HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 2005-18 RESOLUTION NO. 2005-18
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA, ADOPTING THE TOWN OF FOUNTAIN
HILLS STRATEGIC PLAN 2006-2010 DATED NOVEMBER 29, 2005,
ESTABLISHING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION
AND ADOPTING BYLAWS FOR ITS GOVERNANCE.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA, as follows:
SECTION 1. The Town of Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010 dated November 29,
2005, is hereby approved in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by
reference.
SECTION 2. There is hereby established a Strategic Planning Advisory Commission
(the "SPAC") for the Town to advise the Town Council and the Town Manager with respect to
the implementation of the Town's Strategic Plan. The SPAC shall be a regularly-scheduled
commission and shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed and hold their seats in
accordance with Section 9 of the Town Council Rules of Procedure, as amended.
SECTION 3. The Bylaws for the SPAC are hereby approved in the form attached hereto
as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Mayor and Council of the Town of Fountain Hills,
Arizona, December 1, 2005.
FOR THE TOWN FOUNTAIN HILLS: ATTESTED TO:
W. J. Nichols M yor Bevelyn J. Ben , T� n Clerk
REVIEWED BY: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
11• A-AZ
T of y G. Pi ering, Town Manalr Andrew J. McGuire, Town Attorney
615365.3
EXHIBIT A
[Town of Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010 dated November 29, 2005]
See following pages.
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Town of Fountain Hills
Strategic Plan 2006-20 10•
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Draft 4.1 — November 29, 200
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TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS , ARIZONA
CITIZEN-DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Our Town. Our Choices
A Road Map to the Future
Town of Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary
Major Findings 1
Action Plan 2
Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Background 5
Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years 8
Government Financial Stability 8
Education: Higher and Continuing Education and Support of Educational Excellence 11
Work with Local Schools More Closely 11
Physical Planning: Zoning and Architecture 13
Require Low-Water Landscaping 13
Strictly Enforce the General Plan and Zoning Ordinances 15
Regulate Commercial Architectural Compatibility 17
Annex State Trust Lands 19
Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years 21
Parks and Recreation.. 21
Add Recreation Amenities 21
Small Town Atmosphere and Town Identity 23
Strengthen the Community's Small Town Identity 23
Municipal Government Services 26
Enhance Pedestrian Safety 26
Ensure All Streets Are Well-Maintained and Smooth 27
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StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -i - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Education: Higher and Continuing Education and Support of Educational Excellence 28 t
Support Lifelong Learning Opportunities 28
Preservation of the Environment 30
Enhance Stewardship of the Natural Environment 30
Not Town Priorities At This Time 32
Commercial Vitality and Business Development 34
Arts and Culture 35
Vision and Value Statements 36
Keeping the Process Alive 37
Additional Materials 39
Summary of Methodology to Identify Priorities 39
Acknowledgements 41
Technical Advisory Committee Members 43
Appendices
Tab
Appendix A: Resolution to Adopt the Strategic Plan 2006-2010 and
Create the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission A
Appendix B: Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats(SWOT) B
Appendix C: Key Informant Interviews Summary C
Appendix D: Youth Visioning Institute D
Appendix E: Where We Are Now Report E
Appendix F: Town Hall 1 Small Group Discussion Notes F
Appendix G: Town Hall 1 Evaluation Report G
Appendix H: Strategic Choices Report H
Appendix I: Town Hall 2 Results Report I
Appendix J: Town Hall 2 Evaluation Report J
Appendix K: Survey Report K
Appendix L: Newsletters L
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - ii - November 29, 2005 NMI
TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS , ARIZONA
CITIZEN- DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Our Town. Our Choices
A Road Map to the Future
Town of Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Executive Summary
The Town of Fountain Hills adopts the following strategic action plan as a result of a year-long
citizen-driven strategic planning process undertaken in 2005. The process used several venues
and methods to solicit input from and communicate with the Town's citizens: a public kickoff
event; key informant interviews; presentations to community groups; a Youth Visioning Insti-
tute; two all-day Town Hall events; four Informed Choices workshops; a random sample survey
sent to 2,400 households; three Town Council presentations; over 70 articles in two news papers;
three newsletters and three major articles in the Town's newsletter, Compass, each mailed to
every household. The process was overseen by a volunteer Technical Advisory Committee,made
up of Fountain Hills citizens with experience in strategic planning and community leadership.
Major Findings
• Most Residents .Think Fountain Hills Is a Good Place to Live. Over 96% of the
residents surveyed in the random sample rated Fountain Hills as an "excellent" or "good"
place to live, which was significantly higher than the U.S. average of 84%. Residents also
generally gave high ratings to the Town as a place to retire and as a place to raise children.
• Overall Ratings for Quality of Life in Fountain Hills Are Significantly Higher than the
National Average. Over 93% of the residents surveyed in the random sample rated the
quality of life in Fountain Hills as "good" or "excellent," which was 16% higher than the
U.S. average(77%).
• Reasons Residents Decided to Live in Fountain Hills. The top five reasons that
residents decided to live in Fountain Hills based on the percentage of respondents to the
random sample who thought the issues were "very important" or "extremely important" to
their decision are listed below:
• Low crime rate (91%)
• Appearances,views, and overall beauty of the Town(86%)
• Quality of housing(83%)
• Small-town atmosphere in the community(77%)
• Financial stability of local governments(71%)
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 1 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
• Reasons Residents Plan to STAY in Fountain Hills. The top five reasons that residents (
plan to stay in Fountain Hills based on the percentage of respondents to the random sample
who selected the issue as one of their top choices are listed below:
• Small-town atmosphere in the community(51%)
• Low crime rate(51%)
• Appearances, views, and overall beauty of the Town(40%)
• Level of taxation(29%)
• Quality of housing(17%) Awareness of Strategic Plan
Awareness of the Strategic Plan: The Town of Fountain Hills did a
A
very good job of educating the community about the Strategic Plan. a�1r; 4
Nrti
Three of four (75%) residents surveyed in the random sample indicated '.,
they knew the Town was in the process of developing a strategic plan. .
Action Plan
The strategic plan revealed broad community consensus to implement the following strategic
priorities. Note that the preliminary cost estimates included with each priority are as of June
2005, and are provided for broad policy guidance only. They are based on a broad range of
assumptions at the time they were developed by Town staff. As time goes on, these preliminary
cost estimates will be updated due to inflation and changes in circumstances and assumptions.
1. Financial Implementation Plan for Strategic Priorities. The Fountain Hills Town
Manager and his team will develop and maintain for Town Council approval, a financial plan t,,
showing(a) strategies to maintain long-term stability of the Town's finances, and(b)how the 44)
strategic priorities will be implemented,including refinements of the cost estimates contained
in this Strategic Plan 2006-2010, by June 30, 2006,
2. Revenue Shortfall. The Fountain Hills Town Council will resolve the Town's projected
long-term revenue shortfall by December 31, 2007. This projected revenue shortfall is caused
by reduction of construction-related revenues and State shared revenues as the Town nears
build-out, estimated to occur between budget years 2014-15 and 2018-19. It is currently
estimated at$19 million over 20 years, or about$66-$85 per household per year.
a. The Town and the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission will conduct activities to
educate the public about the causes and depth of the projected long-term revenue short-
fall, alternative solutions, and pros and cons of alternative courses of action.
b. The Town Council will act to resolve the projected long-term revenue shortfall, such as
(i) calling an election for voters to decide whether to levy a primary property tax, or (ii)
increasing various sales tax rates.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -2 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
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Estimated Estimated Estimated
Start-Up or Recurring Cost per
One Time Annual Household
Action Item Costs Costs per Year
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31,2007:
a. Work with local schools $0 $0 $0
b. Low water native landscaping(cost items: low- 100,000 0 10
water landscaping public education program).
c. Strictly enforce General Plan and zoning(cost 75,000 0 8
items: detailed study of developable land to
project build-out population accurately).
d. Create commercial architecture review board 0 180,000 18
(cost items: support for the architectural review
board; matching grants for existing buildings).
e. Annex State Trust Land 0 0 0
Subtotal, Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years $ 175,000 $ 180,000 $ 36
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue(see Action Plan initiative 2, above):
a. Add recreation amenities (cost items: pedes- $1,045,000 $65,000 $17
trian paths, trails and bike lanes; increase con-
certs, movies and programs to integrate people
of different ages, incomes and backgrounds).
b. Strengthen small town identity(cost items: 10,000 311,500 32
increase Town celebration and dialog events;
partner with Ft. McDowell; mentor new-
residents; expand one-stop information center;
add new fountain features at key focal points).
c. Enhance pedestrian safety(cost items: add 100,000 66,000 17
sidewalks, improve striping at crosswalks).
d. Maintain smooth streets (cost items: resurface 0 1,200,000 120
streets more often).
e. Support lifelong learning(cost items: increase 0 100,000 10
availability of and access to on-line classes;
increase courses of interest to seniors: provide
access to college-credit courses).
f. Enhance stewardship of natural environment 100,000 580,000 68
(cost items: view corridors; educate public on
dark skies; clean washes more often; improve
street sweeping;maintain McDowell Mountain
Preserve trails; enforce codes pro-actively).
Subtotal, Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years $1,255,000 $2,322,500 $264
Grand Total, Strategic Priorities $1,430,000 $2,502,500 $300
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StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 3 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
5. Not Town Priorities At This Time. The Fountain Hills Town Government should not
focus attention on the following initiatives that are not community priorities at this time.
Groups of citizens who want to see these projects implemented are encouraged to pursue
partnerships with other organizations and funding sources, and to educate the public about
how these projects will improve the qualify of life in Fountain Hills:
a. Build a new teen activity center.
b. Improve public transportation services to and from Fountain Hills and other communities.
c. Build a new aquatic center that has features for people of all ages.
d. Establish a Town-operated garbage collection service.
e. Create a curbside recycling program.
f. Increase enforcement of housing quality codes with occupancy change inspections.
g. Acquire land, develop&maintain a new 15-acre community park.
h. Widen Fountain Hills Boulevard.
i. Build a new performing arts center.
j. Build a larger stand-alone senior center.
6. Commercial Vitality and Business Development. A key issue throughout the strategic
planning process was the Town's vision for the downtown area. The Town's vision for its
downtown area is to serve mainly the needs of residents, rather than primarily focusing on
attracting tourists and residents from other communities. While specific Town activities to
promote Fountain Hills' commercial vitality and business development are not included
among the strategic priorities, citizens did provide strategic direction commercial and busi-
ness development. The survey data supports identifying and encouraging commercial and
business development that mainly meets the needs of local residents, rather than options that
primarily attract tourists and residents from outside Fountain Hills.
7. Arts and Culture. Because of lack of consensus in favor of action regarding the arts and
culture, the Strategic Plan 2006-2010 includes no Town activities to support the arts and
culture in Fountain Hills. Individuals who are interested in the arts and cultural activities are
encouraged to pursue ideas and projects with other partners and non-municipal resources,
and to educate the public about how arts and cultural programs affect the quality of life in
Fountain Hills.
8. Strategic Planning Advisory Commission. The Fountain Hills Town Council will
create and appoint members to a Strategic Planning Advisory Commission (SPAC) by
February 2, 2006, to champion implementation and periodic updates of the Fountain Hills
Strategic Plan.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -4- November 29, 2005
TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS , ARIZONA
CITIZEN- DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Our Town. Our Choices
A Road Map to the Future
Town of Fountain Hills Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Background
Strategic planning is a disciplined process by which an organization envisions its future and
develops strategies, goals, objectives and action plans to achieve that future. Thus, strategic
planning is a decision-making process.
In late 2004 the Town of Fountain Hills embarked on a strategic planning process that involved
its citizenry to a very high degree. This decision was consistent with Fountain Hills' history.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the Fountain Hills Civic Association sponsored a series
of Town Hall meetings where citizens were asked their opinions about potential policies,
amenities and facilities. The last such effort, in 1995, resulted in a list of over 20 improvements,
most of which have been accomplished.
46.0 In the early fall of 2004 about 40 citizens and a few Town Council Members met to discuss the
idea of creating a strategic plan. Participants generally favored the idea, and Town Manager
recruited a committee of highly-experienced citizen volunteers to design and oversee the process.
The volunteers—who became the Technical Advisory Committees—developed a citizen partici-
pation plan outlining key events that would seek out opinions of the Town's citizens. The Town
Council approved the citizen participation plan on December 16, 2004. In late January 2005 the
Town contracted with a project manager,2 and in February it contracted with a communications
company3 to help educate the public and get out the word about the strategic planning events.
Before it began,the Technical Advisory Committee described the strategic planning process:
The Fountain Hills Strategic Planning Process is a comprehensive, citizen-driven effort. It
will determine the community's long-term vision that will generate a strategic agenda for
decision-making regarding the future of Fountain Hills. The vision will identify the gap
between what exists today and what the community desires. The resultant strategic plan will
quantify the needs, desires, projects and services determined to be critical for community
I Janice Abramson,Curt Dunham, Peggy Fiandaca, Jim Hamblin,Henry Leger, Civic Association President Roger
Riggert, and Mike Tyler are principal citizen volunteers; Bob Yordy participated through March 2005. Council
Member Ed Kehe represents the Town Council,as did Council Member Kathleen Nicola until her untimely death in
May 2005.Town Manager Tim Pickering is a member,and staff member Shaunna Williams provides administrative
services.
2 Blackerby Associates,Inc.:Phillip Blackerby,Project Manager,and Lynne Brown,Facilitator.
3 Image Weavers:Francesca Carozza,Project Manager,and Charlotte McCluskey.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -5 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
success, and outline what role the Town of Fountain Hills should play in financing and (
implementing action strategies. A critical component of the process is to determine the
willingness of Fountain Hills' citizens to pay for community needs and desires.
To ensure success, the planning process will be based on the following key concepts:
• Inclusiveness
• Simplicity
• Financially Responsible
• Realistic Implementation
The process will be deemed a success when citizens and leadership have a collective under-
standing of the Town's direction and agree on a systematic path to pursue the future vision
of Fountain Hills.
During the strategic planning process participants discussed many current and potential services
and amenities. Many of the existing services and amenities are operating satisfactorily; therefore,
improving them is not a strategic priority for the next five years, as they continue to operate at
current performance levels. Examples include police, fire protection and economic development,
all of which are considered important for the future and operating at acceptable levels.
The chart on the next page shows the citizen-driven strategic planning process in flowchart form.
Key events in the citizen-driven strategic planning process include:4
• An analysis of the Town's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, started by Town
citizens in October 2004. t
• A January 2005 kick-off event involving over 200 citizens to discuss the process and build
volunteer lists. This event coincided with a celebration of the Town's 15th anniversary.
• In-depth interviews with about 30 community leaders in February and March.
• Creation of a web site (www.fh.az.gov/ourtownourchoices/) with information about the
strategic planning process, and a repository for all reports and publications from the process.
• Creation of a Strategic Planning Update Line, (480) 816-5295, for citizens to hear a message
about the strategic planning process, and to leave messages to request additional information.
• Presentations to 19 community groups to educate them about the strategic planning process,
from February through May.
• A Youth Visioning Institute in March, involving 50 high school students who envisioned the
future of their town, and communicated their visions through multi-media presentations.
• An April report, Where We Are Now, outlining current conditions in population, housing,
economy, finances, physical plan, amenities, public safety environment, transportation and
neighboring jurisdictions.
• Town Hall 1, in April, involved 256 citizens on a Friday evening and all day Saturday in
brainstorming to delineate their vision and values for the town, and key strategies to make
their vision and values a reality. An invitation was sent to every household in Fountain Hills.
• A series of Informed Choices workshops on key topics: long-term Town financial choices,
charter government, commercial architecture and view corridor regulation, and parks and
recreation, in July and August.More than 50 people attended one or more workshop.
4 The numbers reported below do not include Town Council Members,staff,outside volunteers or consultants.
Strategic Plan.v4.1.doc -6- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
• An August report, Strategic Choices, organized issues in 10 focus areas and 31 scenarios
(goals). Policies, programs and projects—with estimated annual costs per household—
described how to implement the scenarios. A two-page worksheet highlighted 44 key deci-
sion points, or strategic choices.
• Town Hall 2, in August, involved 163 citizens all day on a Saturday in stating ways to deal
with Town financial issues, selecting strategic choices to analyze, and developing implemen-
tation plans. A total of 330 individuals attended either Town Hall 1 or Town Hall 2 or both.
• A scientific, random-sample survey of Fountain Hills adults (1,206 respondents; 50%
response rate)in early October,measured how the general public feels about a list of decision
items based on the one presented to the Town Hall 2 participants. The survey was presented
to the Town Council November 3.5
• Distribution of three newsletters and three Compass newsletter articles about the strategic
planning process, to every household in Fountain Hills.
• Over 70 newspaper articles about the strategic planning process were published by the
Fountain Hills Times or the Arizona Republic; each newspaper reaches about 60% of the
households in Fountain Hills.
• Input from all information sources, including both the survey and Town Hall 2, have been
incorporated in this strategic plan.
• The Town Council held a work session on a draft of the strategic plan November 8.
• The Town Council will consider adoption of the strategic plan December 1,
Fountain Hills Citizen-Driven Strategic Planning Process
Develop Citizen Analysis of Public Citizen Policy
Inputs Decisions Implications Discussion Decisions Decisions
Public Meetings
SWOT Analysis
j Where We Town Draft
Hall#2:
Kick-Off Event H Are Now Town Council----►Consensus, ♦ Strategic
Report Newsletter Status Report Tactics in Plan
-
Key Informant - Phases
Interviews r Strategic
Town Choices Council
Group
Hall#1: Workshops Town Hall 2 Stud
Research F- Vision, -► Discussion Results y
Values Notes Report Session
Issues LettersF 1
Group/Club - to Editor
Presentations t Staff Final
Youth Planning Group/Club Scientific Strategic
Plan
Visioning Retreat Discussions Survey
t -.... (—
Newsletter _ Institute y
�- Strategic Web Site
Choices _, & Email Newsletter Council
Report Comments '_ Consideration
5 The survey administrator is ETC Institute,Olathe Kansas,Chris Tatham,Vice President and Principal Investigator.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -7- November 29,2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Focus Areas and Strategic PrioritiesNair
To facilitate analysis, the Technical Advisory Committee grouped the key strategic planning
issues into focus areas. The following pages present a description of each of the key strategic
issues under each focus area, followed by an action plan for that key strategic issue.
Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years
The first several strategic priorities are scheduled for implementation during the first two years
of this Strategic Plan 2006-2010, or in calendar years 2006 and 2007. These priorities generally
have little or no cost, or can be implemented without creating a new or dedicated funding source.
These strategic priorities include: government financial stability; the education issue of working
with local schools; and physical planning issues, including use of low-water landscaping, strictly
enforcing the Town's General Plan and zoning ordinances, regulating commercial architecture,
and annexing the State Trust Lands.
Government Financial Stability Sales
The current budget, for 2005-06, is balanced, and the financial diffi- Tax
culties of 2001-2002, have been resolved; a recent bond issue earned an Jurisdiction Rate
excellent Aa3 rating. A sales tax abatement for a Shea Boulevard retail Nogales (lowest) 7.35%
development is projected to be paid off early. Tucson 7.60 0
Chandler 7.8%
However, sales taxes are 51% of the Town's general fund operating Gilbert 7.8%
budget, a higher percentage than most Arizona cities and towns. Adding Mesa 7.8%
(
Fountain Hills' local rate (2.6%) to the state (5.6%) and county (0.7%) Lake Havasu City 7.85%
rates, consumers pay 8.9% sales tax in stores. The statewide average is Paradise Valley 7.95°%
8.58%. Fountain Hills' combined sales tax rate ranks 24th among Ari- Scottsdale 7.95/o
zona's 89 cities and towns. As the Town approaches build-out, pro- Phoenix 8.1%
jected between 2012 and 2015, sales tax and permit fee revenues from Tempe 8.1%
new construction will decrease significantly. This revenue accounts for Prescott 8.35%
about 20% of the Town's general fund operating budget. Payson 8.72%
Apache Junction 8.8%
o Cave Creek 8.8%
Additionally, State shared revenues are nearly one-third (32%) of the
Town's general fund operating budget. The State allocates these reve- Fountain Hills 8.9%
nues to cities and towns based on their relative population. As the Town Carefree 9.3%
nears build-out, its population will stabilize while other cities and towns Sedona 9.35%
will continue to grow. Fountain Hills' share of these revenues is projec- Winkelman 10.1%
ted to fall as early as budget year 2006-07, after the mid-decade census. San Luis(highest) 10.7%
Thus, the two revenue sources that make up 83% of the Town's general fund budget(51% sales
tax and 32% State shared revenues), are expected to fall as the Town nears build-out. These pro-
jections are not a crisis now,but planning now may reduce the impacts of these long-term trends.
Fountain Hills has no primary property tax, which many other communities use to fund day-to-
day operating expenses. The Town does levy a secondary property tax, which it uses to pay off
bonds that financed open space, library and paving projects.
f .
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -8 - November 29,2005 VIP
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
The chart at right shows the gene- 20-Year General Fund Revenue/Expenditure Projection
ral fund over the next 20 years. (Does not include capital projects)
The vertical bars project Town 535,°°°'°°°
expenses for current operations
2 : x.. l
and capital projects. The blue
530,000,000
�k a
lower line (diamond • markers) 741:040-1
shows projected revenues. This 525,000,000 "'' � � Ln k t:' 4� F
line crosses the expense bars in � � �: t i
budget year 2014-15, after which 52°°00°°° yt _' R:
the Town projects a growing bud-
,�
get deficit, even if no new capital
projects are begun. Over 20
years, the Town will need about
$19 million, or about $950,000
per year. The red upper line (dot f: , r a ` f ;
• markers) compares the impacts
FY06.07 to FY09-10 FY10-11 to FY14-15 FY15-16 to FY19-20 FY20-21 to FY2._25
of annexing the State Trust
_TOTAL PROJECTED EXPENDITURES —+—TOTAL REVFNUE(w/trust land) —4—TOTAL REVENUE trust loud)
Lands. It delays the projected
growing budget deficit by four
years,to 2018-19, even with no new capital projects.
To deal with this issue, survey respondents were asked to choose among five alternatives:
1. Raise revenue by levying a primary property tax of approximately $66 per year per
I' household to eliminate the projected deficit and keep the Town's current service levels the
k"' same(the Town does not currently have a primary property tax).
2. Raise revenue by increasing the Town's sales tax by 0.2 cents which will cost the average
household approximately$66 per year(the current sales tax rate is 8.9 cents).
3. Keep service levels the same,but postpone raising revenue until a future date. By delaying an
increase in revenue, the annual payments that will be paid by residents in the future will be
higher than the amount currently estimated of$66 per household.
4. Cut or reduce services provided by the Town.
5. Don't know/Need more information.
Finanical Stability Preferences The pie chart at left summarizes the survey responses. Nearly
F half(48%) of the respondents said to take action sooner, rather
�< x than later. These respondents were nearly evenly split between
)�1x v, ro fi using property tax(25%)or sales tax(23%)to solve the problem.
`' Significantly, nearly a third (30%) said they did not know and
;y ,,,r r` needed more information. Just 10% said to delay action until the
6�T"• �c�y.4�
?57:eu)L+L S?' �I1 . ; _fi- deficit actually occurs, incurring higher costs, and 12% said to
reduce Town services to overcome the shortfall. Town Hall 2
participants had more information about the impacts of property
and sales taxes; 66% of them supported the property tax option
while 11% supported a sales tax increase.
Strateg icPlan.v4.1.doc -9 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Government Financial Stability
1. Financial Implementation Plan for Strategic Priorities. The Fountain Hills Town
Manager and his team will develop and maintain for Town Council approval, a financial plan
showing(a) strategies to maintain long-term stability of the Town's finances, and(b)how the
strategic priorities will be implemented, including refinements of the cost estimates contained
in this Strategic Plan 2006-2010, by June 30, 2006,
2. Revenue Shortfall. The Fountain Hills'Town Council will resolve the Town's projected
long-term revenue shortfall by December 31, 2007. Nearly half of the survey respondents
preferred a sooner,rather than later,resolution of the projected revenue shortfall issue.
a. The Town and the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission will conduct activities to
educate the public about the causes and depth of the long-term revenue shortfall, alter-
native solutions, and pros and cons of alternative courses of action, such as levying a
primary property tax and increasing various sales tax rates. Education is critical, as 30%
of survey respondents reported they needed more information before deciding how they
prefer to resolve this issue.
b. The Town Council will act to resolve the long-term revenue shortfall by December 31,
2007. Many residents thought the Town should raise taxes now to offset the Town's
projected deficit. Residents who responded to the random sample survey were 2.2 times
more likely to prefer having the Town raise taxes now to offset the Town's projected
deficit (48%) than they were to think the Town should cut services or postpone raising
taxes until a future date (22%). Among the 48% who supported a tax increase, residents
were split on the method that should be used: 25% preferred levying a property tax and
23% preferred increasing the sales tax. Although residents preferred raising taxes to
wri
cutting services, 30% of those surveyed in the random sample did not have an opinion on
the issue. This suggests that the Town will need to conduct a significant education effort
before proceeding with any of the options that are currently being considered.
(
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 10- November 29, 2005 VIP
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Education: Higher and Continuing Education and
Support of Educational Excellence
Work with Local Schools More Closely
Education of children is primarily the job of the Fountain Hills Unified School District, which is
wholly separate from the Town of Fountain Hills government. FHUSD operates two elementary
schools, one middle school and a high school. Also separate is the Fountain Hills Charter School,
which provides K through 8th grade education.
Nevertheless, the Town supports the educational system though the Mayor's Youth Council, and
by sharing facilities with schools—primarily at Town parks and school gyms—to eliminate
duplicate facilities. The Town and FHUSD have a blanket agreement that allows facilities to be
shared without detailed negotiations over every use.
The FHHS baseball and basketball teams have both won state championships in recent years,but
the Town and townspeople have taken relatively little notice. Participation in school activities—
athletic events, plays, concerts, etc.—by townspeople who are not parents of student participants
is limited, in spite of the very high quality of these student efforts. On the other hand, football
game attendance increased in 2005, as the team won the district championship for the second
year in a row.
To discover what issues concern the Town's Town Should Work More Closely With Schools
youth, the strategic planning process involved 50 o% 10% 20% 30% 40%a 50% 60% 70%
high school students in a Youth Visioning Insti- =1111111• 'IMIIIM
tote. In small groups the students envisioned a very wiling {•
ay
future for Fountain Hills, and created multimedia
descriptions of that future. Theypresented their Somewhat
a7.
Willing
descriptions to Town Hall 1 participants, setting
the stage for visioning exercises at that event. The Not Sure/Need
More Information
resolution creating the Strategic Planning Advi-
sory Commission specifies that one member must Not Willing c')i
be a youth representative.
The survey supported the Town working more closely with schools, with over two-thirds (67%)
of respondents strongly agreeing or agreeing that the Town government and local schools should
work together more closely, ranking 6th among the 21 issues considered. This issue was the
number-one ranked item for funding, with 80% of respondents very or somewhat willing to have
the Town work more closely with local schools, including 58% who answered "Very willing."
Just 7% of respondents were not willing to fund such activities, the smallest opposition rate
among all 21 issues. No cost items were associated with this priority.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 11 - November 29,2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Work with Local Schools More Closely (.,
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the VIP
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31,2007:
a. Work with local schools more closely.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Examples of Policies:
1. Increase sharing of facili- Parks & FHUSD Covered $0
ties,that both the townspeople Recreation under existing
and the schools can use, such intergovern-
as: a community theater; a mental agree-
community pool. ment
2. Increased facilities sharing, FHUSD Parks & Covered $0
by opening school resources Recreation under existing
to Town activities, such as intergovern-
classrooms for lifelong mental agree-
learning, or ability to book ment
school meeting facilities
through the Community
Center.
3. Review the Town's sign Town Council Code Division Negligible $0
ordinance for appropriate Town Attorney cost
temporary celebrations of
school achievements.
Examples of Programs:
4. Encourage townspeople to Parks & Downtown Negligible $0
wear blue & silver, attend Recreation Economic cost
school events,paint slogans Development
on store windows,hang street Chamber of
banners, and develop Falcon Commerce
Pride, sponsored by the FHUSD
Mayor and Council.
5. Connect Town volunteers Parks& FHUSD Negligible $0
with students who may need Recreation cost
mentoring outside normal
school counseling services.
6. Connect businesses with Chamber of Human Not a Town $0
students needing part-time Commerce Resources program
school year jobs or full-time
summer jobs,with job fairs.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 12- November 29, 2005 vr
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Physical Planning: Zoning and Architecture
Much of the physical layout of the town was created in the late 1960's by the Town's developers
at MCO. They laid out the streets, subdivided lots and zoned properties by use. Some of their
work was basic urban planning; some was influenced by then-current market conditions, which
may have favored some types of uses over others. The MCO Master Plan became the template
for the later Town of Fountain Hills General Plan.
In the 15 years since incorporation, circumstances have changed in several areas related to the
physical plan of the Town. These issues include: greater concerns about water availability;
variances granted under planning and zoning laws; commercial structures that some feel are
inconsistent with the Town's look and feel; and the recent announcement that two square miles
of State Trust Lands adjacent to the Town will be developed.
Low-Water Landscaping
Most commercial and residential properties in Fountain Hills are landscaped using low-water
native vegetation, sometimes called "Xeriscape."6 This approach requires little water or main-
tenance, and can be as pleasant as more lush vegetation appropriate to Midwest or Eastern
climates. It also conserves valuable water resources, and provides habitat for natural wildlife.
Many home-owners associations (HOAs) regulate Require Low-Water Landscaping
front landscaping within their communities, and 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
most of these regulations call for native desert
vegetation, but many homes in the Town are not Very Willing
� s�
covered by an HOA. �M
Somewhat
Willing
The Town is responsible for landscaping at public
facilities such as the civic center area, street Not Sure/Need
More Information
medians, parks and other Town-owned lands. In
general, the Town uses native desert vegetation, Not willing 41l,,
except for park lawns—which are watered with
effluent—and Avenue of the Fountains medians.
This issue was strongly supported by survey respondents, with nearly three-fourths (73%)
strongly agreeing or agreeing that new developments should be required to use low-water native
vegetation for landscaping, ranking 5th among the 21 issues. Over three of five (61%) respon-
dents were very or somewhat willing to pay for such regulation, ranking 2nd among the 21
funding issues considered. Town Hall 2 participants rated this issue 8th among the 44 issues they
considered,but did not include this issue in their implementation plans.
6 Xeriscape is a trademark of the Denver Water Department
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 13 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Low-Water Landscaping (•
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the Nigif
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31,2007:
b. Low water native landscaping.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Examples of Policies:
1. Continue to use low-water Public Works Parks & $0
native vegetation landscaping in Recreation
all public projects, including Chaparral
public buildings and selected City Water
parklands. Co.
2. Require low-water native Planning& Code $0
vegetation landscaping in all Zoning Division
commercial projects. Chaparral
City Water
Co.
3. Require low-water native Planning & Code $0
vegetation landscaping in Zoning Division
common areas in new Chaparral
developments. City Water
Co.
Example of Projects:
4. Educate the public to Planning & $100,000 $10
demonstrate the benefits of Zoning one-time
following natural vegetation cost
standards in residents' homes.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 14- November 29, 2005 VIO
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Physical Planning: Zoning and Architecture
Strictly Enforce the General Plan and Zoning Ordinances
The Town's population, estimated at 22,900 in 2004, is projected to increase up to 34%, to
30,700 at build-out between 2012 and 2015. Some citizens are already concerned about the size
and level of congestion in the Town and fear that developers may concentrate on multifamily
housing for remaining vacant land,increasing the population beyond the projected 30,700 level.
The Town regulates population growth indirectly, through application of its zoning ordinance.
All property in the Town is zoned, and residential zones limit the number of housing units that
can be built on any piece of property. While the Town has not conducted a detailed analysis of
the population that could be housed on undeveloped land under current zoning, officials believe
that the current projections of about 30,700 people at build-out(2012-2015) are reasonable.
From time-to-time, developers may request variances from the General Plan and various
ordinances, or changes to the General Plan and ordinances themselves. These requests are
reviewed first by the advisory Planning and Zoning Commission, and then they are considered
by the Town Council. Strictly Enforce General Plan&Zoning Ordinance
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Under this goal the Town Council would almost
never grant a variance or amend the zoning Very Willing
ordinance. Instead, the Council would follow a
rigid adherence to the current General Plan and S w;n neat `
,r zoning ordinance. This approach would
effectively limit the Town's population at build-
More
Not Information
out to about 30,700, not counting the State Trust
Lands. Not Willing IX r
Of citizens responding to the survey, 80% strongly agreed or agreed that the Town should strictly
enforce the General Plan and zoning ordinance, ranking 3rd among the 21 issues considered.Well
over half(56%) were very or somewhat willing to pay for such strict enforcement, and just 20%
were not willing to pay for strict enforcement. Town Hall 2 participants also rated this issue
highly,ranking 10th most important of the 44 issues, and putting it in phase 1 of their implemen-
tation plan.
Lre
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 15 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills D RA F T Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Strictly Enforce the General Plan and Zoning Ordinances ,
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the lodir
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31,2007:
c. Strictly enforce General Plan and zoning.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Examples of Policies:
1. Strict enforcement of height Town Council Planning Negligible cost $0
restrictions,to protect mountain &Zoning
views.
2. Continue the build-out plan, Town Council Planning No increase in $0
which contemplates that the &Zoning cost above
Town population will stabilize at current
the currently projected range of spending
29,300 to 30,700.
3. Include population projections Town Council Planning Negligible cost $0
as a criterion when considering &Zoning
planning and zoning cases.
Example of Projects:
4. Improve estimates of ultimate Planning& $75,000 for $8
build-out by inventorying Zoning analysis
developable vacant land, and
Nod
applying current zoning and
population ratios.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 16- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
.► Physical Planning: Zoning and Architecture
Regulate Commercial Architectural Compatibility
Regulation of commercial architecture is important to many residents. Architectural compati-
bility can be successfully regulated, but it can create significant difficulties for developers, par-
ticularly when economics change. If commercial architectural compatibility standards are
objective, easily understood by developers, and responsive to different economic conditions, they
can improve the physical appearance of a community, and thereby increase its property values.
The Town does not currently regulate architecture. While the Town has published recommended
paint colors, it has not enacted any commercial architectural compatibility standards, and so it
has no objective basis from which to evaluate Establish an Architecture Review Board
proposed buildings. o% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Survey respondents supported architectural con- Very Willing
trols very strongly, with 82% strongly agreeing or
agreeing establishing such controls for commer- Somewhat,
Willing
cial aesthetic compatibility. Moreover, 47% of
respondents were very or somewhat willing to pay Not Sure/Need �,af
for establishing an architectural review board to More Information
ensure the architectural aesthetic compatibility of Not Willing + <'
commercial property in the Town.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 17- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Regulate Commercial Architectural Compatibility
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2007:
d. Create a commercial architecture review board.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Policy Outline:
1. Establish a citizens architec- Town Council Planning $80,000/yr. for $8
tural review committee to: & support to the
(a) Establish objective archi- Zoning Committee,
tectural compatibility including staff
standards for commercial personnel costs,
buildings operating expenses
(b) Review proposed coin- and support
mercial buildings for services.
compliance with archi-
tectural compatibility
standards, and recommend
whether a building permit
should be awarded;
(d) In case of a negative
recommendation,work
with the architect and
developer to find ways to
meet the building's
objectives consistent with
the architectural
compatibility standards;
(e) If not resolved within a
specified time, refer the
case to the Town Council
for consideration.
Example of Program:
2. Provide matching grants for Town Council Planning $100,000 per year $10
existing(grandfathered) & for several years for
commercial buildings to Zoning matching grants.
become compatible with new
architectural compatibility
standards.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 18- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Physical Planning: Zoning and Architecture
Annex State Trust Lands
The State Land Commissioner has announced plans to auction off, in 2006, about two square
miles (1,276 acres) of undeveloped State Trust Land adjacent to Fountain Hills, to the north.
How this land will be developed, and whether it will become a part of the Town proper, are key
questions. The Town has analyzed alternative development scenarios, which range from a low
estimate of 1,600 new residents to a mid-range estimate of 4,000, or a high estimate of 7,600
new residents. Town officials are working with the State Land Commissioner and other officials
to ensure that:
• Development on the State Trust Lands is consistent with Fountain Hills standards, in terms of
density and protection of views, open space,washes, hillsides,natural areas and dark skies;
• Streets match up to,and meet the same construction standards as Fountain Hills streets;
• Developers set aside sufficient amenities, including parks and other community facilities to
support the eventual population on these lands;
• Development fees pay for Fountain Hills infrastructure improvements that will be necessary
to serve the additional population in this area; and
• The property is annexed into the Town of Fountain Hills, so that the Town Council can zone
the property, review development plans and incorporate the area into its General Plan, and so
that residents' secondary property taxes may help pay off the bonds that built Town facilities
that these new residents will use.
If the area is not annexed prior to development, the future residents of the area will use Fountain
L Hills streets, parks and community facilities anyway, without having contributed a fair share
toward developing those amenities. In effect, the Town will have the burden of serving these
non-citizens, without corresponding investments in the Town's service infrastructure.
A statewide conservation group is circulating initiative petitions to amend the Arizona State
Constitution, to permit State Trust Lands to be purchased by local governments for preservation,
in addition to being sold to the highest bidder to benefit the state education system. The State
Trust Lands adjacent to Fountain Hills are not covered by this proposal.
In the Fountain Hills October 2005 survey, more Annex State Trust Lands
than three in five (61%) respondents were very or o% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
somewhat willing to fund annexation of the State
Trust Land, including 44% who were very Very Willing �r
willing. This issue ranked 3rd among the 21 issues
considered. Opposition to funding was just 18%, Somewhat
Willing
the second-lowest level of opposition among the
21 issues. Not Sure/Need yf
More Information
Town Hall 2 participants also heavily favored this Not Willing «-.;
issue. It was the number-one most important
issue, and was at the top of their phase 1 imple-
mentation plan.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 19- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Annex State Trust Lands �.
3. Strategic Priorities, 1-2 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the Noad
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2007:
e. Annex State Trust Land.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Outline of Policies:
1. Annex the State Trust Town Council Town Collection of up to $0
Lands into the Town of Manager $29 million in
Fountain Hills, and Town development
assume the financial Attorney impact fees, and
responsibility of pro- Planning& some sales tax
viding full municipal Zoning revenues from new
services—police, fire, MCSO residents.
emergency, street FHFD Would require
maintenance and parks& Parks & additional$18
recreation facilities and Recreation million for park
maintenance—at levels Finance acquisition and
comparable to those State Land development, and
provided to similar areas Commissioner some other costs. "
in the Town. Net budget impact
is unknown as
ultimate population
is unknown.
2. Apply planning and Town Council Planning& Negligible $0
zoning standards to the Zoning
State Trust Lands consis-
tent with other similar
areas in Fountain Hills.
i,.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -20- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years
The next set of strategic priorities are scheduled for implementation in the 3-5-years time-frame,
or in calendar 2008, 2009 and 2010. In some cases, these priorities may have to be started earlier,
in order to be completely implemented in the 3-5 years target. These strategic priorities generally
require some significant funding, such as a bond issue with a dedicated funding source, or some
other municipal resources. They include adding recreation amenities to the Parks and Recreation
system; strengthening the community's small-town identity; improving municipal services
related to enhancing pedestrian safety and street maintenance; education issues related to lifelong
learning opportunities; and enhancing the Town's stewardship of the natural environment.
Implementation of these strategic priorities is contingent on first resolving the revenue shortfall
that is projected to occur as the Town nears build-out (see the section on Government Financial
Stability on page 9). This projected revenue shortfall results from reduction of construction-
related revenues and from loss of State shared revenues as the Town's population stabilizes.
Without resolution, the revenue shortfall is projected to result in growing budget deficits
sometime between the 2014-15 and 2018-19 budget years. The Town should not take on new
programs or new capital projects until this projected revenue shortfall is resolved.
Parks and Recreation
Add Recreation Amenities
Recreation options are important to many Town citizens, whether they have children, or their
children are grown, or they are retirees. Town-sponsored recreation programs center around the
Community Center or the various parks. Privately-sponsored recreation programs include events
such as the semi-annual Fairs, other art shows, club activities,and nearby casinos.
The Town Parks &Recreation Department sponsors a wide variety of recreational opportunities,
including various sports leagues (providing appropriate field and court facilities), classes in
various crafts and self-improvement topics, and social activities such as St. Patrick's Day and
Easter celebrations,balloon ascension and other family-oriented activities. The new performance
pad at Fountain Park hosted four concerts in the spring of 2005, and additional four-concert
series are planned for each fall and each spring. Add Recreation Amenities
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
As the Town's population grows toward build-out
in the 2012-2015 time frame, additional recrea- Very Willing
tional programs and amenities will be needed to
Somewhat 2y�.
support the larger population. willing
In the survey, 46% of respondents strongly agreed Mo a�fo matio�
or agreed that the Town should have more recrea-
tional amenities, ranking it 13th among the 21 Not waling •
issues considered. When given more specific
information, 58% of respondents were very or somewhat willing to pay to add recreation ameni-
ties such as hiking trails and bike lanes, and programs such as concerts to the Town's Parks and
Recreation system. Just 16%were not sure and needed more information.
Strateg icPlan.v4.1.doc -21 - November 29,2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Add Recreation Amenities
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the4411)
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
a. Add recreation amenities
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Example of Policies:
1. Amend the Wash Town Council Town $25,000 for $3
Ordinance to permit Attorney, election
development of Town Clerk,
environmentally-sensitive
hiking trails(requires public
vote).
Examples of Projects:
2. Develop (soft)hiking trails Public Works Parks & $20,000 per wash $4
in major washes,while Recreation to build trails,
preserving their natural MCSO plus $20,000 per
condition and wildlife(after FHFD wash/yr. for
voter approval of Wash maintenance
Ordinance amendment).
3. Develop pedestrian- Public Works Parks & $1 million, $6
friendly pathways and trails Recreation funded from open
connecting greenbelts,parks space develop-
and public facilities. ment fees.
4. Expand bike lanes on Public Works Streets Negligible cost $0
streets,where suitable, and Department for striping
connect them to appropriate Parks &
hiking and biking trails. Recreation
Examples of Programs:
5. Expand the frequency of Parks & $15,000/yr.; $2
concerts &movies in the Recreation some expenses
Fountain Park performance may be paid by
pad. sponsors.
6. Increase programs that are Parks & Senior $30,000, $3
designed to integrate people Recreation Services including
of different ages, incomes Ft. personnel costs
and cultural backgrounds. McDowell and operating
FHUSD expenses.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -22- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
it Small Town Atmosphere and Town Identity
Strengthen the Community's Small-Town Identity
Many residents value Fountain Hills' small-town atmosphere as a key to the Town's identity.
They characterized this atmosphere by citing the small population size (22,900 in early 2005;
30,700 projected at build-out in 2012-15, not including State Trust Lands), low crime and traffic
congestion, few stoplights, locally-owned and chain retail establishments (without "big box"
stores), good neighborhood schools, and activities and traditions—the fairs, holiday snow, the
iconographic Fountain (green on St. Patrick's Day), spirit of volunteerism, etc.—that bond
residents in an immeasurable"sense of community."
The Town and many service organizations actively preserve the small-town atmosphere and
identity. The Town develops the General Plan and enforces planning and zoning regulations that
effectively regulate growth. The Town operates and maintains the Fountain. The Chamber of
Commerce sponsors the fairs and the holiday Stroll in the Glow. The Civic Association sponsors
the Town Hall events. The Golden Eagle Foundation manages the volunteer mentoring program
at the local schools, and coordinates and supports scholarships for high school graduates, along
with several other service clubs. Many other organizations mobilize thousands of volunteers to
improve the community, with informal assistance from Town staff to coordinate volunteer
opportunities. As a result, much of the citizenry shares a sense of personal identity with the
Town, forming a sense of community.
One important element in the Town's small-town identity is its citizen participation on the strate-
gic planning process. Over 1,200 residents responded to the survey, a very high 50% response
rate. Another 330 participated in one or both Town Hall events. Many volunteers and 50 students
participated in the Youth Visioning Institute.
Strengthen Small-Town Identity
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Town residents like the small-town atmosphere
that pervades Fountain Hills, and repeatedly name Very Willing ca,
this characteristic as a key reason why they live
here. In the survey, 77% of respondents said that Somewhat
small-town atmosphere was extremely important Willing
or veryimportant reason whytheydecided to live
p Not Sure/Need
in Fountain Hills, ranking 4th among the 15 rea- More Information
sons listed.Nearly one-third(32%) said the small-
town atmosphere was the number-one reason they Not willing
will stay in Fountain Hills, more than any other
reason, and over half (51%) placed this reason among their top three, second among the 15
reasons to stay. A total of 43% of survey respondents were very or somewhat willing to pay for
programs and projects to strengthen the community's small-town identity.
Town Hall 2 participants ranked strengthen the community's small-town identity 4th most
important among the 44 issues they considered, and put this issue in their Phase 1 plan.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -23 - November 29,2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Strengthen the Community's Small-Town Identity
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
b. Strengthen small town identity:
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Examples of Programs:
1, Expand opportunities Civic Local clubs Additional events $11
for citizens to get toge- Association, and and concerts:
ther,both in celebration Parks & organizations $110,000/yr.
and to engage in dialog Recreation
about the community,
such as White Castle Day
(resurrected), Soap Box
Derby, Founders Day,
Independence Day fire-
works,Pony Express
Days, etc., and more
concerts in Fountain Park.
2. Partner with Ft. Parks& Economic To coordinate $20
McDowell on local Recreation Development programs listed:
events; cross-promote Specialist; $200,000,
recreational programs. Tourism including
Council personnel costs,
3. Mentor new residents: Civic Parks & operating
work with Home Gree- Association Recreation expenses and
tings; welcome new resi- River of Time support services.
dents in the Compass; Museum
host workshops on Town
history and operations;
partner with Civic Assoc.,
as in past years.
4. Create a"one stop Town Manager Town
shop"for information Parks & Department
about Town government; Recreation Heads
calendar of events;
volunteer opportunities;
local businesses; etc;
distribute brochures
through Library, Town
Hall, Chamber of Com-
merce, etc.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -24- November 29, 2005 VIP
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Example of Projects:
5. Emphasize the Foun- Parks& Public Works Additional $1
tam as an icon of the Recreation Department fountain features,
Town's identity; create Public Arts approximately
additional fountain fea- Committee of $10,000 each,plus
tures at key focal points Cultural $1,500 each
(such as intersections and Council annual operating
parks), to strengthen citi- and maintenance
zens' association with expenses.
fountains and the Town.
Coordinate new fountains
through Fountain Hills
Cultural Council's Public
Arts Committee and other
groups.
L
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -25 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Municipal Government Services (.
10
Enhance Pedestrian Safety
As the Town's population and traffic increase toward build-out, pedestrians will be in increasing
danger. Development of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and safe crossings is a concern of many
residents. Of particular concern is a pedestrian-friendly crossing over Saguaro Blvd. between
Fountain Park and the Avenue of the Fountains.
Enhance Pedestrian Safety
In the survey, 50% of respondents strongly agreed 0% 10^io 20% 30% 40%
or agreed that the Town should improve safety by Very wining
adding sidewalks and improving crosswalks, =
ranking 11th of the 21 issues addressed. Regarding Somewhat -
funding, 44% of residents were very or somewhat Willing --,
willing to fund enhanced pedestrian safety, ran- Not Sure/Need
king 8th among the 21 issues; nearly one-quarter More Information
(24%) were not sure and needed more infor-
mation. Not Willing ,W5t,:
Action Plan: Enhance Pedestrian Safety
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
c. Enhance pedestrian safety. (`
Cost per
Lead Household
Activity Responsibility Support Estimated Costs per Year
Examples of Projects:
1. Increase use of Public Works $30,000 per intersection $10
"striped"crosswalks, for crosswalk; $100,000
pedestrian signals and per intersection for
other traffic controls at pedestrian-controlled
key intersections. traffic signals.
2. Build more sidewalks Public Works $66,000/yr. for 20 years $7
throughout Town each
year.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -26- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
(lbw Municipal Government Services
Ensure All Streets Are Well-Maintained and Smooth
The Town government is responsible for maintaining the public streets. Maintenance includes
sealing pavement cracks, patching potholes, resurfacing streets with slurry, or repaving streets
with new asphalt. Important principles of maintaining streets economically are to take preventa-
tive measures when possible, such as sealing cracks, making repairs quickly, and improving the
worst situations every year, as needed.
The Town's streets are generally in good condi- Ensure All Streets Are Well-Maintained&Smooth
tion, due to regular maintenance made possible by o% 10% 20% 30% 40%
approval of street repair bonds financed by a
secondary property tax. While the Town has very willing ;ii,"r,;
invested significantly in paving and maintaining
all of its streets, residents have suggested addi- Somewhat
Willing
tional improvements.
Not Sure/Need
The survey revealed that while just 29% of the More Information
residents strongly agreed or agreed that the Town Not Willing
should resurface the streets more often, about half emeommeemmememei
were very willing or somewhat willing to pay to
ensure that all streets are well maintained and smooth.
fhtir
Action Plan: Ensure All Streets Are Well-Maintained and Smooth
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
d. Maintain smooth streets.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Example of Projects
1. Increase frequency of Public Works $1.2 million/yr. to $120
street resurfacing. increase frequency of
slurry and overlay
resurfacing; $19
million over 20 years
L
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -27- November 29,2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Education: Higher and Continuing Education and (,
Support of Educational Excellence
Support Lifelong Learning Opportunities
Education of adults in Fountain Hills is primarily the responsibility of Scottsdale Community
College, also a wholly separate entity from the Town of Fountain Hills government. In the past,
Scottsdale Community College has offered courses in Fountain Hills, however interest declined
and the college virtually eliminated courses offered in town several years ago. Recently, SCC has
offered a limited number of art and digital photography classes at the Community Center. With
this start, reviving a relationship with SCC may be possible, to increase the number of courses
offered in Fountain Hills.
The Town's Parks & Recreation Department, however, offers classes in language, hobbies and
other activities through its recreational programs,primarily at the Community Center.
The Senior Center, a program of the Town's Parks & Recreation Department, offers a variety of
classes and programs for seniors, including financial advising,hobbies, and more.
Support Lifelong Learning Opportunities
Computer labs in Fountain Hills are located on 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
school campuses, in the Town library (operated
by the Maricopa County Library District) and the Very Willing
Senior Center (through Senior Net, available only
to Seniors who are members, housed at the Somewhat .uY),4°
Community Center). These organizations offer Wi°'"g
basic computer application courses. A number of Not Sure/Need X
colleges and universities around the country and More Information
the Valley have on-line courses available to
Internet users. Not Willing t
Survey respondents ranked this issue 9th most important among the 21 issues considered, with
54% strongly agreeing or agreeing that the Town should promote lifelong learning for residents
of all ages. Funding support was a bit less, with 43% very or somewhat willing to pay for
investing in lifelong learning activities for residents of all ages; over one-quarter(26%)were not
sure and needed more information.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -28- November 29, 2005 ,,
Town of Fountain Hills D RA F T Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Support Lifelong Learning Opportunities
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years_ Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
e. Support lifelong learning.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Examples of Programs:
1. Increase availability of Parks & Maricopa $100,000/yr. for $10
on-line classes, and Recreation County 20 workstations at
supplement computer Library $5,000 per work-
facilities to access them as District station/yr., inclu-
needed. FHUSD ding equipment,
Senior software, Internet
Center access mainten-
Information ance and technical
Services support
2. Increase courses of Senior Recreation Cost paid by user $0
interest to seniors, related to Services fees.
history,travel,hobbies, arts,
filkor culture and other topics; the
lifelong learning center
might be co-located in the
senior center,among other
places. _
3. Provide access to courses Parks & FHUSD Costs paid by user $0
with college accreditation, Recreation Community fees and SCC
for adults who may want to Center revenues.
finish their college degree, Recreation
youth who want to begin SCC,NAU
college in their home town, or other
or residents who can college
advance professionally with
key credits. A satellite
campus of Scottsdale
Community College or an
association with ASU or
NAU might achieve this
activity.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -29- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Preservation of the Environment (,
01)
Enhance Stewardship of the Natural Environment
The natural environment is a key feature of Fountain Hills, including the abundant natural desert
vegetation and wildlife, the open spaces in canyons and washes that are preserved, the majestic
views of the McDowell and Superstition mountains, and the dark skies that show off the moon,
planets and stars of the Milky Way.
The Town actively protects the natural environment,by:
• Prohibiting development in washes(Wash Ordinance,Art. 9-3);
• Prohibiting development in steep canyons (Hillside Protection Ordinance);
• Preventing disturbances of natural areas during nearby construction (Subdivision Ordinance,
Sec. 15-504,Land Disturbance/Hillside Protection);
• Preserving dark skies by regulating commercial lighting(Art. 7-7);
• Preserving mountain views by limiting building heights;
• Regulating the preservation of open spaces;
• Regulating development and use of the McDowell Mountain Preserve;
• Purchasing open space.
As a result, Fountain Hills residents share the ecosystem with rabbits, coyotes,javelina, diverse
reptiles, birds, wildflowers, cacti and other desert fauna and flora. The McDowell Mountains are
majestic from nearly any hilltop, and the absence of street lights makes the Milky Way visible
from horizon to horizon on clear nights.
Some citizens have criticized Town environmental regulations as too stringent:
• Prohibitions of development in washes precludes creation of eco-friendly soft hiking trails.
• Preserving non-disturbance areas means that accumulated brush may fuel wildfires.
• Hillside protection forces developers to build on ridge-tops,rather than to tuck buildings less-
obtrusively into the hillsides.
Enhance Stewardship of the Natural Environment
The Town actively supports environmental preser- o^%a 10% 20% 30% 40%
vation, but many citizens would have the Town
take a more active role to protect the natural en- Very Willing i.X
vironment, open spaces, view corridors and dark
skies. Nearly 3 of 5 (59%) survey respondents s win ngat
strongly agreed or agreed that the Town should
enhance its stewardship of the natural environ- Not Sure/Need ,,
ment. Further, 40% indicated they were very More Information --
willing or somewhat willing to pay to enhance the Not Willing '�sa
Town's stewardship of the natural environment.
Town Hall 2 participants were also concerned about stewardship of the environment. They
ranked this issue second among the 44 issues considered, and put it into phase 2 of their
implementation plans.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -30- November 29, 2005 410
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan: Enhance Stewardship of the Natural Environment
4. Strategic Priorities, 3-5 Years. Fountain Hills Town government will accomplish the
following strategic priority initiatives by December 31, 2010, contingent on resolution of the
revenue shortfall issue:
f. Enhance stewardship of natural environment.
Cost per
Lead Estimated Household
Activity Responsibility Support Costs per Year
Example of Policies:
1. Establish view corridors Town Council Planning For study to support $10
with development restric- &Zoning ordinance change:
tions to protect mountain $100,000.
views from key public
observation points.
Exmple of Projects
2. Educate the public on Code Division MCSO $20,000 for printed $2
ways to meet security and material on residential
decorative goals without dark skies compliance
causing light pollution.
Examples of Programs:
3. Increase frequency of Public Works Streets Additional$160,000 $16
wash maintenance to Dept. /yr. to double wash
remove trash and debris, clean-up frequency:
preserve their natural state
and ensure proper
drainage.
4. Improve street sweeping Streets Dept. Purchase replacement $5
program to pick up smaller sweepers: $50,000/yr.
particulates and reduce
dust.
5. Begin pro-active moni- Parks & Public A Ranger and in- $15
toring and maintenance of Recreation Works creased maintenance:
McDowell Mountain MCSO $150,000/yr., inclu-
Preserve trails,rather than ding personnel costs,
reacting to problems with operating expenses
volunteers. and support services.
6. Start pro-active code Code Division Planning $200,000/yr., $20
enforcement so that &Zoning including personnel
Fountain Hills is as costs,operating
environmentally attractive expenses and support
and well maintained in services.
2025 as it is in 2005
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -31 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Not Town Priorities At This Time
Many ideas were considered during the strategic planning process, but did not reach a sufficient
level of consensus by citizens to become part of this five-year Strategic Plan 2006-2010. The
strategic planning process continuously identified issues, organized them, and narrowed them to
the most important, strategic issues. This process began with the SWOT analysis, the Key
Informant Interviews and the Youth Visioning Institute, All of these issues were inputs to the
Town Hall 1 event,where participants discussed and narrowed the issues core values phrases and
vision statement elements.
The Technical Advisory Committee organized the issues into focus areas and developed the
Strategic Choices report, which focused on 44 strategic policy choices. Town Hall 2 participants
drew out the 11 most important issues and prioritized them. The random sample survey con-
sidered these and several more important issues. The result is 12 strategic priorities that have
general agreement and significant willingness to pay for the implementation costs, among the
citizenry
Few ideas got all the way through this exacting and rigorous process; most did not. They are
therefore not part of the strategic priorities for the 2006-2010 planning cycle. Many of these
ideas are passionately advocated by groups of citizens, but they are not supported by a wide-
enough segment of the population to warrant spending the Town's scarce resources on them
during this planning cycle. They may be considered again in the next planning cycle.
Groups who remain enthusiastic Not Town Priorities At This Time
for these ideas and want to see 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%(410)
l
them implemented during the next
five years are encouraged (a) to Teen Activity Center PPA f �d 24% r.f'
wiTypim
find outside partners and non- Public Transportation 1PP(- , ,ftc:if d 23%„ 'i, xx,
municipal resources with which to Aquatic Center .*04i /r-7/— 161% ;z; e 4w rev1
implement them, and(b) to educate Town Garbage Svc. 'log °r ; 18% „ .; M r
Nimmumm
the citizenry about how their ideas Curbside Recycling ;i ! ';r45/'f, ;19% i ;" �i ,r`` ?
contribute to the quality of life in
Housing Quality Codes ✓ liJ/i 28/0, zrs"4 K—
Fountain Hills. � immomonlm
New Community Park .i 02, 27% :'.'? : 2t..iri$Z y` ":'.`,'F�'.
Fountain Hills Blvd. ,7e.VA#11 , 19%
In each case, the percentage of
survey respondents who are very Preforming Arts Ctr. : 2
willing or somewhat willing to Stand-Alone Senior Ctr. Pr.�:r 24%
fund these ideas was less than Very Willing ®Somewhat Willing D Not Sure ®Not Willing
40%. Moreover, the percentage of
respondents who are not willing to fund these ideas was at least 40%. For six of the 10 ideas, the
percentage of respondents who are not willing to fund these ideas was over 50%.
Strategic planning is not only about identifying the priorities on which the Town should focus its
efforts; it is also about identifying ideas that the Town should not divert its scarce resources to
review,research,reconsider and reject.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -32- November 29, 2005
{
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Action Plan:
5. Not Town Priorities at this Time. The Fountain Hills Government should not focus
attention on the following initiatives that are not Community priorities at this time. Groups of
citizens who want to see these projects implemented are encouraged to pursue partnerships
with other organizations and funding sources, and to educate the public about how these
projects will improve the quality of life in Fountain Hills:
a. Build a new teen activity center.
b. Improve public transportation services to and from Fountain Hills and other communities.
c. Build a new aquatic center that has features for people of all ages.
d. Establish a Town-operated garbage collection service.
e. Create a curbside recycling program.
f. Increase enforcement of housing quality codes with occupancy change inspections.
g. Acquire land, develop &maintain a new 15-acre community park.
h. Widen Fountain Hills Boulevard.
i. Build a new performing arts center.
j. Build a larger stand-alone senior center.
From time-to-time, new ideas will likely surface, diverting the Town's attention from accomp-
lishing its strategic priorities. This diversion should be resisted. These kinds of new ideas should
be sent before the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission to review for consideration in the
Town's next five-year strategic plan.
L
L
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc - 33 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Commercial Vitality and Business Development
A key issue throughout the strategic planning process was the Town's vision for the downtown
area, roughly between Saguaro and Fountain Hills Boulevards, and El Lago and Palisades Boule-
vard. As part of the Town's small town character,many residents prefer"mom&pop" establish-
ments and upscale national chains, rather than"big box"retailers. Many are also eager to see the
south side of Avenue of the Fountains developed with street-level retail businesses.
The Town's Economic Development Specialist supports the downtown business community, as a
resource and Town liaison. The Town contributes to joint tourism marketing activities with the
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, administered by the Chamber of Commerce. A sales tax
abatement is expected to be paid off well ahead of schedule.
The Town's 2.6% sales tax combines with state and county sales taxes to an 8.9% tax rate at the
cash register, higher than most of its neighbors.Part of the Town's sales tax(0.1%) is dedicated
to downtown economic development; virtually all of this revenue through 2009 will be needed
for Avenue of the Fountains enhancements and economic development activities.
Both the survey and Town Hall 2, participants were offered a choice between a downtown area
that serves primarily Town residents, or a destination shopping and tourism area such as
Kierland Commons or El Pedregal at The Boulders. Majorities of both survey respondents and
Town Hall 2 participants prefer downtown to serve primarily local residents,rather than focus on
attracting shoppers and tourists from all over the Valley. Neither group had information about
the relative revenue impacts of these choices, but the Town Hall group had information about
their cost impacts.
Approach to New Business Development
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
In the survey, over half(54%) of respondents said
they prefer that new businesses in the downtown Serve local
area mainly serve the needs of local residents, residents
while one-third (33%) preferred that the down- Destination for
town attract businesses and shopping areas that tourists
would be destinations for tourists and residents
Neither
from other communities; 11% said that new busi-
nesses are not needed in Fountain Hills, and 3%
, Don't know
"Don't Don t know.„
Survey respondents were asked about the types of new business development they preferred in
Fountain Hills as a question about their vision for the Town. They were not asked the other ques-
tions about agreement with or willingness to fund specific programs.
New activities to promote Fountain Hills' commercial vitality and business development are not
included among the Town's priorities in this Strategic Plan 2006-2010. Current Town economic
development activities are expected to continue at current levels, but the focus of its economic
development activities will emphasize mainly products and services for local consumption.
7 See comparison table in section on"Governmental Financial Stability,"page 8.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -34- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
• Arts and Culture
The Town of Fountain Hills supports arts and culture directly by financing and building the
public library and the museum, and by providing public safety and logistical support to the Fairs
(including some fee-based services) and other arts-related events. The Town's civic center area,
hosts sculptures provided by the Arts Council, Sunridge Foundation and private donors. The
Community Center hosts art shows by local artists and organizations. The Town and other
organizations sponsor music events at the Fountain Park performance pad and other venues. The
Town hosts the Fountain Hills Arts Commission, Approach to Arts&Cultural Programs
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Survey respondents were split between having the ��.�■
Town develop arts and cultural programs and Serve local
facilities that serve local residents (31%) or serve residents
as a destination for tourists (37%). A quarter said Destination for trY,;•.
"neither;" more arts and cultural amenities are not tourists
needed in Fountain Hills. Town Hall 2 partici-
Neither '4.9'f
pants were more-evenly split, at 41% for a local
approach,to 42% for a tourist destination.
Don't know
Build a New Performing Arts Center
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
In both the survey and Town Hall 2,thisissue a
Very Willingr reported as not important to most peopleiss . Just s
22% of survey respondents said that availability
Somewhat of arts and cultural amenities was extremely or
111111,
Willing very important as a reason they moved here, rwan-
Not Sure/Need king 14th among the 15 reasons listed. Only 3%
More Information named availability of arts and cultural amenities
among the three top reasons they will stay in
Not Willing `Y Fountain Hills, 13th among the 15 reasons to stay.
Just 24% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the Town should have a new performing
arts center, ranking 20th among the 21 issues addressed. Only 19% were very willing or
somewhat willing to fund a new performing arts center, ranking 20th among the 21 funding
issues. The largest negative response to the funding question was regarding a new performing
arts center,with 61% of respondents against it.
Town Hall 2 Participants reported similar results. Six of 12 groups ranked the statement,
Fountain Hills should become an arts & culture for local participants, among the top 15 of 44
issues considered. Priority scores ranked this view 15th among the 44 issues. Only one group
ranked the alternative—that Fountain Hills should become a destination center for the arts and
culture—with a priority ranking of 33 among the 44 issues.
Due to lack of consensus in favor of actions relating to the arts and culture, the Strategic Plan
2006-2010 includes no additional Town support for the arts and culture in Fountain Hills. Indi-
viduals and organizations interested in additional arts and cultural activities are encouraged to
pursue ideas and projects with other partners and non-municipal resources, and to educate the
public about how arts and cultural programs affect the quality of life in Fountain Hills.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -35 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Vision and Value statements ,
Vision Statement Elements
At the Town Hall events, small groups of participants identified elements that defined their
vision of Fountain Hills in the future. Members of the Technical Advisory Committee compiled
those phrases into vision statement components. Participants then voted for those statements that
most closely reflected their vision of Fountain Hills' future. The most popular vision statement
components are:
• Fountain Hills is dedicated to careful stewardship of the most beautiful natural desert area
in the world. It's maintained its starry nights, clean air, and water quality.
• Fountain Hills is recognized as the best planned community in Arizona. Growth and
density have been closely managed to maintain the Town's unique character.
• Fountain Hills has the premier school district in Arizona offering lifelong learning.
• Town Government is fiscally sound and has reliable revenue streams.
• New business development in downtown Fountain Hills mainly serves the needs of
residents, rather than primarily focusing on attracting tourists and residents from other
communities.
Value Statements
At the Town Hall 1 meeting, small groups of participants were asked to brainstorm their value
statements. After the sessions, the consultant compiled all the value statements from all 13 small
groups, and ranked them by the number of groups that referenced similar ideas. The following
are the most-repeated values,based on the number of references.
• Education
• Cultural diversity
• Public safety
• Environment
• Community participation, involvement and volunteerism
• Preserve small town character
• Recreational opportunities
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -36- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
(kw Keeping the Process Alive
Action Plan
6. Strategic Planning Advisory Commission. The Fountain Hills Town Council will
create and appoint members to a Strategic Planning Advisory Commission (SPAC) by
February 2, 2006. to oversee implementation and periodic updates of the Fountain Hills
Strategic Plan.
The Strategic Planning Advisory Commission will have seven citizens appointed through normal
procedures, and including citizens and business people of diverse backgrounds, with strategic
planning experience and at least one youth 18 years or younger when appointed. Members will
serve staggered terms to ensure continuity. Implementing and periodically updating the strategic
plan requires cooperation among the SPAC, Town Council and staff, each with specific
responsibilities:
Strategic Planning Advisory Commission Responsibilities
• Champion the strategic plan,to keep it visible for the Council, staff, citizens, and media.
• Provide the strategic plan to all candidates for Fountain Hills Town offices.
• Educate newly elected and appointed officials about the strategic plan, to ensure they
understand its significance as a strong directive from the citizens of Fountain Hills.
• Assess progress and challenges annually.
• Update the strategic plan at least every five years,using a citizen-driven process.
(11, • Initiate citizen involvement activities to obtain input on strategic planning issues.
• Build partnerships to help implement strategic priorities and leverage community resources.
• Meet annually with the Town Council to discuss strategic plan implementation, accomplish-
ments, challenges and update issues.
• Develop a brief quarterly strategic plan progress report and create and submit a news release
outlining the report.
• Serve as a speaker's bureau to keep the strategic plan in the forefront of the community
through presentations at civic and business groups.
• Meet as often as needed to keep the plan alive; more frequent meetings will likely be needed
as the SPAC organizes; the number of meetings should decrease as the SPAC matures.
• Host public dialogue about new strategic initiatives to consider in the next planning cycle.
Staff Responsibilities
• Provide support and technical assistance to the SPAC at its regular meetings.
• Serve as liaison between the SPAC and the Town Council.
• Designate a staff representative to serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the SPAC.
• Provide support and technical assistance in implementing public involvement activities and
strategic plan updates.
• Provide information about specific project implementation and financial planning data.
• Present strategic plan priorities to the Town Council detailing resource needs and imple-
mentation options.
• Provide financing options to the Town Council to implement initiatives.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -37- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Town Council Responsibilities .
• Serve as the leaders of strategic planning in Fountain Hills and weigh decisions in light of the
citizen input provided in the strategic plan.
• Create the SPAC and appoint its members.Maintain the SPAC at full membership.
• Participate in the annual strategic plan work session with the SPAC. '
• Review and consider adopting strategic plan updates.
• Provide time for quarterly updates by the SPAC at Council meetings or work sessions.
• Designate a revolving member of the Council to serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of
the SPAC and attend all meetings.
• After adoption of the strategic plan, provide direction to Town staff on priorities and make
decisions about implementation, financing options, and financing sources.
• Refer ideas and suggestions for future community initiatives to the SPAC for consideration
in the next strategic planning cycle.
• Provide financial and other resources to the SPAC for strategic plan update and public
involvement activities.
A Town Council resolution to adopt this Strategic Plan 2006-2010, and create the Strategic
Planning Advisory Commission is in Appendix A.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -38- November 29, 2005 41111,
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Low Additional Materials
The following sections provide more information about the year-long, citizen-driven strategic
planning process. A methodological summary details how the strategic priorities, vision elements
and values were developed. Long lists of "Thank-yous" are acknowledged to the more than
1,500 participants who helped develop the strategic plan's content, and the nearly one hundred
volunteers and professionals who helped produce this Strategic Plan 2006-2010. Additional
information about members of the Technical Advisory Committee, who volunteered their time
virtually every week for a year, is also included below.
Summary of Methodology to Identify Priorities
The Fountain Hills citizen-driven strategic planning process used several venues and methods to
solicit input from and communicate with the Town's citizenry. These included a kickoff event
with over 200 participants; key informant interviews with over 30 community leaders; presenta-
tions to 19 community groups; Youth Visioning Institute with 50 high school student partici-
pants; two all-day Town Hall events with 330 people attending one or both events; four Informed
Choices workshops, with experts on various strategic planning-related topics; a random sample
survey to which over 1,200 residents responded; three presentations to the Town Council; over
70 newspaper articles in two papers, each with about 6,000 circulation in Fountain Hills; three
newsletters and three major articles in the Town's newsletter, Compass.
This process was overseen by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC; see page 43), a volunteer
group of Fountain Hills citizens with experience in strategic planning and other community
leaders. As the group closest to the process and the issues emerging from the process, the TAC
developed recommendations about what should or should not be in the Strategic Plan.
The first four Vision Statement Elements were derived from Town Hall 1. In small groups, citi-
zens listed their visions for the Town. TAC members compiled all the small group vision
elements into 15 statements. Participants then voted for the top three statements that best reflec-
ted their view of the Town. The vision elements shown are the most popular from that exercise.
The last Vision Statement Element was a key vision issue addressed by both survey respondents
and Town Hall 2 participants: whether the Town should pursue strategies for downtown area
development that would serve primarily local residents, or become a destination center for
tourists and residents of other communities. Majorities of both the survey respondents and the
Town Hall 2 participants believe that the downtown area should serve primarily local residents.
The Values Statements were also derived from Town Hall 1. In small groups, citizens listed the
values that were so important to them, they would not want to compromise on them. Participants
then voted for the top three value statements that best reflected their values. The value statements
shown represent the most popular value statements from that exercise.
The primary guidance in finalizing the Town's strategic priorities was the survey. The TAC's
array of strategic priorities in 1-2 years, strategic priorities in 3-5 years, and initiatives that are
not Town priorities at this time correlate directly with the results of the survey. The TAC
believes that the survey is the best reflection of Townspeople's opinions at this time.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -39- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Reliance on the survey data does not mean that the TAC ignored the input from all the other
sources. The other events helped to identify the key issues that concern Fountain Hills residents,
to understand citizens' feelings about the issues and to frame the questions asked in the survey.
Many ideas were considered during the strategic planning process, but only a few—a dozen
strategic priorities—reached a sufficient level of consensus by citizens to become part of this
five-year Strategic Plan 2006-2010.
The process has been like an information funnel. The strategic planning process continuously
identified issues, organized them, and narrowed them to the most important, strategic issues. The
TAC collected ideas through a wide variety of sources: The SWOT analysis (see Appendix B)
identified 168 strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The Key Informant Interviews
(Appendix C) identified 10 major topics and 13 additional issues. The Youth Visioning Institute
(Appendix D) identified 10 common themes from the student multi-media presentations. The
Where We Are Now report (Appendix E) contained a statistical and narrative snapshot of the
Town. All of these issues were inputs to the Town Hall 1 event (Appendices F and G), where
168 participants narrowed the lists to 27 values phrases and 15 vision statement elements.
The Technical Advisory Committee organized all of the issues into focus areas and developed
the Strategic Choices report (Appendix H), which identified 44 strategic policy choices. Partici-
pants at the Town Hall 2 event narrowed these choices to the 11 most important issues, and
prioritized them (Appendices I and J). The random sample survey considered these and several
more important issues, evaluating 24 visionary and strategic issues in all. The result was to
narrow the issues to 12 that have general agreement among the citizenry, and significant willing- #`
ness to pay for the implementation costs.
The analysis of survey data by the ETC Institute (Appendix K)8 ranked the results from question
6, Community Vision, based on the percentage of respondents who strongly agree or agree with
the statements describing each of the 21 issues surveyed. ETC also ranked the results from
question 8, Willingness to Pay, ranking the percentage of respondents who are very willing or
somewhat willing to pay the additional cost, through user fees, property taxes or sales taxes, for
implementing each of the 21 issues surveyed. For each issue, ETC then added the "Vision" rank
to two times the "Funding" rank, to generate a "Vision-Funding Rating." This approach con-
siders both agreement with the vision and willingness to pay, but weights the willingness to pay
by double.
ETC then divided the resulting list into three parts. The first part, containing the five Strategic
Priorities, 1-2 Years, are the items with a Vision-Funding Rating between 2 and 20. The six
Strategic Priorities, in the 3-5 year range, are the items with a Vision-Funding Rating between 21
and 30. Items with a Vision-Funding Rating of 31 or more are categorized under Not Town
Priorities at This Time.
The results are summarized in the Executive Summary, and are presented in more detail in the
main body of the Strategic Plan 2006-2010.
8 2005 Strategic Planning Community Survey;Findings Report, conducted for the Town of Fountain Hills by ETC
Institute,October 2005. See in particular the Executive Summary,page 8.
Strategic Plan.v4.1.doc -40- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Acknowledgements
Development of this Strategic Plan involved many hundreds of individuals who participated in
the various events that were part of the strategic planning process. They are too many to name
here,but their input was heard and considered, and it helped to shape this Strategic Plan.
Many thanks are due to the Members of the Technical Advisory Committee, citizens of Fountain
Hills who volunteered their time to design the process, organize the events, oversee the process
and make the Strategic Plan truly citizen-driven. They are: Janice Abramson, Chair, Survey Sub-
committee; Curt Dunham, Co-Chair, Town Hall Subcommittee; Peggy Fiandaca, Co-Chair,
Youth Visioning Institute; Jim Hamblin, Chair, Key Informant Survey Subcommittee; Henry
Leger, Co-Chair, Youth Visioning Institute; and Mike Tyler, Chair Communications Subcom-
mittee. Civic Association President Roger Riggert, Co-Chair, Town Hall Subcommittee, and.
Bob Yordy, who served until May 2005 as Chair, Speakers Bureau, both represented the
Fountain Hills Civic Association, the major cosponsor of the citizen-driven strategic planning
process. Council Member Ed Kehe represented the Town Council on the Committee, as did
Council Member Kathleen Nicola until her untimely death on May 19, 2005. Town Manager
Tim Pickering served as a Committee member, and Executive Assistant Shaunna Williams
provided administrative services.
Many organizations and volunteers stepped forward to help organize and produce the Youth
Visioning Institute, the Town Hall events and communications media, and to preview and test
the Town Hall materials. Thanks are due to the Civic Association, Four Peaks Women's Club,
fibre Boys & Girls Club and the Fountain Hills PTO. Many thanks also to Mihir Bavishi, Julia
Becklund, Nancy Blumenstein, Rosemary Bonaguidi, Jerry Bryan, Janet Bunchman, Michelle
Cieslewski, Daniel Cifuentes, Carol Coates, Jack Colley, Arlie Denomme, Bob Deppe, Ginny
Dickey, Walt Dunne, Myrle Erlich, Dan Foster, Richard Frederick, Sue Frederick, Peter
Goldammer, Barb Hanson,Derald E. Hoffman, Grace Jakubs, Dwight Johnson, Bob Kenna, Bev
Kinsey, Roy Kinsey, Ed Landman, Janet Leger, Joe Lindner, Robert Mansolillo, Jeanine
McIntosh, John McNeill, Sharon Morgan, Sheila Nichols, Betty O'Flynn, John O'Flynn, Travis
Patch, Phillip Riesland, Mary Rosenfeldt, Robert Rubenow, Bob Schmidt, Elisa Tostado,
Dorothy Verbal, Esther Whitaker, Judy Woods, and Terry Zimmerman. We apologize to all the
other volunteers whom we may have inadvertently not included.
Other volunteers, from outside of Fountain Hills, provided independent facilitation services for
the small groups at the Town Hall events, including James Atkins, Aaron Aylsworth, Wayne
Balmer, Priscilla Copeland, Kristin Darr-Bornstein, Barbara Ganz, Carlos Duarte Herrera, Jacqui
Fifield, Jennifer Livingston, Marsha Miller, Barbara Shuck, Becky Thacker, Jerry Williamson
and Linda Winslow.
The Fountain Hills Town Council committed to strategic planning on December 16, 2004, when
it adopted the public participation plan developed by the Technical Advisory Committee. They
include Mayor Wally Nichols, Council Members Mike Archambault, John Kavanagh, Ed Kehe,
Keith McMahan, Kathleen Nicola, and Jay Schlum. Thank you for believing in the process and
accepting public input into the governance process.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -41 - November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
The Fountain Hills Unified School District hosted both the Youth Visioning Institute and Town
Hall 1. Thanks go to Dr. Marian Hermie, Superintendent; Patrick Sweeny, Principal, Fountain
Hills High School; and George Waligora,Facilities Manager.
Thanks are also due to the Fountain Hills restaurants that catered the two Town Hall events,
including La Piazza(lasagna supper), Boomer's (continental breakfast) and Phil's Filling Station
(continental breakfast and luncheon sandwiches). All are located along Saguaro Boulevard in
Fountain Hills.
Catherine Connolly,then Executive Director, League of Arizona Cities and Towns, delivered the
keynote at Town Hall 1. Tom Belshe, Member Services Director, League of Arizona Cities and
Towns, presented a valuable Informed Choices workshop on "Charter Government." Town staff
presented the other workshops, including: Julie Ghetti, Finance Director, "Town Finances —
Choices for the Future;" Richard Turner, Planning and Zoning Administrator, "Architectural
Controls and View Corridors;" and Mark Mayer, Parks and Recreation Director, "Park Develop-
ment and Standards."
Other key Town staff who provided valuable support to the process include: Judge Ted
Armbruster; Evelyn Breting, Volunteer Coordinator; Mike Ciccarone, Information Technology
Coordinator; Samantha Coffman, Community Center Supervisor; Lieutenant John D'Amico,
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office; Rino Ghetti, Community Center Operations Supervisor;
Megan Griego, Economic Development Specialist; Randy Harrel, Town Engineer; Fire Chief
Scott LaGreca, John Morast, Assistant Public Works Director; Susan Trocki, Administrative
Clerk; and Tom Ward, Public Works Director.
A number of consultants also participated in the process: Blackerby Associates,Inc., of Phoenix,
Phillip Blackerby, Project Manager, and Lynne Brown, primary facilitator. Image Weavers, of
Fountain Hills, Francesca Carozza and Charlotte McCluskey,provided communications support,
including press releases newsletters, Compass articles, and document design,. ETC Institute, of
Olathe, Kansas, Chris Tatham,Vice President, conducted the survey.
Thanks are also due to the Fountain Hills Times,particularly to reporter Bob Burns,who covered
the process and events extensively throughout the year, and to publisher Alan Cruikshank and
editor Michael Scharnow, who added insightful editorial opinion. Thanks also to the Arizona
Republic and its subsidiary publication, the Scottsdale Republic, for regular coverage and helping
to spread the word about all the key events.
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -42- November 29, 2005
Town of Fountain Hills DRAFT Strategic Plan 2006-2010
Technical Advisory Committee Members
The following Fountain Hills citizens served on the Technical Advisory Committee that oversaw
development of this Strategic Plan 2006-2010:
Janice Abramson Expertise:Market Research, Strategic Planning
Experience:Janice L. Abramson Associates, Johnson&Johnson,
Procter&Gamble, General Mills
Curt Dunham Expertise:Municipal Infrastructure Planning and Financing, Strategic
Planning, Certified Planner,AICP
Experience:Partners for Strategic Action, Inc.
Peggy Fiandaca Expertise: Community and Organizational development, Strategic
Planning, Certified Planner,AICP
Experience: Partners for Strategic Action, Inc.
Jim Hamblin Expertise:Retail Marketing and Merchandising, Strategic Planning
Experience: The Allen Levis Organization, Target Corporation,
Smitty's Super Value,Inc.
Henry Leger Expertise:Leadership and Organizational Development, Strategic
‘Iteri Planning
Experience:Advance PCS, PCS Health Systems, Dynamic Science,
Inc., Teledyne, Inc.
Roger Riggert Expertise:Telecommunications, Community and Civic Leadership
Experience: Southwestern Bell,AT&T,RLR Resources
Mike Tyler Expertise:General Management, Strategic Planning,Mergers and
Acquisitions
Experience:Union Carbide, Praxair,Anchor.Business Consulting
Bob Yordy Expertise:Traffic Accident Reconstruction, Community and Civic
Leadership
Council Member Expertise:Teacher—Secondary Education,Mathematics, Physical
Ed Kehe Education&Interscholastic Sports
Experience:White Plains High School(New York)
Council Member In Memoriam
Kathleen Nicola July 25, 1961 —May 19, 2005
StrategicPlan.v4.1.doc -43 - November 29, 2005
EXHIBIT B
[Strategic Planning Advisory Commission Bylaws]
See following pages.
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615365.3
STRATEGIC PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION BYLAWS
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I. Officers
The commission shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its own members,
who shall serve for one (1) year and until their successors are elected and qualified. The
chairperson shall preside at all meetings and exercise all the usual rights, duties and prerogatives
of the head of any similar organization. The vice chairperson shall perform the duties of the
chairperson in the latter's absence or disability. The commission may appoint other offices (e.g.,
secretary, etc.) as may be required.
II. Powers and Duties
The commission shall have the powers and duties to:
A. Champion the Town's Strategic Plan to keep it visible for the Council, staff,
citizens and media.
B. Act in an advisory capacity to the Town Council and Town Manager in matters
pertaining to the Town's Strategic Plan.
C. Provide a copy of the Strategic Plan to all Fountain Hills Town candidates for
thir public office and educate newly elected and appointed officials about the Strategic Plan.
D. Monitor the Strategic Plan's implementation and ensure its long-term legitimacy.
E. Update the Strategic Plan at least once every five years dependant on
appropriations by the Town Council.
F. Make recommendations with respect to the implementation of the Strategic Plan
to the Town Manager.
G. Develop partnerships to help implement adopted strategic initiatives.
H. Meet annually with the Town Council to assess progress of the Strategic Plan.
I. Host public dialogue about new strategic initiatives to consider for the next five-
year strategic plan.
J. Write brief periodic Strategic Plan progress reports.
K. Perform such other duties not inconsistent with these bylaws as may be requested
by the Town Council.
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615365.3
III. Membership
All matters concerning membership on the commission including, but limited to, appointments,
terms, vacancies and removal, shall be in accordance with Section 9 of the Town Council Rules
of Procedure, as amended. In addition, there shall be one youth member who shall be between 15
and 18 years old and be a student at Fountain Hills High School when appointed. Furthermore, of
the remaining six voting members, it is recommended but not required, that one shall have
marketing research and surveying experience, one shall have communications experience, one
shall be a member of the civic association, and three shall have specific strategic planning
experience in either corporate non-profit or, preferably, governmental settings.
IV. Meetings
A. The commission shall meet as often as needed to keep the Strategic Plan in a
position of prominence in the Town. More frequent meetings will likely be needed as the
commission organizes while the number of meetings should decrease as the commission
matures. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or in his or her absence, the vice
chairperson. In addition, any three (3) members of the commission may make written request to
the chairperson for a special meeting.
B. All meetings of the commission shall be open to the public and are subject to the
Arizona Open Meeting Law.
V. Conduct of Business
A. Four (4) members shall constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote of four (4)
members shall be required for passage of any matter before the commission. A member may
abstain from voting only upon a declaration that he has a conflict of interest, in which case such
member shall take no part in the deliberations on the matter in question.
B. The Rules of Procedure for meetings of the Commission shall follow those set
forth in Section 1.1 of the Town Council Rules of Procedure, as amended.
VI. Compensation
The members of the commission shall serve without compensation for their services as such but
may receive reimbursement for necessary travel and other expenses incurred on official duty
with appropriate prior authorization.
VII. Ex-Officio Members
The Mayor, with the consent of the Town Council, may from time to time appoint one member
of the Town Council as an ex-officio member to the commission. The Town Manager or
representative shall be a standing ex-officio member. Such members shall serve at the pleasure
of the Mayor and Town Council. Ex-officio members shall not be entitled to vote on any matter
brought before the commission.
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615365.3