HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 7/25/2023 - Memorandum From Megan Keith And Sylvia Tatman-Burruss Re: East Mulberry Plan: Board Of County Commissioners Presentation
Planning, Development & Transportation
281 N. College Ave
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 20, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THRU: Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Director, Planning, Development & Transportation
Paul Sizemore, Director, Community Development & Neighborhood Services
Clay Frickey, Interim Planning Manager, Community Development &
Neighborhood Services
FROM: Megan Keith, Senior Planner
Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Senior Policy & Project Manager
RE: East Mulberry Plan: Board of County Commissioners Presentation
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on the presentation and questions
from the June 5th, 2023, Work Session with Larimer’s Board of County Commissioners
regarding the East Mulberry Plan.
Background
City staff presented an update to Larimer County’s Board of County Commissioners at a Work
Session on June 5th, 2023. Staff had not engaged the County Commissioners on the East
Mulberry topic since January of 2022.
Presentation Topics
The following topics were discussed at the Work Session:
• History and background on the East Mulberry Enclave, the 2002 East Mulberry Corridor
Plan, and why the plan is being updated now.
• A timeline of activities since 2018 and project direction received from City Council.
• Update on community engagement conducted to date and a summary of feedback
received.
• Potential plan policies and strategies, including the “Thresholds Approach” to
annexation, and an outline of the East Mulberry Plan.
Questions from Commissioners
Following the presentation, Commissioners asked several questions related to the following
topics. Responses to these questions can be found in the attached memo that was shared with
Commissioners:
• Improvement Districts
• Proposed Thresholds Approach to Annexation
DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
• Agricultural and Industrial Land Use Approach
• Updates from City Staff and Future Conversations
Future Conversations with County Commissioners
City staff will continue to engage with Commissioners as the project progresses and will share
the public draft of the East Mulberry Plan when it is released. If Council would like to schedule a
joint meeting between City Councilmembers and County Commissioners to discuss the East
Mulberry Project, that can be arranged by City staff.
Next Steps:
• Collaboratively hone policy recommendations with businesses and residents within the
East Mulberry Plan area.
• Share and gather feedback on the draft plan and policies.
• Begin to share the plan and policies with local Boards & Commissions, including Larimer
County staff and Commissioners.
• If desired, staff can compile an additional memo prior to First Reading.
• Staff are anticipating bringing a draft of the East Mulberry Plan to City Council for First
Reading at the September 19th Regular Session.
Attachments:
1. Memo to Larimer Board of County Commissioners
2. Presentation given at the June 5th Board of County Commissioners Work Session
DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 28, 2023
To: Larimer County Board of County Commissioners
From: Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Senior Policy & Project Manager
Megan Keith, Senior Planner
Re: June 5th Board of County Commissioners Work Session – East Mulberry
Plan Update
Bottom Line: The following memo seeks to answer questions posed by Commissioners at the
June 5th Work Session of the Board of County Commissioners. At the Work Session, City staff
presented updates on the East Mulberry Plan process and the “Thresholds” approach to
annexation. Questions posed by Commissioners centered around Public Improvement Districts
(PIDs) related to road improvements, the proposed Thresholds approach to annexation, land
use policies related to Agricultural and Industrial land uses, the cadence of updates related to
the project, and future engagement in the area.
Improvement Districts
Improvement districts are mechanisms whereby business owners or residents within a given
area, or along a specific roadway, essentially tax themselves to improve an area for those who
regularly utilize those areas. Cities and Counties often use them for road improvements. Each
business or resident along a roadway pays an agreed-upon individual amount to improve a
roadway and that money is given to the City or County for agreed upon improvements.
• Residential roadway maintenance upon annexation
o The attached map from Larimer County shows the current level of maintenance
for each roadway within the East Mulberry enclave.
o The level of maintenance provided by the City of Fort Collins upon annexation
would match the current level of maintenance provided by Larimer County.
• “Level of service" that can be expected upon annexation by the City of Fort Collins
o Upon annexation, City of Fort Collins Streets department would maintain streets
at the same level of maintenance as the County. This may mean that streets that
have deteriorated past the point of regular maintenance and are not currently
maintained by the County would not be maintained once annexed into the City of
Fort Collins.
• Public Improvement Districts (PIDs)
o PIDs would be taken over by the City from the County upon annexation. PIDs are
the same mechanism the City uses to bring streets up to a standard for inclusion
in the City’s street maintenance program. Therefore, given that timing of
annexation is currently unknown, PIDs may be established now through Larimer
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County to begin the process of collecting funds for street improvements that may
happen either before or after annexation.
Proposed Thresholds Approach to Annexation
The proposed “Thresholds” approach to annexation is meant to be an incremental, following
patterns of development as they occur, focusing on three main “threshold” types:
1. maintaining logical boundaries: this threshold type assumes that through regular
development, a patchwork or checkerboard pattern may develop. Such a patchwork
pattern may result in difficulties in serving the area between City of Fort Collins and
Larimer County. Therefore, analyzing a larger area around a potential development may
be desirable.
2. protecting natural features: There may be desire in the future for the City of Fort Collins
to annex an area that is adjacent to a natural resource that may benefit from different
environmental buffer standards than those currently required by Larimer County due to
the encroachment of urban development.
3. External Funding: considering annexation when external funding becomes available for
large infrastructure projects in the area.
One of the potential downsides to this proposed approach is the inherent unpredictability. This
also means that any areas that are not yet annexed are not included in the City’s Stormwater
Master Planning process. As this approach continues, City Council and County Commissioners
may decide to annex areas outside of this policy approach to fulfill other planning or community
development goals.
Agricultural and Industrial Land Use Approach
1. Taxation: Attached is a handout that has been shared with the Larimer County
Agricultural Board regarding sales tax exemptions for agricultural products.
2. Ag business restrictions (fertilizers, any other restrictions): The accommodation of
industrial fertilizers and other such agricultural products is still in consideration by City
staff and will be communicated well in advance of any plans for annexation. It is the
intent of project staff to develop policies that help to preserve as many businesses within
the East Mulberry area as possible.
Updates from City Staff and Future Conversations
City staff is still discussing the steps and details of the Thresholds approach to annexation,
including communication between City and County staff. City staff does meet regularly with
County Planning staff to discuss upcoming projects that affect both agencies. City staff are
proposing to assemble regular monitoring reports of thresholds that will require additional
ongoing collaboration between City and County staff to prepare. City staff can also plan to
update the Board of County Commissioners at least annually and upon consideration of any
Thresholds.
DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Future Engagement
While recent engagement has focused on issues related to the East Mulberry Plan, engagement
in the East Mulberry area will continue, especially as Annexation Thresholds are considered in
the future.
Next Steps: City staff intends to release a draft of the East Mulberry Plan in early July. The plan
is scheduled for review and adoption by City Council on September 19, 2023.
Attachments: Road Maintenance map from Larimer County, Sales Tax information for
Agricultural products, and Classification and Valuation of Agricultural Property from the Larimer
County Assessor’s Office.
DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
East Mulberry Plan & Potential AnnexationJune 5, 2023Board of County Commissioners Work Session Megan Keith | Sylvia Tatman-BurrussDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
2Mulberry ContextCooper SloughVine Dr.Mulberry St.Link Ln.Lemay Ave.Timberline Rd.Prospect Rd.Timberline Rd.MosaicBloomCloverleafClydesdale ParkSunflowerKingfisher Point Natural AreaCollins AireTimbervineDry CreekRoselawn CemeteryAndersonvilleNueva VidaCountryside EstatesPleasant AcresThe VillasBoxelder EstatesWaterglenTrailheadBoxelder CreekDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
2002 East Mulberry Plan32002 East Mulberry Corridor Plan• Jointly adopted by Fort Collins and Larimer County • Primary plan objective was to implement the 1997 City Plan for the East Mulberry Corridor. Also addressed key issues such as: • Provision and maintenance of public facilities and services• Annexation • Costs of improvements• Redevelopment• Streetscape Design • Plan acknowledges that continued growth and change may impact quality of life in the area• Community members shared concerns about traffic congestion, safety, and infrastructure declineDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
• Respond to changed conditions after 20 years• Creation of the enclave and eligibility for annexation occurred after the 2002 Plan was adopted • Align with the 2019 City Plan update and other comprehensive plan documents• Major new and planned developments that may be catalysts for other development in this area (Bloom and Peakview) • The plan area still has substantial portions of undeveloped land or areas that are likely to redevelop in the future East Mulberry Plan Update4Why Update? Why Now?DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
East Mulberry Plan – Where We’ve BeenDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Project Milestones2018• Enclave formed in August through a Council-approved annexation2021• Enclave became eligible for annexation in August of 2021• Phased annexation approach was explored• Met with Board of County Commissioners Nov. 20212022• Robust community engagement regarding future vision of the area• Met with full Council 4 times• Met with Council Finance committee 2 times• Joint City Council and Board of County Commissioners April 20222023• Engagement summary and Memo shared with City Council (attached)• Threshold annexation concept formalized• Plan scheduled for 1streading with City Council in September 20236DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Key Takeaways • Council wants to move slowly and deliberately • Lessons learned from Southwest Enclave annexation• Requests for additional analysis (costs, opportunities, tradeoffs)• Landed on a strategy around thresholds for annexation (aka tipping points)7Direction from CouncilDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Community EngagementDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
• Community Advisory Group• February Super Issues Meeting• Community Q&A SessionsLatest Events9Summary of Public Engagement:2,200+ Mailed Postcards200+ In-Person Business Visits100+ Virtual & In-PersonQ&A Session Participants300+ Newsletter Subscribers350+ Website Visitors150+ Thresholds Video ViewsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
• Maintaining mix of current uses, accommodating similar industrial uses as today.• Interest in aesthetic and improved function of Mulberry and other key corridors.• Desire for greater connectivity, continuity, and safety for all modes of transportation.• Some who hope for increased resources and attention toward transportation, policing, utilities, and other topics.What we heard from the community10General Perspectives• The impact of annexation on small businesses, especially in the near-term• Questions about what financial impact studies have been done• Questions regarding electric rates when switched over to FC electric service, future street maintenance and increased taxes and feesRecent Questions and ConcernsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
11Business Engagement•Recent engagement with local businesses:• FIBERLOK• Forney• Lamar•Poudre Valley Coop:• 5,000 total members, 2,000 voting members• Would like to maintain the opportunity to grow and expand.• Generally looking forward to and understand benefits of annexation•Business Engagement Meeting:• June 7thDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Potential Plan Policies & StrategiesDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Annexation thresholds are a set of conditions that would determine when annexation would occur.• Follows a natural progression for annexing and offers flexibility in the size, location, and time when annexation occurs. • May help ensure the City can adequately serve annexed areas.Examples of Thresholds • Maintain logical boundaries to avoid a patchwork• Proactive Resource Protection (e.g., Cooper Slough)• Redevelopment risk (e.g., mobile home parks) • External Funding (e.g., I-25 Interchange or Mulberry Frontage)13Examples of ThresholdsEnclaveCity Limits‘Natural’ Annexations OccurIsland FormedCity Buffer StandardCounty Buffer StandardEnclaveCity LimitsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
14Hypothetical Threshold Example:EnclaveCity LimitsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
15EnclaveCity LimitsDevelopment proposal contiguous with City Limits initiates annexation**Development projects would remain on their own timeline driven by the City’s development review processHypothetical Threshold Example:DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
16EnclaveCity Limits“Island” is createdHypothetical Threshold Example:DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
17EnclaveCity LimitsAbility to achieve Citywide priority: Apply City’s buffer standards to high-priority natural resourcePotential Threshold Annexation boundary: • Maintain logical boundaries• Proactive Resource ProtectionHypothetical Threshold Example:DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
18EnclaveCity LimitsNew Enclave BoundaryHypothetical Threshold Example:DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
19Advantages and Tradeoffs – Potential Annexation ApproachesTradeoffsAdvantages Potential Annexation Approach • Could lead to a checkerboard pattern of city and county jurisdiction. • Challenging for implementing long-term, large-scale vision.• Regional infrastructure improvements would be difficult to implement.• New development and redevelopment hindered by inadequate or non-existent infrastructure.• The city’s cost burden is more gradual.Annex individual properties as they develop (voluntary annexation)• City would still incur significant cost burden as phases are brought into the city. • Costs can be anticipated by annexation phase.• Phases provide structure for an implementation framework.• Predictability for residents and businesses.Annex portions of enclave in phases• Open-ended nature of timing could be less predictable for businesses and residents.• Council and staff can frequently revisit and consider thresholds. • Proactively allows planning for and accommodation of thresholds without the need to take on a specific potential annexation strategy.Annex portions of the enclave at ‘threshold’ intervalsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Annexation thresholds are a set of conditions that would determine when annexation would occur.• Follows a natural progression for annexing and offers flexibility in the size, location, and time when annexation occurs. • May help ensure the City can adequately serve annexed areas.Examples of Thresholds • Maintain logical boundaries to avoid a patchwork• Proactive Resource Protection (e.g., Cooper Slough)• Redevelopment risk (e.g., mobile home parks) • External Funding (e.g., I-25 Interchange or Mulberry Frontage)20Examples of ThresholdsEnclaveCity Limits‘Natural’ Annexations OccurIsland FormedCity Buffer StandardCounty Buffer StandardEnclaveCity LimitsDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
21What does this all look like going forward? Threshold opportunities may take a significant amount of time. • Commercial vs. Residential – commercial areas more likely to be developed and be annexed than existing residential areas.• Residential communities have an option to pursue voluntary annexation. • Areas may be annexed even as utility and infrastructure investments remain years away.Thresholdand annexation consideration5+ yearsThresholdand annexation consideration10+ years15+ yearsThresholdand annexation considerationDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
•Monitoring Reports: At an appropriate interval, compile information on the enclave related to individual annexations, upcoming capital or master planning projects, redevelopment activity, and more, to determine if any potential thresholds have been reached. • City planning staff and County planning staff already regularly consult on annexation and project coordination. Assemblage of this monitoring report would be a City staff responsibility, but County staff could review and contribute. •Larimer County Input:Regularly consult with staff and decision-makers in Larimer County regarding the status of the enclave and observation of approaching thresholds. •Formation of an Annexation Board or Committee: If formed prior to a specific threshold annexation, such a committee could help identify and advise staff and decision-makers if certain threshold criteria have been met. Committee membership could include representatives from the enclave, Larimer County, and the City. 22Ongoing Management of ThresholdsPotential Collaboration with the County in Managing Thresholds:DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
23East Mulberry Draft Plan TOCThe Draft East Mulberry Plan has three sections: 1. Introduction 2. Big Ideas 3. ImplementationSection 1: IntroductionAn Introduction to East Mulberry• Demographics Snapshot• History of East Mulberry• Enclave & Annexation (Terms to Know)Planning for East Mulberry• Planning milestones over time • 2002 East Mulberry Corridor PlanWhy Update, Why Now?• Existing & Changing Conditions • Community Priorities and What We’ve Heard• East Mulberry Enclave: History of Policy Guidance Section 2: Big IdeasBig Ideas for the Plan Update• 7 Plan Goals• Goal StrategyImplementation Action ItemSection 3: Implementation Framework Plan and Character AreasDevelopment Framework Annexation Thresholds Framework DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
24Plan Goals & PoliciesPlan Goals•Goal 1: Commercial/Industrial Hub (industrial/ag uses)•Goal 2: Stormwater infrastructure •Goal 3: Multimodal (mobility, streets)•Goal 4: Community Access (amenities & services)•Goal 5: Housing Affordability•Goal 6: Historic, Cultural, Natural Features (ecological health)•Goal 7: Gateway AestheticThe creation of the goals for this plan were driven by extensive community input, ensuring that the plan reflects the needs and aspiration of local businesses and residents. Just a few of the key themes that led to the establishment of the seven goals includes: • Maintain diversity of uses, preserve small businesses and industry• Preserve agricultural and industrial function• A big picture plan is needed to manage stormwater issues and flooding• Preserve affordability and rural character • Improved access to community amenities and grocery store• An integrated transportation system connecting neighborhoods to the surrounding area DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Project UpdatesDocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
Project UpdatesProjects within or near the East Mulberry Enclave: • Bloom• Peakview• I-25 and Mulberry (northeast corner of interchange) DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E
DocuSign Envelope ID: BE675269-9DE2-4A27-AAF5-838F88FD860E