HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 12/27/2022 - 6 - Report From Cortney Geary And Drew Brooks Re: 15-Minute City Analysis Summary – December 16, 2022
FC Moves
200 W. Mountain Ave.
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
970.221.6705
970.224.6057 - fax
fcgov.com/fcmoves
Planning, Development & Transportation
DATE: December 16, 2022
TO: Mayor Arndt and Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, PDT Director
Drew Brooks, Interim PDT Deputy Director
FROM: Cortney Geary, FC Moves, Active Modes Manager
Aaron Iverson, FC Moves, Senior Manager
RE: 15-Minute City Analysis Summary
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to share the 15-Minute City Analysis Summary with
Councilmembers.
Background
One of City’s Council’s adopted 2021 – 2023 priorities is implementation of the 15-minute city
concept. The 2022 City Budget funded an offer to expand the scope of the Active Modes Plan to
examine how to achieve a 15-minute city. The analysis defines what a “15-minute city” means for
Fort Collins, establishes a vision and goals, examines existing conditions, identifies gaps in active
transportation networks and land use patterns that are barriers to creating a 15-minute city,
recommends strategies to remove these barriers, and outlines next steps. Staff presented the 15-
Minute City Analysis vision and goals and draft strategies to City Council for review at its Work
Session on October 25, 2022. The project team incorporated feedback received from
Councilmembers into the final summary report attached.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS
SUMMARY
DECEMBER 15, 2022
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS
SUMMARY City of Fort Collins
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
VISION AND GOALS ..................................................................................................................4
DAILY DESTINATIONS NETWORK ANALYSIS .........................................................................5
METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................5
RESULTS..............................................................................................................................7
STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................................... 10
ALIGNMENT WITH CURRENT PLANNING EFFORTS ....................................................... 10
EQUITY FOCUS AREAS .................................................................................................... 11
THEMES ............................................................................................................................. 13
CORE STRATEGY LIST ..................................................................................................... 15
SUPPORTING STRATEGY LIST ........................................................................................ 17
NEXT STEPS ............................................................................................................................ 20
IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................ 20
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................. 21
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 3
INTRODUCTION
The 15-minute city concept is rooted in the idea that cities should be designed to accommodate the
needs of people and enhance opportunities for human-powered transportation rather than being
designed primarily for automobiles. This framework for developing communities posits that everyone
should have access to the goods and services needed to thrive, and they can reach these destinations
within 15 minutes by active modes of transportation including walking, biking, rolling (using a
wheelchair), or micromobility options such as skateboards and scooters. The geography of a 15-minute
city has diverse land uses and a well-connected transportation network of context-sensitive streets and
trails. Commercial and other destinations are designed with the comfort and enjoyment of pedestrians
in mind in a 15-minute city. These communities must also offer an appealing, aesthetic, high-quality,
and safe walking, biking, and rolling experience that encourages people to travel using active
transportation.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 4
VISION AND GOALS
One of Fort Collins City Council’s adopted 2021 – 2023 priorities is the implementation of the 15-minute
city concept. To define what a 15-minute city means for Fort Collins, the project team established a
vision and goals based on feedback received from the community as part of the Active Modes Plan as
well as engagement with City staff and Boards and Commissions.
VISION
Fort Collins is a “15-minute city” where every resident can walk, bike, or roll within 15 minutes of their
home to their daily needs and services.
GOALS
Achieving the vision of a 15-minute city in Fort Collins comprises the following goals:
Strengthen Underserved Communities: Fort Collins will be a socioeconomically equitable
community in which every resident in every neighborhood can access basic needs and services
without an automobile.
Shift to Active Modes Trips: The need for motorized transportation is minimized, advancing City
climate goals, improving air quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, and
parking demand.
Enhance Resiliency in Fort Collins: The convenient location of services accessible by multiple
modes of human-powered transportation results in a reduced need to travel long distances for daily
needs, saves time, and improves health, well-being, and quality of life.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 5
DAILY DESTINATIONS NETWORK ANALYSIS
METHODOLOGY
The Daily Destinations Network Analysis (DDNA) focused on connecting residents by means of active
transportation, namely walking, biking, rolling (using a wheelchair), and micromobility options such as
skateboards and scooters. Although transit can be considered as a mode in a 15-minute city concept,
this analysis instead considered transit service as a daily need that residents should be able to connect
to since few transit trips can be completed in 15 minutes. Residents’ ability to connect to transit in 15-
minutes or less is important because transit can replace the need for longer automobile trips.
The 15-minute network was based on average speeds at which individuals in the United States walk,
bike, and use other forms of active modes including electric transportation like scooters. Based on
typical travel times provided by the National Household Travel Survey 1 and the industry standard for
average electric mode speeds like scooters and e-bikes 2, the 15-minute network range was defined as
3 miles for those biking or using micromobility, and ¾-mile for those walking or rolling.
The DDNA relied on Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) data, which quantifies the bicycling and walking
stress level of street networks down to the street block level. The LTS analysis considers the
characteristics of the roadway such as the number of traffic lanes, number of crossings, traffic speed,
and traffic volume. It should be noted that for this level of analysis, the data is based on public right-of-
way data that is readily available.
The destination categories included:
Bus stops
Childcare providers
Civic centers (include City Hall, libraries,
Justice Center, and Museum)
Community centers
Commercial centers (retail stores)
Employment centers
Higher education
High-frequency bus stops (MAX, HORN,
Route 3, Route 31)*
Grocery stores*
K-12 schools*
Medical (includes doctor/clinic, dentist,
pharmacy, hospital, and urgent care)
Parks and natural areas*
Population on low-stress network
Recreational trails*
Social services (include food banks,
donation centers, and social service
organizations)
*These categories were weighted more heavily based on input from the project team, existing Fort
Collins plans and policies, and results from the Active Modes Plan outreach.
1 https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/trnews280www.pdf
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7503491/
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 6
Each census block received a score out of 100 based on the number of available destinations that can
be reached by using the bicycle or pedestrian low-stress networks in 15-minutes or less. The scores
are stepped up by the number of accessible destinations via the low-stress network. Higher scores
indicate that a greater number of available destinations are accessible. The table below describes the
general conditions of the connectivity to daily destinations that each range of the aggregate scores
represents.
Description of Aggregate Scoring Ranges
Score Range Description of Access and Connectivity
0-20 Very Poor
20-40 Poor
40-60 Fair
60-80 Good
80-100 Very Good
For example, if a census block has four K-12 schools within a 15-minute radius, and all four are
accessible within 15-minutes via the low-stress network, that census block receives a score of 100 for
the “Schools” destination type. If only two of the four schools were accessible, then the score would be
50. This example is illustrated below.
Simplified Illustration of Scoring
Most or all daily
destinations
accessible
Little to no
daily
destinations
accessible
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 7
RESULTS
Results are influenced by both the location of daily destinations along with the availability of low-stress
bicycle and pedestrian networks connecting to these destinations. The aggregate maps, below, show
that the bicycle network for all daily destination types is strongest (i.e. most or all daily destinations
within 15-minutes can be accessed on a low-stress network) in neighborhoods near Downtown Fort
Collins. The level of bicycle access and connectivity generally decreases progressively as you get
further from Downtown, with the lowest levels on the city periphery. The pedestrian network for most
daily destination types has hubs of strong connectivity distributed throughout the city, except for the
rural northeastern part (which does not have bicycle or pedestrian connectivity for most destination
types).
It is important to keep in mind that “connectivity” to destinations refers to the availability of a low-stress
bicycle network or the availability of a low-stress pedestrian network. Bicycle and pedestrian
connectivity was analyzed separately and is not intended to be compared.
Specific takeaways from the analysis include:
The low-stress bicycle network is limited in terms of connectivity and coverage but is strong in
pockets.
o Access to childcare providers, parks, and recreational trails is well-distributed with hubs
of strong connectivity.
o Connectivity to K-12 schools is strong near Downtown and in scattered pockets due to
the availability of low-stress routes.
o Connectivity to grocery stores is strong in north-central Fort Collins.
o Connectivity to civic centers, social services, and transit is limited outside of the
Downtown core.
o Connectivity to community centers is weak.
The low-stress pedestrian network is distributed throughout the City with pockets of strong
connectivity.
o Connectivity to childcare providers, parks, and recreational trails is strong and well-
distributed.
o Connectivity to K-12 schools, transit, and commercial centers is generally strong, except
for the city periphery and in some central pockets.
o Connectivity to grocery stores is not well-distributed, but strong where it exists.
Certain types of daily destinations are well-distributed throughout the City, while other types are
highly localized to specific parts of the City.
o Childcare providers, parks, recreational trails, schools, and commercial centers are well-
distributed across the City.
o Employment centers, universities, civic centers and community centers are not well-
distributed across the City, which is evident in the highly localized network results for
both bicyclists and pedestrians.
This level of analysis does not assess the local street network in depth. For example, the level of
stress analysis for the pedestrian network does not consider the presence of detached versus
attached sidewalks, shade, or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) features.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 8
Aggregate Bicycling Score
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 9
Aggregate Walking Score
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 10
STRATEGIES
The results from the DDNA inform strategies the City can prioritize to make the 15-minute city a reality.
Most of the strategies were sourced from recent City plans and efforts underway.
ALIGNMENT WITH CURRENT PLANNING EFFORTS
The strategies for a 15-minute city connect to many of the City’s existing plans and efforts, detailed in
the list below. By coordinating efforts and implementing these plans, the City can make progress on the
15-minute city goals.
Plan or Effort Connection to the 15-Minute City
Active Modes
Plan
This plan identifies key opportunities to significantly improve and expand the
City’s existing active modes networks, support facilities, policies, and
programs. The Plan’s Health and Equity prioritization measure helps to
strengthen underserved communities.
Pedestrian Needs
Assessment
This Assessment supports a shift towards active modes by prioritizing
improvements in the sidewalk network, including Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) improvements. The Assessment’s equity prioritization measure
helps strengthen underserved communities.
Paved
Recreational
Trails Master Plan
Expanding the trails system encourages a reduction in automobile use as well
as improves access to daily destinations.
Shift Your Ride This effort encourages residents to reduce drive alone trips in favor of more
sustainable modes of transportation.
Transit Master
Plan
Expanding high-frequency transit, per Plan recommendations, supports the
reduction of automobile use.
Vision Zero
Action Plan
Increasing the safety of active modes encourages the shift towards active
modes.
Housing Strategic
Plan
This Plan supports increasing housing density and affordable housing in
areas supported by transit; in turn, this helps reduce automobile use and
strengthens underserved communities.
City Plan The City Plan supports all three 15-Minute City goals through increasing
housing density and affordable housing in transit-rich places, encouraging
mixed-use development, and supporting the active transportation network.
Land
Development
Code Update
This effort supports all three 15-Minute City goals by increasing affordable
housing and housing capacity in transit-rich areas and encouraging mixed-
use development where residents can access housing, services, and jobs in
one place.
Nature in the City This Plan improves access to daily destinations by ensuring nature is within a
10-minute walk for all residents.
Our Climate
Future
This Plan supports the 15-Minute City initiative with its dedication to strategies
that will decrease the City’s carbon footprint, notably the implementation of
mobility hubs and efforts to create complete neighborhoods.
ReCreate: Parks &
Recreation Master
Plan
This Plan supports the 15-Minute City goals of reducing automobile use and
improving access to daily destinations by seeking to expand the trail network
and ensure access to parks within a 10-minute walk.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 11
EQUITY FOCUS AREAS
Equity focus areas were identified to guide the City’s next steps, particularly on-the-ground analysis and
outreach to understand true connectivity and destination preferences in specific communities. These
areas have the highest concentrations of historically underserved communities and lowest levels of
comfortable bicycle and/or pedestrian connectivity, and/or access to nearby daily destinations. The
Larimer County Health Equity Index (HEI), a tool that relies on health indicator data provided by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census, helped
determine the locations.
Equity focus areas were defined as places in the City where:
(1) pedestrian and/or bicycle network connectivity is poor or very poor (DDNA score <40),
(2) HEI is >65, and
(3) affordable housing, senior housing, and/or mobile homes are present.
This yielded a total of six areas that are summarized in the table below and mapped in the following
figure.
Area Characteristics
A Rural/exurban residential area
Lacking pedestrian/bicyclist access to daily destinations
Est. population: 2,500
B Suburban shopping area with very limited housing
Lacking bicycle infrastructure
Est. population: 500
C Rural, primarily mobile home area, located near commercial strip
Lacking sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure
Est. population: 500
D Suburban area with mixed residential and commercial
Lacking low-stress bicycle infrastructure
Walking trip to daily destinations may exceed 15 minutes depending on where in the
area one lives
Est. Population 2,000
E Suburban commercial center flanked by residential neighborhoods
Lacking low-stress bicycle infrastructure
Many daily destinations are along multi-lane, high-speed (35-45 mph) roads
Est. population: 2,500
F Rural area
40-55 mph roads with missing sidewalks and no bike lanes
Lacking access to daily destinations
Est. population: 2,200
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 12
Equity Focus Areas
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 13
Further analysis and engagement are needed to identify the specific strategies and locations at the
neighborhood scale that should be implemented in each equity focus area. While the equity focus areas
identify the areas with the combination of highest need and lowest levels of existing connectivity and
access, implementing strategies in the equity focus areas is not the only way to ensure an equitable
approach towards 15-minute city implementation. For example, there could be a mobile home
community located in an area with a higher level of overall access than the equity focus areas that
lacks a comfortable bicycle or pedestrian connection to a school or grocery store. Filling gaps like these
could significantly improve access and quality of life for some of Fort Collins’ most marginalized
community members. Additionally, public engagement might help the City identify which destination
types are most important to equity focus areas and other communities in need.
THEMES
The strategies to achieve the goals of a 15-minute city are categorized into three core themes and
three supporting themes. These themes and their connection to existing plans and efforts are listed in
the table below.
Themes Connection to 15-Minute City
Goals
Connection to Existing City Plans
and Efforts
Core Themes
Increase housing
capacity in areas with
strong connectivity
Shift to Active Modes Trips;
Strengthen Underserved
Communities
Housing Strategic Plan; Land
Development Code Update; City
Plan
Support mixed-use
neighborhoods
Shift to Active Modes Trips;
Enhance Resiliency in Fort Collins
Our Climate Future; Transit Master
Plan; City Plan; Land Development
Code Update;
Expand the active
transportation network
Shift to Active Modes Trips;
Strengthen Underserved
Communities
Active Modes Plan Draft; Pedestrian
Needs Assessment; City Plan;
Paved Recreational Trail Master
Plan; Vision Zero Action Plan; Our
Climate Future
Supporting Themes
Expand access to
nature and parks
Enhance Resiliency in Fort Collins;
Strengthen Underserved
Communities
City Plan; Nature in the City;
ReCreate: Parks and Recreation
Master Plan
Expand transit services Shift to Active Modes Trips;
Strengthen Underserved
Communities
Transit Master Plan; Transportation
Master Plan; Our Climate Future;
City Plan
Increase awareness
through education and
outreach
Shift to Active Modes Trips;
Strengthen Underserved
Communities
City Plan; Active Modes Plan Draft;
Shift Your Ride Travel Options Plan;
Transportation Master Plan
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 14
While all strategies are united by the overarching theme of equity, there are specific strategies to center
equity to achieve a 15-minute city.
Strategy to Center Equity Lead Agency and Partnerships
Perform further analysis in identified Equity Focus Areas to
understand specific active transportation infrastructure and
land use strategies to be prioritized at a neighborhood-level.
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Equity & Inclusion
Conduct equitable engagement that meaningfully involves and
values participation by historically underserved groups.
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Equity &
Inclusion; local community
leaders and groups
Prioritize active transportation projects in historically
underserved communities based on equity-scoring processes
developed for projects such as the Active Modes Plan,
Pedestrian Needs Assessment, and the Transportation Capital
Project Prioritization Study.
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Sustainability
Services; Equity & Inclusion
Revise regulatory barriers that limit access to healthy foods
through strategies such as mobile markets.
Sustainability Services;
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services;
local/regional food
producers/organizations
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 15
CORE STRATEGY LIST
The list of core strategies, lead agencies and partnerships, and the strategies’ connection to existing City plans and efforts are
summarized below.
# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
Increase housing capacity in areas with strong connectivity
1 Remove barriers to the development of Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADUs).
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Housing Strategic Plan,
Land Development Code
Update, City Plan
2 Create additional development incentives for affordable
housing and promote the development of affordable housing
in strategic locations.
Social Sustainability, Community
Development & Neighborhood
Services, Home2Health Partners
Housing Strategic Plan,
Land Development Code
Update, City Plan
3 Remove barriers to allowed capacities through code
revisions.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Housing Strategic Plan,
Land Development Code
Update, City Plan
4 Adopt minimum capacity and/or intensity requirements in the
transit-oriented development overlay in accordance with the
Transit Master Plan.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services;
Sustainability Services; Economic
Health
City Plan, Land
Development Code
Update
Support mixed-use neighborhoods
5 Strengthen requirements for mixed-use development in the
transit-oriented development overlay to encourage a mix of
uses near transit.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Our Climate Future
6 Increase transit frequency, particularly expanding bus rapid
transit (BRT), in existing mixed-use neighborhoods to
implement the coordinated land use and transit strategy
envisioned in City Plan.
Planning Development &
Transportation
Transit Master Plan, City
Plan
7 Update the Land Development Code to encourage “complete
neighborhoods” that include a variety of housing options, and
access to services and jobs.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Our Climate Future, Land
Development Code
Update
8 Review and update residential zoning districts to allow more
neighborhood-serving destinations and services as permitted
land uses.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services;
Sustainability Services
City Plan, Land
Development Code
Update
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# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
9 Update zoning code requirements or offer incentives to
locate parking to the rear of buildings or use other features
like screening for parking areas.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Land Development Code
Update
10 Appropriately utilize public financing tools to spur
redevelopment and infill in priority employment areas,
including but not limited to: Downtown; Midtown; Mulberry
Corridor; and Old Fort Collins Airport.
Economic Health; Community
Development & Neighborhood
Services
City Plan
11 Spur redevelopment and infill using incentives such as
upzoning and public investments in urban design features
and placemaking to achieve the mixed-use activity centers
envisioned in City Plan.
Planning, Development, &
Transportation; Economic Health;
Art in Public Places
City Plan
12 Create satellite locations for city/government services, new
libraries, community/recreation centers, and social services
along with redevelopment projects.
Community Services; Economic
Health; Poudre River Public Library
District; social service agencies
N/A
13 Support greater intensity of employment along transit and
active transportation facilities corridors.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
Land Development Code
Update Phase 2,
Structure Plan, City Plan,
Transit Master Plan
14 Explore public-private partnerships to spur catalyst
redevelopment projects that advance community priorities in
mixed-use activity centers envisioned in City Plan.
Planning Development &
Transportation, Sustainability
Services
City Plan
Expand the active transportation network
15 Ensure that the percent of transportation funding allocated to
active modes aligns with the City’s strategic goals related to
mode shift, safety, climate action, and equity.
Finance; Planning, Development, &
Transportation
Active Modes Plan Draft
16 Implement expansion of the active modes network, and
complete high-priority pedestrian crossings along arterial
roadways, as identified in the Active Modes Plan.
Planning, Development &
Transportation
Active Modes Plan Draft
17 Continue filling sidewalk gaps on an annual basis and
upgrading to detached and widened sidewalks.
Engineering Pedestrian Needs
Assessment, City Plan,
ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
18 Continue the design and construction of new paved
recreational trails throughout the city in accordance with the
Park Planning & Development City Plan, ReCreate:
Parks and Recreation
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# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
Paved Recreational Trail Master Plan. Master Plan
19 Coordinate trail expansion with developers. Park Planning & Development;
Parks; Community Development &
Neighborhood Services;
Engineering
ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
20 Revise signal timing and intersection design standards along
integral pieces of the active modes network.
Traffic Operations; Engineering Active Modes Plan Draft
21 Prioritize the implementation of bicycle and pedestrian
facilities around high-frequency transit stops to improve
connections to transit.
Planning, Development &
Transportation
City Plan
SUPPORTING STRATEGY LIST
The list of supporting strategies, lead agencies and partnerships, and the strategies’ connection to existing City plans and efforts are
summarized below.
# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
Expand the active transportation network
1 Update multi-modal level of service standards for new
developments.
Planning, Development, &
Transportation
Active Modes Plan Draft,
Land Development Code
Update
2 Augment GIS sidewalk inventory to include width, condition,
buffer presence, and ADA compliance.
Engineering; Information
Technology
City Plan; Pedestrian
Needs Assessment
3 Update design standards, municipal codes and operational
strategies to support and manage new and emerging
transportation options (e.g., electric-assist bicycles, e-scooters,
longboards, etc.).
Planning, Development &
Transportation
City Plan
4 Take action to move Fort Collins towards being a Vision Zero
city with emphasis on safety improvements for vulnerable road
users (including completion of Vision Zero Action Plan).
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Police Services;
local bicycle/pedestrian advocacy
groups
Active Modes Plan Draft,
City Plan, Vision Zero
Action Plan
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# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
5 Utilize signalization, signal prioritization, pedestrian refuges,
grade separation, overpasses, underpasses, or other
techniques where trails cross wide and heavily trafficked
roadways.
Park Planning & Development;
Planning, Development &
Transportation
ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan,
Active Modes Plan draft
Expand access to nature and parks
6 Monitor and update maps and connectivity analysis of a 10-
minute walk to nature and wildlife connectivity within the City at
least every 3 years.
Natural Areas; GIS; FC Moves City Plan, Nature in the
City
7 Continue to implement nature projects in neighborhoods where
gaps in access have been identified through the Nature in the
City grant program.
Natural Areas Nature in the City
8 Implement parks and public spaces envisioned in the Parks
and Recreation Master Plan.
Park Planning & Development;
Parks; Utilities; Natural Areas;
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services;
Engineering
ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
9 Update the Land Development Code requiring connections to
parks and trails with more details about how the connections
should be designed. Update the requirement to include
connections to natural areas that are supported by Natural
Areas’ Visitor Use Impact and Decision framework.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services; Park
Planning & Development; Natural
Areas
City Plan, Nature in the
City, ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
10 Update the Land Development Code to support Nature in the
City implementation through new developments.
Community Development &
Neighborhood Services; Natural
Areas
ReCreate: Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
Expand transit services
11 Enhance Spin with full integration with TransFort trip planning
and fare integration.
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Information
Technology, shared micromobility
provider
City Plan
12 Expand bus rapid transit (BRT) and transit frequency as
recommended in the Transit Master Plan.
Planning Development &
Transportation
Transit Master Plan, City
Plan
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# Strategy Lead Agency and Partnerships Connection to Existing
Plans and Efforts
13 Connect public transit to other modes through strategically
located mobility hubs, located near activity centers, where one
or more transit routes and bicycle facilities intersect as
recommended in the Transit Master Plan.
Planning, Development &
Transportation;
shared/micromobility provider
Transit Master Plan,
Transportation Master
Plan, Our Climate Future,
City Plan
14 Expand coverage of the transit network to low-capacity areas
through mobility innovation zones integrated into the fixed-
route system as recommended in the Transit Master Plan.
Transfort; private transportation
service providers
Transit Master Plan, City
Plan
Increase awareness through education and outreach
15 Implement the 2015 Bicycle Wayfinding Master Plan and
district-based pedestrian wayfinding.
FC Moves; Traffic Operations City Plan, Active Modes
Plan Draft
16 Expand and advertise city services that are available online
where feasible (such as applying for a building permit or library
card).
Information Technology; Poudre
River Public Library District;
Communications & Public
Involvement
N/A
17 Expand outreach and services for supporting local businesses
in Fort Collins and identify and eliminate barriers to local
businesses locating in mixed use neighborhoods.
Economic Health; Sustainability
Services; Community
Development & Neighborhood
Services; Innosphere; Launch
NoCo; Fort Collins Chamber;
Small Business Development
Center
City Plan, Economic
Health Plan (underway)
18 Expand public awareness of the ability to connect to
destinations in less than 15-minutes with active modes through
targeted marketing and trip planning support.
Planning, Development &
Transportation; Communications;
Environmental Services
Shift Your Ride Travel
Options Plan,
Transportation Master
Plan, City Plan
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 20
NEXT STEPS
This analysis has informed potential strategies the City can implement to make the 15-minute city
concept a reality. For example, the results illustrate the need to expand the low-stress bicycle network
outside Downtown, expand daily destinations beyond the City’s core, encourage a distribution of
employment centers throughout the City, and improve the distribution of community centers across the
City. Most of these strategies (36 of the 38 total strategies) are either explicitly mentioned in or related
to existing City plans and effort. The identification of these strategies in this analysis can help the City in
prioritizing elements of its existing plans and efforts to achieve a 15-minute city.
An in-depth look is needed to fine-tune the results and truly understand the conditions of connectivity to
destinations at the neighborhood and street level. While the best available data was used for the
citywide analysis, the data does not account for facility conditions that would be revealed through on-
site inspections. The data may also not accurately capture ADA access. This in-depth analysis should
begin with the identified equity focus areas.
Community engagement will also inform the strategy approach; for instance, while the destinations
analyzed provide a good baseline understanding of existing levels of access, the City should confirm
which destinations are most important for people to access at the neighborhood level, especially in the
equity focus areas.
IMPLEMENTATION
Across all strategies, common potential obstacles emerged. These common obstacles and potential
ways to overcome them and advance the goals of a 15-minute city are described below.
Public opposition to mode shift strategies
o The City could offer awareness campaigns or education about how shifting to active
modes improves mental and physical health and is crucial for attaining climate goals.
o The City could offer awareness campaigns or education that offering safe infrastructure
for active modes does not mean that those who drive must stop driving; it simply
provides the option for those who would like to use active modes.
o Additional public education that multi-modal, pedestrian, and bicyclist connectivity
between developments and communities that help reduce reliance on automobiles is a
strategy to support growth while reducing space allocated to automobiles.
Public opposition to increased housing capacity/affordable housing
o Ensuring that opportunities for public comment and input to decision-making are easily
accessible to all residents of Fort Collins is crucial to circumvent this type of opposition
and ensure equitable engagement in how the City develops.
o Increased housing capacity may trigger public opposition due to fears about increased
traffic or the construction of new streets. It is crucial to remind the public that the goal of
the housing capacity increase is to pair housing with transit/active transportation
infrastructure and reduce automobile dependence. The goal is to strategically locate
housing where multimodal transportation options do or will exist.
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15-MINUTE CITY ANALYSIS 21
Developer coordination for new development requirements
o The City could meet with local developers to explain why new development
requirements, such as parking maximums or trail access requirements for new
developments, are necessary. Sometimes being surprised by a change conjures
resistance, so including developers in stakeholder meetings from the beginning as the
City updates its development requirements is important.
Availability of funds
o Many strategies are limited by the City’s budget. Utilizing strategies such as funding
active transportation projects with parking revenue or incorporating desired changes in
opportunities such as repaving, capital projects, and development are potential
solutions.
Outside support and/or funding needed
o Some strategies may require support from other organizations or funding from outside of
the City budget. Here, it is crucial to leverage partnerships with community organizations
and designate staff to apply for grants to fund these strategies.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
The performance measures listed below will assess Fort Collins’ progress in achieving a 15-minute city.
This will allow consistent and objective tracking of the three goals.
The City should measure how well its initiatives, plans, and projects are contributing to the 15-
minute city goals. This could be accomplished via:
o A strategic alignment checklist required for all plans and initiatives to ensure they are in
line with the 15-minute city goals
o A development review application tool to assess whether new projects support the 15-
minute city
Track the progress of the core and supporting strategies. Every other month, the City should report
to Council on progress.
Every two years, the DDNA should be done to confirm whether bicycle and pedestrian connectivity
to daily destinations across the City is increasing.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), which is already tracked by the City, should be monitored yearly to
estimate automobile use. While VMT is anticipated to increase due to a growing population in the
Fort Collins area, a slower growth rate may indicate that more people are turning to active modes
and transit. Detecting a trend of decreasing VMT as the population increases would be an even
better sign that efforts to reduce automobile use is working.
Track the percent of trips that are less than or equal to three miles, the percent of those trips taken
by active modes, and the percent of all trips taken by transit.
Track the number of grocery stores or mobile food markets that open in areas currently lacking
such services within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Track grocery store closures that reduce access.
Track the number of new multifamily buildings located within a 15-minute walk of high-frequency
transit that open each year.
Track the percentage of K-12 students who use active modes to get to school.
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