HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.3 Two-Year Strategic Plan Mid-Point UpdateSTAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
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Agenda Item 4.3
DATE:August 17,2021
TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM:Linda Smith, City Manager
SUBJECT:Two-Year Strategic Plan Mid-Point UpdatePrepared by:John Stefanski, Assistant to the City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:The City Council will receive a mid-point status update on the City’s Two-Year Strategic Plan.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:Receive the report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:None.
DESCRIPTION:The City Council adopted the City’s Two-Year Strategic Plan on May 5, 2020. This Plan sets the overall direction for the City, guiding resources and setting specific objectives to drive City action. The Plan coincides with Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2020-22.This report represents the mid-point Strategic Plan Status Update, covering the period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021. An overview of the progress made over the last year for the strategies and objectives is provided below.Strategy 1: Implement the City’s Adopted Preferred Vision for Downtown Dublin.Objective UpdateAMake necessary land use changes.Completed.On July 21, 2020,the City Council adopted amendments to the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan land uses and maximum floor area ratio based on the Preferred Vision.B Work with private property owners on acquisitions that result in the creation of a future town square. In Progress.On October 15, 2019, the City Council adopted a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the property owners
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of Dublin Place shopping center, creating a partnership with the City. Through the MOU, the property owner intends to acquire additional parcels of the shopping center in order to work with the City on the siting of the town square.Staff worked with the majority property owner of the Dublin Place Shopping Center to extend the existing Memorandum of Understanding for 12 months due to the severe negative impacts of COVID-19.The majority property owner has now entered a joint venture partnership to help them plan for the future development.C Establish the proposed street grid network, including study of right-of-way acquisition and the appropriate funding mechanism for construction and maintenance.
In Progress.On July 21, 2020,the City Council adopted amendments to the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan to incorporate the street grid contemplated in the Preferred Vision. The Downtown Action Team continues to evaluate the right-of-way acquisition, cross sections, and the appropriate funding mechanism for construction and maintenance. In fall 2020, the City launched an update to the Citywide Traffic Model to analyst the impacts of the new street grid. Staff has worked with the traffic consultant on 2040 model runs for the new street grid network andhas determined that additional information is needed at critical intersections. An adjusted counts study will be conducted in Q3 to evaluate the intersections. In addition, progress has been made on the streetcross section designs as part of the new street grid network looking at the Downtown Core area.D Conduct a parking analysis of the Transit Oriented District and the Retail District and proposed changes. Not Started.
E Create certainty and provide development rights that result in achieving the City Council’s Preferred Vision. In Progress. On November 17, 2020, the City Council reviewed and approved the downtown Streetscape Master Plan. F Develop implementation measures for the adopted Downtown Streetscape Master Plan and updated Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan for the next Capital Improvement Program.
In Progress.Staff established a project website and held the first digital workshop for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan in September 2020. On October 13, 2020, the Planning Commission reviewed the draft Downtown Streetscape Master Plan. The City
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Council reviewed the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan on November 17, 2020. In accordance with the newly adopted Downtown Streetscape Master Plan and the Annual pavement Resurfacing CIP, Regional Street was resurfaced and restriped.Staff completed an existing conditions, demographics, and bicycle level of stress analysis.Staff presented the Bicycle and Pedestrian PlanUpdate project to the Chamber of Commerce inearly March. Staff hosted pop-up events at Alamo Creek trail and at the Farmer's Market in May. Staff also presented the project to the Alameda County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) in May and to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) in early June. Staff also created and posted surveys on social media channels to collect feedback from the community. Staff is now working on identifying prioritized locations for projects. G Market, in conjunction with property owners, the opportunity sites. Not Started.H Work with Downtown property owners on updating the CC&Rs to facilitate retail transition.In Progress. Staff is working with the Dublin Plaza Retail Center property owners to amend their CC&Rs. A draft of the changes is being reviewed for initial feedback by the property owners.I Work with Downtown property owners on building/site improvements.In Progress.Staff continues to work with the Dublin Place Shopping Center property owners on an amendment to the Master Sign Program to rebrand and add new signage to the Center. Avalon Bay is processing a Building Permit application to construct the 499-unit St. Patrick Way project and related public improvements including the extension of St. Patrick Way to Regional Street.BRIDGE Housing has submitted its application for the approximate 300-unit affordable project on Golden Gate Drive adjacent to the West Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station.
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EDEN housing has submitted a Pre-Application for a 114-unit affordable senior and/or special needs housing project on Regional Street.J Refine and provide specificity on City development goals in the Downtown Plan and East Transit Center Area Plan. Not Started.
Strategy 2: Explore New City Revenue Streams for Long Term Financial StabilityObjectiveUpdateAExplore the feasibility of increasing the City’s current Transient Occupancy Tax. Not Started.B Evaluate the establishment of other fees and/or taxes that could offset City costs in providing services to the community.In Progress. Staff established new fees for remote (online) programs and classes, outdoor fitness classes, and the L.I.V.E n’ Rec Program in response to COVID-19-related restrictions. The City launched the Heritage Memorial Program which provides the opportunity for community members to memorialize loved ones. The program is expected to generate over $100,000 in revenue. The City established rental fees for the use of outdoor basketball courts to allow for commercial use and private programming, as well as rental fees for use of kitchens in City facilities. C Explore operational efficiencies in delivering services with other public agencies. In Progress.The City worked with the County and the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton on the creation of AXIS Bridge – the Mental Health Urgent Care Center Pilot. The three cities submitted an Earmark Request with Congressman Swalwell as well as Senator Feinstein and Senator Padilla for additional program funding. The City worked with the County, the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, and Stanford-Valley Care on the development of a Super POD COVID-19 Vaccination Site located at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.Parks and Community Services partnered with Livermore Area Parks and Recreation District to provide certification instruction to aquatics staff, which enables them to become certified
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lifeguard trainers to provide in-house certification classes. D Continue to maintain strong fiscal policies.In Progress.Staff presented a Fiscal Year report on November 3, 2020, that included additional reserve designations to add funds towards retirement liabilities as well as funding towards IT infrastructure that will allow the City to become more efficient in delivering services. A pension trust was established, and additional funds have been contributed to pre-fund pension obligations and to stabilize the pension rate change. The City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget; the City’s General Fund is currently projected to remain in a surplus position through Fiscal Year 2027-28. Strategy 3: Create More Affordable Housing OpportunitiesObjectiveUpdateAFacilitate production of affordable housing for lower income seniors,workforce,and special needs households by leveraging the Alameda County Measure A-1 Bond funds and the City’s Affordable Housing Fund.
In Progress.On July 17, 2020,Staff released aNotice of Funding Availability for the creation of affordable rental housing.The City received two proposals in response to the NOFA, both of which were presented to the City Council on November 17, 2020. BRIDGE Housing applied for their proposed mixed-income residential project noted earlier. On April 20, the City Council adopted a resolution appropriating $7.1M from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund and authorized the commitment of $2.9M of the Alameda County Measure A-1 Bond Fund, authorizing the reservation of up to 308 residential units from the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan Development Pool, and confirming the negotiated deal points for a Community Benefit Agreement for the proposed Amador Station (BRIDGE Housing) project located on Golden Gate Drive adjacent to the West Dublin BART Station. Staff facilitated Eden Housing’s acquisition of the Regional Street site from Avalon Bay as required by the Community Benefit Agreement for the St. Patrick Way development. The City
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allocated Measure A-1 Bond funds to Eden for an affordable housing project on this site. Staff is reviewing a Pre-Application from Eden Housing for their 114-unit affordable senior housing development located at the corner of Regional Street and the future St. Patrick’s Way extension.B Look for additional opportunities to facilitatethe acquisition of sites, at low or no cost, to build housing that is affordable to lower income households.
In Progress.On July 21, 2020, the City Council adopted a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit an application for up to $3,333,333 in grant funds from the State of California’s Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) Program for the Eden Housing project. Staff coordinatedwith the developer of the St. Patrick Way project regarding the acquisition of the adjacent parcel on Regional Street fordevelopment of an affordable housing project by Eden Housing.Staff is working with Alameda County to sell a portion of the Transit Center D-1 parcel to Eden Housing for an affordable housing development.Staff is also working with Trumark Homes on a proposal to dedicate two acres to an affordable housing developer at low/no cost to construct an affordable housing development.C Facilitate the production of accessory dwelling units throughout the community.In Progress.On November 3, 2020 the City Council introduced an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance and approved related Impact Fee reductions to relax development standards and restrictions, and to address changes to state lawto facilitate the production of accessory dwelling units. Staff engaged RRM Consulting to prepare pre-approved design and construction drawings to facilitate and streamline the production of accessory dwelling units. Staff is also preparing an ADU resources manual and looking at additional ideas to relax development standards and impact fees. This work is in process and will be brought forward to the City Council later this year. D Seek opportunities to preserve the stock of housing that is affordable to moderate-and middle-income households. In Progress.On September 1, 2020, the CityCouncil authorized the City to become anadditional member of the California Community Housing Agency (CalCHA) Joint Powers Authority for the production, preservation, and protection of essential middle-income rental
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housing, and authorized the City Manager to enter into purchase option agreements with CalCHA for middle-income rental housing.Staff worked with Catalyst Housing Group on their acquisition of the Aster project through the California Community Housing Agency (CalCHA) Joint Powers Authority. This transaction preserved the units as affordable to middle-income households. On June 1, 2021, the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the actions necessary to similar acquire the Waterford Place Apartments through the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) to preserve the units as affordable to middle-income households.E Update the City’s General Plan Housing Element in accordance with state law and to ensure an adequate supply of sites to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the period 2023-31.
In Progress.On July 21, 2020, the City Councilapproved a consulting services agreement with Kimley-Horn to assist Staff with preparing the current Housing Element Update. On October 6, 2020, the City Council received a report and provided Staff with direction regarding the Housing Element Update for the 2023-2031 planning period and the identification of sites to accommodate theupcoming Regional Housing Needs Allocation(RHNA). Staff is completing a sites analysis,which was preliminarily reviewed by the City Council in October 2020.Staff was actively engaged in ABAG’s development of the methodology that was used to distribute the RHNA to each jurisdiction in the Bay Area. Staff presented the City Council with the framework for an appeal of the City’s Regional Housing Need Allocation. Staff prepared an appeal based on the feedback and direction provided by the City Council.
Strategy 4: Become a 24/7 City Hall to Enhance Resident and Business EngagementObjectiveUpdateAReduce/eliminate the need for paper transactions where feasible. In Progress. Staff instituted DocuSign and Laserfiche Forms for electronic workflow and contracts processing. Nearly all external and internal forms have been transitioned to
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electronic formats. Public Works plan check applications, reviews, and permit issuance can now be down electronically. Paper Applications for the Holiday Home Decorating program and Special Events Vendors/Sponsorships applications have been converted to online forms. Fire Prevention Staff are preparing the final non-construction file boxes of hard copy records to be scanned. All construction permits can be submitted online. Fire Prevention Staff havebegun moving other processes such as fireworks to all electronic formats. B Provide more opportunities for residents to complete transactions with the City online, with appropriate security measures. In Progress. All planning, building, and business license permits can now be applied for and processed online.Staff have instituted electronic review of fire system plans and online payments. Public Works has implemented online payment for encroachment permits and is working to expand online payment for otherPublic Works permits. The Senior Center has transitioned from cash toelectronic pre-registration and pre-paid convenience passes for in-person programming. Staff enhanced The Wave webpages to allow customers to subscribe to Newsflashes and pertinent Wave information. In addition, the online registration process for the popular Lap Swim program has been streamlined to result in a more user-friendly process to reserve lap swim lanes.Facility rental applications and Wave Waterpark Admission tickets have transitioned to electronic formats. C Enhance citizen online interaction via reporting of issues and transparent data.In Progress.On September 1, 2020, the CityCouncil approved an agreement with OpenGov for financial transparency, budgeting, and citizen engagement software.Staff worked with CivicPlus to implement See,Click, Fix,a new citizen request and City work management software, which includes a City-branded app for mobile devices.SeeClickFixlaunched in May 2021.
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D Continue to utilize all appropriate methods to share and exchange information with the public, including social media, at events and at the City’s website.
In Progress.Staff expanded the use of Facebook to share all news and business of the City. Additionally, the City is increasing the use of videos shared on all social media platforms and the City’s website. Examples include public service announcements (PSAs) from the City Council, a disaster preparedness video by the former Mayor,a replay of several “CommunityConversations” that were held during the start of the Pandemic, and videos in remembrance of Ilene Misheloff. Staff has established new Coronavirus andbusiness impact webpages on the City’s websiteto disseminate updated health information forthe community as well as rules, regulations, andopportunities for Dublin businesses.The City’s public art collection, both publicly andprivately owned, is now available for viewing onthe City’s website.Parks and Community Services Staff are nowutilizing the text message feature in the City’srecreation software (ActiveNet) to textprogram information to customers.The City completed a redesign of the City’s website, following consultations with a focus group, which included City staff and active residents. While the elements of Dublin’s brand are still prominent, the website has been streamlined, making it easier for users to find key information. The Document Center was also cleaned out, keeping only current information. A Website Committee has been created to ensure that the site remains up to date. E Explore additional social media platforms and expanding use of Facebook to other departments.Complete. Staff has merged all the previous City Facebook accounts (other than The Wave) into one City of Dublin government account. Additionally, Staff transformed the former Parks and Community Services Instagram account into a City of Dublin account.F Explore more exciting and user-friendly presentation of information, and a periodic report from the City Manager’s Office. Complete. The City Launched the Backyard Brief, the City Manager’s new monthly email newsletter.
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Strategy 5: Large Land Tract Development and Open SpaceObjectiveUpdateALook to establish an Economic Development Zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon Road. Complete.On May 18, 2021, the City Council approved the establishment of the Fallon Road Economic Development Zone and associated Incentive Package to assist with the attraction of job-rich and/or high-wage businesses within the Economic Development Zone’s targeted industries.Staff is preparing a General Plan Amendment Study for proposed land use changes to facilitate development of this area.B Work with the area property owners in conjunction with the Dublin Boulevard extension project on issues such as road and project mitigation, entitlements, as well as supporting infrastructure.
In Progress.Staff continues to meet regularly with the property owners surrounding the Dublin Boulevard extension area to discuss issues of roadway alignment and mitigation.The City received National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance from Caltrans in February for the project. Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) has initiated the 24-month design process. Staff continues to meet with ACTC, Livermore, and other stakeholders in support of the design effort. Staff is reviewing pre-applications submitted by the Branaugh and Righetti property owners. C Begin discussions regarding required reporting under the Open Space Initiative of 2014 for the provisions of commercial and industrial development in the unincorporated area.
Not Started.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:None.
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