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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 12/14/2021 - City Managers Monthly Update- December 9, 2021 (5) 2021 Downtown Holiday Lighting December 9, 2021 DECEMBER 9, 2021 Table of Contents ISSUES BEFORE COUNCIL ................................................................................................................. 4 DECEMBER 10 URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY BOARD RETREAT ...........................................................................4 DECEMBER 14 WORK SESSION ...............................................................................................................................4 DECEMBER 21 REGULER MEETING .........................................................................................................................4 DECEMBER 28 WORK SESSION ...............................................................................................................................4 JANUARY 4 REGULAR MEETING..............................................................................................................................4 JANUARY 11 WORK SESSION ..................................................................................................................................4 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT – UPCOMING EVENTS ................................................................................ 5 SALES TAX - MONTHLY & YEAR TO DATE ....................................................................................... 5 CP - ENGINEERING ............................................................................................................................. 6 COLLEGE AVE (SH 287) AND TRILBY ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ........................................................6 VINE AND LEMAY BNSF IMPROVEMENTS ..............................................................................................................6 POWER TRAIL AND HARMONY ROAD GRADE SEPARATED CROSSING ...................................................................7 LINDEN STREET RENOVATION PROJECT .................................................................................................................8 NORTH MASON ROW AND DESIGN - ALPINE TO HICKORY.....................................................................................9 CP - PARK PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................... 9 BUCKING HORSE PARK ............................................................................................................................................9 EAST PARK DISTRICT MAINTENANCE FACILITY .................................................................................................... 10 MAIL CREEK TRAIL................................................................................................................................................ 10 POUDRE TRAIL AT I-25 ......................................................................................................................................... 10 SPRING CANYON DOG PARK ................................................................................................................................ 11 TRAVERSE PARK ................................................................................................................................................... 11 PICKLEBALL COMPLEX.......................................................................................................................................... 12 MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK ........................................................................................................................................ 12 EDORA DISC GOLF PARK UPDATES ...................................................................................................................... 13 CP - OPERATION SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 13 FORT COLLINS/LOVELAND POLICE TRAINING CENTER ........................................................................................ 13 BLOCK 32/42 – CIVIC MASTER PLAN REFRESH .................................................................................................... 14 CP - UTILITIES.................................................................................................................................... 14 DEMAND RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE .................................................................................................... 14 STONEHENGE CABLE REPLACEMENT-PRIORITY #4 ............................................................................................. 15 27” POUDRE CANYON RAW WATERLINE ............................................................................................................. 16 OAK STREET STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ..................................................................................... 16 CITY PARK SEWER REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT ................................................................................... 17 PUBLIC SAFETY ................................................................................................................................ 18 POUDRE FIRE AUTHORITY ................................................................................................................................... 18 POLICE SERVICES .................................................................................................................................................. 19 PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT &TRANSPORTATION ......................................................................... 21 BUILDING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW .......................................................................................... 21 GRAFFITI UPDATE ............................................................................................................................ 23 SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 24 ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ................................................................................................................................ 24 SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY ...................................................................................................................................... 25 ECONOMIC HEALTH ............................................................................................................................................. 25 UTILITIES ............................................................................................................................................ 26 CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 26 COMMUNITY SERVICES .................................................................................................................... 27 RECREATION ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 PARKS ................................................................................................................................................................... 27 CULTURAL SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 28 NATURAL AREAS .................................................................................................................................................. 29 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 30 BROADBAND – FORT COLLINS CONNEXION ................................................................................. 31 COMMUNITY DASHBOARD HIGHLIGHT .......................................................................................... 32 CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 4 ISSUES BEFORE COUNCIL DECEMBER 10 URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY BOARD RETREAT  9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Colorado River Room, 222 LaPorte Ave. DECEMBER 14 WORK SESSION  Stormwater Utility o Present a holistic overview of the stormwater utility including strategic direction and challenges. Economic Health 3.5 – Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring predictable utility rates.  Broadband Work Session o Updates and highlights related to Connexion buildout and service delivery. Economic Health 3.6 – Deploy and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the community. DECEMBER 21 REGULER MEETING  528 W. Mountain Avenue – Involuntary City Landmark Designation Request (continued from September 21) o Quasi-judicial hearing to consider an involuntary Landmark designation request for 528 W. Mountain Avenue. The designation was resident-initiated and recommended by the Historic Preservation Commission. It is not supported by the owner. Neighborhood Livability & Social Health 1.5 – Enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods, empower neighbors to solve problems, and foster respectful relations. DECEMBER 28 WORK SESSION  CANCELLED JANUARY 4 REGULAR MEETING  No items currently scheduled JANUARY 11 WORK SESSION  Review Hybrid Work Session Meetings o To review and evaluate hybrid work session procedures. High Performing Government 7.1 – Provide world – class municipal services to residents and businesses.  Draft Recovery Plan Overview (with Spanish Interpretation) o Provide a draft of the Recovery Plan incorporation feedback and recommendations. Economic Health 3.1 – Facilitate government and local partners to achieve effective regional economic resilience. Please note that this list is subject to frequent change. Please call the City Clerk’s Office for up-to-date information. 970-416-2774. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 5 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT – UPCOMING EVENTS 2022 State of the City – Save the Date: The 2022 State of the City address will take place on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Center. The annual event features a live dialogue with the Mayor and City Manager highlighting previous year achievements and future opportunities. Official invites will be sent early next year and updates will be posted at: https://www.fcgov.com/stateofthecity/ SALES TAX - MONTHLY & YEAR TO DATE OCTOBER SUMMARY OVER PRIOR YEAR Month Year to Date Net Sales Tax Collected: 18.1% 19.9% Net Use Tax Collected: 2.7% 2.1% Net Sales and Use Tax Collected: 16.1% 17.2% Year to date, sales and use tax collections excluding rebates are up 17.2% and total $132.0M. OCTOBER SUMMARY OVER BUDGET Month Year to Date Net Sales Tax Collected: 25.4% 21.6% Net Use Tax Collected: 12.7% 15.1% Net Sales and Use Tax Collected: 23.8% 20.7% Year to date, the City has collected 20.7% more sales and use tax revenue, totaling $22.6M over budget. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 6 CP - ENGINEERING COLLEGE AVE (SH 287) AND TRILBY ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS Funding Source: CDOT / FHWA grants, Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF), Development Contributions Estimated Project Budget: $9-10M Estimated Completion Date: End of year 2023 Phase: 30% Design Complete, ROW phase underway Project Details: Safety improvement project geared toward accident reduction and improved safety. Dual north and southbound turn lanes, multi-modal implementation, east / west (Trilby Road added turn movements). Project Status:  Rights of Way plans have been submitted to CDOT for review and approval  Staff has received conditional approval of Eminent Domain use, if needed, from City Council. Project design is currently advancing towards 60% completion More information is available at http://www.fcgov.com/engineering/college-trilby VINE AND LEMAY BNSF IMPROVEMENTS Funding Source: Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG), Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF), 2017 / 2018 BFO, 2021 BFO Estimated Project Budget: $24M Estimated Completion Date: 2021 Phase: Construction Project Details: The existing Vine and Lemay intersection, which includes the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway crossing, is severely congested with limited options to expand through or turn lane capacity due to land use constraints. Project Status:  Pedestrian underpass is complete and will be ready for paving next week.  Lincoln and Lemay intersection is substantially complete  Detention Pond in existing Lemay footprint is excavated  Traffic is on new alignment from south to Buckingham  Traffic has temporary pavement detour at north tie-in CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 7  All paving is complete, including over the bridge, with the exception of the pedestrian underpass and the north tie-in to existing Lemay.  Roadway (including over the bridge and pedestrian underpass) is anticipated to be complete with traffic on it by the end of December. More information is available at fcgov.com/engineering/vine-lemay POWER TRAIL AND HARMONY ROAD GRADE SEPARATED CROSSING Funding Source: Federal Grant, Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP - Bike / Pedestrian Grade Separated Crossings) Estimated Project Budget: $7M - $10M Estimated Completion Date: Pending funding Phase: Preliminary Design Project Details: The Power Trail provides connectivity between the Spring Creek Trail to the north and the Fossil Creek Trail to the south. The Trail currently has a gap approximately three-quarters of a mile long north and south of Harmony Road. The detour route requires users to cross Harmony Road at grade at McMurry. This project will design, acquire property interests, and construct a trail underpass at Harmony Road as well as the trail connections on either side. Project Status:  Reviewing scope and fee for FOR design of trail and underpass  Contacting property owners to discuss easement conflicts More information is available at https://www.fcgov.com/engineering/powertrailcrossing CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 8 LINDEN STREET RENOVATION PROJECT Overall Project Improvements 2022 Construction Funding Source: Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP) Estimated Project Budget: $3.8M Estimated Completion Date: 2022 Phase: Construction Project Details: The goals of this project are to renovate Linden Street between Walnut Street and Jefferson Street. Initial concepts include converting this section of Linden Street to a “convertible” street; one that can function primarily as a roadway but can also be closed to vehicles and converted to a pedestrian plaza during specialty events. Project Status:  Project web page has been updated  Meeting with business owners and stakeholders  Finalizing GMP and reconciling phase 1 budget  Phase 2 construction to tentatively begin the week of Jan 3, 2022 More information is available at: https://www.fcgov.com/engineering/linden-street-renovation/ CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 9 NORTH MASON ROW AND DESIGN - ALPINE TO HICKORY Funding Source: Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF), Storm Water Utility, Urban Renewal Authority (URA) funding Estimated Project Budget: $1.0M Estimated Completion Date: 2 quarter 2022 Phase: 30% Design Project Details: A collaborative effort between City departments and the North College URA to find solutions to existing drainage issues along the west side of College Avenue, north of the Poudre River. The project was approved through the 2019/2020 Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) process and will focus on roadway and storm sewer alignments for North Mason. Construction of the storm sewer backbone is expected to occur in late 2022 or early 2023.No funding has currently been identified for the roadway construction. Project Status:  City staff will be revisiting alignment strategy and existing property owner uses during the months of October and December. CP - PARK PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BUCKING HORSE PARK Funding Source: Neighborhood Parkland Funds Total Project Cost: $2.5 - $4 million Phase: Design Estimated Completion: 2023 Project Details: Bucking Horse Park is a park planned for the Bucking Horse neighborhood. Project Status:  Staff are currently reviewing cost estimates.  Playground design is progressing, engaging with APP artist. More information available on project webpage. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 10 EAST PARK DISTRICT MAINTENANCE FACILITY Funding Source: Neighborhood Parkland & Community Parkland Funds Total Project Cost: $7 million Phase: Design Estimated Completion: Fall/Winter 2022 Project Details: A maintenance facility to serve the East Park District, which includes multiple neighborhood and community parks, is proposed near the intersection of Drake & Ziegler near the water treatment facility. The maintenance facility will house Parks Department staff, equipment, and some minor material storage. Project Status:  Construction on the facility will begin this month. MAIL CREEK TRAIL Funding Source: Multiple Funding Sources including Grants, TCEF, and Conservation Trust Funds Total Project Cost: TBD Phase: Pre-Design Estimated Completion: TBD Project Details: When completed, the Mail Creek Trail will create a trail connection from Kinard Middle School to the Power Trail, providing much needed trail access for southeast Fort Collins. Currently, design of the Siphon overpass and Timberline trail widening/underpass are in progress, in partnership with the Engineering Department. In addition, Park Planning & Development is working to identify the best location for the future Mail Creek Trail. Project Status:  Staff are developing an RFP to seek design services for trail. More information available on project webpage. POUDRE TRAIL AT I-25 Funding Source: Conservation Trust Fund & GOCO Grant ($1M for Fort Collins) Total Project Cost: $3 million Phase: Design Estimated Completion: 2023 Project Details: Construction of this 2-mile section of the trail will complete the entire extent of the approximately 10- mile Poudre Trail in the City of Fort Collins. Fort Collins partnered with Timnath, Windsor, and Larimer CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 11 County in 2019 to win a $2 million GOCO Connect Initiative Grant to complete all remaining segments of the Poudre Trail. The GOCO project will complete approximately 4-miles of missing trail segments, to complete the entre 40+ mile Poudre Trail from Bellvue to Greeley. The Fort Collins project will connect the existing trail ending at the Colorado State Environmental Learning Center through the future East Community Park to the proposed I-25 underpass to be constructed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with the North I-25 project, and thereafter to the existing trail segment in Timnath. Project Status:  Progressing on trail alignment. Coordinating with Cottonwood Farms and future development. More information available on project webpage SPRING CANYON DOG PARK Funding Source: Nature In the City Grant for $75,000 Total Project Cost: TBD Phase: Design Estimated Completion: Fall 2021 Project Details: The water quality at Spring Canyon Community Park was adversely affected by the drainage out of the dog park pond. Particularly, issues like E. coli were difficult to manage and put the dog park pond at risk of closure. Park Planning & Development worked with Stormwater, Parks, and Environmental Regulator Affairs to seek and receive a grant from Nature in the City. This grant will allow for much needed LID improvements and restoration work on the dog park and SCCP water quality ponds. Project Status:  Water quality low impact development underway. Construction anticipated in the spring. More information available on project webpage. TRAVERSE PARK Funding Source: Neighborhood Parkland Funds Total Project Cost: $3.5- 4 million Phase: Construction Estimated Completion: December 2021 Project Details: A new neighborhood park to be built in the Trail Head neighborhood, located on East Vine Street. The park will include typical neighborhood park features including a shelter, playground, multi- purpose field, basketball court, and play area for teens. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 12 Project Status:  Park is open to the public. A celebratory opening video was shared with the neighborhood in lieu of a grand opening event.  Plantings will be completed in the spring. More information available on project webpage. PICKLEBALL COMPLEX Funding Source: TBD Total Project Cost: TBD Phase: Planning Estimated Completion: TBD Project Details: Staff coordinating with pickleball advocates to identify a location for a 12-court pickleball complex. Funding to be provided through fundraising. Project Status:  Project on hold until fundraising is completed for a master planning effort. MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK Funding Source: TBD Total Project Cost: TBD Phase: Planning Estimated Completion: TBD Project Details: Staff is coordinating with mountain bike park advocates to identify potential future mountain bike park locations. Several locations are being considered. Park would be funded through fundraising efforts. Project Status:  Staff are advancing in next round of consideration for a GOCO Centennial Visioning Grant. If awarded, a mountain bike park would be considered as part of the master planning effort. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 13 EDORA DISC GOLF PARK UPDATES Funding Source: TBD Total Project Cost: TBD Phase: Planning Estimated Completion: TBD Project Details: Staff are coordinating with two private disc golf groups to significantly improve the course located at Edora Park. Project Status:  Staff are currently investigating cost for phase 1 construction. CP - OPERATION SERVICES FORT COLLINS/LOVELAND POLICE TRAINING CENTER Funding Sources:  $9.25M generated from bonds for the City of Fort Collins  $9.25M from City of Loveland  $1M from DOLA Grant Estimated Project Cost: $19.5M Phase: Phase III Added Site Amenities - Construction Estimated Completion Date: December 2021 Project Details: The City of Fort Collins is partnering with The City of Loveland to construct a new Police training facility which will be located on the west side of the Northern Colorado Regional Airport. This new site will offer a 50-yard pistol range, a 1.4-mile driving track, concrete skills pad, and classrooms for special training. Project Status: Phase I – Track & Skills pad is open and being used. Phase II - Building Construction is open and being used.  LEED Certification – Finalizing the submittals for USGBC review. Phase III – Adding Site Items with project savings.  Storage Shed – Building is nearly complete.  Observation Tower for Track & Skills Pad – Completed, see photo above.  Breach/Blast Pad – Concrete slab is complete, and masonry is underway.  K9 Training area – Completed, see photo above. Scheduled to complete phase III scope - December of 2021. Observation Tower & K-9 Training Area CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 14 BLOCK 32/42 – CIVIC MASTER PLAN REFRESH Funding Source: Capital Project via BFO: $300,000 Estimated Project Cost: TBD Phase: Conceptual Master Plan Estimated Completion Date: June 2022 Project Details: Space planning for Block 32 and 42 that was performed in 2013-2014 and needs to be updated. The new planning effort will involve each affected department to determine their space needs and anticipated growth over the next 10-12 Years. With the completion of the refresh the City can decide which departments to house in 215 N. Mason, 300 Laporte Ave - Building A, and the new City Hall. The refresh will also help determine an appropriate size of the new City Hall. Once this is determined and a conceptual design is produced it will be submitted to Council for review, next recommended steps and approval. Project Status:  The Master Plan was brought before Council on November 16 and was passed.  Currently working with Clark & Enersen to determine the proper timing on proceeding with the next steps outlined in the Council Work Session presentation. Specifically, the traffic and parking studies. CP - UTILITIES DEMAND RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE Funding Source: Offer # 1.14 Estimated Project Budget: $870,000 ($435,000 in 2021) Phase: Design Project Details: The AT&T 3G network is used to communicate with the controllers installed in electric water heaters participating in the Peak Partners Program. This network is scheduled for retirement by AT&T in Q1 2022 to release electromagnetic spectrum bandwidth for upcoming 5G technologies. Over 2400 DCU3 have been deployed in the service territory of Fort Collins Utilities and they will become stranded assets when the 3G network is turned off. A technology refresh is therefore needed to continue operating the resource, which shifts approximately 400 MWh/year from “On-Peak” to “Off-Peak” hours. The replacement units will be 4G controllers, which will be a straight replacement of the control unit and therefore a low to no-risk technology refresh. Project Status:  All contractual documents are in place and hardware has been ordered. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 15  Due to the worldwide shortage of microchips this project is behind schedule. Customer communications and scheduling in Q2 2022 with field replacement activities starting in late Q3 2022. STONEHENGE CABLE REPLACEMENT-PRIORITY #4 Funding Source: BFO # 8.9 Estimated Project Budget: $283,500 Phase: In Construction Project Details:  Electric primary cable has been evaluated through the City based on year of installation, style of cable and manufacturer to establish a prioritized failure risk. This area was calculated as Priority Area #4 citywide and involves the replacement of one (1) section of 3-phase power and 56 sections of single-phase power. The replacement primarily occurs within the Stonehenge Subdivision located east of S. Lemay Avenue along Stuart Street. Project Status:  Due to COVID 19 and with a lot of people working and learning from their homes, extra construction planning around outages is needed and may require outages to occur after hours or on weekends.  Approximately 50% of all the single-phase cable sections have been replaced.  Currently the 3-phase cable section is still in construction planning.  Currently, 40% of the existing transformers designated for replacement have occurred with minimum outages. Aerial view of priority area. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 16 27” POUDRE CANYON RAW WATERLINE Funding Source: Water - BFO#12.21 (2021) Estimated Project Budget: $3,2000,000 Status: In Design Estimated Completion Date:  Final Design – March 2022  Construction - August 2023 Project Details: The goal of this project is to ensure the structural integrity and operational longevity of the City’s 27” raw waterline in the Poudre Canyon. An existing, exposed section of the pipeline in the river near Gateway Natural Area will be replaced to eliminate the risk of failure which ensures the continued delivery and reliability of raw water from the Poudre River to the Water Treatment Facility. The design will consider the existing geomorphology of the river to develop a long-term solution which may require pipe alignment modifications and deeper burial depths of the pipeline. Final design and construction of the selected alternative are included in this project. Project Status:  Exploratory potholing - completed.  Geotechnical investigation and field observations report – completed.  Horizontal alignment design finalized, and legal descriptions completed.  Land acquisition process started with landowner.  Progressing towards 60% design and construction documents.  Ongoing team meetings with consultant and contractor on design and construction issues/decisions.  Ongoing coordination with Natural Areas for restoration efforts on City property. OAK STREET STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT Funding Source: Stormwater Estimated Project Budget: $2.0M (Design), $23M (Construction), $25M Total Status: In Design Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2022 (Design), Early 2023 (Construction) Project Details: This project is for the design and construction of stormwater infrastructure for the Oak Street Stormwater Improvements Project (OSSP) that is part of the larger Downtown Stormwater Improvement Program (DSIP). The project is located on Oak Street from Mason to Jackson and will include a few storm laterals extending to the blocks both north and south of Oak Street. There will be approximately 8500 LF of new storm pipe installed with this project, ranging in size from 78” to 48”. Exploratory potholing and 27” steel pipeline Water Quality Sampling at Mason & Oak St CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 17 Project Status:  Data Collection (Phase 2) – Initial Water Quality Sampling and Testing to determine construction dewatering requirements – completed November 2021  Cost Estimating - BT Construction has provided alternative pricing on open-cut vs tunneling in the downtown business, Arthur Ditch and Shields Street areas.  Preliminary Design - September 2021 through January 2022; Risk Analysis and Value Engineering to be included as part of Preliminary Design CITY PARK SEWER REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT Funding Source: Wastewater Estimated Project Budget: $2,600,000 Status: In Design Estimated Completion Date: Summer 2022 Project Details: Existing clay tile sanitary sewer mains in the area West of Sheldon Lake and both North and South of West Mulberry Street are undersized, have inadequate slope, numerous areas of settlement, offset joints, broken pipes, and heavy root intrusions. In addition, a portion of the existing system lies in the back yards of 16 houses along West Mulberry Street. This system is very difficult to access and requires frequently needed maintenance. The result is a poorly functioning sewer system, with inadequate flows, sewage backups, and high maintenance requirements. The new City Park Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project will be in the neighborhoods west of City Park Lake. The project will replace the aging sewer system with new infrastructure composed of modern materials of adequate size and slopes significantly increasing performance and reliability and reducing field crew maintenance needs. Project Status:  Preliminary Design - Completed  Project notification and coordination – on-going  Private Sewer Service Investigation Data – in progress  Final Design – in progress  Construction projected in late 2021/22 CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 18 PUBLIC SAFETY POUDRE FIRE AUTHORITY Thirteen PFA Recruits Graduated from Fire Academy | Dec. 4 Congratulations to the newest members of PFA! They graduated from the 21-2 Front Range Fire Consortium Academy in a class of 32 recruits from nine different fire departments. “Thanks to all the family members that dealt with a group of people that were always tired, always sore, and always hungry,” said PFA Captain Tony Dragan in the commencement address. The class took the oath together then special awards were announced. PFA graduate Jefferson Clow was honored for Excellence in Academics and PFA graduate Dawson Newby was chosen as Top Gun, an honor voted on by his fellow recruits. The PFA graduates will return to the Training Center for two more weeks of “post-academy” before starting as probationary firefighters at their assigned stations the week of Jan. 9, 2022. Photo Album of Graduation and Family Day Residents Displaced by Structure Fire on Wyandotte Dr. | Nov. 27 PFA was dispatched at 4:07 a.m. to reports of a residential structure fire. Crews arrived on scene and saw flames coming from the exterior of the home. Firefighters were able to quickly make an attack on the exterior fire, then moved inside to attack fire that had extended into the attic and basement areas of the home. Crews completed a thorough search and gained control of the fire quickly but the home sustained extensive fire and smoke damage. A motorhome was also destroyed in the fire. Crews were able to extinguish the fire around 5:00 a.m. Four residents and a dog were able to safely evacuate before crews arrived on-scene. Unfortunately, one cat was found deceased. A chicken coop was also included in the fire damage and sadly the chickens did not survive. The American Red Cross was contacted to provide support and CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 19 resources to the family. Crews remained on-scene until restoration companies could arrive and secure the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Occupants Evacuated from Elizabeth Hotel due to CO Leak | Nov. 26 At about 6:10 a.m., crews responded to the Elizabeth Hotel after hotel management and occupants were alerted to carbon monoxide alarms going off on the fifth floor. PFA engine and hazmat crews safely evacuated 18 occupants from the fifth floor and began monitoring CO levels throughout the hotel. Crews successfully ventilated all floors of the hotel until CO levels were back down to safe ranges. A faulty furnace was isolated and HVAC technicians were brought in to repair the issue. None of the hotel occupants or staff reported symptoms of CO exposure or required any medical attention. This incident is an important reminder to make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors in your homes and businesses. Please test them regularly. Responders Worked Hours to Extinguish Fire in Recycling Building | Nov. 24 PFA and Loveland Fire Rescue Authority were dispatched to the Larimer County Landfill at about 7:40 p.m. after a passerby reported smoke coming from the Recycling Building. Investigation revealed there was a smoldering fire somewhere in the material stored in the north half of the building. Firefighters spent over three hours removing material from the building with front-end loaders and cooling it. The work was intensive and firefighters had to be rotated regularly. As a precaution, a fire watch was established for the rest of the night. The fire reignited just after 2:00 a.m. and firefighters spent another two hours removing and cooling material. There were no injuries reported. PFA 2022 Budget Approved Staff prepared and presented a 2022 Preliminary Budget to the PFA Board of Directors on Oct. 5. The budget is focused on funding ongoing services to the community, key operational needs, and non- discretionary increases. There are three new board members and this is Fire Chief Bergsten’s first budgeting process at PFA, so staff met with board members individually throughout November. The board approved the budget at the November 16 meeting and staff is moving forward with implementation. Read more about the process and budget in the board packet here. POLICE SERVICES Notable Cases Suspect Arrested for Child Exploitation, Assault: In late October 2021, FCPS received information that Jediah Foster, 35, had taken sexually explicit pictures of children and distributed them online. Through further investigation, they also learned about multiple situations involving inappropriate touching. He was booked into the Larimer County Jail on November 12 and faces felony charges for sexual assault on a child (6 counts), aggravated incest (6 counts), and sexual exploitation of a child (10 counts). CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 20 Armed, Barricaded Suspect Safely Arrested: On November 29, police responded to a report that suspect with a knife had threatened a man downtown. Officers located the suspect, identified as Matthew Bishop, 29, nearby. Bishop refused to drop the knife and threatened officers with it. Police used several less-lethal tools, including a SAGE launcher and PepperBalls, in an effort to get the man’s cooperation, but Bishop barricaded himself on an emergency escape staircase. The FCPS SWAT team responded to the scene, and crisis negotiators worked to convince him to surrender. About three hours later, Bishop came down but tried to run. Officers used several less-lethal tools to keep him from running toward populated areas. K9 Inox was deployed and apprehended Bishop, who then began stabbing the dog. Fortunately, K9 Inox was wearing a protective vest that saved him from serious injury. Bishop was safely taken into custody and arrested for felony menacing (3 counts), possession of a weapon by a previous offender, aggravated cruelty to animals, obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. All charges are simply an accusation by law enforcement officers, and all parties must be presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Community Engagement Community Advisory Committee: The Chief's Community Advisory Committee met to discuss a topic that comes up a lot in discussions about law enforcement: mental health. One of our co-responder clinicians and officers from the Mental Health Response Team shared details about our co-response program's evolution, the team's approach to providing the right care at the right time in the right place, officer training, and outcome data. CCAC members asked some outstanding questions that deepened the discussion, and we're grateful for perspectives from the community groups they represent. Agency News In December, FCPS celebrated the promotion of Lt. Sara Lynd and Sgt. Mindy Nace. Both enter into these new roles with extensive training, mentoring, and leadership experience within our agency. During her 20 years at FCPS, Lt. Lynd has served as a field training officer (FTO), firearms instructor, DUI enforcement officer, property crimes detective, Traffic Unit supervisor, and most recently as the Internal Affairs sergeant. Sgt. Nace has served with FCPS since 2007. As a seasoned FTO, she’s trained over 20 new officers. She is also a member of the Honor Guard, a defensive tactics instructor, and most recently worked as the corporal assigned to the Downtown District One Nights team. Their commitment to service also extends beyond local law enforcement as both women are military veterans. During her time in the United States Army, Lt. Lynd deployed to Iraq as an Engineer Company Commander. Sgt. Nace served in the Marines Corps as an Air Command and Control Electronics Operator and an Intelligence Analyst before coming to FCPS. Congratulations! CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 21 PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT &TRANSPORTATION BUILDING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW Monthly Reporting Monthly construction reporting and mapping of development review proposals and construction can be found by visiting: http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?dt=MONTHLY+REPORT&dn=NEIGHBORHOOD+%26+BUILDING+SERVI CES%2FZONING&vid=2&cmd=showdt For a detailed listing of development Proposals under review, please visit: https://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/proposals/ Mediation and Restorative Justice Services Mediation and Restorative justice Services programs are being highlighted in CityGive’s seasonal fundraising campaign, along with two other city departments. A flyer with links for people to make donations is being distributed throughout the community. See the flyer below. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 22 CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 23 YEAR TO DATE COMPARISON 2020 2021 YTD % Change Development Project Submittals Received 338 256 -24.26% Conceptual/Preliminary Design/Staff Reviews 218 241 10.55% Building Permits Issued 12,635 8,960 -29.09% Building Permit Valuations ($M) $298.15 $373.28 25.20% Building Inspections Performed 29,298 28,170 -3.85% Zoning Inspections Performed 381 320 -16.01% Zoning Plan Reviews Performed 2,764 2,864 3.62% Overall Development Review Center revenues are $1,904,491 over projection for 2021 as of November 30th with Building Services over by $901,881, Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance over by $39,952, Development Review over by $7,669 and Engineering Development Review over by $954.990. GRAFFITI UPDATE During the month of November 2021, the Graffiti Abatement Team abated 50 issues consisting of 209 tags measuring 848 square feet of graffiti-covered surfaces. Month Access FC Hotline Pro-Active Total January 7 2 17 26 February 8 2 9 19 March 5 2 17 24 April 21 8 23 52 May 20 9 25 54 June 22 9 32 63 July 18 14 15 47 August 52 11 24 87 September 16 9 72 97 October 16 5 26 47 November 19 2 29 50 Total 204 73 289 566 The issues were distributed throughout the City in the following Council Districts: Month One Two Three Four Five Six January 12 0 3 2 6 2 February 5 3 0 3 2 6 March 4 1 0 3 5 11 April 23 5 4 2 6 12 May 16 14 1 5 9 8 June 22 6 1 5 17 12 July 13 6 2 3 10 12 August 26 5 1 4 14 32 CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 24 September 30 8 4 6 21 24 October 17 5 3 6 5 11 November 12 5 4 3 6 20 SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Have a Greener Holiday Season: During the holidays, household waste increases by more than 25%! This year, have a greener season by...  Looking for gifts with minimal packaging, items that are made from recycled materials, or are produced locally.  Wrapping your gifts in reusable materials such as fabric  Reusing wrapping paper and tissue paper if you can! It can also be recycled in your curbside bin, or in the Low-Grade Mixed Paper Bin (Containers #4 & #5) at the City’s Timberline Recycling Center. Do not include metallic wrapping paper, ribbons or bows.  Conserving Energy - Use LEDs and put lights on timers to turn on at dusk and off at bedtime. Leaving holiday lights on for 24 hours will quadruple energy costs and produce 4x more pollution than necessary!  Planning meals ahead of time, buy only what you need - Send leftovers home with guests and get creative with recipes that use leftovers. Compost the rest. Recycling what you can! Even holiday lights and your Christmas tree can be recycled at local drop-off centers. See our A-Z webpage here for places to recycle things - https://www.fcgov.com/recycling/atoz/ CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 25 SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY Homebuyer Assistance Programs for Residents The City’s Home Buyers Assistance Program has ended, but there are still several down payment assistance (DPA) programs available to community members. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (www.chfainfo.com/homeownership/down-payment-assistance) has a DPA program that serves a wide range of income and the Impact Development Fund (impactdf.org), a non-profit partner, currently has a grant funded by the Division of Housing to provide up to $25,000 for households earning no more than 80% area median income (AMI). For households making up to $150,000, metroDPA has forgivable assistance up to 6% of the mortgage. These are available to Fort Collins residents who can qualify for a mortgage for a home they wish to buy. Federal HUD and City Affordable Housing Funds can support homeownership through partnerships that help with development and/or acquisition of housing restricted to low-income ownership such as provided by Habitat for Humanity, and Elevation Community Land Trust. To find out more about Down payment Assistance Programs serving Fort Collins residents, visit: fcgov.com/socialsustainability/hba.php. ECONOMIC HEALTH Northern Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce Planning Meeting Members of the community were invited to learn about Northern Colorado's upcoming Latino Chamber of Commerce! All Latino-owned businesses were invited to join the event as attendees explored the development of this chamber, striving to promote the interests of all latino businesses. The meeting occurred Tuesday, December 7th at Larimer County Building, 200 W. Oak St. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 26 UTILITIES CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS  Final applications for the Allotment Management Program (AMP) and Xeriscape Incentive Program (XIP) for commercial customers, were due Dec. 1. Staff received 25 pre-applications for landscape conversion projects and anticipate receiving up to that many final applications for installation in 2022.  Council priorities: Water Conservation staff is managing a consultant that will perform research and benchmarking throughout 2022 related to council priorities including xeriscape, soil amendment and urban canopy and tree policies. Staff is scheduled to present a path forward on these priorities at the March 22 Council work session.  City of Fort Collins’ Irrigation Specialist, Eric Olson, was called upon by the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado to teach a Sustainable Landscape Management course. The four-hour class had 32 attendees and took place at Northern Water Conservancy. Course topics are Colorado specific and promote responsible and sustainable management of landscapes. In the month of December, Utilities will offer the following engagement opportunities:  December 1, 2, 3 – Hydropower Lab – Utilities education team offered a Hydropower Lab to 8th grade students from Boltz Middle School. Students learned about Fort Collins’ current energy use and then used different models to test best designs.  December 9 – Our Climate Future (OCF) & Utilities Ed Program – An overview of how the climate crisis impacts our Utilities will serve as an introduction to Our Climate Future for Rocky Mountain High School students. The program will engage students on how the City of Fort Collins uses real science and data to guide important sustainability plans, review how the community is involved, and wrap in what students can do to support sustainability in Fort Collins. In 2021, Utilities Customer Connections has reached 4,363 participants through 95 outreach events and programs. In the month of November, Utilities offered the following engagement opportunities:  November 4 – Utilities Career Fair: Poudre Community Academy – 102 Utilities staff and students from Poudre Community Academy had the opportunity to rotate between different Utility working groups to better understand the hands-on trade related opportunities Utilities has to offer.  November 10 – Xeriscape Incentive Program (XIP) Basics Training – There were 19 people who attended the Utilities staff presentation on rebate eligibility in 2022 and how to participate in a Utilities Xeriscape Incentive Program for transforming their high-water use areas into water- wise landscapes.  November 12 – Epic Homes Real Estate Ally 101 Training – Utilities staff virtually presented to four real estate professionals a comprehensive overview of Epic Homes and the Epic Certificate and discuss how to join the Epic Homes Real Estate Ally Network to help sell homes with efficiency upgrades.  November 19 – 222 Laporte Sustainability Tour – Utilities staff offered a LEED green building tour to 10 high school students followed by a presentation of Utilities careers. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 27 COMMUNITY SERVICES RECREATION  The Forestry Department planted a tree at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park in honor of Larry Helburg, a volunteer that worked thousands of hours for the Recreation Department. (see attached Santa photo)  A Thanksgiving Break mini-camp for ages 5-11 was added last minute when PSD closed schools for the week. 30 working families were able to take advantage of the added program.  The Holiday Artisan Market occurred on 11/26 & 11/27. 3283 shoppers visited the Senior Center to visit the106 local artisan booths.  The BOOTS (Building on Outdoor Trails & Stewardship) program visited the CAS Seedlab, Cathy Fromme Natural Area, Devil's Backbone, Gateway Natural Area, and Red Mountain Open Space creating new social connections each week and helping newcomers to Fort Collins safely explore our beautiful outdoor spaces.  As part of Recreation’s Jr. Rams partnership with CSU Athletics, a Jr. Rams Day took place at the football game on 11/13 against Air Force. Prior to the game players were able to participate in the Ram walk and get onto the field prior to kick off to take photos and watch the team warm up! PARKS  The Holidays in Downtown are underway. Holiday lights turned on and skating rink is open.  Snow removal equipment preparation and staff training are complete.  Winterization of all irrigation and restrooms completed.  Rolland Moore ballfield lights electrical disconnect failed and a small fire broke out in the underground storage area during the last week of the softball season. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 28 CULTURAL SERVICES Garden of Lights  Garden of Lights – One of Northern Colorado's favorite holiday traditions takes place throughout December at the Gardens on Spring Creek. The 2021 event features a half-mile loop of perennial flower beds, huge sculptural flowers, grapevines, butterflies, a holiday village, and other favorite garden creatures—all constructed entirely from holiday lights. Additionally, the Color Blossom Show will be returning to the Great Lawn, with 700 lighted blossoms adding vibrant colors and movement to the holiday experience. The event will take place December 10th through the 26th with entrance times from 5:00 - 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance online and there will be timed entry. The Gardens and Gardens of Lights will be closed Christmas day.  A highlight of the holiday season is the production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at The Lincoln Center. This holiday classic featuring the Christmas Spirits of Past, Present and Future is being presented on December 18th at 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Additionally, The Lincoln Center kicks off the new year with the Broadway hit Waitress from January 6th through the 9th. Telling the story CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 29 of Jenna Hunterson, a baker and waitress, the musical features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles. NATURAL AREAS New Natural Areas Director Hired Community Services is excited to announce the hiring of its new Natural Areas Department Director, Katie Donahue. The Natural Areas Director serves a vital leadership role, guiding a department that provides immense value to the community. With strategic and forward-thinking leadership that is centered in equity, Katie will oversee the City’s network of 52 natural area sites encompassing 37,607 acres and a staff of over 50 responsible for stewarding these treasured conserved lands. A robust public engagement hiring process included over 100 internal and external stakeholders. Since 2016, Katie has served as the District Ranger for the Canyon Lakes Ranger District on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. She started her career as an Economist for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measuring inflation rates for nearly a decade before she followed the call of the outdoors and natural resources. Her previous roles at the U.S. Forest Service include Program Manager for Recreation Fees and Business Planning and a District Ranger role on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia. Donahue has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Economics from American University and a Masters degree in Public Management from the University of Maryland. She spends her free time gardening and exploring Colorado with her husband and two kiddos on foot, bikes, and skis. Katie will assume her new role on January 10, 2022 and we look forward to her contributions on the Community Services Leadership Team. She replaces Zoë Shark who served as Interim Natural Areas Department Director since January of 2020. Zoë will return to her former role as Public Engagement Manager. Katie Donahue CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 30 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT Platform Highlight – Nextdoor: Nextdoor is a social networking platform that connects neighbors. According to their site, “Neighbors around the world turn to Nextdoor daily to receive trusted information, give and get help, get things done, and build real-world connections with those nearby — neighbors, businesses, and public services.” As a public agency, the City of Fort Collins can use Nextdoor to connect with residents in specific neighborhoods to share timely information relevant to them. We are not able to monitor or observe activity that occurs within individual neighborhoods, and it is against Nextdoor’s user policy to share content posted within neighborhoods beyond that group. Nextdoor by the numbers: • 63,112 total members in Fort Collins (40,356 households) • 161,442 impressions (content views) YTD CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 31 Examples: BROADBAND – FORT COLLINS CONNEXION Monthly Reports Connexion is publishing our monthly reports on our website! Visit fcconnexion.com/reports to view and download. New Connexion Website Fort Collins Connexion is excited to unveil our new website! fcconnexion.com not only has a new look and feel, but it includes all kinds of information on service availability, offerings, and sign-up details CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 32 which will improve our customers’ user experience. In mid-December, the website will integrate with Connexion’s new billing system and customer self-service portal as well as provide additional resources and support tools for customers looking to switch their broadband services to Connexion. Address Look-up Fort Collins residents can now input their address and see whether their residence is In Design, In Construction, or has Service Available! Our address look-up tool can be found on the Connexion website at www.fcconnexion.com. Sign up for Notifications Visit https://fcconnexion.com/service-availability/ and sign up to be notified as soon as service is available to order for your home or business. Social Media Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @FoCoConnexion! Join the Connexion community—get updates and information on services and more! COMMUNITY DASHBOARD HIGHLIGHT The Community Dashboard features performance data and information that highlights how the City is doing in achieving its seven Outcome areas: Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, Culture and Recreation, Economic Health, Environmental Health, Safe Community, Transportation and Mobility, and High Performing Government. The Dashboard is made up of 36 total metrics that are published quarterly and demonstrate where the City is doing well and where there are opportunities to improve. The color status of performance for each metric is determined based on the actual result for the quarter compared with the target. The color status of performance for the Outcome is determined based on the average calculation of the performance of each metric within that Outcome. Each month the City Manager’s Update will highlight a metric from the Community Dashboard. This month’s feature is from the Neighborhood Livability and Social Health Outcome Area. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 33 Analysis:  Three additional affordable ownership homes were added to the community’s inventory of affordable housing this quarter.  HUD provided approval of sale of some public housing units to convert to restricted home ownership homes. These will be available for sale in 2022.  The bulk of this year’s new rental inventory has been delivered this first quarter. However, there are 154 affordable units under construction now, 138 in final plan review, 31 in early review and more than 113 in pre-development. Sherwood Home Renovations: Definition: Affordable housing units house the City's lowest wage earners and are important to the sustainability of our community. Through policy and funding, the City would like to at least maintain and preferably increase the number of units available to consumers requiring this type of housing. Low-income housing in Fort Collins is for people who earn 80% or less Area Median Income. Why is this metric important? We project population growth at all income levels as we look to the foreseeable future. In order to allow consumers of affordable housing to live and work in the City, additional affordable housing units must be added to our current inventory to keep pace with this anticipated growth. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 34 City’s impact on this metric: Low – The City does not build affordable housing units. Through policy and grants provided by the Competitive Process, the City often invests in new housing units or preservation of units for lower- income residents. The City responds to development proposals. These metric reports on completed units that will immediately affect existing inventory numbers. Benchmarks: As of the end of 2014, Fort Collins has 3075 total units which include units categorized as affordable rental units, ownership units, transitory units and assisted living properties. This will be the benchmark to measure growth from. To view the entire Dashboard, please visit: http://fortcollins.clearpointstrategy.com/