2004-2005

Goals of the City of Ashland

D R A F T - 2/17/04 SHOWING CHANGES

COMMUNITY VALUES STATEMENT

The citizens of Ashland value a City government that helps create an environment within which they are able to live happy and productive lives. This includes a healthy and sustainable environment; an opportunity to acquire the basic necessities of life; a sound infrastructure that meets our common needs for transportation, energy, information and communications, health care, water and waste management; and a variety of social, recreational, business and cultural opportunities.

The citizens want their government to respect our diverse people, natural environment, and rich heritage and culture; and to promote citizen involvement, initiative, innovation and a strong sense of community.

ELEMENTS

I. Citizen participation and involvement - The City recognizes the value of citizen involvement and the wealth of information and resources that the citizens of Ashland possess. The City is committed to a high level of communication with the public.

II. Environmental Resources - Ashland seeks to retain its natural beauty as it continues to grow and further develop. The City seeks to strike a balance between urbanization and the natural environment by providing protection for soils, small creeks & wetlands, urban forest, clean air and peace & quiet.

III. Housing - The City has a responsibility to ensure that proper amounts of land are set aside to accommodate the various housing needs in the City, and that its land development ordinances are broad enough to allow for variation in housing type, cost and density.

IV. Economic Strategy - The City encourages a variety of economic activities in the City, while continuing to reaffirm the economic goals of Ashland citizens and existing businesses. Economic development in Ashland should serve the purpose of maintaining and improving the local quality of life.

V. Public Services - The City will provide a full range of public services that meet the needs of existing and future citizens. The City Council values and supports city staff and the work they do on behalf of the community. The City strives to create a productive work environment for city employees.

VI. Transportation and Transit - To retain Ashland's small-town character while it grows, the City must proactively plan for a transportation system that is integrated into the community and enhances the livability, character and natural environment.

VII. Energy, Air and Water Resources - Ashland seeks to be a regional leader in the areas of energy, air and water conservation. The City seeks to continue this leadership role in further development of goals, policies and programs that encourage citizens to conserve natural resources. The City also desires to continue to provide electrical service to consumers at as low a cost as possible.

VIII. Parks, Open Space and Aesthetics - Ashland's character is intimately linked to its aesthetic resources, including its vistas, trees, parks, open space lands, and public art. The City seeks to develop programs that preserve important open space and parkland, while accommodating continuing urbanization.

IX. Urbanization - The City seeks to ensure an orderly transition of land from rural to urban uses.

X. Historical Sites and Structures - Ashland seeks to preserve its rich history through the preservation of its historical buildings and places.

XI. Regional Strategies - Ashland seeks to develop unique partnerships with governments, non-profits and the private sector to ensure that regional issues of importance to the City and the region are addressed in a collaborative and effective way.

XII. Financial Management - The City will be an accountable and effective steward of the public trust and public resources. The City will provide equitable and efficient services to the public through the efficient use of assets and resources.

XIII. Social and Human Services - To ensure that all people in Ashland live in a safe, strong, and caring community, the City seeks to enhance the quality of life and promote self-reliance, growth and development of people. To these ends, the City will strive to provide resources and services to meet basic human needs.

2004 - 2005 GOALS

1. Continue to help commissions and committees become more effective through resources and training opportunities; develop training program for commission volunteers in meeting management, goal setting, group dynamics, and ethics.

2. Adopt a process to meet LCDC Goal 1 Participation goal requirement.

3. Complete Charter review and update process.

4. Develop Riparian Ordinance.

5. Pursue water quality and temperature improvements through an active storm water management program including bioswales, storm-ceptors, maintenance programs, tree planting, link to the riparian zones, erosion control programs and "creek clean-ups."

6. Develop Urban Forestry Plan.

• Pursue ways to speed up forest fuels reduction work in the watershed (municipal and federal).
• Improve the overall management of the Ashland Watershed by working with the Forest Service and continue efforts to reduce the wildfire threat in the watershed.
• Implement the Ashland Forest Lands restoration plan for watershed improvement by a) completing Phase II; and, b) developing Phase III work plan for restoration work on Winburn Parcel.

7. Establish a stronger, formalized role for the City in the stewardship of entire Ashland Watershed.

8. Derive a specific list of '04 action items from the Housing Action Plan and Needs Analysis with reasonable, measurable marks of progress.

• Consider the land use changes listed in the Housing Action Plan (council to approve action steps)
• Amend ordinance to stop allowing single-family residential development in mixed-family residential zoning districts.
• Provide in-kind support to ACLT as attainable housing for Ashland.

9. Design implementation of local Economic Development program, based on current Comprehensive Plan, Policy 3.

10. Continue master planning of large undeveloped properties.

11. Develop planning framework for future development of North Normal area.

12. Evaluate and create plan for remodel of Council Chamber (meet various concerns: seating, sound, design, web access).

13. Enhance revenue and services from AFN to strengthen its viability.

14. Complete pre-design plan for future extension of TAP water line, including priority for conservation.

15. Enhance water supply and conservation by developing a citywide focus "the right water for the right use." Explore and potentially develop a three-year plan to improve and extend our current TID system; develop a TAP timeline and design; negotiate for other water supply options; support effluent reuse option for the WWTP effluent.

16. Develop a five-year plan to identify, fund and fully integrate all information technology functions within the organization, including upgrades to LaserFiche, GIS, utility billing software, web interface modules and more. Invest in and utilize the most appropriate software to maintain, improve, and enhance internal work performance thereby providing the best possible service to Ashland citizens.

17. Complete a communications coverage study for fire department radio communications.

• Conduct a radio wave strength and coverage study.
• Determine need for additional radio repeater/receiver sites.
• Identify and purchase necessary radio communications equipment.

18. Establish a Public Safety Advisory Committee to provide public input on police and fire issues (with Council approved guidelines).

19. Develop strategy to educate residents about City's emergency procedures in the event of wildfire (Fire, Police and Public Works Departments: evacuate, relocate, shelter, communications with the public).

20. Improve safety of existing at grade RR crossings and develop a plan to improve the Hersey St./N. Laurel St. crossing.

21. Improve pedestrian and traffic safety based on the 3-Es - Education, Enforcement and Engineering at Wimer Street and North Main.

22. Measurably improve traffic safety in neighborhoods (Pedestrians, auto, bicycle, sidewalks, school zones, speed limits, crosswalk safety).

23. Continue and to expand RVTD free busing program.

24. Evaluate TTPC Plan and develop action plan for items adopted.

25. Identify and acquire land for transit station.

26. Map water capacity and its sources in the watershed and enhance protection of it. In partnership, implement an enhanced monitoring program (begin monitoring).

27. Improve public trail system by developing a comprehensive trails master plan, which addresses minimizing public/private conflicts. Plan should include the Bear Creek Greenway (Dog Park to Mountain Ave. Park). (Plan should discuss range of tools to obtain access and ways to estimate construction costs and costs to obtain easements.)

28. Adopt Dark Sky Ordinance that reduces light pollution throughout the City on public and private property.

29. Continue to provide information to the community and foster discussion on growth and planning issues, with an emphasis on historic preservation, annexation requirements, State land use law, infill policy and impacts related to density, rate of growth, development standards, and processes.

30. Develop performance measures program for all city departments.

31. Review and adjust target fund balances to respond to current operations.

32. Review and consider strategies in the health and human services plan.

33. Identify and implement no-cost and low-cost strategies within the Health and Human Services Plan in partnership with service providers that aid in the delivery of services to people most in need.

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