ethical behavior and regulatory compliance.
7.3 Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of all
identities, languages and needs.
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a diverse and competitive workforce to
meet the needs of the community now and in the future.
7.5 Foster a culture of safety, well-being, resilience and sustainability across the City
organization.
7.6 Utilize technology, data, metrics and process improvements to innovate, guide
decisions and enhance service delivery.
7.7 Address long-term projected gap between available revenue and what is required
to meet known and emerging needs.
7.8 Maintain and protect assets and infrastructure to drive reliability, cost effectiveness,
efficiency and improve the customer experience.
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Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
Fort Collins provides a high-quality built environment, supports
connected neighborhoods, seeks to advance equity and affordability,
and fosters the social health of the community.
Fort Collins benefits from social connections and open communication. The City strives
to provide equitable access to opportunities, services and resources, and to create an
inclusive environment for all members of the community. The community takes pride in a
friendly culture, celebrates differences and knows that better decisions occur when open
dialogue about tough issues is encouraged.
The City is committed to creating a desirable urban environment that recognizes the
importance of the form of the environment (e.g., community architecture, historic
preservation and pedestrian-oriented environments) and preserving and protecting
neighborhood character while ensuring a safe, beautiful and friendly experience for all
residents and visitors. A top community priority is to address housing affordability so that
people of all income levels have housing options and the choice to live, work and play
here in Fort Collins.
The City recognizes the importance of neighborhoods and actively seeks to preserve and
support their vibrancy while diligently enforcing property maintenance codes. As the City
grows and redevelops, the vision continues to be an overall average increase in density
that fosters efficient land use; supports a mix of housing types integrated with activity
centers and diverse businesses; increases the safety and efficiency of public utilities,
streets, facilities and services; and accommodates multiple modes of travel (including
vehicle, bus, bike and pedestrian). Development and growth are focused within the
community’s designated Growth Management Area to protect natural resources and the
regional landscape, encourage infill redevelopment and human interaction, and maximize
the efficient use of public infrastructure. Alternative transportation modes and access to
key health and human service facilities are a priority.
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health also addresses challenges related to leading
active lifestyles, and the accessibility of health and human service facilities for all
segments of the community while protecting the character of neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health is related to human well-being and wellness,
and to opportunities for residents to work and socialize together, to be self-sufficient, and
to live, work and travel within the community.
The lack of critical mental and behavioral health services in Larimer County has a direct
impact on community residents, businesses and City services. Neighborhood Livability
and Social Health must include providing appropriate facilities and services to support
people experiencing homelessness with a goal of availability of long-term housing and
services solutions. Simultaneously, enforcement efforts must continue to prevent illegal
or aggressive behaviors that diminish the quality of life in neighborhoods and business
areas.
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Neighborhood Livability and Social Health includes:
Adequate and safe public facilities, services and infrastructure to serve existing
development and new growth
Vital and appealing transit-oriented activity centers and destinations throughout the
city
Addressing the impact of increasing poverty, as well as increasing concerns about
housing affordability and homelessness
Equal access to City services, amenities, and information for all neighborhoods
Enforcement of laws to address aggressive behaviors that affect neighborhood quality
Encouraging an inclusive, equitable community that embraces diversity
Creating a distinctive and attractive community that is appealing to workers, visitors
and residents
Promoting the use of sustainable-building and site design techniques
Preserving historic resources and character defining features that make Fort Collins
unique
Providing residents with opportunities to live healthy, safe and active lifestyles
Reducing the impacts of our built environment on the natural environment
Managing where and how the City grows in the future
Encouraging the development of quality and affordable housing options for residents
of all income levels
Maintaining our unique character and sense of place
Requiring adequate public facilities and infrastructure to serve existing development
and new growth
Definition & Descriptions
1.1 Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is
affordable to a broad range of income levels.
Since 2015, residents identified housing affordability as a high priority during
community outreach sessions. In the 2019 Community Survey, only 12% of
respondents felt positively about the availability of affordable quality housing.
Fort Collins ranked 14 out of 19 front Range jurisdictions surveyed for
“availability of affordable quality housing.”
The current rental market, with vacancy rates of less than 3%, is making it
difficult for residents to live and work within Fort Collins.
To support people with low income levels, the City is helping to create new
affordable housing units with the goal of about 400 units per year, to reach the
overarching goal of having 10% of all housing inventory as restricted affordable
housing at City build out.
The Structure Plan in the 2019 adopted City Plan calls for improved housing
options available to all City residents.
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1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other
identified high-priority human service needs, and to make homelessness rare,
short-lived and non-recurring.
The City’s core role has been, and continues to be, funding, policy development
and partnerships for community human service agencies.
Multiple public and private organizations work to address and improve social,
environmental and economic issues within the community and the region.
The social issues that human service agencies address are wide-ranging,
complex and systemic. A strategic, collaborative approach applied to the City’s
engagement with these partners will ensure programmatic effectiveness and
efficiencies, eliminate redundancy and identify underserved areas.
Regional efforts to provide dedicated substance abuse and mental health
facilities are being implemented.
Approximately 430 residents experience recurring homelessness for six months
or more at any given time in Fort Collins, and there continue to be gaps.
Regional efforts are occurring to improve the systematic approach to make
homelessness rare, short-lived, and non-recurring.
1.3 Improve accessibility of City and community programs and increase
participation in services to eligible, income-qualified residents
As the cost of living in Fort Collins increases, low-income and moderate-income
households are struggling to afford participation in City events and services.
It is estimated that less than half of low-income households participate in the
available reduced-fee and rebate programs for which they are eligible.
A streamlined application process, with increased and focused marketing
outreach, would improve customer service and likely increase participation.
Despite increased marketing and outreach efforts, the number of participating
households in the Grocery Rebate program declined from a high in 2015 and
has been relatively flat since 2017.
1.4 Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or
identities is not a predictor of outcomes.
The City seeks to strengthen its understanding and ability to advance
equitable outcomes for all community members.
Although the City acknowledges there are inequitable outcomes
experienced by Fort Collins residents, the City currently lacks a
comprehensive data set and consistent approach to applying an equity lens.
The impacts and disparities caused by racism are deep and pervasive, and
addressing them at the systemic and institutional level also elevates
equitable outcomes for all, including other marginalized identities.
The City, along with several major partner institutions and community-based
organizations, are working together to address race-based oppression and
disparities in a systemic manner.
1.5 Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve
problems, and foster respectful relations.
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Connected neighbors help identify neighborhood-level priorities and learn how
to work together and/or with the City to address them.
Quality of life improves when neighbors have an understanding of how to
productively manage conflict and allow for healthy disagreements.
The maintenance of alleys in neighborhoods is an important component to
functionality, appearance and safety.Optimization of alleys could create new or
enhanced public spaces.
Access to nature and green infrastructure improves the integration of natural
habitat with urban spaces.
Proactive, innovative and effective code compliance processes are important
aspects of attractive neighborhoods.
1.6 Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development
consistent with City Plan.
Fort Collins’ population is expected to grow to 250,000 by 2040, which will drive
significant construction throughout the community.
Emphasis should be placed on preserving the iconic and architectural elements
of the community, rather than preservation solely based on age.
Neighborhood outreach and engagement helps the City to understand
community expectations.
1.7 Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the Mulberry
Corridor.
The required enclave closed in 2018, opening the possibility of future
annexation.
The Mulberry annexation presents an opportunity to allow the corridor to be
redeveloped in accordance with City standards and plans. Large annexations
require significant and targeted investment in resources and infrastructure, as
well as thoughtful and deliberate phasing.
Successful annexation of this corridor will require collaboration with Larimer
County,non-City utilities, and Poudre Fire Authority.
Robust engagement of City and County residents and businesses is necessary
for an effective annexation.
1.8 NEW: Preserve and enhance manufactured housing communities as a source
of affordable housing, and create a safe and equitable environment for residents.
Manufactured housing communities are a significant source of private, affordable
housing and should be protected and enhanced.
Many residents living in manufactured home communities do not enjoy the same
rights and benefits (e.g. appreciation in value, tree trimming, etc.) as residents
living in traditional multi-family and single-family neighborhoods.
Connection to municipal resources and services improves manufactured housing
community livability for residents, property managers, and owners.
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Homeowner groups, affordable housing providers and support organizations
need tools to purchase, rehabilitate and effectively manage manufactured
housing communities.
Approximately 10% of calls from emergency services originate from a
manufactured housing community.
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Culture & Recreation
Fort Collins provides and maximizes access to diverse cultural and
recreational amenities.
Cultural and recreational opportunities are elemental to Fort Collins’ sense of place and
help create a desirable community in which to live and play. Residents consistently place
a high value on these programs and services, believing the City should continue its strong
investment in these amenities. The City’s park and trail systems are also highly valued
and heavily used. The planned buildout of the trail system is a high priority for residents
and will create further connectivity across Fort Collins and throughout Northern Colorado.
Additionally, the City believes that connecting residents to nature is fundamental to a high
quality of life.
Cultural and recreational facilities and programming provide residents opportunities to
lead enriched and healthy lives and support overall community wellness. Arts and culture
are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Similarly, parks, trails and natural areas
provide beautiful public spaces that foster physical activity and create opportunities for
creativity, reflection and leisure. The quality of parks, trails and natural areas, as well as
arts, culture and recreation programs and opportunities create a sense of pride among
residents, while also drawing visitors and revenue into Fort Collins.
In many respects these amenities define, and will continue to define the community.
These amenities have a direct link to other Outcome Areas, most notably Environmental
Health, Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, Transportation and Mobility, and
Economic Health. The City focuses on the stewardship of these resources as a reflection
of its residents’ and visitors’ values.
Providing diverse culture and recreation amenities includes:
Ensuring the legacy of Fort Collins’ parks, trails, natural areas, and cultural and
recreational facilities for future generations
Enhancing equitable access to cultural and recreation service offerings and facilities
Providing a wide variety of high-quality recreation services and cultural opportunities
Creating an interconnected regional and local trail network of parks and accessible
recreational facilities
Creating and preserving opportunities and spaces where residents can readily access
nature
Continuing a strong focus on exceptional natural resource stewardship and
ecologically sound and sustainable operations
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Definition & Descriptions
2.1 Develop recreation and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive and
accessible, and that also drive attendance and cost recovery.
Existing diverse programs and opportunities can be bolstered with
responsiveness to changing community desires.
The City desires equitable access and a high degree of participation in all
programs offered.
Fee structures based on demand, program alternatives and affordability help
improve program self-sufficiency.
Indoor and outdoor facilities and programs need to address emerging trends
and opportunities for all ages.
Fort Collins currently lacks quality regional sports venues where competitive
leagues can hold their state or regional tournaments.
2.2 Address critical park, recreation equipment and trail lifecycle and
maintenance needs and continue the planned buildout of the system.
Community outreach consistently indicates a strong desire to preserve and
cultivate a sense of place and vibrancy as Fort Collins grows.
Parks, trails and recreation opportunities are highly valued and utilized by
residents. In 2019, 93% of residents visited a City park.
As the City’s parks and recreation facilities age and use increases, additional
resources will be needed to make necessary improvements and updates to
sustain current service levels, meet design standards, and maintain parks as
highly valued neighborhood amenities.
Alternatives and non-traditional approaches to help fund trail maintenance
and/or accelerate completion of the trail system are necessary.
2.3 Create enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents
and visitors.
Through the Lincoln Center, the Gardens on Spring Creek, Fort Collins
Museum of Discovery and other cultural services, the City provides programs
and services to the community beyond traditional parks and recreation centers.
The City’s cultural heritage includes the community’s agricultural roots, its
strong commitment to enhancing access to nature, and preservation of open
spaces.
Artistic and cultural opportunities are essential to a vibrant and creative
community; equitable participation and inclusion in those opportunities are core
community values.
The recently adopted FoCo Creates Master Plan calls for a destination arts and
culture community, a well-networked and visible creative sector, educational
opportunities and business support.
The City intentionally leverages partnerships and philanthropy to support a
growing and vibrant cultural and creative community.
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2.4 NEW: Identify criteria, process and funding options to refresh neighborhood
and community parks.
Aging parks should periodically undergo a “refresh” or comprehensive upgrade
to respond to new park standards and changing community expectations.
As part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan update occurring this year, a
set of standards to inform potential refresh of parks will be developed.
A park refresh goes beyond the standard lifecycle maintenance of existing park
assets, often improving access and responding to the needs of contemporary
park users.
The City’s parks system continues to age and a dedicated funding source has
not been identified to refresh parks.
2.5 NEW: Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural areas, trails, and
cultural and recreation facilities for visitors and employees.
New or growing safety issues have surfaced around increased illegal camping,
bodily waste, drug use and other disruptive behaviors.
Maintaining roadway median design and landscaping is an emerging challenge
due to safety and staffing concerns.
Perceptions of crowding have grown due to increased trail use.
An expanded geographic footprint for rangers results in less frequent patrols.
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Economic Health
Fort Collins promotes a healthy, sustainable economy reflecting
community values.
The City of Fort Collins benefits from a resilient local economy with strong existing
businesses and industries combined with diverse and evolving job opportunities and
business formation. We strive to create programs and resources that enable the local
economy to withstand and lessen outside pressures, bounce back from downturns
quickly, and potentially avoid the impact of regional, national and global economic forces.
We take pride in our thriving local businesses, entrepreneurs, and inventors who create
wealth and opportunity retained in our community.
The City is committed to understanding the numerous challenges facing our local
economy, including: continued competition from globalization, impacts on facilities and
supply chains from climate change, shifting labor markets, and evolving regional, national
and global conditions. By engaging existing businesses and regional institutional partners
to understand the impacts of these challenges the City can develop programs and policies
encouraging the retention and expansion of existing small and medium-sized businesses.
The ability for businesses and industries to start, sustain, and renew within our community
creates long-term resiliency.
The City works collaboratively with local and regional partners to create an environment
that supports necessary conditions for economic vitality. Using available infill and
redevelopment land to the highest and best use supports a strong and diverse economy.
The City continues to evolve the strategies and programs that support the redevelopment
of numerous emerging prospects
The delivery of efficient and transparent City services coupled with strategic infrastructure
investment supports economic resilience. The City remains committed to continuously
improving processes that impact our local businesses, including: the development review
and permitting process, regulatory environment, and delivery of affordable utilities.
Strategically investing in public infrastructure and community assets, such as the
Northern Colorado Regional Airport, gigabit fiber internet service, and reliable water and
energy services, enhance the local economy.
A healthy and resilient economy includes:
Thriving and growing local, unique and creative businesses
Engaging businesses to understand the numerous challenges they face
Connecting and developing qualified workers with employers by aligning education
and workforce resources to create opportunities for upward career and wage mobility
Maintaining the City’s position as a strong regional center with cultural, natural and
community amenities
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Addressing abrupt and long-term climate changes increasing business risk to supply
chains, infrastructure, and facilities
Encouraging investment and innovation to enable local businesses to start, sustain
and renew through the use of technology and pilot projects supported by City as a
Platform and Smart Cities
Ensuring development and redevelopment opportunities can meet our employment-
space needs
Coordinating efforts among City, regional, state and federal programs to create a
strong, resilient regional economic center
Supporting an innovation, creative and entrepreneurial atmosphere
Efficient and transparent City processes and Services that address the needs of local
businesses
Definition & Descriptions
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional
economic resilience.
The region benefits from and has multiple organizations working to improve
economic conditions including CSU, Rocky Mountain Innosphere (RMI),
Northern Colorado Economic Alliance (NCEA) and various cluster
organizations.
Coordination of regional development activities with national representation is
needed to focus on retention, expansion, incubation and attraction.
Collaboration with partners is needed to create a unified regional vision for
sustained economic growth.
3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market to grow diverse employment
opportunities.
Reduce identified barriers of workforce attraction and retention, including
access and affordability of quality housing and childcare.
Growth in the entrepreneurial and start-up ecosystem has barriers due to
access to capital and inability to recruit targeted talent pools.
47% of Fort Collins/Loveland residents have a bachelor's degree or higher,
while only 23% of jobs require a post-secondary degree.
Although the overall supply of employment-zoned land appears sufficient to
meet long-term demand, its readiness for development may constrain the
community’s ability to create employment opportunities.
3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting,
sustaining and renewing businesses.
There is an opportunity to identify and refine services for Fort Collins business
customers by engaging businesses of all sizes and across all industries,
including disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) and women and minority-
owned businesses.
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Improvement in select current service delivery systems (e.g., Development
Review, Permitting, etc.) is needed to provide efficient and transparent services
to all business customers.
As the community continues to grow and evolve, so does the number of private
and public construction projects, which has the potential to be disruptive to
businesses.
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment opportunties consistent with City Plan
policies
Buildout within the City’s development boundaries is expected over the next 20
to 30 years. Growth will be denser and taller than historical norms and
additional infrastructure will be needed to support remaining open field
development.
Infill developments are met with significant community resistance to higher
density and heights, requiring a high level of stakeholder engagement.
Infill development should enhance and preserve the character of existing
neighborhoods while allowing taller buildings in appropriate character sub-
districts and maximizing compatibility through appropriate design.
The Urban Renewal Authority is an important partner in achieving desired infill
and redevelopment opportunities.
Fort Collins has many unique features that need to be preserved and
enhanced.
Many employers have reported that increasingly stringent land-use codes
create barriers that add cost to business development and operations.
3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring
predictable utility rates
Affordable energy costs and high reliability provide an advantage in attracting
and retaining energy-intensive industries. Maintaining the system reliability and
cost advantage is important to retaining existing primary employers.
Completion of total undergrounding of the electric distribution and transmission
system will require additional resources, increased maintenance and
replacement to maintain the current system reliability.
New infrastructure is needed to deliver services to meet the needs of future
growth in areas such as the Mulberry Corridor and northeast Fort Collins.
Significant water infrastructure (water, wastewater, and stormwater)
improvements are planned but are not funded.
Water storage capacity is needed to ensure water rights can be fully utilized to
meet future demand and drought management needs.
3.6 Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the
community
Following voter approval and issuance of bonds, the buildout of the Connexion
system is underway.
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The creation of this new internet utility service requires significant
organizational effort and prioritization of activities during the start-up phase.
High-speed internet service throughout the community will support economic
vitality, quality of life and governmental operations, and will be leveraged to
facilitate Smart City goals.
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Environmental Health
Fort Collins promotes, protects and enhances a healthy and
sustainable environment.
For decades, the City of Fort Collins has led the way in innovative and sustainable
environmental programs, such as watershed stewardship, water conservation, low-
impact development, stormwater management, urban tree canopy preservation, and
energy policies. Additional examples include the City’s natural areas system, Cache la
Poudre River restoration, waste reduction programs, air quality and emissions policies,
climate action planning, sustainable purchasing practices, and green building standards.
The City has set some of the most aspirational climate goals in the country, including
carbon neutrality by 2050. Achieving the 2020 Climate Action and Energy Policy goals
is largely within reach, and it is time to focus on the transformational strategies and
policy solutions that will be needed to achieve the 2030 goals. Beginning in 2019, and
continuing through 2020, the City is updating three plans: Climate Action Plan, Energy
Policy, and the Road to Zero Waste Plan. These combined planning processes are
being conducted together to provide a streamlined engagement process for the
community, where if a community member or business engages with one plan, they can
impact all three. Collectively, these planning updates are called "Our Climate Future.”
This plan builds on Fort Collins’ goals and leads with equity in both the update process
and intended outcomes.
Fort Collins Utilities plays a critical role in environmental stewardship by protecting the
watershed and meeting all regulatory standards, as do other utility districts that provide
sanitary sewer and water service to Fort Collins residents. Fort Collins Utilities supports
innovative programs that go beyond compliance, promoting energy and water
conservation, efficiency and clean electricity sources.
The City’s efforts to conserve natural areas are a core part of Fort Collins’ identity and
culture. The program has conserved 44,000 acres since its inception, and continues to
conserve land while providing an increased emphasis on stewardship, such as habitat
restoration and visitor amenities. Current land conservation efforts are focused on local,
foothills and community separator areas.
Fort Collins also has a growing and healthy urban tree canopy that creates a sense of
place for community members and is inviting for visitors. These trees provide invaluable
benefits to the built environment that will live on and add value to the community for
generations to come.
With regional and global partners, Fort Collins is a leader in implementing policies and
programs that engender a more economically efficient, successful and resilient
community, while reducing local climate change impacts.
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A healthy and sustainable environment includes:
Supporting climate action initiatives that will help Fort Collins become a carbon-
neutral and resilient community
Protecting and improving the quality of air, water and night skies
A sustainable, high-quality water supply
Conserving resources, including energy and water, and cultivating a healthy
ecosystem
Careful stewardship of, and access to, open lands and natural areas
A comprehensive and connected system of natural areas and open lands
Partnerships with local, regional, state and national affiliates to achieve desired goals
and outcomes
Integrating renewable energy technologies for the electric grid
Solid waste reduction and diversion
Definition & Descriptions
4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and
100% renewable electricity goals.
Most of the community’s efforts have focused on achieving the short-term 2020 goals,
e.g., a 20% reduction in carbon emissions below 2005 levels (Climate Action Plan) and
improved efficiency to reach 2.5% annual electricity savings (Energy Policy).
Results to date have largely been driven by increased renewable resources in the
electric grid and efficiencies in home and business operations, while emissions have
increased in transportation and natural gas use.
The community’s 2030 goals of an 80% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels and
achieving a 100% renewable electricity system require a systems approach that
prioritizes the most equitable and scalable solutions to achieve the goals.
Climate change impacts are already here, and communities in the Intermountain West
are particularly vulnerable to increased temperatures, reduced snowpack, threats to
water quality, increased storm severity, natural hazards and threats to human health and
safety.
Eightly percent of residents support the City engaging in climate action, and in
partnership with others, the City can support ways to engage and empower residents,
businesses and institutions with opportunities for sustainable living practices
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality.
Fort Collins, along with the Denver/North Front Range region, does not comply with EPA
health-based standards for ozone, which comes local sources such as gas and diesel
vehicles, and regional sources such as oil and gas operations.
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Particle pollution like dust and smoke from construction and wood fires can
create local nuisance issues and health concerns; visible air pollution (e.g.,
“brown cloud”) is worse than regional standards approximately one in four days
each year.
Oil and gas operations in and around Fort Collins contribute to elevated ozone
levels, increased air toxic emissions, and habitat fragmentation that can harm
environmental and human health, as well as localized nuisance impacts from
operations.
Surveys consistently indicate that one quarter of Fort Collins’ households report
a member with a respiratory ailment.
Studies show that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, indoor air
pollution is often much worse than outdoor air pollution, and 56% of Fort Collins
homes test high for radon.
Climate change may contribute to increased air quality risks, such as increased
emissions from wildfires, and more high heat days that can contribute to ozone
formation.
4.3 Make progress toward 2030 zero waste goals.
Although Fort Collins currently diverts about 57% of its waste stream, the
Larimer County Landfill is forecast to reach capacity in 2024. Upon its closure,
costs will rise for waste disposal in Fort Collins. Alternatives to landfilling will
become increasingly important to help maintain affordability.
Organics (woody debris, yard trimmings and food scraps) comprise 40% of the
waste sent to local landfills and represent a vital opportunity to increase waste
diversion and reduce greenhouse gas (methane) emissions.
A spectrum of approaches will be needed to meet community goals; including
highest and best use of materials through a circular economy, source reduction,
reuse, recycling and composting.
The North Front Range Wasteshed Coalition (Fort Collins, Loveland, Larimer
County, and Estes Park) is working toward developing new infrastructure and
policies to support responsible, cost-effective waste management and resource
recovery in Northern Colorado.
Increasing levels of plastic waste pollution, including macro-plastics (e.g.,
single-use plastics) and micro-plastics, creates ecological hazards.
4.4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
The watershed acts as a primary water treatment facility, so monitoring and
protecting the watershed and focusing on long-term storage capability is critical.
Key local industries rely on a high-quality and reliable water resource.
Balancing water supply and demand is necessary in the face of a changing
climate and increasing population. While the City’s water consumption per
capita has declined by approximately 32% since 2000, additional stress is
placed on water resources due to growth, climate change and lack of storage.
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The regulatory environment related to emerging contaminants, including micro-
plastic particulates, in drinking water and wastewater is evolving.
The impact of higher costs to acquire water rights and store raw water poses a
challenge to ensure adequate and affordable water resources for all water
providers in the Growth Management Area.
4.5 Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and
throughout the community.
Continue efforts to conserve and restore land that provides habitat and
biological diversity, public access via trails, buffers that provide separation from
neighboring communities, scenic vistas, opportunities for environmental
education and watchable wildlife, and conservation of agricultural lands.
A focus on Nature in the City ensures that as the community grows to its build-
out population, residents of all abilities have access to high-quality, natural
spaces close to where they live and work. It is important for all people, such as
those with visual or hearing impairments, to have inclusive experiences. .
Development review and regulations require minimum buffers, work to minimize
impacts, protect the night sky, provide guidance, and require mitigation to
conserve and enhance natural resources and wildlife habitats.
4.6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and its
watershed.
The Cache la Poudre River has multiple and, at times, competing demands
from various users.
The Cache la Poudre River is a natural amenity and ecosystem to be carefully
nurtured and maintained.
The City’s urban streams have been degraded by agriculture and urban
development.
Maintaining river health is dependent on partnerships with local, regional and
national organizations that focus on local and regional investments.
Planned construction of Glade Reservoir by Northern Water in 2023 will impact
the Poudre River and requires careful monitoring, mitigation and adaptive
management.
4.7 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio while simultaneously maintaining
existing lands and access to nature.
Fort Collins enjoys a unique appeal due to open spaces, access to mountains,
parks and trail systems, and an individual identity separate from neighboring
communities.
The City’s open space lands and trail network are critical to reaching goals to
increase responsible access to nature.
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As Natural Areas experience more visits, challenges arise including how best to
address heavy use (e.g., parking and user conflict) and preserve the assets for
future generations.
Access to nature and green infrastructure improves the integration of natural
habitat with urban spaces.
4.8 Create and maintain a safe, healthy and resilient urban forest.
A safe and healthy urban forest requires a consistent pruning rotation for all
trees.
Tree replacement improves diversity and urban forest resilience, and creates a
sense of place for the social well-being of current and future generations.
Approximately 33% of the community’s urban forest is at risk to the Emerald Ash
Borer and all untreated ash trees will die.
As development occurs, it is important to ensure existing trees are preserved and
protected, tree removals are mitigated and replaced, and the canopy is designed
for long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
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Safe Community
Fort Collins provides a safe place to live, work, learn and play.
The City of Fort Collins strives to be a safe and healthy place to live, work, learn and play.
Safety and security are important aspects of a sustainable community as they help shape
its appeal, viability, productivity and economic stability. The use of technology to improve
prevention, investigative techniques, and communication is important. Cybersecurity is a
high-priority in maintaining safety within our community.
Ensuring that Fort Collins is a safe community is addressed by many services and
programs provided by the City and its partners. Residents often identify immediate actions
from Police Servicesand Poudre Fire Authority as key contributors to their sense of safety.
A safe community also includes a high-functioning Municipal Court and judicial system, .
Reliable infrastructure, such as flood protection systems, and effective emergency
preparedness, are critical to a safe community. Infrastructure is protected through best
management practices and long-term planning..
Key components of community education include community policing, prevention and
preparedness; fire prevention and awareness; as well as regulations and infrastructure
investment. The City’s Emergency Management system and many regional, state and
federal partners work to minimize and effectively respond to emergency situations.
A safe and healthy community includes:
A safe and welcoming city in which to live, work, learn, and play
Proactive and skilled police and fire services
Safe, reliable and best practice floodplain management
An active emergency management system focused on prevention, preparedness and
recovery with key partnerships in place to effectively respond to emergency situations
Mitigating risks posed by hazards to businesses and property
Ensuring that hazard mitigation efforts and investments are made equitably
Definition & Descriptions
5.1. Improve overall community safety while continuing to increase the level of
public trust and willingness to use emergency services.
Local and regional coordination is essential to a safe community so that all
emergency response teams are aligned and work collaboratively toward
successful outcomes.
Local, regional and federal resources should be maximized to address safety
issues.
An increasingly diverse community requires new communication strategies and
non-traditional partnerships to effectively build trust and enable residents to
understand the resources available to them to help keep their families safe.
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Partnerships continue to support key enforcement and education programs
such as animal control, mental health, substance abuse, detoxification, victim
assistance, youth programs, bike safety, county jail and programs to reduce
repeat crimes.
As Fort Collins grows, City policies must focus on ensuring that Police Services
is able to remain innovative and adaptable to effectively meet community
expectations for public safety.
5.2. Meet the expected level of core and specialized police services as the
community grows.
As the community continues to grow, the type and volume of crimes and
community needs will change, requiring additional police resources and skills to
maintain and increase community safety.
The police industry is changing, with a greater number of calls requiring
specialized training to deal with mental and behavioral health issues.
The City is experiencing increased severity and pervasiveness of illegal drug-
related incidences that are resulting in negative impacts on the community.
The use of technology, such as body-worn cameras, and training related to the
appropriate use of force helps maintain a high level of transparency and public
credibility.
To meet community expectations, Police Services needs to be nimble in
responding to emerging needs, which include community policing, bike patrol,
party enforcement and others.
The fiscal challenge of increasing staffing levels in proportion to our growing
population requires intentional focus on reducing inefficiencies and building
capacity within the current workforce.
5.3. Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention,
community risk reduction and emergency response services.
When a fire breaks out, the goal is to contain it within the room of origin. To
enhance public safety, the goal is to increase containment in the room of origin
to 85%.
Fast response time is crucial to containing fire. PFA’s goal is to be on scene
80% of the time within 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
Public awareness, including school programs, community outreach and social
media campaigns, supports fire prevention.
Development review services ensure that new construction, redevelopment,
and building activity are consistent with international and local codes.
The community's demand for Emergency Medical Services continues to grow
rapidly, challenging PFA to address demand growth through alternative
response models and public education.PFA has one of the highest rates of
survival from cardiac arrest in the nation and is dedicated to improving these
chances even more.
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5.4. Continue to deploy comprehensive emergency preparedness and
management strategies.
The City’s Emergency Operation Plan outlines the Citywide emergency
mitigation, response and recovery plans for all hazards and calls for ongoing
training for staff and volunteers to effectively execute the plan.
Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans enable City departments to understand
best practices and strategies to support operational needs and the highest level
of service delivery during times of crisis.
Emergency planning, preparation and training should leverage federal and
state resources and be done in collaboration with regional efforts.
In 2019, emergency management functions were moved into the City
organization in collaboration with Poudre Fire Authority to improve the focus of
City operations on community preparedness and enhance service delivery.
While having robust communication methods, the City has some gaps in its
communication plans and capabilities for non-English speakers and residents
without access to technology like internet services.
5.5. Address flooding risk for the protection of people, property and the
environment.
Proper stormwater flow management is critical to the protection of people,
property and the environment; especially within the 100-year floodplain
Approximately 1,100 structures are in the floodplain due to inadequate
stormwater infrastructure.
Reducing the flooding risk to private property and City infrastructure, as well as
decreasing the number of flood-prone areas, will increase infill development
opportunities.
5.6. Protect mission-critical physical and virtual infrastructure, in addition to
privacy data, against increasing cybersecurity threats.
Many City services are reliant on technology for the continuity of core
operations, while improving the effectiveness and efficiency of City services.
Cybersecurity continues to be increasingly important to the protection of the
City’s assets and information as well as the protection of customer privacy.
Cyber audits and awareness training are a critical component of ensuring the
City’s ability to mitigate everchanging threats from new operational
technologies and growing cybersecurity attacks.
Understanding cybersecurity risks and threats, as well as learning how to
detect them, is paramount for every employee to prevent negative impacts from
malicious activity.
5.7. Reduce incidents of, and impacts from, disruptive behavior of the transient
population.
Ongoing attention and creative approaches to appropriately balance
compassion and consequences are needed.
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Fort Collins continues to experience an increase in disruptive behaviors,
causing numerous challenges and frustration among visitors, business owners
and residents.
The negative impacts from illegal and unwanted transient behaviors continue to
expand beyond the downtown area and more broadly across our community.
Police, Municipal Court, Natural Areas, and Parks resources are
disproportionately consumed by transient issues, reducing the level of service
provided to other residents.
5.8. Improve security at City facilities and properties.
The City continues to experience an increase in security-related incidents
happening at Municipal Court that require police assistance. Current space
constraints do not allow for effective deployment of industry-standard security
strategies for providing a safe and secure facility for customers and residents.
Security controls for City facilities are managed by multiple systems, and best
practices point to one centralized system as most effective, including the
capability to integrate with camera and credentialing systems.
Perception of safety of Transfort, Parks and Natural Areas has a high impact on
residents’ use and enjoyment of these services.
Current lack of protocols to improve security at City facilities provides an
opportunity for best-practice policies and associated staff training.
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Transportation and Mobility
Fort Collins provides a transportation system that moves people and
goods safely and efficiently while being accessible, reliable and
convenient.
The transportation system is a key component for nearly all aspects of the City of Fort
Collins. The system provides the connecting fabric among residences, employment,
schools and shopping. It is critical for economic success and commerce, interconnected
with land use, and impacts the Climate Action Plan and healthy living goals. It is also a
key aspect of advancing City priorities around access and equity. The success of a high-
quality and well-functioning multi-modal system is a community differentiator and
reflected in quality-of-life performance measures.
The Transportation Master Plan, approved by City Council in 2019, describes six core
components of a sustainable transportation network, all of which are intended to guide
Fort Collins toward realizing the overall transportation vision over 20 years. These
components provide a comprehensive framework for assessing current network
conditions and informs where Fort Collins can enhance its mobility programs and
investments to achieve broader-reaching outcomes. These components were closely
evaluated and used to inform the strategic objectives of this document as a method to
focus on near-term actions. The six core components are:
(1) Transportation Infrastructure – Planning a physical transportation network that
supports multimodal travel.
(2) Mobility & Travel Choices – Considering the role each transportation mode plays
in shaping the Fort Collins mobility network.
(3) Health & Equity – Ensuring the transportation network plays a key role in
advancing social outcomes.
(4) Innovation – Understanding emerging technologies and how new trends are
influencing travel.
(5) Safety – Eliminating serious injuries and fatalities on Fort Collins roadways.
(6) Sustainability & Resiliency – Shifting transportation away from creating harmful
environmental impacts toward being a resource for improving environmental
outcomes.
A connected and mobile community includes:
Integrated land use and transportation planning and investments
Transportation facilities and networks that are reliable, affordable, efficient, connected
and comfortable
Capacity and systems for effective traffic flow and minimal congestion
Programs that facilitate well-informed travel-behavior decisions
Growing and leveraging changing transportation technologies
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Definition & Descriptions
6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel.
The City has a goal to reduce traffic fatalities to zero.
Crashes have a negative impact of $165 million annually in Fort Collins, borne
primarily by the public at large.
Appropriate programs, policies, educational resources and infrastructure
improvements (e.g., accessible sidewalks,safety-conscious intersection design,
and low-stress networks) work to reduce the overall number and severity of
traffic accidents.
Community awareness and education regarding collisions involving vulnerable
road users including pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists is a focus.
Quality infrastructure is necessary to improve safety, including safe, accessible,
well-functioning, high-quality intersections, streets, bikeways, sidewalks and
trails.
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all
users.
Approximately half of Fort Collins residents commute out of Fort Collins and
half of Fort Collins workers commute into Fort Collins from other communities.
Specific infrastructure projects (such as intersections) to improve safety,
efficiency and reliability can have significant positive impacts. Project
identification is through a data-driven approach and existing prioritization
studies that evaluate congestion relief and safety.
Continued focus on efforts to increase bicycling throughout Fort Collins will
have benefits to other modes of travel.
Demand-management strategies can be effective in reducing traffic congestion
and require a coordinated approach that evaluates the entire transportation
system.
Technology should be leveraged to maximize system capacity and efficiency.
6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel,
with emphasis on growing transit ridership.
Currently, 74% of all trips in Fort Collins are people driving alone.
As the City approaches buildout, additional roadway expansion becomes less
effective and more expensive. Creating opportunities for sustainable modes of
travel for all people is a key piece of achieving mobility and quality of life
outcomes.
A fully functioning transit system requires a level of service that allows the rider
to move throughout the community in a timely manner and works seamlessly
with other modes of travel.
The Transit Master Plan was updated in 2019 and calls for high-frequency
transit and innovative approaches to expanding coverage to create additional
high-productivity and accessible routes.
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Electrification of buses, the City’s fleet, and the community vehicle fleet is an
important piece of reducing transportation-related emissions and will require
associated infrastructure.
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I-25 improvements according to the multi-
modal environmental impact statement.
Construction of managed lanes on I-25 is underway between Highway 14 and
Highway 56.
The remaining gap between Highway 56 and Highway 66 will require additional
and creative partnerships with the state and federal governments.
To date, regional partners (Larimer County, Weld County, Berthoud,
Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath, Estes Park, Windsor and Wellington) and
private-sector investors have contributed $55 million toward the Colorado
Department of Transportation project to add managed lanes.
Improvements to gateway interchanges and bridges, as well as pedestrian and
bicycle access under I-25, are key design elements that will help enable
regional alternative modes of transportation to safely cross the busy
thoroughfare.
6.5 Maintain existing and aging transportation infrastructure and address
missing facilities to meet targeted levels of service.
The lack of transportation infrastructure in the northeast quadrant (some
requiring significant investment) limits opportunities for affordable housing and
business development that would meet the same quality and standards as the
rest of the community.
Street maintenance, high-functioning intersections, and multi-modal facilities
are a high priority for the community.
The cost of infrastructure maintenance continues to increase rapidly along the
Front Range.
Desired aesthetic components (e.g., medians) and current design standards
have an impact on project implementation and increase ongoing maintenance
costs.
The City has a significant number of bridges, culverts and irrigation ditch
crossings that are in need of repair.
6.6 Manage parking supply and demand Downtown, along the MAX corridor, and
near Colorado State University.
Parking at key locations maximizes the effectiveness of integrated transit,
bicycle and pedestrian solutions.
Access to convenient parking for people of all abilities is an important
consideration.
Successful implementation of transportation demand-management strategies
should reduce automotive congestion and the increasing need for associated
parking.
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Mobility hubs enhance last-mile access into neighborhoods from key parking
locations.
Current pricing structures disincentivize parking in preferred long-term
locations.
6.7 NEW: Manage safety, congestion and quality of life impacts from train
operations in Fort Collins.
Train horn noise causes significant impacts for residents and businesses in Fort
Collins.
Increasing frequency of long trains (up to three miles) causes severe traffic
congestion and negatively impacts public safety.
Lack of grade-separated crossings, particularly near the Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railroad switching yard in northeast Fort Collins, also causes
significant congestion and negatively impacts neighborhood quality of life.
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High Performing Government
Fort Collins exemplifies an efficient, innovative, transparent, effective
and collaborative city government.
A high-performing government delivers services desired by the community through sound
financial management, data-informed, transparent and collaborative decision-making,
effective communication and efficient project management. To achieve this, the City
attracts and employs diverse and competitive talent, retains its workforce through
development and growth opportunities, and promotes intelligent risk-taking to address
increasingly complex challenges. The City’s vision, mission and values are reinforced at
every level of the organization and guide its culture. Exceptional customer service that is
responsive to the needs of residents and businesses is crucial in every interaction among
the City and all members of the community.
Public involvement and a transparent government are cornerstones of a high-performing
community. The City values inclusive community engagement and involvement in the
planning and decision-making process. It also collaborates and problem-solves with
adjacent municipalities, CSU, school districts, Larimer County, special districts, local
organizations and interested individuals.
Key city-wide processes have been identified, including leadership, strategic planning,
budgeting, organizational development and human resources that are aligned to develop
an organization that listens to and engages the public, continuously delivers high-quality
services to the community, facilitates high performance and generates trust in and
transparency of City business.
The City of Fort Collins uses a systems approach to apply economic, environmental and
social lenses to decision-making. The City is also committed to continuous improvement
and performance excellence. Operational data and performance metrics, along with data
from surveys, , benchmarking, engagement events and face-to-face interactions, are key
to decision-making and pursuing strategic opportunities for improvement. The City budget
reflects community values, challenges and opportunities.
A high-performing government includes:
Effective and efficient local governance where all community voices are valued
Fiscal sustainability and transparency
A collaborative and community-based approach to problem solving
Core processes that are consistently used across the organization
An organizational culture of continuous improvement in all areasA systems approach,
driven by data, to effectively solve problems, creatively pursue opportunities for
improvement and develop innovative solutions
A workforce of talented people who care deeply about public service and
trustPromoting lifelong learning, volunteerism and philanthropy
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Citywide strategies and standards for meaningful and inclusive involvement in
governance and decision-making
Definition & Descriptions
7.1 Provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a
culture of innovation.
Delivering world-class services provides a platform for co-creation that enables
residents, businesses and non-profit agencies to help enhance Fort Collins and
solve challenging community issues.
The City continues to implement systems and processes that improve services
and resident satisfaction, as consistent with the City’s performance excellence
journey.
While the City strives to meet the needs of all community members, regulation,
stewardship, voter-driven actions and other factors may dictate circumstances
in which the City is unable to satisfy some residents and businesses.
As the organization has increased service delivery to the community, internal
support services are strained to keep pace.
7.2 Maintain public trust through a high performing board, as well as
organizational transparency, legal and ethical behavior and regulatory
compliance.
City Council and the organization place a strong value on maintaining public
trust and have articulated high expectations regarding transparency.
In 2019, 65% of residents indicated the overall direction of the City was
positive, which is above national and Front Range benchmarks.
City Council works with state and federal elected officials to advance
community goals.
The City continues to focus on fostering a culture of ethical behavior and
embedding core values into the culture to reinforce accountability.
Oversight, coordination, and collaboration are required for the City to comply
with various federal and state laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), Title VI, and Fair Housing.
State and federal regulatory environments are constantly changing. The City
strives to be in front of and exceed many regulatory requirements.
7.3 Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of
all identities, languages and needs.
The City’s Public Engagement Strategic Plan focuses on fostering an engaged
community, equipping staff to successfully lead public engagement projects,
prioritizing inclusivity, and ensuring accountability and excellence in community
engagement.
Fort Collins has a diverse mix of residents who desire meaningful engagement,
trust and regular communication with their local government. Cultural and
language gaps, and limited time can be barriers to engagement.
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The City is seeing “engagement fatigue” with reduced participation in
community outreach and stakeholders voicing concern about over-engagement
and the pace and breadth of City initiatives,.
The City needs to continue to reimagine community engagement to reach the
entire community in meaningful ways.
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a diverse and competitive
workforce to meet the needs of the community now and in the future.
Cost of living increases, anticipated retirement of City employees, and
projected growth in the regional population increase the challenges in the
region and for the City related to talent management.
A competitive total compensation offering is essential to hire and retain talent.
Investment to constantly develop and engage our employees is critical to
ensure an agile workforce ready to meet the evolving needs of our
community.A diverse workforce leads to increased innovation, productivity and
creativity. The City organization has a need to develop diverse talent pools and
increase representation in its leadership pipeline.The City relies heavily on a
dedicated group of volunteers to assist the workforce in delivering world-class
services. Opportunities exist to further leverage the talent of our volunteers.
7.5 Foster a culture of safety, well-being, resilience and sustainability across the
City organization.
The City’s safety culture is one of prevention, education, safe design principles
and collaborative partnerships with City Wellness.
The City’s Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) and Days Away Restricted or
Transferred (DART) case rates continued to improve over the past two years,
but significant progress remains necessary to reach stated goals of being the
safest workplace in America.
The City offers a wholistic approach to well-being for our workforce and their
families by increasing engagement, impacting productivity and decreasing
health care costs.
The City views it as critical to lead by example in sustainability. The recently
completed Municipal Sustainability and Adaptation Plan calls for focused effort
in resiliency, public lands, water, waste, emissions, and workforce to reach the
2050 goals.
7.6 Utilize technology, data, metrics and process improvements to innovate,
guide decisions, and enhance service delivery.
As large data sets become more readily available for analysis, the City needs to
evolve its business practices and partner with the community, to make best
use of that data.
The City recognizes the need to identify and refine benchmarks, which help to
determine world-class performance levels and targets from regional, national
and global comparisons across industries.
The City lacks a coordinated approach to fully integrate and deploy advanced
information and connected technologies (Internet of Things [IoT]) to help
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manage key infrastructure, public health and safety systems. Developing a
systematic approach to “smart cities” thinking can produce better outcomes for
residents and businesses.
In 2019, 13,500 hours of staff time was saved through performance
improvement work led by the City’s FC Lean program. Additional opportunities
remain in the organization.
7.7 Address long-term projected gap between available revenue and what is
required to meet known and emerging needs.
Increasing community demands, staffing required to provide services to a
growing population, and inflationary costs are pressuring the City’s reserves as
revenue growth slows compared to nearby communities.
The 2019 Long Term Financial Plan indicates that long-term total expenses are
expected to grow at 3%, while total revenues are expected to grow at 2.1%.
The City has explored revenue diversification options and continues to evaluate
potential causes and solutions.
Various areas across the City lack funding for enhanced and replacement
capital investments, including transportation infrastructure, transit, Golf, Parks,
etc.
7.8 Maintain and protect assets and infrastructure to drive reliability, cost
effectiveness, efficiency and improve the customer experience.
As the City’s assets age, renewal and replacement are critical to maintaining
service standards.
The City owns and maintains 100 buildings. The average facility age is 38
years and critical mechanical components are reaching end of life and are
inefficient.
Tools and systems that support capacity planning and capital asset needs,
monitor asset life and condition, and schedule repairs (based on optimal asset
life cycle costs estimates) may improve the effectiveness of asset
management.
Virtual assets, such as software licensure and data, are also critical to
delivering City services and require consistent cycles of replacement and
maintenance.
Lifecycle replacement gaps pose risk to the City’s ability to provide safe and
quality experiences that meet resident expectations.
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Appendix A: Performance Measures
The City of Fort Collins is committed to being a data-driven organization. Using
quantifiable data and analysis, the City tracks and measures success in achieving the
Key Outcomes and Strategic Objectives defined in this plan. This includes identifying
appropriate metrics related to both Key Outcomes and Strategic Objectives, establishing
appropriate targets for each of these metrics, tracking the actual performance of each
metric over time, and regularly reviewing and discussing the performance.
Community Dashboard
The City’s focus on tying metrics to specific Outcomes began in 2013. Staff, working with
City Council, developed the Community Dashboard where each of the seven Outcome
Areas has four to seven performance metrics that track, at a high level, the City’s progress
in achieving the desired Outcome. Every measure on the dashboard is measured against
a target. The Community Dashboard is updated quarterly and can be found online at
fcgov.com/dashboard.
Results as of Q4 2017 – Most recent version will be included in final plan
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Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
Culture and Recreation
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Economic Health
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Environmental Health
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Safe Community
Transportation
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High Performing Government
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Strategic Objective Metrics (Strategy Maps) – To be Updated in Final
Plan
To further enhance the use of metrics, Strategy Maps have been created that tie specific
metrics to each of the Strategic Objectives within the City’s Strategic Plan. This is an
executive management tool that is used to track organizational performance. It provides
insight into the City’s progress of achieving the Strategic Objectives, which will then help
achieve the Outcomes.
Where possible, three to four metrics have been assigned to each Strategic Objective;
these metrics are treated similarly to the Community Dashboard metrics. This includes
identifying appropriate metrics related to both Key Outcomes and Strategic Objectives,
establishing appropriate targets for each of these metrics, tracking the actual performance
of each metric over time, and regularly reviewing and discussing the performance. The
metrics associated with each Strategic Objective may change over time as individual
metrics are improved or replaced with more meaningful ones.
Executive-level reviews occur monthly in meetings with the entire executive team where
the progress on the metrics is discussed. Underperforming metrics require action plans
that indicate organizational efforts to improve the performance of those metrics.
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
1.1 Improve access to quality housing that is
affordable to a broad range of income levels
NLSH 3. Affordable Housing Inventory
NLSH 4. Fort Collins' Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) compared to western states
region HOI
1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address
poverty issues and other identified high‐priority
human service needs, and to make homelessness
rare, short‐lived and non‐recurring
NLSH 39. Winter Point in Time Count of Homeless Population
NLSH 84. Human Service Funding Portfolio
NLSH 85. Human Service Client Impact
1.3 Improve accessibility to City and community
programs and services to low‐ and
moderate‐income populations
NLSH 37. Rebate Program Participation
CR 93. Recreation Programs ‐ Cumulative number of scans for low‐income reduced
fee passes
CR 94. Recreation Programs ‐ Cumulative number of activity enrollments for low‐
1.4 Co‐create a more inclusive and equitable
community that promotes unity and honors
diversity
NLSH 81. Boards and Commissions Diversity Index
NLSH 61. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Fort Collins as a place of
community acceptance of all people
1.5 Foster positive and respectful neighbor
relationships and open communication
Metrics still being evaluated:
NEW: # of participants in Restorative Justice
NEW: % of mediation cases with agreeable resolutions compared to total
NEW: # of neighborhood participating in the Neighborhood Connections Program
NEW: # of graduates from the Neighborhood Leadership Program
1.6 Protect and preserve the quality of life in
neighborhoods
NLSH 1. Voluntary Code Compliance
NLSH 2. Response Time to Graffiti Removal
NLSH 64. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Your neighborhood as a place
to live
TRAN 37. Average Speed on Neighborhood Streets
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
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1.7 Guide development through community
planning, historic preservation, and efficient and
effective development review
Metrics still being evaluated:
NEW: # of landmarked properties or districts (Tom Leeson)
NEW: # of building permits (Tom Leeson)
NEW: % of Development Review applications completed within TBD
1.8 Evaluate the involuntary annexation of the
Mulberry Corridor
No metrics identified
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
2.1 Develop recreational and cultural programs
with pricing and marketing strategies that drive
value, attendance and cost recovery
CR 1. Recreation Programs ‐ Total Cumulative Participation
CR 5. Golf Courses ‐ Total Cumulative Participation
CR 87. Trained Observer Program – Percentage Of Cemetery Ratings With No
Problems
CR 95. Recreation participant survey satisfaction
CR 96. Recreation Programs ‐ Cumulative number of enrollments on opening day
registration
Metrics still being evaluated:
NEW ‐ Lincoln Center profitability by quarter
2.2 Plan, design, implement and maintain the
City's parks and trails systems
CR 7. Paved Trails ‐ Cumulative Number of Visits
CR 23. Trained Observer Program – % of Parks and Rec Fac Grounds Ratings With
No Problems
CR 62. Miles of Trail/10,000 Population
CR 67. % of citizens responding very good/good quality of ‐ Recreational trails
CR 97. Trained Observer Program – Percentage Of Trail Ratings With No Problems
2.3 Provide enhanced opportunities for arts and
culture throughout the City
CR 2. Lincoln Center ‐ Total Cumulative Participation
CR 3. Museum of Discovery ‐ Total Cumulative Participation
CR 63. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Quality of arts and cultural
opportunities in Fort Collins
NEW ‐ # of public art projects in process or completed
2.4 Protect the health and longevity of the tree
canopy
CR 15. Pruning Frequency by Year < 18‐inches in Diameter
CR 22. Pruning Frequency by Year > 18‐inches in Diameter
Metrics still being evaluated:
NEW ‐ Ratio of treated trees (or shadow planted) vs. # that die (Ralph Zendt)
NEW ‐ look into metrics used by Tree City USA
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to
form an effective regional economic health group
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) # of new businesses brought in by group
2) $$ brought into the region by group
3) # of members representing the region at the national scale
3.2 Maintain and grow diverse employment
opportunities
ECON 5. Local Unemployment Rate
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) Regional or sectoral job growth by industry or sector
2) Wage level at or above a certain regional threshold
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3.3 Enhance business engagement to address
existing and emerging business needs
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) Continue index average of four business survey questions from previous
strategy map metrics
2) % satisfaction from business survey of "Fort Collins as a place to do business"
New: Point in time satisfaction surveys
Follow up with CPIO re: metrics from the Business Engagement Team
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment that enhances
the community
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) ratio of brown to green field value
2) water smart development
3) permit valuations
4) carbon neutrality
3.5 Maintain utility systems, services,
infrastructure and predictable rates
ECON 7. Electric System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) in Minutes
ECON 46. Electric System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI)
Metrics still being evaluated:
New: % of critical infrastructure within 5 years of end of useful life (water &
electric as separate metrics
3.6 Invest in utility infrastructure aligned with
community development
Metrics still being evaluated
3.7 Deploy reliable, high‐speed internet services
throughout the community
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) average cost of fiber laid
2) % Market Share
3) Average internet speed or reliability
3.8 Secure a quiet zone along the Mason Corridor
to reduce train noise
None identified
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
4.1 Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work
towards Climate Action goals for carbon neutrality
ENV 9. Percent decrease in community Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from
2005 baseline
ENV 6. Percent decrease in municipal Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from 2005
baseline
ENV 3. Community Energy Use
ENV 13. Cumulative number of people receiving sustainability education
TRAN 65. % Commute Mode Share
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality ENV 16. Number of homes assessed for Healthy Homes
ENV 4. Outdoor Air Quality Index (AQI) ‐ Ozone
ENV 5. Outdoor Air Quality Index (AQI) ‐ Fine Particulate Matter 2.5 microns (PM
2.5)
ENV 131. Indoor Air Quality: Number of Indoor Radon Tests
4.3 Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work
toward long‐term net zero energy
ENV 26. Community Percentage of Renewable Energy
ENV 23. Annual energy efficiency and conservation program savings (% of
community electricity use)
HPG 106. Consumer Product Utility Rebates
ENV 3. Community Energy Use
4.4 Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals
and work toward the 2030 zero waste goals
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4.6 Provide a reliable, high‐quality water supply ENV 22. Turbidity of City drinking water
ENV 27. Water quality complaints per 1,000 customers
ENV 32. Annual water demand as percent of firm yield
ENV 104. Overall Water Conservation Program Effectiveness
ENV 101. Water efficiency plan annual targets and actual use
SAFE 8. Drinking Water Compliance Rate (% Days)
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) # Hydrants that meet fire code
2) # of water main breaks per 100 miles of pipe
4.7 Continually improve environmental regulatory
performance
ENV 128. Number of New Recorded Environmental Compliance Violations
ENV 129. Number of New Identified Deficiencies Requiring Corrective Action
SAFE 8. Drinking Water Compliance Rate (% Days)
ENV 1. Wastewater Treatment Effectiveness Rate (%)
4.8 Protect and enhance natural resources on City‐
owned properties and throughout the community
ENV 8. Post Restoration Status of Urban Natural Areas (3 year measurement cycle)
ENV 14. Existing Condition of Active Restoration Sites
ENV 44. Poudre River riparian restoration measured by cumulative area brought
into the 5 year floodplain (will be replaced by new river metrics‐ see 4.9)
ENV 130. Natural Areas ‐ Land Conservation ‐ Acres per Capita
4.9 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la
Poudre River and its watershed
Use 2 new river metrics that are currently being developed to replace ENV 44
which could be used until the 2 new measures are finalized:
New: Floodplain connectivity metric (5 year floodplain)
New: Aquatic connectivity (fish passage projects).
4.10 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio
while simultaneously maintaining existing lands
and access to nature
ENV 98. % of citizens responding very good/good quality of ‐ Natural areas and
open space
ENV 130. Natural Areas ‐ Land Conservation ‐ Acres per Capita
CR 6. Natural Areas Programs ‐ Cumulative Participation per Capita (change target)
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
5.1 Improve community involvement, education
and regional partnerships to increase the level of
public trust and keep the community safe
TRAN 39. Safe Routes to School Overall Student Participation
SAFE 30. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Fort Collins as a safe place to
live
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) NEW: % of community outreach to residents and business communities
2) NEW: % of positive interactions Natural Areas and Parks Rangers have with
residents and visitors
5.2 Meet the expected level of core and
specialized police services as the community
grows
SAFE 1. Percent of Time Police Priority 1 Calls Responded to Within 5 Minutes 30
Seconds
SAFE 89. Part 1 Crimes in Fort Collins (per 1,000 population)
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) NEW: A measure to evaluate the effectiveness of our communications
2) NEW: Metric on the % of time patrol officers are working on their core duties
compared to specialized services
5.3 Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide
high‐quality fire prevention, community risk
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5.4 Improve emergency management and
preparedness
SAFE 41. % of citizens responding very good/good quality of ‐ emergency
preparedness in Fort Collins
SAFE 81. Compliance with National and State standards for Emergency
Preparedness
SAFE 91. % of City departments that have current emergency
preparedness/response plans
SAFE 86. CRS (Community Rating System) Rating for floods
NEW: % of businesses with continuity plans
5.5 Address water, wastewater and stormwater
infrastructure needs for the protection of people,
property and the environment
SAFE 87. # of structures in the flood plain
NEW: # of fire hydrants that do not meet fire code
NEW: Miles of wastewater pipe that exceed capacity or have a condition of
"Severe"
5.6 Optimize the use of data and technology to
improve service, protect mission‐critical
infrastructure and enhance cybersecurity
effectiveness
HPG 26. Internet availability
HPG 27. Server availability (supporting 390 servers)
SAFE 92. Effectiveness of Cybersecurity Awareness Training
5.7 Reduce incidents of, and impacts from,
disruptive behavior of the transient population
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) NEW: % of patrol assigned to directive patrols (transients)
2) NEW: % of transient contacts
3) NEW: Other metrics from Police Services
4) NEW: Metric from Outreach Fort Collins
5.8 Improve security at City facilities and
properties
NEW: # of contacts with onsite security after hours
NEW: % of facilities at the desired level of security
2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
6.1 Improve safety for all modes of travel SAFE 27. Voluntary speed compliance (Monthly)
SAFE 6. Number of Injury/Fatal Crashes
TRAN 63. Number of People Trained on Vehicle, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Safety
TRAN 62. Sidewalk Network (also linked to TRAN SO 6.7)
TRAN 39. Safe Routes to School ‐ Overall Student Participation
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high‐
priority intersections
TRAN 65. % Commute Mode Share
TRAN 28. Average Travel Speeds/Times on Arterial Streets
TRAN 44. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Ease of driving in Fort Collins
Metric still being evaluated:
1) Travel Reliability metric
6.3 Improve transit availability and grow ridership TRAN 1. Transfort Fixed Route Passengers per Revenue Hour
TRAN 2. Cumulative Transfort Fixed Route Ridership (in thousands)
TRAN 45. % of citizens responding very good/good ‐ Ease of traveling by public
transportation in Fort Collins
TRAN 67. % of Bus Stops that are ADA Accessible
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I‐25
improvements according to the multi‐modal
environmental impact statement
None yet identified; we talked about 1) amount of funding by various sources
relative to the target cost and 2) project progress toward a target completion date
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2018 DRAFT Strategic Objective Current and Proposed Strategy Map Metrics
7.1 Provide world‐class municipal services to
residents and businesses
HPG 3. Average Response Time of Cases Submitted to Access Fort Collins
HPG 32. Customer Satisfaction ‐ Overall
HPG 69. % of citizens responding very good/good to the City's performance in ‐
Efficient operation of programs and services
HPG 70. % of citizens responding very good/good to the City's performance in ‐
Encouraging sustainability in the community
7.2 Promote a values‐driven organizational
culture that maintains the public trust through
ethical behavior and transparency
HPG 71. % of citizens responding very good/good to the City's performance in ‐
Overall direction of the City
HPG 156. Monthly Active Users (fcgov.com)
HPG 157. Ethics Index
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) NEW: A Core 34 Index metric
2) NEW: # of touches of operational datasets on Open Gov
7.3 Broaden methods of community engagement
with additional consideration to diverse
backgrounds, languages and needs
HPG 213. Utilities Affordability Portfolio Direct Assistance
HPG 66. % of citizens responding very good/good to the City's performance in ‐
Welcoming citizen involvement
HPG 81. % of citizens responding very good/good on the City's performance in
informing citizens
HPG 155. Social Media Combined Audience
Metric still being evaluated:
NEW: an "Our City" metric
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a
diverse and competitive workforce to meet the
needs of the community now and in the future
HPG 6. City Employee Cumulative Turnover Rate
HPG 24. Number of Citywide Volunteer Hours
HPG 25. Number of Citywide Volunteers (ELT Priority)
Note: HPG 24 and 25 might be able to be combined
Metrics still being evaluated:
NEW: One of the Core 34 metrics on Leadership
NEW: Job offer acceptance rate
7.5 Foster a culture of safety and well‐being
across the City organization
HPG 150. Cumulative Total Cost of Workers Comp Claims
HPG 4. City Employee Safety ‐ Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) YTD
HPG 5. City Employee Safety ‐ Days Away Restricted or Transferred (DART) Rate
YTD
NEW: a metric about Well Days
7.6 Leverage data, technology, metrics and
benchmarks to guide decisions, improve results,
and enhance service delivery
HPG 26. Internet availability
HPG 27. Server availability (supporting 390 servers)
NEW: # of FC Lean projects by Service Area
NEW: # of Strategy Map metrics with benchmarks
NEW: # of completed Program Evaluation projects
7.7 Address revenue requirements to meet
known and emerging needs
HPG 1. Actual Cumulative Revenue Compared to Budget ($ millions)
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Appendix B: Long-Term Financial Plan
Overview
The City updates the Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) outlook every two years as part
of the Strategic Planning Process. The objective is to highlight potential challenges and
aid in philosophical decision-making on strategies that span the longer term (5 – 10 plus
years). These planning exercises then inform the biennial Budgeting for Outcomes
(BFO) process through which specific services, programs and projects are funded.
The City enjoys a strong, diversified economic base, has done an excellent job in
managing its expenditures and maintains a Aaa Moody’s credit rating (affirmed in
December 2019 and ranking in the top 3% nationally). The City maintains $235 million
in reserves (excluding Enterprise Funds) and manages an annual net City budget of
approximately $275 million ($500 million including Enterprise Funds).
The LTFP outlook Baseline Scenario uses most likely outcomes, assuming current
operating conditions and existing service delivery levels. Unidentified productivity
increases, process improvements and technology savings, as well as revenue
enhancements and potential financing alternatives, are not included in the baseline
scenario. Additionally, no outlier impacts (severe recession, natural disaster, etc.) are
assumed to happen. If one of these circumstances were to occur, potential drastic
measures may need to be taken that are not built into the forecast scenarios.
Background
During the last two Strategic Plan updates in 2016 and 2018, a key component of
uncertainty was the potential for the Keep Fort Collins Great tax (KFCG) to expire
during 2020. The potential loss of that revenue source (approximately $32 million per
year) would have put severe pressure on the City’s finances. Fortunately, voters
approved an equivalent tax amount (0.85% in total) in two pieces; adding 0.6%
permanently to the core 2.25% General Fund tax rate and another 0.25% to the General
Fund as a ten-year renewable tax in April 2019. However, even with the renewal,
underlying projections during these prior plan updates indicated annual City
expenditures could exceed annual revenues over the longer term (potentially reaching
$15 million per year by the year 2025).
Outlook
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The cost pressures over the long term from growth in expenditures outpacing growth in
revenues continue in the 2020 LTFP update. The City is serving an increasing
population base and expanding service offerings to meet community needs. To help
address these increasing needs, the City has added approximately 25 full time
equivalent employees (FTE) per year during the past 4 years. Supplements of
additional resources to this existing workforce will be needed to meet future service
requirements. Estimates of revenue growth from existing sources, while continuing to
grow annually since the general economic recovery started in 2010, have softened
somewhat and are expected to grow at less than historical rates. New avenues of
revenue will need to be explored.
The forecast includes the following primary revenue and expense drivers:
Primary Revenue Drivers
Sales Tax - growth of 2.5% based on taxable sales historical average, lower
growth than prior LTFP forecasts
Use Tax - growth of 3.6%, similar to prior forecasts but from a lower base than
prior LTFP forecasts
Property Tax - growth of 5.0% based on 5-year average; considers steep
property valuation increases from 2016 – 2019
Capital Grants – very project-specific; tied to Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth
at 2.7%
Shared Revenues – County and State distributions, 1.2% growth (similar to
historical rate for past 15 years)
Cultural, Park, Recreation and Natural Areas Fees – average historical rate of
3.3%
Primary Expense Drivers
Salaries and Wages – combined growth rate of 3.7%; includes CPI of 2.7 percent
plus additional for projected FTE increases
Benefits – combined growth rate of 4.7%; increase at 1% over CPI of 2.7 percent
plus additional for projected FTE increases
Professional and Technical – growth of 3.2%, correlated to CPI and sales tax
Supplies and Other Purchased Services – 2.3% growth
Infrastructure – 3.0% growth rate, correlated to sales and use tax
The 2020 LTFP Baseline Scenario (see Exhibit 1) shows our projected revenues,
expenditures and future estimated fund balances. Long term revenue is estimated to
increase at an approximately 2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Meanwhile,
expenditures are projected to grow at 3% CAGR. The projected gap between revenue
and expenditures could reach $35 to $40 million per year by 2025.
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The City is required to balance the budget during the biennial BFO process, and cannot
deficit spend beyond the utilization of existing available fund balances. As such, the
decline in fund balance in Exhibit 1 and the gap between revenue and expenditures is
illustrative of the tension the City will feel in trying to meet growing service level needs
with a slower growing revenue stream.
The City will need to evaluate all alternatives to shrink the gap between projected
baseline expenditures and projected baseline revenues. The unidentified expenditure
savings and potential revenue enhancements that are not included in the Baseline
Scenario should be fully investigated and considered for all future BFO cycles.
Scenario B – Gap Closure (see Exhibit 2) provides a view of what the City’s finances
look like under this environment. Long-term expenditure growth is limited to 2.25% per
year (from 3%) and revenues are increased slightly to 2.25% as well (from 2%).
Summary
The City has a strong track record in prioritizing and managing its complex service
delivery requirements in a prudent financial manner. As the cost pressures persist and
revenue challenges continue, the City’s proactive monitoring of and adjustments to the
environment will be vital to maintaining this success.
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Exhibit 1
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Exhibit 2
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Appendix C: Glossary of Terms
BART - Budget Analysis and Reporting Tool: Software developed internally by City
staff for budgeting and reporting purposes.
BFO - Budgeting for Outcomes: A system driven by goals and performance, to provide
information that relates budgeting to planning and outputs/results. Its purpose is to better
align the services delivered by the City with the things that are most important to the
community.
BFO Teams: One of seven cross-departmental teams that participate in the BFO
process; articulate goals for each Outcome, provide direction to departments for
developing budget Offers, and rank Offers for funding; evaluate performance of Offers.
BLT - Budget Leadership Team: The City Manager and his executive team
CAP – Climate Action Plan
City Plan: Began in 1995 as a Comprehensive Plan that illustrates how the City and
community envision Fort Collins in the next 25 years.
Community Dashboard: A quarterly snapshot of the community's progress in attaining
Key Outcomes. The Dashboard reinforces the City of Fort Collins' steadfast
commitment to accountability and continuous improvement. Performance measurement
initiatives are tracked and reported for overall progress toward community goals.
Continuity of Government: Emergency management requirement and plans to maintain
essential City functions during emergencies and disasters including governance,
telecommunications, health and safety regulation, policing and utility services.
CPIO — Communications and Public Involvement: City department charged with public
information dissemination, communications strategies and public engagement in City
services.
DART - Days Away Restricted or Transferred
DDA - Downtown Development Authority
ELT - Executive Leadership Team: The City Manager and his executive team
FTE - Full time equivalent: A full-time employee scheduled to work 40 hours per week is
equivalent to 1.0 FTE.
Futures Committee: The Futures Committee was formed to assist City
Councilmembers in their decision-making process. The goal is to position the City in the
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distant future (30 plus years) for achievable successes, integrating community desires
with known fiscal, social and environmental data.
GEMS - Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management System
GHG - Greenhouse Gas Emissions
GMA - Growth Management Area
GSC - Gardens on Spring Creek
Home Rule: A form of government under the control of local citizens rather than state
government; the City Charter and the ordinances adopted by Council under the Charter
supersede any conflicting law of the state in matters of purely local concern. Statutory
and constitutional provisions allow municipalities to exercise powers of local self-
government, such as the administration and collection of local taxes.
HR - Human Resources
ICMA - International City/County Management Association: A trade organization for
Council-Manager cities; a clearinghouse for information regarding cities, including the
ICMA Center for Performance Excellence Program of comparative data regarding
municipal services.
IGA - Intergovernmental Agreement
ICS - Incident Command System: A nationally-used, standardized emergency
management organizational structure for single or multiple incidents that can cross
organization or jurisdictional boundaries.
IT - Information Technology
KFCG - Keep Fort Collins Great: A ballot measure passed in November 2010 approving
a 0.85 percent increase in the City sales and use tax rate.
Low to Moderate Income: Households whose incomes are below 95 percent of the area
median income (AMI), as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), with adjustments for smaller or larger families.
Master Plans: Long-term vision documents in each service area.
MOD - Museum of Discovery
NCEDC - Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation
O&M - Operations and Maintenance
Outcome Measure: The mathematical expression of the effect on customers, clients,
the environment, or infrastructure that reflects the purpose.
PDCA - Plan, Do, Check, Act: A continuous process-improvement methodology
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PDT - Planning, Development and Transportation: One of the largest Service Areas
in the City of Fort Collins, PDT includes the following departments: Community
Development and Neighborhood Services, Engineering, Traffic Operations, Transfort
(Transit), Parking Services, Streets, and FC Moves (Transportation Planning).
PFA - Poudre Fire Authority
Place-making: A decision-making approach intended to preserve and enhance a vibrant
community by optimizing its economy, environment, and social values.
Plan Fort Collins: The City’s comprehensive community planning process that
developed City Plan.
Performance Measure: Measurement that reflects the service that is being provided and
permits objective evaluation of the service program.
Plan Elements: Existing plan elements and other related documents that are
incorporated into City Plan.
Poverty Rate: The Fort Collins poverty rate from the 2010 U.S. Census is 18%. This
includes CSU and Front Range Community College student populations. Data is not
collected to eliminate those student populations. Excluding 18- to 24-year-olds in the Fort
Collins data reduces the local poverty rate to 10.3%, but that excludes a larger number of
people than just the student populations.
Quality Measure: The mathematical expression of how well the service, product or
activity was delivered, based on characteristics important to the customers.
RAF - Recordable Accident Frequency
Resilience - The capacity to prepare our human and natural systems to respond and
adapt to changes and disruptions of various scales that affect our ability to thrive
Result: The effect desired for the public, expressed as broad statements (also referred
to as an outcome).
RFRs - Request for Results: Key input to the BFO process; developed by Results
Teams to solicit Offers from departments to provide services to accomplish results that
matter to residents.
SAIDI - Electric System Average Interruption Duration Index
SARs - Service Area Requests
Sense of Place: Those characteristics that make an area special or unique as well as
those that foster an authentic feeling of attachment or belonging.
Sustainability Assessment Tool: A data-driven tool for evaluating the impact of
actions on the economy, environment and society.
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SIT - Strategic Issues Team: A management team that includes all members of ELT
plus other senior managers and internal service managers; meets monthly to provide
input to ELT and transmit information to other staff.
Strategic Outcomes: A result. The effect that residents want as a result of government
programs and activities (e.g., safety is the result or outcome that residents want from
police and fire programs or activities). Seven Key Outcomes make up the City of Fort
Collins strategic planning and budgeting processes.
Strategic Objectives: Fundamental issues the City must address. They give direction
for accomplishing the mission, contain meaningful planning challenges, and result from
organizational input analysis.
SP - Strategic Plan: Based on identification and analysis of: (a) organizational inputs
such as emerging trends and issues, financial information, and workforce trends; (b)
community survey and input information, which included extensive community outreach
and the 2013 Citizen Survey; and (c) Council priorities and input. It is linked to City Plan
and the Council-adopted master plans.
SPP - Strategic Planning Process
TBL - Triple Bottom Line: Triple Bottom Line analysis is a concept intended to take into
consideration the social, economic and environmental aspects of any project, procedure
or purchase.
Transportation Master Plan: Long-term vision document that defines the long-term
multimodal system that Fort Collins desires in the future, and serves as a comprehensive
reference guide regarding transportation issues.
URA - Urban Renewal Authority: The Urban Renewal Authority identifies and
revitalizes areas of Fort Collins deemed blighted and provides a funding mechanism to
encourage redevelopment.
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2018 2020 Strategic
Plan
City of Fort Collins
April 17, 2018
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2020 2018 Strategic Plan Table of Contents
Page
I. Introduction 3
II. Summary of Strategic Objectives 8
1. Strategic Outcome – Neighborhood Livability and Social Health 10
2. Strategic Outcome – Culture and Recreation 15
3. Strategic Outcome – Economic Health 18
4. Strategic Outcome – Environmental Health 22
5. Strategic Outcome – Safe Community 27
6. Strategic Outcome – Transportation and Mobility
31
7. Strategic Outcome – High Performing Government 35
III. Appendix
A. Performance Measures (to be updated in final version)
- Community Dashboard 39
- Strategic Objective Metrics (Strategy MAPs) 45
B. Long-Term Financial Plan 51
C. Glossary of Terms 56
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Introduction
The City of Fort Collins is a full-service municipal organization operating under a home
rule, Council-Manager form of government. Various national organizations and
magazines recognize Fort Collins as one of the best places to live in the nation. Sixty
miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University (CSU), with
32,000 students, several large high-tech employers, leading businesses in the microbrew
industry, and more than 8,000 small to medium-sized businesses (Jackie update). The
community includes 43 natural areas, a variety of cultural amenities, and is renowned for
its bike-friendly, small-town feel.
With a median age of 29 and a median family income of $83,219 in 2016, residents are
well educated, engaged in their community and passionate about their area amenities.
The high quality of life enjoyed by residents, businesses and visitors is a result of the
community’s focus on the environment, enthusiasm for health and the outdoors, a strong
educational system, extensive park and open space systems, and a flourishing Downtown
district. At the same time, 18 percent of the Fort Collins population is at or below the
poverty line and housing is considered expensive. Diversity within the city is expected to
increase, but is currently low with only 11 percent of the community identifying themselves
as an ethnicity other than Caucasian.
Fort Collins has experienced rapid growth throughout the past 50 years, growing from
approximately 25,000 residents in 1960 to an estimated 170,000 today, and is anticipated
to be approximately 255,000 by 2040. The City has purposefully established a Growth
Management Area (GMA) boundary with neighboring communities in order to maintain
the local identity and avoid merging communities. Over the past 25 years, the City has
acquired open space and conservation easements to create community separator open
spaces to support that effort.
The City’s revenue comes from sales and use tax, property tax, fees and grants. Seventy-
five percent of the General Fund is supported by sales, use and property tax. It has a
healthy fund balance position and limited debt. As a result, the City received an Aaa credit
rating from Moody’s Investors Service in 2012. Moody’s reaffirmed the Aaa Issuer Rating
in November 2017October 2019 based on a strong economic tax base, low debt and
pension obligations, strong cash position, and overall management and governance
structure. Voters have demonstrated willingness to support critical City services, most
recently by approving a 2019 renewal of the 0.85 percent Keep Fort Collins Great sales
and use tax that made permanent 0.60 percent and renewed the remaining 0.25 percent
for an additional 10 years.adding the Keep Fort Collins Great 0.85 percent sales and use
tax in 2010 and renewing two expiring taxes in 2015. Those expiring taxes were for the
Building on Basics Capital Projects 0.25 percent sales and use tax and the Street
Maintenance Program 0.25 percent sales and use tax, which passed by 80.5 and 84.5
percent of voters, respectively.
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“Add City Plan language and the process” The City provides a full range of services,
including:
The City of Fort Collins is a full-service municipal organization dedicated to providing
world-class services to 170,000 residents, 8,000 businesses, and numerous institutional
partners. Located sixty miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State
University (CSU), Otterbox, New Belgium Brewing, Odell Brewing and many
high-tech employers and small businesses, as well as an active and engaged resident
and business community. As both a community and city organization, the City of Fort
Collins is recognized for its quality of services and amenities, sustainable management
practices, and a forward-thinking, innovative culture.
Fort Collins has a successful history of participatory community and organizational
planning to guide decision-making, City policies, and the delivery of services. Alongside
City Plan (Fort Collins’ comprehensive plan) the Strategic Plan reflects the values of the
community. While City Plan articulates a long-term community vision and growth
framework, the Strategic Plan outlines short- and mid-term objectives, influences the
City’s budgeting process, and guides the implementation of the City’s full range of
services, including:
Police
Fire Protection through a local authority
Streets, Transportation and Transit infrastructure & operations
Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas and Cultural facilities
Planning, Engineering and Community services
Sustainability Services – Economic Health, Environmental Services and Social
Sustainability
Utilities – Electric, Water, Wastewater and Stormwater
Gigabit- speed internet service through Connexion
Support Services – Leadership, Human Resources, Information Technology,
Communications and Public Involvement, Financial Services, City Clerk’s Office,
Facilities and Fleet Services, and Legal and Judicial Services
In November 2017, voters approved a ballot measure that allows the City to provide high-
speed internet to the community though through the buildout of a fiber to the premise
enterprise. Work on this new utility service initiative will begin in earnest in 2018; it is
anticipated the first customer will be connected in mid-2019 with full network buildout
occurring by the end of 2021.
Used at all levels within the City organization, tThe 2020 Strategic Plan
communicatesoutlines key objectives and strategies and serves as an importantthat
links between City Plan and the City’s organizational and priorities.
Vision, Mission & Values
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Vision:
To Provide World-Class Municipal Services through Operational Excellence and a
Culture of Innovation
Mission:
Exceptional Service for an Exceptional Community
Values:
Collaboration - Excellence - Integrity - Outstanding Service
Safety & Well-being - Stewardship
The City of Fort Collins is an organization committed to high-quality public service and is
a nationally recognized leader in the use of leading-edge management practices. As a
best practice, the City focuses on data-driven decision-making, long-term effects, and
continuous improvement. In 2005, the City adopted the Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO)
process to improve transparency and ensure resources are focused on community
priorities.
The City of Fort Collins is deeply committed to high-quality public service and cultivating
an outstanding culture for its employees. A strong focus on ethics, compliance with all
regulations and laws, data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement are
foundational to City practices and culture. As recognition of the organization’s
commitment to providing exceptional service, the City of Fort Collins was recently
selected as a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award recipient.
The City of Fort Collins aspires to provide world-class services to the community while
cultivating an outstanding organizational culture for its employees. In order to achieve this
vision, both internal and external services are data-driven and implemented according to
organizational values. Compliance with all regulations and laws with a strong focus on
ethics are foundational elements of the City culture. The City develops resiliency and
sustainability through organization-wide systems and processes that ensure consistent
employee work practices and alignment across service areas. The City places a high
value on inclusive community input and strives to include them as fellow problem solvers
whenever possible. Residents can not only expect to receive exceptional service, but also
to have the opportunity to engage with decision-makers, provide input regarding the way
City resources are allocated, and have access to government information in a timely and
transparent manner.
The City was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality award in 2017, marking a
significant milestone in the City’s ongoing journey to provide world-class municipal
services.
Economic, Environmental & Social Factors
The City of Fort Collins uses a Sustainability Assessment Framework to evaluate the
“triple bottom line” implications of municipal decisions, as appropriate. The framework
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assesses the economic, environmental and social factors of each decision, thereby
increasing awareness and often revealing ways that decisions can mitigate negative
impacts and improve overall outcomes. This process creates a “healthy tension” and
balance to City decisions, ensures one aspect of the triple bottom line does not dominate
the decision-making process and reduces impacts when trade-offs are unavoidable.
Economic Factors include the fiscal health of the community, diverse job creation, talent
management and creating an innovative and entrepreneurial atmosphere where
businesses that align with community values thrive.
Environmental Factors include water, land and air stewardship, such as watershed and
water conservation. Other factors include the Cache la Poudre River health and
ecosystem protection, and reducing air emissions and carbon footprint through energy
policies, compact development, greening the built environment, efficient transportation
options and waste reduction programs.
Social Factors include a high-quality, safe community with equal access to services;
strong, connected neighborhoods; and high-quality amenities including cultural,
recreational, open space and transportation options. The engagement of arts, culture
and access to nature is a key element in creating a welcoming and healthy atmosphere.
Common factors include strong partnerships and commitment to a high quality of life. The
City embraces a wide variety of partnerships (e.g., other government agencies, non-
profits, educational institutions and private entities). These partnerships are local,
regional, national and international. Strong and effective partnerships are important in
achieving the strategic objectives.
The organization also aligns with the broader community values articulated in City Plan:
livability, community, and sustainability.
Livability – The City implements systems and processes to ensure consistent operations
and development of new facilities and programs oriented toward enhancing quality of
life. Decision-makers, employees, and residents all have a hand in guiding resources
towards amenities such as natural areas and parks, well-maintained infrastructure, and
safe neighborhoods. Livability also means working to address challenges around
equitable access to services and creating communitywide opportunities for attainable
housing and efficient transportation options.
Community – The City and decision- makers value honest dialogue and the input of
employees and residents as fellow problem solvers. Participation and collaboration on
how best to leverage community and City assets towards future opportunities and
challenges is encouraged in decision-making and planning processes. The City also
strives to create and demonstrate an inclusive environment representative of Fort
Collins’ growing diversity and changing demographics.
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Sustainability - The City’s dedication to providing exceptional services is a commitment
for today and the future. Sustainability is deeply rooted in the organization and reflected
in strategies to reduce climate impacts and improve community resilience, support the
health of the economy through business retention and talent alignment, and embedding
considerations about equitable processes and outcomes in decision-making. The City’s
Triple Bottom Line Scan tool (TBL-S) assesses the economic, environmental and social
factors of decisions to improve overall outcomes, ensure that one aspect does not
dominate the decision-making process, and reduce impacts when trade-offs are
unavoidable.
Guiding Themes & Principles
Tohe achieve the City’s mission, vision, and values, the of Fort Collins Strategic Plan is
aligned and focused on continuous improvement in seven Key Outcome Areas:
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
Culture and Recreation
Economic Health
Environmental Health
Safe Community
Transportation and Mobility
High Performing Government
The City budget is also aligned across these seven areas, and revenue is allocated to
support policies and initiatives that drive improvement in each outcome. Each Outcome
Area includes several more specific objectives that define different focus areas. While
each Outcome Area has unique characteristics, City investment in a single objective
regularly impacts more than one outcome.
Major themes and areas of focus within the 2020 Strategic Plan, identified through
community outreach and engagement, or as a Council Priority, include:
1. Housing Affordability – Improve access to a broad range of quality housing that is
safe, accessible and affordable. Address the increasing cost of living in Fort Collins
through diverse job opportunities and reduce the mismatch between available jobs
and skills in the work force.
1. Environmental Sustainability – Identify and implement initiatives that achieve
various environmental goals and objectives.
2. Multimodal Transportation & Public Transit – Improve traffic flow and safety, the
availability of transportation alternatives, and access to public transportation.
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Equity, Inclusion and Diversity– Cultivate a safe and welcoming community
focusing on equitable engagement, outcomes and service delivery for all, leading
with race.
3.
2.4. Environmental Sustainability – Identify and implement initiatives that achieve
the City’s environmental goals and objectives.
3.5. Community Vibrancy – Improve Preserve the community’s sense of place with
a high value on natural areas, culture, recreation and park systems.
4. Housing Affordability – Improve access to a broad range of quality housing that is
safe, accessible and affordable.
Fort Collins has long employed a Growth Management Area (GMA) to foster a compact
community, provide physical separation from our Northern Colorado neighbors, and to
preserve and protect sensitive natural resources. As Fort Collins’ strong employment
and population growth continues and the community approaches the boundaries of the
GMA, a shift towards greater redevelopment and infill development is anticipated. The
2020 Strategic Plan themes and areas of focus highlight opportunities for continuing to
implement the community’s growth framework and community goals to increase the
range of housing and transportation options, enhance community identity and create an
inclusive environment.
Strategic Advantages and Challenges
In addition to the major themes described above, staff has identified strategic
advantages and challenges. Advantages are those strengths and attributes that will
enable the City to achieve the Strategic Objectives described later in this document.
Challenges reflect those attributes that could impair the City’s ability to achieve the
Strategic Objectives. Each of the challenges described below are reflected in one or
more Strategic Objective so that the challenges will be addressed by staff in future
budget proposals.
The City has identified a number of advantages and challenges that could impact the
implementation of Strategic Objectives described in this document. Advantages are
those strengths and attributes that will enable the City to achieve objectives; challenges
reflect attributes that could impair the ability to achieve objectives. Each of the
challenges described below are reflected in one or more Strategic Objective so that the
challenges will be addressed in future budget proposals.
Advantages:
1. A supportive, and engaged, and innovative community
2. A best practice innovative community with AaA culture of excellence and continuous
improvement driven by the City’s Vision, Mission and Values
3. Engaged and committed employees with a strong focus on customer service
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4. Collaborative local partners, such as Poudre School District, CSU, local service
providers, and primary employers
5. National recognition as a best practice community
6.5. Municipal ownership of four essential Utilities – Light & Power, Water,
Wastewater and Stormwater
7.6. Strong revenue and City balance sheet, recently approved tax renewals, an Aaa
Moody’s credit rating, and a diverse local economy
Challenges:
1. Cost of living, including Hchildcare and housing that is affordable and available to all
income levels
2. Transportation and traffic issues related to trains, congestion and a high volume of
single-occupancy vehicles.
3. Balancing competing community desires and changing customer expectations within
available resources
4. Embracing and cultivating diversity, equity and inclusionvity for all, leading with race
5. Renewal of expiring taxes and updates to fees
6.5. Attracting, retaining and developing high-quality employees
6. Aging infrastructure and growth-related needs
7. Aligning regional partners around a common set of priorities
The Strategic Objectives associated with each Key Outcome Area are described in the
following tables. The Strategic Objectives are not listed in priority order and it should not
be interpreted that a Strategic Objective early in the list is of a greater priority than one
later in the list. Subsequent sections of this document include bullet details below each
Strategic Objective to provide additional context for the objective and its importance.
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Summary of Strategic Objectives
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
1.1 Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is affordable to
a broad range of income levels.Improve access to quality housing that is affordable
to a broad range of income levels
1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other identified high-
priority human service needs, and to make homelessness rare, short-lived and non-
recurring.
1.3 Improve accessibility of City and community programs and increase participation in
services to eligible, income-qualified residents.Improve accessibility to City and
community programs and services to low- and
moderate-income populations
1.4 Co-create a more inclusive and equitable community that promotes unity and
honors diversityAdvance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity
or identities is not a predictor of outcomes.
1.5 Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve
problems, and foster respectful relations.
Foster positive and respectful neighbor relationships and open communication
1.6 Protect and preserve the quality of life in neighborhoods
1.7 6 Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development
consistent with City Plan.Guide development through community planning, historic
preservation, and efficient and effective development review
1.8 7 Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the Mulberry
Corridor.Evaluate the involuntary annexation of the Mulberry Corridor
1.98 NEW: Preserve and enhance manufactured housing communities as a source of
affordable housing and create a safe and equitable environment for residents.
Culture and Recreation
2.1 Develop recreation and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive and
accessible, and that also drive attendance and cost recovery.Develop recreational
and cultural programs with pricing and marketing strategies that drive value,
attendance and cost recovery
2.2 Address critical park, recreation equipment and trail lifecycle and maintenance
needs and continue the planned buildout of the system. Plan, design, implement
and maintain the City's parks and trails systems
2.3 Create enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents and
visitors. Provide enhanced opportunities for arts and culture throughout the City
2.4 NEW: Identify criteria, process and funding options to refresh neighborhood and
community parks.Protect the health and longevity of the tree canopy
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2.5 NEW: Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural areas, trails, and cultural and
recreation facilities for visitors and employees.
Economic Health
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional economic
resilience.Facilitate government and local partners to form an effective regional
economic health group
3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market to grow diverse employment
opportunities.Maintain and grow diverse employment opportunities
3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting,
sustaining and renewing businesses.Enhance business engagement to address existing
and emerging business needs
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment opportuntities consistent with City Plan
policies.Foster infill and redevelopment that enhances the community
3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring predictable
utility rates.Maintain utility systems, services, infrastructure and predictable rates
3.6 Invest in utility infrastructure aligned with community development
3.67 Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the
community.Deploy reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the community
3.8 Secure a quiet zone along the Mason Corridor to reduce train noise
Environmental Health
4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100%
renewable electricity goals.Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work towards
Climate Action goals for carbon neutrality
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality.
4.3 Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work toward long-term net zero energy
4.4 3 Make progress toward 2030 zero waste goals.Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero
Waste goals and work toward the 2030 zero waste goals
4.5 Develop strategies to improve the community's climate resiliency
4.6 4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
4.7 Continually improve environmental regulatory performance
4.8 5 Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and throughout
the community.
4.9 6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and its watershed.
4.10 7 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio while simultaneously maintaining
existing lands and access to nature.
4.8 (Moved from C&R) Create and maintain a safe, healthy and resilient urban forest.
Safe Community
5.1 Improve overall community safety while continuing to increase the level of public
trust and willingness to use emergency services.Improve community involvement,
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education and regional partnerships to increase the level of public trust and keep
the community safe
5.2 Meet the expected level of core and specialized police services as the community
grows.
5.3 Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention,
community risk reduction and emergency response services.
5.4 Continue to deploy comprehensive emergency preparedness and management
strategies.Improve emergency management and preparedness
5.5 Address flooding risk for the protection of people, property and the
environment.Address water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs for the
protection of people, property and the environment
5.6 Protect mission-critical physical and virtual infrastructure, in addition to privacy
data, against increasing cybersecurity threats.Optimize the use of data and
technology to improve service, protect mission-critical infrastructure and enhance
cybersecurity effectiveness
5.7 Reduce incidents of, and impacts from, disruptive behavior of the transient
population.
5.8 Improve security at City facilities and properties.
Transportation and Mobility
6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel. Improve safety for all modes of
travel
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all users
6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel, with
emphasis on growing transit ridership.Improve transit availability and grow ridership
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I-25 improvements according to the multi-modal
environmental impact statement.
6.5 Maintain existing and aging transportation infrastructure and address missing
facilities to meet targeted levels of service.Improve aging and/or missing
transportation infrastructure that serves Fort Collins
6.6 Maintain Level of Service ‘B’ for City streets and the current level of service for
medians and associated infrastructure
6.67 Manage parking supply and demand Downtown, along the MAX corridor, and
near Colorado State University.Address parking needs Downtown, along the MAX
corridor and in residential neighborhoods
6.7 NEW: Manage safety, congestion, and quality of life impacts from train operations in
Fort Collins.
High Performing Government
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7.1 Provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a
culture of innovation.Provide world-class municipal services to residents and
businesses
7.2 Maintain the public trust through a high performing board, as well as organizational
transparency, legal and ethical behavior and regulatory compliance.Promote a
values-driven organizational culture that maintains the public trust through ethical
behavior and transparency
7.3 Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of all
identities, languages, and needs.Broaden methods of community engagement with
additional consideration to diverse backgrounds, languages and needs
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a diverse and competitive workforce to
meet the needs of the community now and in the future.
7.5 Foster a culture of safety, well-being, resilience, and sustainability across the City
organization.Foster a culture of safety and well-being across the City organization
7.6 Utilize technology, data, metrics and process improvements to innovate, guide
decisions, and enhance service delivery.Leverage data, technology, metrics and
benchmarks to guide decisions, improve results, and enhance service delivery
7.7 Address long-term projected gap between available revenue and what is required
to meet known and emerging needs.Address revenue requirements to meet known and
emerging needs
7.8
Maintain and protect assets and infrastructure to drive reliability, cost effectiveness,
efficiency and improve the customer experience.Maintain assets to reduce life cycle
costs while improving reliability and accessibility
7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative development at all levels
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Neighborhood Livability and Social Health
Fort Collins provides a high-quality built environment, supports
qualityconnected, diverse neighborhoods, seeks to advance equity
and affordability, and fosters the social health of the community.
Fort Collins is a healthy and vibrant community with a goal to create a city where people
want to live, work and play. The City of Fort Collins benefits from social connections and
open communication. WeThe City strives to provide equitable access to opportunities,
services and resources, and to create an inclusive environment for all members of ourthe
community. WeThe community takes pride in oura friendly culture, celebrates our
differences and knows that we make
better decisions occur when we encourage open dialogue about tough issues is
encouraged.
The City is committed to creating a desirable urban environment that recognizes the
importance of the form of the environment (e.g., community architecture, historic
preservation and pedestrian-oriented environments) and preserving and protecting
neighborhood character while ensuring a safe, beautiful and friendly experience for all
residents and visitors. A top community priority is to address housing affordability so that
people of all income levels have housing options and the choice to live, work and play
here in Fort Collins.
The City recognizes the importance of neighborhoods and actively seeks to preserve and
support their vibrancy while diligently enforcing property maintenance codes. As the City
grows and redevelops, the vision continues to be an overall average increase in density
that fosters efficient land use; supports a mix of housing types integrated with activity
centers and diverse businesses; increases the safety and efficiency of public utilities,
streets, facilities and services; and accommodates multiple modes of travel (including
vehicle, bus, bike and pedestrian). Development and growth are focused within the
community’s designated Growth Management Area to protect natural resources and the
regional landscape, encourage infill and redevelopment and human interaction, and
maximize the efficient use of public infrastructure. Alternative transportation modes and
access to key health and human service facilities are a priority.
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health also addresses challenges related to leading
active lifestyles, and the accessibility of health and human service facilities for all
segments of the community while protecting the character of neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health is related to human well-being and wellness,
and to opportunities for residents to work and socialize together, to be self-sufficient, and
to live, work and travel within the community.
The lack of critical mental and behavioral health services in Larimer County has a direct
impact on community residents, businesses and City services. Neighborhood Livability
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and Social Health must include providing appropriate facilities and services to support
chronically people experiencing homelessness persons with a goal of leading them to
pathways out of homelessnessavailability of long-term housing and services solutions.
Simultaneously, enforcement efforts must continue to prevent residents, travelers, and
transients from displaying illegal or aggressive behaviors that diminish the quality of life
in neighborhoods and business areas.
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health includes:
A compact pattern of development within a well-defined community boundary and
opportunities for redevelopment, revitalization and growth in targeted areas
Adequate and safe public facilities, services and infrastructure to serve existing
development and new growth
Cohesive, distinct, vibrant, safe and attractive neighborhoods
Vital and appealing transit-oriented activity centers and destinations throughout the
city
Quality, accessible and affordable housing options for all household types and income
levels
Preserving and enhancing historic resources
Opportunities to lead active and healthy lifestyles, as well as access to healthy, locally
grown or produced food and access to nature
Availability of and Aaccess to physical and mental/behavioral health treatment and
services
Addressing the impact of increasing poverty, as well as increasing concerns about
housing affordability and homelessness
A welcoming, inclusive community where all residents and visitors feel valued, safe
and connected
Equal access to City services, amenities, and information for all neighborhoods
Enforcement of laws that diminishto address aggressive behaviors that affect
neighborhood quality
Encouraging an inclusive, equitable community that embraces diversity
Creating a distinctive and attractive community that is appealing to workers, visitors
and residents
Promoting the use of sustainable-building and site design techniques
Preserving historic resources and character defining features that make Fort Collins
unique
Providing residents with opportunities to live healthy, safe and active lifestyles
Reducing the impacts of our built environment on the natural environment
Managing where and how the City grows in the future
Encouraging the development of quality and affordable housing options for residents
of all income levels
Maintaining our unique character and sense of place
Requiring adequate public facilities and infrastructure to serve existing development
and new growth
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Definition & Descriptions
1.1 Improve and increase access availability and choice of to quality housing
that is affordable to a broad range of income levels.
In 2015 and 2017Since 2015, residents identified housing affordability as a high
priority during community outreach sessions. In the 2017 2019 Community
Survey, only 12% of respondents felt positively about the availability of
affordable quality housing. Fort Collins ranked 16th 14th out of 18 19 front
Range jurisdictions surveyed for “availability of affordable quality housing.”
The current rental market, with vacancy rates of less than 3 percent%, is
making it difficult for residents to live and work within Fort Collins.
To support people with low income levels, the City is helping to create 188 new
affordable housing units with the goal of about 400 units per year, to reach the
overarching goal of having 10% of all housing inventory as restricted affordable
housing at City build out. with a portion being dedicated to specific needs, such
as veterans or individuals with disabilities.
The Structure Plan in the 2019 adopted City Plan calls for improved housing
options available to all City residents.
1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other
identified high-priority human service needs, and to make homelessness rare,
short-lived and non-recurring.
The City’s core role has been, and continues to be, funding, policy development
and partnerships for community human service agencies.
Multiple public and private organizations work to address and improve social,
environmental and economic issues within the community and the region.
The social issues that human service agencies address are wide-ranging,
complex and systemic. A strategic, collaborative approach applied to the City’s
engagement with these partners will ensure programmatic effectiveness and
efficiencies, eliminate redundancy and identify underserved areas.
Regional efforts to provide dedicated substance abuse and mental health
facilities are being exploredimplemented.
Approximately 360 430 residents experience recurring homelessness for six
months or more at any given time in Fort Collins, and there continue to be
gaps. Regional efforts are occurring to improve the systematic approach in the
system to make homelessness rare, short-lived, and non-recurring.
1.3 Improve accessibility toof City and community programs and increase
participation in services to eligible, income-qualified residents for low- and
moderate-income populations.
As the cost of living in Fort Collins increases, low-income and moderate-income
households are struggling to afford participation in City events and services.
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Income-qualified rate programs can mitigate the impact of utility rate increases
for families and persons in needs. It is estimated that less than half of low-
income households participate in the available reduced-fee and rebate
programs for which they are eligible.
A streamlined application process, with increased and focused marketing
outreach, would improve customer service and likely increase participation.
Despite increased marketing and outreach efforts, the number of participating
households in the Grocery Rebate program declined from a high in 2015 and has been
relatively flat since 2017.
1.4 Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or
identities is not a predictor of outcomes .Co-create a more inclusive and
equitable community that promotes unity and honors diversity.
Shifting demographics are making the community and City organization
increasingly diverse.
Programs that engage, celebrate and honor cultural diversity help the City better
serve its constituents and workforce while also building capacity in the community to
mitigate existing barriers to access and opportunity.
Immigrant communities have expressed persistent fear related to personal safety
as well as uncertainty over national immigration policies and risk of exposure.
City infrastructure and facilities should be accessible to all community members.
The City seeks to strengthen its understanding and ability to advance
equitable outcomes for all community members.
Although the City acknowledges there are inequitable outcomes
experienced by Fort Collins residents, the City currently lacks a
comprehensive data set and consistent approach to applying an equity lens.
The impacts and disparities caused by racism are deep and pervasive, and
addressing them at the systemic and institutional level also elevates
equitable outcomes for all, including other marginalized identities.
The City, along with several major partner institutions and community-
based organizations, are working together to address race-based
oppression and disparities in a systemic manner.
1.5 Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve
problems, and foster respectful relations.Foster positive and respectful
neighbor relationships and open communication.
Connected neighbors help identify neighborhood-level priorities and learn how
to work together and/or with the City to address them.
Quality of life improves when neighbors have an understanding of how to
productively manage conflict and allow for healthy disagreements.
The maintenance of alleys in neighborhoods is an important component to
functionality, appearance and safety.Optimization of alleys could create new or
enhanced public spaces.
Access to nature and green infrastructure improves the integration of natural
habitat with urban spaces.
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Proactive, innovative and effective code compliance processes are important
aspects of attractive neighborhoods.
1.6 Protect and preserve the quality of life in neighborhoods.
Access to nature and green infrastructure improves the integration of natural
habitat with urban spaces.
Proactive, innovative and effective code enforcement processes are important
aspects of attractive neighborhoods.
Safe and well-maintained sidewalks are important for residents to safely walk or
bike to parks, schools and playgrounds.
Partnerships with public health and civic groups improve neighborhood safety,
reduce graffiti, and prevent vandalism so neighborhoods are safe and clean.
1.76 Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development
consistent with City Plan.Guide development through community planning,
historic preservation, and efficient and effective development review.
Fort Collins’ population is expected to grow by 50 percent over the next 20
yearsto 250,000 by 2040, which will drive significant construction throughout
the community.
Processes shall be predictable and effectively manage growth consistent with
City plans and goals.
Emphasis should be placed on preserving the iconic and architectural elements
of the community, rather than preservation solely based on age.
Neighborhood outreach and engagement helps the City to understand
community expectations.
1.8 7 Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the
Mulberry Corridor. Evaluate the involuntary annexation of the Mulberry
Corridor.
The required enclave will be closed in 2018, opening the possibility of future
annexation.
When annexing new areas, land use planning can ensure quality
redevelopment consistent with City Plan. The Mulberry annexation presents an
opportunity to allow the corridor to be redeveloped in accordance with City
standards and plans.
Large annexations will require additional significant and targeted investment in
resources and infrastructure, as well as thoughtful and deliberate phasing.
Successful annexation of this corridor will require collaboration with Larimer
County,non-City utilities, and Poudre Fire Authority.
Robust engagement of City and County residents and businesses is necessary
for an effective annexations.
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1.98 NEW: Preserve and enhance manufactured housing communities as a
source of affordable housing, and create a safe and equitable environment for
residents.
Manufactured housing communities are a significant source of private, affordable
housing and should be protected and enhanced.
Many residents living in manufactured home communities do not enjoy the same
rights and benefits (e.g. appreciation in value, tree trimming, etc.) as residents
living in traditional multi-family and single-family neighborhoods.
Connection to municipal resources and services improves manufactured housing
community livability for residents, property managers, and owners.
Homeowner groups, affordable housing providers and support organizations
need tools to purchase, rehabilitate and effectively manage manufactured
housing communities.
Approximately 10% of calls from emergency services originate from a
manufactured housing community.
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Culture & Recreation
Fort Collins provides and maximizes access to diverse cultural and
recreational amenities.
Cultural and recreational opportunities are elemental to Fort Collins’ sense of place and
help create a desirable community in which to live and play. Residents consistently place
a high value on these programs and services, believing the City should continue its strong
investment in these amenities. The City’s park and trail systems are also highly valued
and heavily used. The planned buildout of the trail system is a high priority for residents
and will create further connectivity across Fort Collins and throughout Northern Colorado.
Additionally, the City believes that connecting residents to nature is critical fundamental
to a high quality of life.
Cultural and recreational facilities and programming provide residents opportunities to
lead enriched and healthy lives, and support overall community wellness. Arts and culture
are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Similarly, parks, trails and natural areas
provide beautiful public spaces that foster physical activity and create opportunities for
creativity, reflection and leisure. The quality of parks, trails and natural areas, as well as
arts, culture and recreation programs and opportunities create a sense of pride among
residents, while also drawing visitors and revenue into the CityFort Collins.
In many respects these amenities define, and will continue to define, who we are as a
communit the community. Additionally, the robust urban tree canopy provides many other
quality of life benefits and will be important to preserve and protect against natural and
biological threats. These amenities have a direct link to Economic Health. Environmental
Health is also improved through parks and trails providing access to nature, including the
Cache la Poudre River and surrounding wildlife habitat. The City values stewardship of
these resources.These amenities have a direct link to other Outcome Aareas, most
notably Environmental Health, Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, Transportation
and Mobility, and Economic Health. The City focuses on the stewardship of these
resources as a reflection of its residents’ and visitors’ values.
Providing diverse culture and recreation amenities includes:
Ensuring the legacy of Fort Collins’ parks, trails, natural areas, and cultural and
recreational facilities for future generations
Enhancing equitable access to cultural and recreation services offerings and facilities.
Providing a wide variety of high-quality recreation services and cultural opportunities
Creating an interconnected regional and local trail network of parks and accessible
recreational facilities
Creating and preserving opportunities and spaces where residents can easily readily
access nature
Continuing a strong focus on exceptional natural resource stewardship and
ecologically sound and sustainable operations
Protecting and preserving the City’s tree canopy
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Definition & Descriptions
2.1 Develop recreational and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive, and
accessible, and that also drive attendance and cost recovery. with pricing
and marketing strategies that drive value, attendance and cost recovery.
Existing Ddiverse programs and opportunities should becan be bolstered with
responsiveness maintained in addition to an awareness and responsiveness to
of changing community desires.
The City desires equitable access and a high degree of participation in all
programs offered.
Fee structures based on demand, program alternatives and affordability help to
improve program self-sufficiency.
Indoor and outdoor facilities and programs need to address emerging trends
and opportunities for all ages.
Fort Collins currently lacks quality regional sports venues where competitive
leagues can hold their state or regional tournaments.
2.2 Plan, design, implement and maintain the City’s parks and trail
systems.Address critical park, recreation equipment, and trail lifecycle and
maintenance needs and continue the planned buildout of the system.
Community outreach consistently indicates a strong desire to preserve and
cultivate a sense of place and vibrancy as Fort Collins grows.
Parks, trails and recreation opportunities are highly valued and utilized by
residents. In 2019, 93% of residents visited a City park.
As the City’s parks and recreation facilities age and useage increases,
additional resources will be needed to make necessary improvements and
updates to sustain current service levels, meet design standards, and maintain
parks as highly valueds neighborhood amenities.
.1. Trails have been identified by residents as one of the highest-priority amenities
provided by the City.
As the City’s parks age, additional resources will be needed to make necessary
improvements and updates to keep parks a strong neighborhood amenity.
Considering aAlternatives and non-traditional approaches to help fund trail
maintenance and/or could help accelerate completion of the trail system are
necessary.
2.3 Create enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents
and visitors.Provide enhanced opportunities for arts and culture throughout
the City.
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Through the Lincoln Center, the Gardens on Spring Creek, Fort Collins
Museum of Discovery and other cultural services, the City provides programs
and services to the community beyond traditional parks and recreation centers.
The City’s cultural heritage includes the community’s agricultural roots, its
strong commitment to enhancing access to nature, and preservation of open
spaces.
Artistic and cultural opportunities are essential to a vibrant and creative
community; equitable participation and inclusion in those opportunities are core
community values..
The recently adopted FoCo Creates Master Plan calls for a destination arts and
culture community, a well-networked and visible creative sector, educational
opportunities and business support.
The City intentionally leverages partnerships and philanthropy with other
community arts and culture organizations to contribute to a strong sense of
place.support a growing and vibrant cultural and creative community.
Cable communications and partnerships with the local public access television
provider may help foster arts and cultural opportunities.
2.4 NEW: Protect the health and longevity of the tree canopy.
Emerald Ash Borer poses a threat to up to 33 percent of the urban canopy.
Priority ash trees can be saved through preventative action and residential losses may
be mitigated through education and shadow planting efforts.
Pruning and routine maintenance can extend the life of mature trees and prevent safety
issues from arising.
The Emerald Ash Borer will create an abnormal amount of waste in the way of dead
trees and lumber that may inundate the landfill and other disposal sites.
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Identify criteria, process and funding options to refresh neighborhood and
community parks.
Aging parks should periodically undergo a “refresh” or comprehensive upgrade
to respond to new park standards and changing community expectations.
As part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan update occurring this year, a
set of standards to inform potential refresh of parks will be developed.
A park refresh goes beyond the standard lifecycle maintenance of existing park
assets, often improving access and responding to the needs of contemporary
park users.
The City’s parks system continues to age and a dedicated funding source has
not been identified to refresh parks.
2.5 NEW: Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural areas, trails, and
cultural and recreation facilities for visitors and employees.
New or growing safety issues have surfaced around increased illegal camping,
bodily waste, drug use and other disruptive behaviors.
Maintaining roadway median design and landscaping is an emerging challenge
due to safety and staffing concerns.
Perceptions of crowding have grown due to increased trail use.
An expanded geographic footprint for rangers results in less frequent patrols.
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Economic Health
Fort Collins promotes a healthy, sustainable economy reflecting
community values.
The City of Fort Collins benefits from a resilient local economy with strong existing
businesses and industries combined with diverse and evolving job opportunities and
business formationEconomic Health refers to the overall soundness and long-term vitality
of the local economy. . We strive to create programs and resources that enable the local
economy to withstand and lessen outside pressures, bounce back from downturns
quickly, and potentially avoid the impact of regional, national and global economic forces.
We take pride in our thriving local businesses, entrepreneurs, and inventors who create
wealth and opportunity retained in our community.
A healthy economy is vibrant and resilient and provides a diverse range of employment
opportunities to residents. The City is committed to understanding the numerous
challenges facing our local economy, including: continued competition from globalization,
impacts on facilities and supply chains from climate change, shifting labor markets, and
evolving The success of a local economy depends on regional, national and global factors
conditions. By engaging existing businesses and regional institutional partners to
understand the impacts of these challenges the City can develop programs and policies
encouraging the retention and expansion of existing small and medium-sized businesses.
The ability for businesses and industries to start, sustain, and renew within our community
creates long-term resiliency.
The City recognizes that it does not create jobs. Instead, tThe City works collaboratively
with local and regional partners to create an environment that supports necessary
conditions for economic vitality. Using available infill and redevelopment land to the
highest and best use supports a strong and diverse economy. The City continues to
evolve the strategies and programs that support the redevelopment of numerous
emerging prospects These conditions include alignment between the local workforce and
education system to meet employer needs and a strong regional center supporting the
cultural, natural and community amenities a skilled workforce (our residents) seeks.
Successfully nurturing and shaping these conditions creates opportunities for our
residents, businesses, and industries to advance improving labor conditions, incomes,
and prosperity for all our residents.
The delivery of efficient and transparent City services coupled with strategic infrastructure
investment supports economic resilience. The City remains committed to continuously
improving processes that impact our local businesses, including: the development review
and permitting process, regulatory environment, and delivery of affordable utilities.
Strategically investing in public infrastructure and community assets, such as the
Northern Colorado Regional Airport, gigabit fiber internet service, and reliable water and
energy services, enhance the local economy.
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– enabling it to withstand/lessen outside pressures, bounce back from downturns quickly,
and potentially avoid the impact of outside forces. Forward looking objectives and
strategies can encourage strategic investments, business engagement, redevelopment
and support of an innovative ecosystem. As a result, businesses and Fort Collins
residents thrive – able to start, sustain, and renew – in an atmosphere aligned with
community values and supported by the City.
Economic conditions fluctuate, therefore, the City’s priorities for sustaining Economic
Health needs to adjust, as well. Current strategies should focus on engaging existing
businesses to ensure an environment conducive to success, maintaining the City’s role
as a regional economic center, collaborating with CSU and other regional participants,
supporting cultural, natural and community amenities, and maintaining a skilled
workforce.
The City recognizes that maintaining Economic Health requires partnership with the
business community and reaches out to listen to and understand their needs and
emerging issues. This engagement provides focus for developing programs and policies
that encourage retention and expansion of existing small and medium-sized businesses.
Business innovation is encouraged, and the City engages as a partner in this innovation
through the City as a Platform and Smart Cities frameworks. Business engagement
provides direction to the City’s efforts to continuously improve the efficient and
transparent delivery of services, including development review, permitting, infrastructure
construction, etc. The Northern Colorado Regional Airport is an important community
asset that can enhance the economic activity within the community.
New opportunities and challenges exist related to adequate technological infrastructure
designed to support a knowledge-based economy and employment competition.
Business innovation is encouraged, and the City engages as a partner in this innovation
through the City as a Platform and Smart Cities frameworks.
Nnumerous prospects are emerging for redevelopment and infill. Ppriorities, includeing:
efforts to foster entrepreneurship, growing and attracting primary employers, remaining
a retirement and tourism destination, and support and strengthening existing businesses.
A healthy and resilient economy includes:
Supporting the creation of a climate economy, and innovations and pilot projects that
use technology to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that is cost
effective
SupportingThriving and growing local, unique and creative businesses to thrive and
grow
Engaging businesses to understand the numerous challenges they face
Connecting and developing Supporting workforce development by and connecting
qualified workers with employers by aligning education and workforce resources to
create opportunities for upward career and wage mobility
Maintaining the City’s position as a strong regional center with cultural, natural and
community amenities
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Addressing abrupt and long-term climate changes increasing business risk to supply
chains, infrastructure, and facilities
Encouraginges investments and innovation to enable local businesses to start, sustain
and renew through the use of technology and pilot projects supported by City as a
Platform and Smart Cities
Developing climate adaptation and resiliency plans that ensure businesses and
workers are able to adapt to abrupt and long-term changes to our climate
Ensuring development and redevelopment opportunities can meet our employment-
space needs.
Coordinating efforts among City, regional, state and federal programs to create an
innovation strong, resilient regional economic centerecosystem
Supporting an innovation, creative and entrepreneurial atmosphere
Efficient and transparent City processes and Services that address the needs of local
businesses
Definition & Descriptions
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional
economic resilience.Facilitate government and local partners to form an
effective regional economic health group.
The region benefits from and has multiple organizations working to improve
economic conditions including CSU, Rocky Mountain Innosphere (RMI),
Northern Colorado Economic Alliance (NCEA) and various cluster
organizations.
The region is currently under-represented at the regional and national level.
Prospects and leads previously handled by the Northern Colorado Economic
Development Corporation (NCEDC) are now handled independently by various
municipalities and organizations.
Coordination of regional development activities with national representation is
needed to focus on retention, expansion, incubation and
attraction.Collaboration should include regional and global partners.
Collaboration with partners is needed to create a unified regional vision for
sustained economic growth.
3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market to grow diverse employment
opportunities.Maintain and grow diverse employment opportunities.
Reduce identified barriers of workforce attraction and retention, including
access and affordability of quality housing and childcare.
Growth in the entrepreneurial and start-up ecosystem has barriers due to
access to capital and inability to recruit targeted talent pools.
Currently, approximately 70 percent of the jobs in Fort Collins require a high
school degree or less and 75 percent of the labor force has some college or a
college de47% of Fort Collins/Loveland residents have a bachelor's degree or
higher, while only 23% of jobs require a post-secondary degree.
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The skills/education to job need mismatch makes it increasingly difficult for
employers to meet their labor needs.
Projections for Fort Collins and Larimer County anticipate the creation of
28,000 new jobs in the next five years, which will outstrip worker growth and
exasperate the skills/education to job mismatch.
Although the overall supply of employment-zoned land appears sufficient to
meet long-term demand, its readiness for development may constrain the
community’s ability to create employment opportunities.
3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting,
sustaining and renewing businesses.Enhance business engagement to address
existing and emerging business needs.
A business customer segmentation and analysis of each segment’s needs is
necessary to guide program and initiative development.
There is an opportunity to iIdentify and refine services for ourFort Collins
business customers by engaging businesses of all sizes and across all
industries, including disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) and women
and minority-owned businesses. A process for assessing the satisfaction,
dissatisfaction and engagement of business customers is needed.
A consistent customer experience across the organization and for all business
segments is needed.
Improvement in select current service delivery systems (e.g., Development
Review, Permitting, etc.) is needed to provide efficient and transparent services
to all business customers.
As the community continues to grow and evolve, so does the number of private
and public construction projects, which has the potential to be disruptive to
businesses.
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment opportunties consistent with City Plan
policies Foster infill and redevelopment that enhances the community.
Buildout within the City’s development boundaries is expected over the next 20
to 30 years. Growth will be denser and taller than historical norms and
additional infrastructure will be needed to support remaining open field
development.
Infill developments are met with significant community resistance to higher
density and heights, requiring a high level of stakeholder engagement.
Infill development should enhance and preserve the character of existing
neighborhoods while allowing taller buildings in appropriate character sub-
districts while and maximizing compatibility through appropriate design.
The Urban Renewal Authority is an important partner in achieving desired infill
and redevelopment opportunities.
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Fort Collins has many unique features that need to be preserved and
enhanced.
Many employers have reported that increasingly stringent land-use codes
create barriers that add cost to business development and operations.
3.5 Maintain utility systems, services, infrastructure and predictable rates. Invest
in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring predictable
utility rates
Low Affordable energy costs and high reliability provide an advantage in
attracting and retaining energy-intensive industries. Maintaining the system
reliability and cost advantage is important to retaining existing primary
employers.
Completion of total undergrounding of the electric distribution and transmission
The underground system will require additional resources, increased
maintenance and replacement to maintain the current system reliability.
New infrastructure is needed to deliver services to meet the needs of future
growth in areas such as the Mulberry Corridor and northeast Fort Collins.
Significant stormwater infrastructure (water, wastewater, and stormwater)
system improvements are planned but are not funded.
Maintain cost of service rate structures for utility customers that are consistent
with environmental goals.
Design and maintain an electricity distribution infrastructure to facilitate a
diverse, efficient, economical, reliable, clean and secure transition to higher
levels of renewable energy sources.
The population within the GMA is expected to grow from the current 170,000
to an estimated 255,000 by 2040.
Water storage capacity is needed to ensure water rights can be fully utilized to
meet future demand and drought management needs.
3.6 Invest in utility infrastructure aligned with community development.
The population within the GMA is expected to grow from the current 170,000 to
an estimated 255,000 by 2040.
Water storage capacity is needed to ensure water rights can be fully utilized to
meet future demand and drought management needs.
New infrastructure is needed to deliver services to meet the needs of future
growth in areas such as the Mulberry Corridor and northeast Fort Collins.
3.7Deploy 6 Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services throughout
the community Deploy reliable, high-speed internet services throughout
the community.
Voters approved a charter modification to allow the City to provide
telecommunication services as part of the current Light & Power utility.
Voters also supported the issuance of up to $150M of debt to support the
implementation of high-speed internet and associated services (video &
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phone).Following voter approval and issuance of bonds, the buildout of the
Connexion system is underway.
The creation of athis new internet utility service will requires significant
organizational effort and requires prioritization of activities during the start-up
phase.
High-speed internet service throughout the community will support economic
vitality, quality of life and governmental operations, and will be leveraged to
facilitate Smart City goals.
3.8 Move to TRANS Secure a quiet zone along the Mason Corridor to reduce
train noise.
Businesses and residents in proximity of the Mason Corridor are negatively impacted by
train horn noise.
Work with the Federal Railroad Administration to identify cost-effective solutions.
Noise is impeding development along the Mason Corridor.
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Environmental Health
Fort Collins promotes, protects and enhances a healthy and
sustainable environment.
For decades, the City of Fort Collins has led the way in innovative and sustainable
environmental programs, such as watershed stewardship, water conservation, low-
impact development, stormwater management, urban tree canopy preservation, and
energy policies. Additional examples include the City’s natural areas system, Cache la
Poudre River restoration, waste reduction programs, air quality and emissions policies,
climate action planning, sustainable purchasing practices, and green building standards.
The City has set some of the most aspirational climate goals in the country, including
carbon neutrality by 2050. Achieving the 2020 Climate Action and Energy Policy goals
is largely within reach, and it is time to focus on the transformational strategies and
policy solutions that will be needed to achieve the 2030 goals. Beginning in 2019, and
continuing through 2020, the City is updating three plans: Climate Action Plan, Energy
Policy, and the Road to Zero Waste Plan. These combined planning processes are
being conducted together to provide a streamlined engagement process for the
community, where if a community member or business engages with one plan, they can
impact all three. Collectively, these planning updates are called "Our Climate Future.”
This plan builds on Fort Collins’ goals and leads with equity in both the update process
and intended outcomes.
The City has set some of the most aspirational goals in the country for its Climate Action
Plan (CAP) to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon neutrality by 2050.
The community is working to develop individual strategies for achieving those goals in
such areas as waste reduction, transportation, energy use reduction and the green built
environment. Climate change poses an increasingly real and serious threat to the world
at large and to the quality of life we value in Fort Collins.
Fort Collins Utilities plays a critical role in environmental stewardship by protecting the
watershed and meeting all regulatory standards, as do other utility districts who that
provide sanitary sewer and water service to Fort Collins residents. Fort Collins Utilities
supports innovative programs that go beyond compliance, promoting energy and water
conservation, efficiency and clean electricity sources.
The City’s efforts to conserve natural areas are a core part of Fort Collins’ identity and
culture. The program has conserved 44,000 acres since its inception, and continues to
conserve land while providing an increased emphasis on stewardship, such as habitat
restoration and visitor amenities. Current land conservation efforts are focused on local,
foothills and community separator areas.
Fort Collins also has a growing and healthy urban tree canopy that creates a sense of
place for community members and is inviting for visitors. These trees provide invaluable
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benefits to the built environment that will live on and add value to the community for
generations to come.
With regional and global partners, Fort Collins is a leader in implementing policies and
programs that engender a more economically efficient, successful and resilient
community, while reducing local climate change impacts.
A healthy and sustainable environment includes:
Supporting climate action initiatives that will help Fort Collins become a carbon-
neutral and resilient community
Efforts to meet CAP goals, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
Protecting and improving the quality of our air, water and night skies
Healthy watersheds and best practice stormwater management
A sustainable, high-quality water supply
Conserving resources, including energy and water, and cultivating a healthy
ecosystem
Careful stewardship of, and access to, open lands and natural areas
A comprehensive and connected system of natural areas and open lands
Partnerships with local, regional, state and national affiliates to achieve desired goals
and outcomes
Integrating renewable energy technologies for the electric grid
Monitoring local and regional air quality and supporting programs that improve air
quality, such as fugitive dust control measures
Solid waste reduction and diversion
Efforts to encourage and regulate best practices in outdoor lighting to protect the night
sky
Definition & Descriptions
4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and
100% renewable electricity goals. Achieve Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2020
goals and continue progress toward the 2030 goals.
Eighty percent of residents support the City engaging in climate action, and the
City can support ways to engage and empower residents, businesses and
institutions with opportunities for sustainable living practices.
Most of the community’s efforts have focused on achieving the short-term 2020 goals,
e.g., a 20% reduction in carbon emissions below 2005 levels (Climate Action Plan) and
improved efficiency to reach 2.5% annual electricity savings (Energy Policy).
Results to date have largely been driven by increased renewable resources in the
electric grid and efficiencies in home and business operations, while emissions have
increased in transportation and natural gas useage.
The community’s 2030 goals of an 80% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels and
achieving a 100% renewable electricity system require a systems approach that
prioritizes the most equitable and scalable solutions to achieveing the goals.
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Emission reduction strategies to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals are outlined
in the CAP Framework, including strategies for buildings, advanced mobility,
energy supply and delivery, and waste reduction.
Climate change impacts are already here, and communities in the Intermountain West
are particularly vulnerable to increased temperatures, reduced snowpack, threats to
water quality, increased storm severity, natural hazards and threats to human health and
safety.
Eightly percent of residents support the City engaging in climate action, and in
partnership with others, the City can support ways to engage and empower residents,
businesses and institutions with opportunities for sustainable living practices.
The community and city organization’s 2030 climate goal of an 80 percent reduction below 2005
levels will require a systems approach.
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality.
Fort Collins’ ground-level summertime ozone levels
Fort Collins, along with the Denver/North Front Range region, does not comply with EPA
health-based standards for ozone, which comes local sources such as gas and diesel
vehicles, and regional sources such as oil and gas operations.
Surveys indicate 21 percent - 32 percent of Fort Collins households have a
member suffering from respiratory disease.
Particle pollution like dust and smoke from construction and wood fires can
create local nuisance issues and health concerns;, and visible air pollution
(e.g., “brown cloud”) is worse than regional standards approximately one in
four days each year.
Oil and gas operations in and around Fort Collins contribute to elevated ozone
levels, increased air toxic emissions, and habitat fragmentation that can harm
environmental and human health, as well as localized nuisance impacts from
operations.
Surveys consistently indicate that one quarter of Fort Collins’ households report
a member with a respiratory ailment.
Studies show that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, indoor air
pollution is often much worse than outdoor air pollution,; and 56% of Fort
Collins homes test high for radon.
Climate change may contribute to increased air quality risks, such as increased
emissions from wildfires, and more high heat days that can contribute to ozone
formation.
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Indoor air quality is typically more than 70 percent worse than outdoor air, and 70
percent of Fort Collins’ buildings have high radon levels.
4.3 Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work towards Climate Action goals for
carbon neutrality. Consolidate with 4.1Make progress toward 2030 zero waste
goals.Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals and work toward the 2030 zero
waste goals..
Although Fort Collins currently diverts about 57% of its waste stream, the Larimer
County Landfill is forecast to reach capacity in 2024. Upon its closure, costs will
rise for waste disposal in Fort Collins. Alternatives to landfilling will become
increasingly important to help maintain affordability.
.
, and the majority of what is sent to landfills could be recycled or composted.
Organics (woody debris, yard trimmings and food scraps) comprise 40% of the
waste sent to local landfills and represent a vital opportunity to increase waste
diversion and reduce greenhouse gas (methane) emissions.
Larimer County Landfill is forecast to reach capacity in 20254. Upon closure of
the landfill, costs will rise for waste disposal in the Fort Collins community (and
for the City organization). Alternatives to landfilling will become increasingly
important to help maintain affordability.
Strategies for reducing waste, recycling, and composting more of the
community’s discards are critical for achieving Council-adopted goals for
Climate Action and the Road to Zero Waste Plan, as well as municipal
A spectrum of approaches will be needed to meet community goals; including
highest and /best use of materials through a circular economy, source
reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.
The North Front Range Wasteshed Coalition (comprised of the Cities of Fort
Collins, and Loveland, Larimer County, and the Town of Estes Park) is working
toward developingment of with the regional community to create new
infrastructure and policies to support responsible, cost-effective waste
management and resource recovery in Northern Colorado.
Presence of microplastics in drinking and stormwater systems and in river
systemsIncreasing plastic waste pollution, including microplastics, creates
ecological hazards.
Increasing levels of plastic waste pollution, including macro-plastics (e.g., single -
use plastics) and micro-plastics, creates ecological hazards.
4.3 4.4 Develop strategies to improve the community's climate resiliency.
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Communities in the Intermountain West are particularly vulnerable to increased
temperatures, reduced snowpack, threats to water quality, increased storm severity,
natural hazards and threats to human health.
Public health and safety concerns, negative economic impacts and resource
constraints may be a result of a changing climate.
Support programs that include ongoing monitoring of climate research and evolving
climate modeling are necessary to assist in future course corrections and additional
strategy identification.
4.4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
The watershed acts as a primary water treatment facility, so monitoring and
protecting the watershed and focusing on long-term storage capability is critical.
Key local industries rely on a high-quality and reliable water resource.
Balancing water supply and demand is necessary in the face of a changing
climate and increasing population. While the City’s water consumption per
capita has declined by approximately 25 32% percent over the past 10
yearssince 2000, additional stress is placed on water resources due to growth,
climate change and lack of storage.
The regulatory environment related to emerging contaminants, including micro-
plastic particulates, in drinking water and wastewater is evolving.
Water quality monitoring programs within the urban and lower watersheds
support long-term environmental objectives and beneficial uses of local
waterways.
Balancing water supply and demand is necessary in the face of a changing
climate and increasing population, ensuring it is available long term and during
times of drought.
The impact of higher costs to acquire water rights and store raw water poses a
challenge to ensure adequate and affordable water resources for all water
providers in the Growth Management Area.
4.4 Continually improve environmental regulatory performance.
Wastewater infrastructure improvements are required to meet changing and
more stringent state regulations and permit thresholds. Specifically,
improvements need to be implemented to meet regulations for nutrients,
metals, temperature and ammonia while recognizing the need to address
Climate Action Plan goals.
4.5 Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and
throughout the community.
Continue efforts to conserve and restore land that provides habitat and
biological diversity, public access via trails, buffers that provide separation from
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neighboring communities, scenic vistas, opportunities for environmental
education and watchable wildlife, and conservation of agricultural lands.
A focus on Nature in the City ensures that as the community grows to its build-
out population, residents of all abilities have access to high-quality, natural
spaces close to where they live and work.; iIt is important for all people, such as
those with visual or hearing impairments, to have inclusive experiences., such
as those with visual or hearing impairments.
Development review and regulations are needed to require minimum buffers,
work to minimize impacts, protect the night sky, provide guidance, and require
mitigation to conserve and enhance natural resources and wildlife habitats.
4.6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and its
watershed.
The Cache la Poudre River has multiple and, at times, competing demands
from various users.
The Cache la Poudre River is a natural amenity and ecosystem to be carefully
nurtured and maintained.
The City’s urban streams have been degraded by agriculture and urban
development.
Maintaining river health is dependent on partnerships with local, regional and
national organizations that focus on local and regional investments.
Planned construction of Glade Reservoir by Northern Water in 2023 will impact
the Poudre River and requires careful monitoring, mitigation and adaptive
management.
4.10 7 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio while simultaneously
maintaining existing lands and access to nature.
Fort Collins enjoys a unique appeal due to open spaces, access to mountains,
parks and trail systems, and an individual identity separate from neighboring
communities.
The City’s open space lands and trail network are critical to reaching goals to
increase responsible access to nature.
As Natural Areas experience more visits, challenges arise including how best to
address heavy useage (e.g., parking and user conflict) and preserve the assets
for future generations.
Access to nature and green infrastructure improves the integration of natural
habitat with urban spaces.
4.98 Protect the health and longevity of the tree canopy.Create and maintain a
safe, healthy, and resilient urban forest.
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Sustaining a consistent pruning rotation for all trees and performing regular tree-
risk assessments will create a A safe and healthy urban forest requires a
consistent pruning rotation for all trees.
Tree replacement will improves diversity, and urban forest resilience, and creates
a sense of place for the social well-being of our community’s current and future
generations.
Implement a dynamic Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan which includes
saving ash trees through preventative action and removing and replacing over
70-percent of the current public ash tree population. (Approximately 33% of the
community’s urban forest is at risk to the Emerald Ash Borer and all untreated
ash trees will die.)
Remain heavily involved in theAs development occurs, it is important to
Development Review process to ensure existing trees are preserved and
protected, tree removals are mitigated and replaced, and encourage adequate
and the canopy is designed for long-term sustainability and tree canopy
effectiveness.
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Safe Community
Fort Collins provides a safe place to live, work, learn and play.
The City of Fort Collins strives to be a safe and healthy place to live, work, learn and play.
Safety and security are important aspects of a sustainable community as they help shape
its appeal, viability, productivity and economic stability. The use of technology to improve
prevention, investigative techniques, and communication is important. , and with
increased dependence on technology, cCybersecurity has becomeis a high -priority in
maintaining safety within our community.
Ensuring that Fort Collins is a safe community is addressed by many services and
programs provided by the City and its partners. Residents often identify immediate actions
from Police Services, andand Poudre Fire Authority as key contributors to their sense of
safety. However, the definition of Aa safe community is broader than emergency
responsiveness. It also extends includes a high-functioning Municipal Court and judicial
system,to the City’s .
Reliable infrastructure, such as stormwater systemsflood protection systems, and
effective emergency preparedness, are critical to a safe community. Infrastructure is
protected through that are founded on best management practices and long-term
planning.. Safeguarding the community’s infrastructure through design, building
regulations and inspections is also essential to ensuring a safe community.
Key components of community education include community policing, prevention and
preparedness, ; fire prevention and awareness,; as well as regulations and infrastructure
investment. The City’s Emergency Management system and many regional, state and
federal partners work to minimize and effectively respond to emergency situations.
A safe and healthy community includes:
A safe and welcoming, non-threatening city in which to live, work, learn, and play
Proactive and skilled police and fire services
Safe, reliable and best practice floodplain management
An active emergency management system focused on prevention, preparedness and
recovery with key partnerships in place to effectively respond to emergency situations
Mitigating risks posed by hazards to businesses and property
Ensuring that hazard mitigation efforts and investments are made equitably
Definition & Descriptions
5.1. Improve overall community safety while continuing involvement, education
and regional partnerships to increase the level of public trust and keep the
community safewillingness to use emergency services.
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Local and regional coordination is essential to a safe community so that all
emergency response teams are aligned and work collaboratively toward
successful outcomes.
Local, regional and federal resources should be maximized to address safety
issues.
An increasingly diverse community requires new communication strategies and
non-traditional partnerships to effectively build trust and enable residents to
understand the resources available to them to help keep their families safe.
Partnerships should continue to support key enforcement and education
programs such as animal control, mental health, substance abuse,
detoxification, victim assistance, youth programs, bike safety, county jail and
programs to reduce repeat crimes.
Continue public-private partnerships and engaging the community to address
community safety and build community pride.
As Fort Collins grows, City policies must focus on ensuring that Police Services
is able to remain innovative and adaptable to effectively meet community
expectations for public safety.
5.2. Meet the expected level of core and specialized police services as the
community grows.
As the community reaches full buildout and a population of approximately
255,000continues to grow, the type and volume of crimes and community
needs will change, requiring additional police resources and skills to maintain
and increase community safety.
The police industry is changing, with a greater number of calls requiring
specialized training to deal with mental and behavioral health issues.
The City is experiencing increased severity and pervasiveness of illegal drug-
related incidences that are resulting in negative impacts on the community.
The use of technology, such as body-worn cameras, and training related to the
appropriate use of force helps maintain a high level of transparency and public
credibility.
To meet community expectations, Police Services needs to be nimble in
responding to emerging needs, which include community policing, bike patrol,
party enforcement and others.
The fiscal challenge of increasing staffing levels in proportion to our growing
population requires intentional focus on reducing inefficiencies and building
capacity within the current workforce.
5.3. Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention,
community risk reduction and emergency response services.
When a fire breaks out, the goal is to contain it within the room of origin. To
enhance public safety, the goal is to increase containment in the room of origin
to 85% percent.
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Fast response time is crucial to containing fire. PFA’s goal is to be on scene
80% percent of the time within 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
Public awareness, including school programs, community outreach and social
media campaigns, supports fire prevention.
Development review services ensure that new construction, redevelopment,
and building activity are consistent with the International Fire Codeinternational
and local codes.
The community's demand for Emergency Medical Services continues to grow
rapidly, challenging PFA to address demand growth through alternative
response models and public education.
PFA has one of the highest rates of survival from cardiac arrest in the nation
and is dedicated to improving these chances even more.
5.4. Improve Continue to deploy comprehensive emergency management and
preparedness and management strategies.
The City’s Emergency Management Operation Plan outlines the Citywide
emergency mitigation, response and recovery plans for all hazards and calls for
ongoing training for staff and volunteers to effectively execute the plan.
All City departments should have Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans
enable City departments to understand best practices and strategies to support
operational needs and the highest level of service delivery during times of
crisis.that further develop the appropriate documentation and understanding of
how to respond to an emergency.
Emergency planning, preparation and training should leverage federal and
state resources and be done in collaboration with regional efforts.
In 2019, emergency management functions were moved into the City
organization fromin collaboration with The current operational structure of
having the emergency manager housed within Poudre Fire Authority to improve
the focus of City operations on community preparedness, rather than the City,
creates communication and coordination challenges. Best practice research
demonstrates that alternative models could and enhance service delivery.
While having robust communication methods, the City has some gaps in its
communication plans and capabilities for non-English speakers and residents
without access to technology like internet services.
5.5. Address flooding risk water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure
needs for the protection of people, property and the environment.
Proper stormwater flow management is critical to the protection of people,
property and the environment; especially within the 100-year floodplain
Approximately 1,100 structures are in the floodplain due to inadequate
stormwater infrastructure.Thirty-three miles of water main are more than 80
years old and 12.5 miles are more than 100 years old. As water mains age, the
reliability of the system decreases.
Twenty miles of wastewater main are more than 100 years old, and 12 percent
of wastewater mains have a condition rating of severe because of cracking,
roots or offset jo
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Reducing the flooding risk to private property and City infrastructure, as well as
decreasing the number of flood-prone areas, will increase infill development
opportunities.
5.6. Protect Optimize the use of data and technology to improve service, protect
mission-critical physical and virtual infrastructure, in addition to privacy
data, against increasing and enhance cybersecurity effectivenessthreats.
Many City services are reliant on technology for the continuity of core
operations, while improving the effectiveness and efficiency of City services.
Cybersecurity is continues to be increasingly important to the protection of the
City’s assets and information as well as the protection of customer privacy.
Cyber audits and awareness training are a critical component of ensuring the
City’s ability to mitigate everchanging threats from new operational
technologies and growing cybersecurity attacks.security.
Understanding cybersecurity risks and threats, as well as learning how to
detect them, is paramount for every employee to prevent negative impacts from
malicious activity.
5.7. Reduce incidents of, and impacts from, disruptive behavior of the transient
population.
Ongoing attention and creative approaches to appropriately balance
compassion and consequences are needed.
Fort Collins has continues to experienced an increase in disruptive behaviors,
causing numerous challenges and frustration among Downtown visitors,
business owners and residents.
The negative impacts from illegal and unwanted transient behaviors continue to
expand beyond the downtown area and more broadly across our community.
Increasingly, Police, Municipal Court, Natural Areas, and Parks resources are
disproportionately consumed by transient issues, reducing the level of service
provided to other residents.
While focused attention Downtown has led to decreasing disruptive transient
behavior in that area, Midtown, the Mason Corridor, the Harmony Corridor and
Campus West have all experienced increased transient activity.
5.8. Improve security at City facilities and properties.
The City continues to has experienced an increase in security-related incidents
happening at Municipal Court that require police assistance. Current space
constraints do not allow for effective deployment of industry-standard security
strategies for providing a safe and secure facility for customers and residents.
Security controls for City facilities are managed by multiple systems, and best
practices point to one centralized system as most effective, including the
capability to integrate with camera and credentialing systems..
Perception of safety of Transfort, Parks and Natural Areas has a high impact on
residents’ use and enjoyment of these services.
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Current lack of protocols to improve security at City facilities provides an
opportunity for best-practice policies and associated staff training.
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Transportation and Mobility
Fort Collins provides safe and reliable multi-modal travel to, from and
throughout the City. a transportation system that moves people and
goods safely and efficiently while being accessible, reliable and
convenient.
The transportation system is a key component for nearly all aspects of the City of Fort
Collins. The system provides the connecting fabric among residences, employment,
schools and shopping. It is critical for economic success and commerce, interconnected
with land use, and is impactsful to the Climate Action Plan and healthy living goals. It is
also a key aspect of advancing City priorities around access and equity., The success of
a quality-builthigh-quality and well-functioning multi-modal system is a community
differentiator and reflected in quality-of-life performance measures.
The Transportation Master Plan, approved by City Council in 2019, describes six core
components of a sustainable transportation network, all of which are intended to guide
Fort Collins toward realizing the overall transportation vision over 20 years. These
components provide a comprehensive framework for assessing current network
conditions and informs where Fort Collins can enhance its mobility programs and
investments to achieve broader- reaching outcomes. These components were closely
evaluated and used to inform the strategic objectives of this document as a method to
focus on near- term actions. The six core components are:
(1) Transportation Infrastructure – Planning a physical transportation network that
supports multimodal travel.
(2) Mobility & Travel Choices – Considering the role each transportation mode plays
in shaping the Fort Collins mobility network.
(3) Health & Equity – Ensuring the transportation network plays a key role in
advancing social outcomes.
(4) Innovation – Understanding emerging technologies and how new trends are
influencing travel.
(5) Safety – Eliminating serious injuries and fatalities on Fort Collins roadways.
(6) Sustainability & Resiliency – Shifting transportation away from creating harmful
environmental impacts toward being a resource for improving environmental
outcomes.
(1) The City uses data and analysis to develop and maintain a safe and reliable multi-
modal transportation network. It addresses gaps within the transportation network
and promotes biking and walkability throughout the community. Priority will be
given to managing and, where possible, reducing congestion and improving safety
through physical infrastructure improvements, use of innovative technology and
demand reduction. The City’s existing infrastructure will be highly functioning and
well maintained. The systems should be complete and designed to provide
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accessibility by offering a variety of effective, efficient, complete, and safe
transportation choices for all users.
I-25 is a vital connection among Fort Collins and its regional partners. Its function and
reliability is critical to the Northern Colorado region.
Allocation of roadway width, including reshaping streets to support safety and promote a
mix of modes, remains a priority. Street design that blends transportation needs with
social and environmental amenities creates a sense of place in the community.
A transit system that is efficient and productive is a priority. Technology will be leveraged
to provide innovative sources of information concerning traffic, congestion and transit
options. Transportation operations concentrate on reducing congestion, improving air
quality and improving safety for all modes of travel.
A connected and mobile community includes:
Land use and transportation that is fully integrated, both locally and regionally, to
create an affordable, accessible, low-energy, low-impact and efficient transportation
systemIntegrated land use and transportation planning and investments
Multiple mode choices for safe, affordable, easy and convenient travelTransportation
facilities and networks that are reliable, affordable, efficient, connected and
comfortable.
A transportation system that provides safe, reliable, convenient and effective vehicular
mobility and access
Travel infrastructure that is high quality and reliable, as well as recognized as world
class by residents, visitors and peers
Capacity and systems for effective traffic flow and minimal congestion
People who are aware of the impact their travel choices have on the transportation
system, the environment and the communityPrograms that facilitate well-informed
travel-behavior decisions
Support for and implementation of emerging trends such as electrification of the
vehicle fleet, connected vehicles, adaptive signal technology, etc.Growing and
leveraging changing transportation technologies.
Infrastructure and technology to address and mitigate the impact of train delays
Definition & Descriptions
6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel.
The City has a goal to reduce traffic fatalities to zero.
Crashes have a negative impact of $165 million annually in Fort Collins, borne
primarily by the public at large.
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Appropriate programs, policies, educational resources and infrastructure
improvements (e.g., accessible sidewalks, and safety-conscious intersection
design, and low-stress networks) and educational resources will work to reduce
the overall number and severity of traffic accidents.
Community awareness and education regarding collisions involving vulnerable
road users including pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists is a focus.
Quality infrastructure continues to be a focusis necessary to improve safety,
including safe, accessible, well-functioning, high-quality intersections, streets,
bikeways, sidewalks and trails.
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all
users.
Approximately half of Fort Collins residents communte out of Fort Collins and
half of Fort Collins workers commute into Fort Collins from other cCommunities.
Specific infrastructure projects (such as intersections) to improve safety,
efficiency, and reliability can have significant positive impacts. Project
identification is through a data-driven approach and previously completed
existing prioritization studies that evaluate congestion relief and safety.
Continued focus on efforts to increase bicycling throughout the cityFort Collins
will have benefits to other modes of travel.
Demand- management strategies can be effective in reducing traffic congestion
and require a coordinated approach that evaluates the entire transportation
system.
Technology should be leveraged to maximize system capacity and efficiency.
The City will work to reduce delays associated with freight-rail lines.
6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel,
with emphasis on growing transit ridership.Improve transit availability and
grow ridership.
Currently, 74% of all trips in Fort Collins are people driving alone.
As the City approaches buildout, additional roadway expansion becomes less
effective and more expensive. Creating opportunities for sustainable modes of
travel for all people is a key piece of achieving mobility and quality of life
outcomes.
A fully functioning transit system requires a level of service that allows the rider
to move throughout the city community in a timely manner and works
seamlessly with other modes of travel.
Service levels will focus on areas of greatest ridership demand and productivity,
in accordance with the transit policies.Recent expansions of service require
work to optimize and improve service. Proposed expansion of service requires
strategic alignment, community dialog, funding and implementation plans.The
Transit Master Plan was updated in 2019 and calls for high-frequency transit
and innovative approaches to expanding coverage to create additional high-
productivity and accessible routes.
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Electrification of buses, the City’s fleet, and the Ccommunity vehicle fleet is an
important piece of reducing transportation-related emissions and will require
associated infrastructure.
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I-25 improvements according to the multi-
modal environmental impact statement.
Construction of managed lanes on I-25 is underway between Highway 14 and
Highway 56. Efforts should be focused on expanding the I-25 corridor from
Highway 402 to Highway 66 via collaboration with regional, state and federal
partners.
The remaining gap between Highway 56 and Highway 66 will require additional
and creative partnerships with the state and federal governments.
To date, Rregional partners – (Larimer County, Weld County, Town of
Berthoud, Town of Johnstown, City of Loveland, Town of Timnath, Town of
Estes Park, Town of Windsor, andTown of Wellington) – and private-sector
investors are have contributeding $55 millionM toward the Colorado
Department of Transportation project to add express managed lanes from
Johnstown to Fort Collins along I-25.
Improvements to gateway interchanges and bridges, as well as pedestrian and
bicycle access under I-25, are key design elements that will help enable
regional alternative modes of transportation to safely cross the busy
thoroughfare.
6.5 Maintain existing and aging transportation infrastructure and address
missing facilities to meet targeted levels of service. Improve aging and/or
missing transportation infrastructure that serves Fort Collins.
The northeast quadrant of Fort Collins is the last major quadrant of the City’s
Growth Management Area that remains largely undeveloped.
The lack of transportation and utility infrastructure in the northeast quadrant
(some requiring significant investment) limits opportunities for affordable
housing and business development that would meet the same quality and
standards as the rest of the community.
Street maintenance, and the infrastructure of high-functioning intersections, and
pedestrian multi-modal facilities are a high priority for the Fort Collins
community.
The cost of infrastructure maintenance continues to increase rapidly along the
Front Range.
Desired aesthetic components (e.g., medians) and current design standards
have an impact on project implementation and increase ongoing maintenance
costs.
The City has a significant number of bridges, culverts and irrigation ditch
crossings that are in need of repair.
Partnerships,and innovative financing strategies will be needed to address
infrastructure deficiencies.
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6.6 Maintain Level of Service ‘B’ for City streets and the current level of service
for medians and associated infrastructure.
The cost of infrastructure maintenance continues to increase rapidly along the
Front Range.
Street maintenance is highly reliant on sunsetting revenue streams; although
the ¼-cent dedicated sales tax was renewed by voters through 2025, the Keep
Fort Collins Great sales tax generates 50 percent of street maintenance funding
and that tax is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2020.
Innovative technology solutions may reduce ongoing costs.
Desired aesthetic components (e.g., medians) have an impact on project
implementation and increase ongoing maintenance costs.
6.67 Address parking needsManage parking supply and demand
DowntowndDowntown, along the MAX corridor, and in residential
neighborhoods.near Colorado State University.
Parking at key locations maximizes the effectiveness of integrated transit,
bicycle and pedestrian solutions.
Access to convenient parking for people of all abilities is an important
consideration.
Successful implementation of transportation demand- management strategies
should reduce automotive congestion and the increasing need for associated
parking.
Mobility hubs enhance last-mile access into neighborhoods from key parking
locations.
Current pricing structures disincentivize parking in preferred long-term
locations.
6.7 NEW: Manage safety, congestion and quality of life impacts from train
operations in Fort Collins.
Train horn noise causes significant impacts for residents and businesses in Fort
Collins.
Increasing frequency of long trains (up to three miles) causes severe traffic
congestion and negatively impacts public safety.
Lack of grade- separated crossings, particularly near the Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railroad switching yard in northeast Fort Collins, also causes
significant congestion and negatively impacts neighborhood quality of life.
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High Performing Government
Fort Collins exemplifies an efficient, innovative, transparent, effective
and collaborative city government.
A high-performing government delivers services desired by the community through sound
financial management, data-informed, transparent and collaborative decision-making,
effective various communication methods, and efficient and effective project
management. To achieve this, the City attracts and employs high-caliber
employeesdiverse and competitive talent, retains its workforce through development and
growth opportunities, and promotes intelligent risk-taking to address increasingly complex
challenges. The City’s vision, mission and values are reinforced at every level of the
organization and guide its culture. Exceptional customer service that is responsive to the
needs of residents and businesses is crucial in every interaction among the City and all
members of the community.
Public involvement and a transparent government are cornerstones of a high-performing
community. The City values inclusive community engagement and involvement in the
planning and decision-making process. It also collaborates and problem-solves with
adjacent municipalities, CSU, school districts, Larimer County, special districts, local
organizations and interested individuals.
Core Key city-wide processes have been identified, including of leadership, strategic
planning, budgeting, organizational development and human resources that are aligned
to develop an organization that listens to and engages the public, continuously delivers
high-quality services to the community, facilitates high performance and generates trust
in and transparency of City business.
The City of Fort Collins uses a systems approach to apply economic, environmental and
social lenses to decision-making. The City is also committed to continuous improvement
and performance excellence. Operational data and performance metrics, along with
Ddata from surveys, performance metrics, benchmarkingoperations, engagement events
and face-to-face interactions, are key to decision-making and pursuing strategic
opportunities for improvement. The City budget reflects community values, challenges
and opportunities.
Public involvement and a transparent government are cornerstones of a high-performing
community. Communities with actively involved residents are more satisfied and
contribute greater benefit to the community as a whole. Engaged communities strive to
be inclusive and equitable for all.
A high-performing government includes:
Effective and efficient local governance where all community voices are valued
Fiscal sustainability and transparency
A collaborative and community-based approach to problem solving
Core processes that are consistently used across the organization
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
49
An organizational culture of continuous improvement in all areasA high-quality
workforce that strives for continuous improvement in all areas
A systems approach, driven by data, to effectively solve problems, creatively pursue
opportunities for improvement and develop innovative solutions
A workforce of talented people who care deeply about public service and
trust.Attracting, developing and retaining an ethical and diverse workforce who are the
best and brightest in their fields
Promoting lifelong learning, volunteerism and philanthropy
Citywide strategies and standards for meaningful and inclusive involvement in
governance and decision-making. civic engagement.
Definition & Descriptions
7.1 Provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a
culture of innovation.to residents and businesses.
Delivering world-class services provides a platform for co-creation that enables
residents, businesses and non-profit agencies to help enhance Fort Collins and
solve challenging community issues.
The City continues to implement systems and processes that improve services
and resident satisfaction, as consistent with the City’s performance excellence
journey.
While Tthe City strives to meet the needs of the majority ofall community
members. , Rregulation, stewardship, voter-driven actions and other factors
may dictate circumstances in which the City is unable to satisfy some residents
and businesses.
As the organization has increased service delivery to the community, internal
support services are strained to keep pace.
7.2 Promote a values-driven organizational culture that mMaintains the public
trust through a high performing board, as well as organizational
transparency, legal and ethical behavior and regulatory compliance. and
transparency.
The City Council and the organization places a strong value on maintaining the
public trust and haves articulated high expectations regarding transparency.
In 2019, 65% of residents indicated the overall direction of the City was
positive, which is above national and Front Range benchmarks.
City Council works with state and federal elected officials to advance
community goals.
The City continues to focus on fostering a culture of ethical behavior and
embedding core values into the culture to reinforce accountability.
Oversight, coordination, and collaboration are required for the City to comply
with various federal and state laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), Title VI, and Fair Housing.
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
50
State and federal regulatory environments are constantly changing. The City
strives to be in front of and exceed many regulatory requirements.
Balancing the social, economic and environmental health of the community is
critical to ensuring long-term sustainability of City services and resident
satisfaction.
7.3 Broaden methods Improve effectiveness of community engagement with
enhanced inclusion of all identities, additional consideration to diverse
backgrounds, languages and needs.
The City’s Public Engagement Strategic Plan focuses on fostering an engaged
community, equipping staff to successfully lead public engagement projects,
prioritizing inclusivity, and ensuring accountability and excellence in community
engagement.
Fort Collins has a diverse mix of residents who desire meaningful engagement,
trust and regular communication with their local government. Cultural and
language gaps, and limited time can be barriers to engagement.
The City is seeing “engagement fatigue” with reduced participation in
community outreach and stakeholders voicing concern about over-engagement
and the pace and breadth of City initiatives,.
The communication landscape is rapidly changing. Social media use has
increased by 21 percent globally since 2015, meaning tThe City needs to
continue to reimagine community engagement to reach the entire community in
meaningful ways.
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a diverse and competitive
workforce to meet the needs of the community now and in the future.
Cost of living increases, anticipated retirement of City employees, and
projected growth in the regional population increase the challenges in the
region and for the City related to talent management.
A competitive total compensation offering is essential to hire and retain talent.
Investment to constantly develop and engage our employees is critical to
ensure an agile workforce ready to meet the evolving needs of our
community.The City organization has a need to develop diverse talent pools
and to increase diversity in its leadership pipeline.
A diverse workforce leads to increased innovation, productivity and creativity.
The City organization has a need to develop diverse talent pools and increase
representation in its leadership pipeline.Current gaps within the City
organization hinder its ability to fully access the breadth and depth of talent
represented by community members.
The City relies heavily on a dedicated group of volunteers to assist the
workforce in delivering world-class services. Opportunities exist to further
leverage the talent of our volunteers.Further recognition of the role volunteers
play in supporting the City workforce can improve service delivery.
7.5 Foster a culture of safety, and well-being, resilience and sustainability
across the City organization.
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
51
The City’s safety culture is one of prevention, education, safe design principles
and collaborative partnerships with City Wellness.
The City’s Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) and Days Away Restricted or
Transferred (DART) case rates continued to improve over the past two years,
but significant progress remains necessary to reach stated goals of being the
safest workplace in America.The City’s Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR)
and Days Away Restricted or Transferred (DART) case rates have improved
significantly over the past two years, but significant progress remains
necessary to reach world-class levels.
The City offers a wholistic approach to well-being for our workforce and their
dependentsfamilies by increasing engagement, impacting productivity and
decreasing health care costs. XX74% of the City’s workforce participates in the
employer-sponsored wellness program. The City recognizes a healthy
workforce reduces costs and a robust wellness program is an important part of
recruiting and retaining talent.
The City views it as critical to lead by example in sustainability. The recently
completed Municipal Sustainability and Adaptation Plan calls for focused effort
in resiliency, public lands, water, waste, emissions, and workforce to reach the
2050 goals.
7.6 Leverage data, Utilize technology, data, metrics and benchmarks process
improvements to innovate, guide decisions, improve results, and enhance
service delivery.
Optimize the use of technology to enhance evidence-based decision-making.
As large data sets become more readily available for analysis, the City needs to
evolve its business practices and partner with the community, and use of
technology to utilize make best use of that data to provide improved services to
the community..
Significant progress has been made in defining appropriate metrics to track
progress and success in achieving the City’s Strategic Outcomes, objectives
and departmental goals. Additional work is needed to The City recognizes the
need to identify and refine benchmarks, which help to identify determine world-
class performance levels and targets from regional, national and global
comparisons across industries.
Integrating The City lacks a coordinated approach to fully integrate and deploy
advanced information and connected technologies (Internet of Things [IoT])
technologies to help manage key infrastructure, public health and safety
systems. Developing a systematic approach to “smart cities” thinking can
produce better outcomes for residents and businesses.
In 2019, 13,500 hours of staff time was saved through performance
improvement work led by the City’s FC Lean program. Additional opportunities
remain in the organization.
2020 Strategic Plan ‐ Draft
52
7.7 Address long-term projected gap between available revenue requirements
and what is required to meet known and emerging needs.
The Keep Fort Collins Great tax sunsets in 2020. This tax provides close to $30
millionM in revenue annually to support services that residents have come to
rely on. Continuation of similar funding will be critical to the ongoing delivery of
existing service levels.
Increasing community demands, staffing required to provide services to a
growing population, and inflationary costs are pressuring the City’s reserves as
revenue growth slows compared to nearby communities.
The 2019 Long Term Financial Plan indicates that long-term total expenses are
expected to grow at 3%, while total revenues are expected to grow at 2.1%.
The City has explored revenue diversification options and continues to evaluate
potential causes and solutions.
Various areas across the City lack funding for enhanced and replacement
capital investments, including transportation infrastructure, transit, Golf, Parks,
etc.
7.8 Maintain and protect assets and infrastructure to drive reliability, cost
effectiveness, efficiency and improve the customer experience. reduce
lifecycle costs while improving reliability and accessibility.
As the City’s assets age, renewal and replacement areis critical to maintaining
service standards.the City’s infrastructure.
The City owns and maintains 100 buildings. The average facility age is 38
years and critical mechanical components are reaching end of life and are
inefficient.
Tools and systems that support capacity planning and capital asset needs,
monitor asset life and condition, and schedule repairs (based on optimal asset
life cycle costs estimates) may improve the effectiveness of asset
management.
Virtual assets, such as software licensure and data, are also critical to
delivering City services and require consistent cycles of replacement and
maintenance.
Lifecycle replacement gaps pose risk to the City’s ability to provide safe and
quality experiences that meet resident expectations.
7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative development at all levels.
The City plays a critical role in influencing local, state and federal policy that
impacts its ability to achieve Key Outcomes.
Proactive influence of other government policy and legislation can help ensure
a workable outcome for the City and its residents.
Policy decisions at other levels of government result in sometimes burdensome
compliance requirements that require additional human capital as well as
funding solutions to ensure legal compliance.
2020 Strategic Plan Outreach Summary
Public outreach and engagement for the 2020 Strategic Plan update took place in October & November
of 2019.
Staff combined online engagement via the OurCity platform with in-person presentations and pop-up
engagement events in order to reach community stakeholders, partner organizations, Spanish-speaking
and other traditionally underrepresented groups, and so-called “average” community members.
Community organizations that were unable to coordinate an in-person presentation were also sent
information to share with their members encouraging them to participate in the OurCity survey.
Presentations & Pop-Up Events: 18 total
• Oct. 19 – Farmer’s Market
• Oct. 22 – Visit Fort Collins Board
• Oct. 23 – Food Bank Food Share
• Oct. 25 – LatinX Advisory Group
• Oct. 25 – Treatsylvania
• Oct. 30 – Senior Center
• Oct. 30 – Food Bank Food Share
• Nov. 1 – The Winslow Senior Living
• Nov. 7 – Interfaith Council
• Nov. 8 – Fort Collins High School AP Government class (2 sections)
• Nov. 9 – Foothills Activity Center
• Nov. 12 – Midtown Business Association
• Nov. 12 – Neighbor 2 Neighbor
• Nov. 13 – Downtown Business Association Board
• Nov. 13 – CSU La Cocina
• Nov. 14 – Larimer County Office on Aging Advisory Board
• Nov. 15 – Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce – Local Legislative Affairs Committee
OurCity Platform
OurCity included surveys in English and Spanish, as well as background information and other simple
feedback tools.
There were 690 total page visits by 512 individuals – 452 participated in a survey or other feedback tool,
downloaded a document, and/or visited additional OurCity project pages.
ATTACHMENT 3
Questions Asked
Feedback was designed to:
• First, collect open-ended, un-guided comments about what respondents like and do not like
about Fort Collins, as well as the community issues most important to them to address.
• Second, gauge relative priority of the seven Outcome Areas
• Third, evaluate sentiment (positive, neutral, negative) about the 2018 Strategic Objectives –
particularly their existence as an objective for the City to pursue, not necessarily the perceived
progress in achieving those objectives.
Response Themes
Themes are in line with what we’ve heard in the past through the Community Survey and other forums:
• Community members enjoy Fort Collins’ sense of place and community, natural amenities, bike-
friendliness, open space, and many of the intangibles of a community.
• Primary concerns are rapid growth and its impacts on traffic/transit and housing affordability,
job opportunities and wages, climate action and resiliency, and diversity and increasing
equity/inclusion efforts.
While not necessarily reflected in the direct survey comments, staff also received numerous comments
concerning engagement fatigue – that the City is over-asking the same stakeholders to participate in
every project/outreach event, as well as a perception that the City always asks the same questions and
hears the same answers, but doesn’t do anything about them.
1
2020 STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW
February 25, 2020
ATTACHMENT 4
Direction Sought
1. Does City Council support the proposed Strategic Objectives?
2. Does City Council have any feedback about the related sub-
bullets?
2
3
• Process Summary
• Community Input Highlights & Themes
• Strategic Plan Review by Outcome Area
Agenda
Strategic Planning &
Budgeting Two Year Look
4
BFO Programs & Initiatives
EXECUTION PLANNING
Strategic Plan
5 Yr. View
BFO
2021/2022
ELECTIONS
On Board
2019
BFO Programs & Initiatives
2020 2021 2022
2019 Budget 2020 Budget 2021 2022
Issues Based Strategic Planning
5
STRATEGIC WORK & ANALYSIS – ISSUES BASED PROCESS:
STRATEGIC PLAN (5 YEAR HORIZON):
• Implications, Conclusions, Challenges, Advantages, Priorities
• Define Issues to be addressed in Strategic Objectives
• Outcomes – highest level focus areas
• Strategic Objectives – 6-10 per Outcome, helps achieve the Outcome
• Metrics – tied to Strategic Objectives
ENVIRONMENTAL
SCAN
STRATEGIC PLAN DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY, COUNCIL
AND STAFF INPUT & PRIORITIES
Community Input
& Priorities
• Community Survey
• Focus Groups/Outreach
• Boards & Commissions
• Community Priorities
Council Input
& Priorities
• Community Concerns
• Retreat Priorities
Organizational Scan
• City Plan & Master Plans
• Economics & Financials
• Emerging Trends / Issues
• Infrastructure Issues
• Workforce trends
• Metrics
6
• Process Summary
• Community Input Highlights & Themes
• Strategic Plan Review by Outcome Area
Agenda
7
Community Input Process
Community Survey
•Statistically valid
•580 responses
•Overall quality of City services is high
•Areas of
•Areas of concern - housing affordability; traffic
Roadshows
•18 groups
•General (Drake Farmers Market, Board & Commissions)
•Specific focus (Business, low-income, Latinx, youth, seniors, etc. . . )
Online
•OurCity platform
•Social media
•More than 450 used survey or feedback tool
2019 Community Outreach
8
Key Concerns
Housing Affordability - Public Transit /Traffic
concerns - Climate Action and Resiliency - Impact
of Growth - Job Opportunities and Wages - Equity
and Diversity -Engagement Fatigue
Areas of Appreciation
Sense of Place – Natural Amenities – Bike
Friendliness – Open Space – Community
9
• Process Summary
• Community Input Highlights & Themes
• Strategic Plan Review by Outcome Area
Agenda
Process Goals
10
• Strategic Objectives (SO) more specific
• Context bullet points focused on the
“What/Why” verses the “How”
• Outcome Teams (Executives and Team
Chairs)
• Reviewed & modified proposed SO
• Identified metrics specific to the SO
• In budget – each offer will tie to a primary SO
& it’s metrics
Need picture
Strategic Plan Introduction
11
• Strategy reflects priorities over the next 5 years –
guides decisions on what to fund
• Reworked to align with recently adopted City
Plan
• Updated major themes and areas of focus
• Affordability
• Multimodal Transportation and Public Transit
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Environmental Sustainability
• Community Vibrancy
12
Strategic Outcome:
Neighborhood Livability & Social Health
New or
Removed
Objectives
• Combined 1.5 & 1.6
• New objective about manufactured housing
Council
Priorities
• Affordable & attainable housing
• Low-income access to City services and programs
• Diversity, equity & inclusion
• Optimization of alleys
• Manufactured Housing
13
1.1 Improve and increase availability and choice of quality housing that is affordable to a broad range of income
levels.
1.2 Collaborate with other agencies to address poverty issues and other identified high-priority human service
needs, and to make homelessness rare, short-lived and non-recurring.
1.3 Improve accessibility of City and community programs and increase participation in services to eligible, income-
qualified residents
Strategic Outcome:
Neighborhood Livability & Social Health
1.4 Advance equity for all, leading with race, so that a person’s identity or
identities is not a predictor of outcomes.
1.5 Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve
problems, and foster respectful relations.
1.6 Align land use regulations and review procedures to guide development
consistent with City Plan.
1.7 Develop options and assess the feasibility of the annexation of the Mulberry
Corridor.
1.8 Preserve and enhance manufactured housing communities as a source of
affordable housing and create a safe and equitable environment for residents.
Strategic Outcome:
Culture & Recreation
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• Moved forestry objective (2.4) to Environmental Health
• New objective related to park refresh
• New objective related to visitor and employee safety
Council
Priorities
• Equity in Culture & Recreation programs
• Park refresh
14
15
Strategic Outcome:
Culture & Recreation
2.1 Develop recreation and cultural programs that are diverse, inclusive and accessible, and
that also drive attendance and cost recovery.
2.2 Address critical park, recreation equipment and trail lifecycle and maintenance needs and
continue the planned buildout of the system.
2.3 Create enhanced arts and culture participation opportunities for all residents and visitors.
2.4 Identify criteria, process and funding options to
refresh neighborhood and community parks.
2.5 Ensure safety and welfare in City parks, natural
areas, trails, and cultural and recreation facilities for
visitors and employees.
Strategic Outcome:
Economic Health
16
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• Quiet zone objective (3.8) rolled into Transportation
Council
Priorities
• Affordable childcare
• Small business plan
• Community job creation
• Complete electric undergrounding
Strategic Outcome:
Economic Health
17
3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional economic resilience.
3.2 Understand trends in the local labor market to grow diverse employment opportunities.
3.3 Systematically engage the business community with an emphasis on starting, sustaining
and renewing businesses.
3.4 Foster infill and redevelopment opportunities consistent with City Plan policies.
3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and
services while ensuring predictable utility rates.
3.6 Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet
services throughout the community.
3.7
Strategic Outcome:
Environmental Health
18
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• Combination of climate, energy policy and resilience objectives
• Forestry objective new to Outcome
Council
Priorities
• Enhance instream river flows
• Reduce plastic pollution
• Impacts of oil and gas
Key Strategic Outcome:
Environmental Health
19
4.1 Intensify efforts to improve resilience and to meet 2030 climate, energy and 100% renewable electricity
goals.
4.2 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality
4.3 Make progress toward 2030 zero waste goals.
4.4 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
4.5 Protect and enhance natural resources on City-owned properties and throughout the community.
4.6 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la
Poudre River and its watershed.
4.7 Expand the Natural Areas land portfolio while
simultaneously maintaining existing lands and access
to nature.
4.8 (Moved from C&R) Create and maintain a safe,
healthy and resilient urban forest.
Strategic Outcome:
Safe Community
20
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• No new or removed objectives from 2018 Strategic Plan
Council
Priorities
• No direct priorities were identified under Safe Community at
Council’s Retreat.
Strategic Outcome:
Safe Community
21
5.1 Improve overall community safety while continuing to increase the level of public trust and willingness to
use emergency services.
5.2 Meet the expected level of core and specialized services as the community grows.
5.3 Partner with Poudre Fire Authority to provide high-quality fire prevention, community risk reduction and
emergency response services
5.4 Continue to deploy comprehensive emergency preparedness and management strategies.
5.5 Address flooding risk for the protection of people, property
and the environment.
5.6 Protect mission-critical physical and virtual infrastructure, in
addition to privacy data, against increasing cybersecurity threats.
5.7 Reduce incidents of and impacts from disruptive behavior of
the transient population.
5.8 Improve security at City facilities and properties
Strategic Outcome:
Transportation & Mobility
22
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• Rolled level of service for streets into 6.5
• New objective for train issues
Council
Priorities
• Encourage Transfort use / BRT corridors
23
6.1 Improve safety for people using all modes of travel.
6.2 Manage traffic congestion and improve high-priority intersections for all users.
6.3 Ensure equitable access to and expansion of all sustainable modes of travel, with emphasis on
growing transit ridership.
6.4 Support, enhance and accelerate I-25 improvements according to the multi-modal environmental
impact statement.
6.5 Maintain existing and aging transportation
infrastructure and address missing facilities to meet targeted
levels of service.
6.6 Manage parking supply and demand Downtown, along
the MAX corridor and near Colorado State University.
6.7 Manage safety, congestion and quality of life impacts
from train operations in Fort Collins.
Strategic Outcome:
Transportation & Mobility
Strategic Outcome:
High Performing Government
24
New or
Removed
Objectives:
• Rolled policy and legislative influence into objective 7.2
Council
Priorities
• High-performing board
• Reimagine community engagement
• City financial sustainability
• Reimagine boards and commissions
25
7.1 Provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a culture of innovation.
7.2 Maintain the public trust through a high performing board, as well as organizational transparency, legal and
ethical behavior and regulatory compliance.
7.3 Improve effectiveness of community engagement with enhanced inclusion of all identities, languages and
needs.
7.4 Attract, retain, engage, develop and reward a diverse and competitive workforce to meet the needs of the
community now and in the future.
Strategic Outcome:
High Performing Government
7.5 Foster a culture of safety, well-being, resilience and
sustainability across the City organization.
7.6 Utilize technology, data, metrics and process improvements to
innovate, guide decisions and enhance service delivery.
7.7 Address long-term projected gap between available revenue
and what is required to meet known and emerging needs.
7.8 Maintain and protect assets and infrastructure to drive
reliability, cost effectiveness, efficiency and improve the customer
experience.
Next Steps
26
• Finalize draft per Council input
• Share draft with staff mid-March to support BFO Offer creation
• Council adoption of 2020 Strategic Plan March 17th
HPG 158. Grant funding success rate on applications Citywide
7.8 Maintain assets to reduce lifecycle costs while
improving reliability and accessibility
HPG 122. # of City buildings assessed/entered into IP Gateway
Metrics still being evaluated:
1) NEW: $ spent on maintenance as a % of asset depreciation. Could be separate
metrics for Utilities, Fleet, Facilities
2) NEW: a metric on lifecycle costs
3) NEW: Ratio of planned vs. unplanned maintenance
7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative
development at all levels
Metric still being evaluated
High Performing Government
6.5 Improve aging and/or missing transportation
infrastructure that serves Fort Collins
TRAN 64. Percent Arterial Bike Network Crossings Completed
TRAN 62. Sidewalk Network (also linked to TRAN SO 6.1)
NLSH 26. Square Footage of Medians Renovated
6.6 Maintain Level of Service ‘B’ for City streets
and the current level of service for medians and
associated infrastructure
TRAN 18. Pothole response time
TRAN 3. Cumulative Lane Miles of Roadway Pavement Improved
CR 98. Trained Observer Program – Percentage of Medians Ratings With No
Problems
6.7 Address parking needs Downtown, along the
MAX corridor and in residential neighborhoods
TRAN 66. MAX Parking Space Utilization
NLSH 82. RP3 Program ‐ # of Properties and Citations
NLSH 83. RP3 Permits Issued
Transportation
reduction and emergency response services
SAFE 3. Percent of Time PFA intercedes prior to Flashover
SAFE 44. % of citizens responding very good/good quality of ‐ Fire services overall
in Fort Collins
SAFE 90. Percent of Time PFA Fire Personnel are on Scene Within 6 Minutes 20
Seconds in the Urban Area
NEW: Compliance with fire inspections
Safe Community
ENV 10. Community solid waste diversion rate
ENV 12. Tons of community recycled or composted materials, including cardboard
ENV 7. Community per capita per day of solid waste generation
NEW: A metric on the Integrated Recycling Facility
4.5 Develop strategies to improve the
community's climate resiliency
NLSH 27. Drinking Water Storage Availability
Environmental Health
3) # of jobs in targeted sectors
4) Percentage of Occupations in danger of surpluses or shortfalls
5) % satisfaction from business survey from the questions, "The job Fort Collins
does at supporting or creating new jobs" or "Employment Opportunities"
Culture and Recreation
Economic Health