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Home My WebLink AboutSPAC.2020.0226.Minutes Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission Meeting Held on February 26, 2020 1. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—Chairman Craft 2. ROLL CALL—Chairman Craft Present: Chairman John W. Craft; Vice Chairman Peter Bordow; Commissioner Gerard Bisceglia; Commissioner Gerry Freidel; Commissioner John McHugh; Commissioner Chad Bernick Absent: Commissioner Cynthia Magazine Staff Town Manager Grady Miller; Executive Assistant Angela Padgett-Espiritu Present: 3. CALL TO THE PUBLIC Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.01(H),public comment is permitted(not required)on matters NOT listed on the agenda.Any such comment(i)must be within the jurisdiction of the Commission, and(ii)is subject to reasonable time,place,and manner restrictions. The Commission will not discuss or take legal action on matters raised during Call to the Public unless the matters are properly noticed for discussion and legal action.At the conclusion of the Call to the Public, individual commissioners may(i)respond to criticism, (ii)ask staff to review a matter, or(iii)ask that the matter be placed on a future Commission agenda. 4. CONSIDERATION OF Approving the January 22, 2020, Meeting Minutes. Moved by Vice Chairman Peter Bordow, seconded by Commissioner Gerry Freidel to approve the minutes of meeting January 22, 2020. Vote: 6-0- Unanimously 5. DISCUSSION of the Prioritization of Top 5 issues from the revised SWOT analysis for Weaknesses and Opportunities. Commissioner Bernick and Commissioner Friedel updated the commission on the highlights from the revised SWOT analysis (see attached document for detail). A discussion ensued amongst the commission on the below top priorities and weaknesses: • Move Fountain to Sanitary District (free up monies for other items) • Bring in Partners and the Young • Leverage technololgical preparedness • Develop strategic partnerships with ASU/NAU and others • Proposed international dark skies discovery center • Rebranding health and wellness, conservation, dark skies, technologies •Capture the Shea/Beeline traffic • Revenue/fiscal sustainability and cost control • Develop and rezone trust lands Strategic Planning Advisory Commission Meeting of February 26,2020 2 of 3 • Housing affordability 6. DISCUSSION of Key Elements from the 2020 Council Retreat. Town Manager Miller updated the commission on the key elements from the Council Retreat: • Reminded the Council that this is the year that we will do a major update of the Strategic Plan •Visioning process by Vision Fountain Hills 2.0 • Surveys are ongoing • Citizen Engagement •Tammy Bell with Leadership Academy involvement emulating her success on the Town Side • More diverse opinions in the visioning process •Work session on increasing revenues • Upgrade of IT. Equipment • Purchasing of new fire engine pumper truck • Discussed the needs of Fountain Park • Replacing liner • Draining of Lake •Goal is bring forth a proposal by June •Would be a bond issue •Should receive logistics from engineering group • Researching water storage system •Water will come directly from the Fountain Hills Sanitary District •State laws requires an analysis to justify implementation of user fees 7. DISCUSSION of Draft of Initial Online Test Survey for Vision Fountain Hills utilizing Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Organization Members. Chairman Craft,Jr. reported to the commission an update on the joint project in collaboration with Vision Fountain Hills for the Community Engagement Survey and the outline of the survey contents (see attached document): • Early March 2020, a final test version will be distributed electronically to Fountain Hills Civic and Cultural Association- expected response rate to exceed 300 members— analyzed results to be reported to the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission in April 2020 • In April 2020, revised survey for community wide participation with analyzed results reported to the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission in May 2020 • Results from the two surveys will be used to identity trends and issues for a future third survey in September 2020 • Proposed planning forum in September 2020 • Information gathered will assist in the structuring the updated version of the Strategic Plan due to Town Manager January 2021 A discussion ensued on the content of the survey: • Demographics—Age, employment status, home ownership • Measurability and performance Strategic Planning Advisory Commission Meeting of February 26, 2020 3 of 3 •Town amenities 8. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Vice Chairman Peter Bordow, seconded by Commissioner Gerry Freidel to adjourn Vote: 6-0- Unanimously The meeting of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission held on February 26, 2020, adjourned at 4:48 P.M. STRATEGIC PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION f� BY: Chai7in W. Craft,Jr. Prepared by: Angela Padgett-Espirit , x utive Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Session held by the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission of Fountain Hills on the 26th day of February, 2020. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. Di,, this 24 i day ; n 2020. ` � Ange a Pa ett-Esp I itu, E cutive Assistant DRAFT SWOT 02.24.2020 Strengths • Skilled and Educated workforce 30%Bachelors, 18.6%with Graduate Degree • Commitment to sustainable development—development must maintain views and environment • Environmental setting—where the desert meets the mountains. • Community image is upscale • Safe from violent crime 1:664 chance of being a victim in Fountain Hills vs 1:197 for AZ. • Numerous special events • Large,productive volunteer workforce: 14,0000 volunteer hrs(800 volunteers) in 2019 with a cost savings of$346,000. • Available commercial/retail space • Abundant amenities, including growing presence of health and wellness opportunities • Easy access to Scottsdale and Airport • Partnership with reservations Weaknesses • Community Brand is also seen as a retirement community • Housing Affordability • Revenue/Fiscal Sustai,rynability/Cost Control ry f� r f P 3is ,s, .P�"1' Des k� g g�k g o �44�. � nfrastructur �4.�r � SIC ��yc Dem{ '' the largest a e romp in town 54 4%of the town populat is over icimba e55 411. I P 50.Age 0 is 1 of the po ')''tion,40 50 2.4%. 1 i Age Depe ncy r is at 66.3 ` 1 'p from 41%n 120 ail, School en ent fining More likel expe or crime or ft 191 chance in fountaini 1 :34 in AZ. ' • Land Lock ("exce a e land) 'L F-llf f'C 1' t bars }' }{I�q }� Lack of in trial space to att z ;i mployers4 ,,11I lo ments Some landlords are'n�t willing to rent out ity spa e o .business own ers. They are using � p as a -offkk L.31 --not informed f our techn® o.ic ' diness 1 • Lac of investment in town by sea •'al 'idents Opportunities • Working age residence are highly educated with 40%of ages 25-64 holding a bachelor's degree or higher • Working residents generally must outflow(commute)for work. Businesses need educated laborers;the town has a large pool to entice to stay within the community. • Technological preparedness is marketable to businesses • Proposed international dark skies discovery center. • California outflows could be enticed by views,office space and educated work force. • Business incubators • EVIT to do more with promotions • Health and Wellness rebranding • Strategic Partnerships with ASU/NAU • Shea/Target corridor redesign/redevelop • Rebrand Community Center(not a Senior Center) • Future technology down Avenue of the Fountains • Increase rental market • Town website reworked and maintained to assist with brand and reputation management • Look at Fountain/Sanitary District relationship for strategic partnership • Address absentee landlord/tax write off issue • Examine ways to harness newly arrived potential volunteers • Develop State trust land encourage bids with vision of Arts and/or Industry revenue centers. Threats • Lack of sustainable revenue • Retail dependence on seasonal residents. • '/<of residents are outside of the workforce(over 65)and may not have as much disposable income to feed the local economy. • Economic downturn can more adversely impact fountain hills since it is dependent on outflow workers and not self-sustaining. • Infrastructure maintenance • Lack of town branding • Vacant buildings/absentee landlords create town blight. • School population • Town website does not offer attractive options for relocation of business or family • No current staff PR capability Potential Actions to Address Opportunities and Weaknesses Depending upon the direction of the town based on the general plan and prioritization of initiatives, SPAC representatives opted to rate opportunities by use case. This provides context to why specific opportunities were dq.1.0,ahil .1 E•ortant an fa ,tle'than others. In atl, examples we feel that the first opportunity is to d our i� ,tagemen c �o�i itary Distric 6 up resources for other initiatives. O brtunity PriOt t .. Mov ountain to ahitary Distnr#(freq l p dollars for other things) Brr in Partners an® the Yol'i *: 0 i`r ' T '''''R,•wn has the o•pe•ortuni l -our technological pre iedness, dark skies,and culture of bE rK i i�€ ' , s e I •nmental con34 ation ••rt ieith ASU/NAU and other i'gher learning establishments. Our unique e a onment is ide pr the Wablish El`! of satellite astronomy, conservation, and sustainability departments. S 4 partnership rAg•UId int`:•uce mor rung people to our local economy,foster additional home purchases by p 4,eJ is of progran childreni'J'Ind shift m r share/branding with the metro community of what Fountain Hills is all If�t r' i bos s to focus R his initiative they,must act upon the following items identified as opportunities: Opportunity Priority 1: Leverage our Technological Preparedness Opportunity Priority 2: Develop strategic partnerships with ASU/NAU and others Opportunity Priority 3:Proposed international dark skies discovery center. Opportunity Priority 4: Rebranding Health and Wellness, conservation, dark skies,technologies,etc Opportunity Priority 5: California outflows and other parents could be enticed by views,office space and educated workforce Opportunity Priority 6:Working residents generally must outflow(commute)for work. More towns people could stay local to service the campus. Weakness Priority 1: Revenue/Fiscal Sustainability/Cost Control. More people in town increases retail spend and tax rev;also increases infrastructure and road maintenance costs. Weakness Priority 2:Community Brand is seen as a retirement community(this can start to change that) Weakness Priority 3: Demographic imbalance(maybe we will all have someone to buy our houses in the future) Weakness Priority 4:Lack of understanding of our technological capability Weakness Priority 5: Housing Affordability* Capture the Shea/B-line traffic The town has a significant amount of traffic moving through the Shea corridor that isn't stopping in the town to spend money, look at property,attend events,or developing a love for our town. Travelers see Fountain Hills as a Target, Denny's and closed store front pit stop on the way to other things. B-Line travelers see little more than a few restaurants at a stop light. Development of the Shea corridor would help our local economy,shift mind share/branding with the metro community. Opportunity Priority 1:Shea/target corridor redesign/redevelopment Opportunity Priority 2: Rebrand community and manage town reputation(manage why business should invest in Fountain Hills) Opportunity Priority 3:Working residents generally must outflow(commute)for work. Businesses need educated laborers;the town has a large pool to entice to stay within the community. Opportunity Priority 4:Town website rework and branding(advertising for the town,get the new brand in the mind of developers) Weakness Priority 1: Revenue/Fiscal Sustainability/Cost Control. More people in town increases retail spend and tax rev;also increases infrastructure and road maintenance costs. Weakness Priority 2:Community Brand is seen as a retirement community(this can start to change that) Weakness Priority 3:Aging Infrastructure Weakness Priority 4:Lack of understanding of our technological capability Weakness Priority 5: Land Locked(must redevelop) Weakness Priority 6: Landlords not willing to rent space Weakness Priority 7: Lack of available(landlords unwilling to rent)industrial space Develop and Rezone Trust Lands RE* Q en trust land development the town looks to create an amphitheater/entertainment a , , , /or an ind ntice businesses into our community.This approach not only captures r ues from devetopmen tivities b ets the town up for a sustainable revenue stream from business and 4,: entertainment activities. Opportunity Priority 1: Rezone and develop trust lands;addresses land locked situation Op rtunity Priority 2: Rebrand community and manage town reputation Oprtunity Priority 3:Working age residents are highly educated Opp, rtunity Priority 4:Working residents must generally outflow(commute) i,� 0 rtunity Priority 5: Califo nia business outflows could be enticed by our community a},g? i \Ale ness Prio ". Reven a Fiscal Sustainability/Cost Control. More people in town increases retai -nd and to i-o 1 � 'sses infrastri ture and road maintenance costs. ", ,# Wea ns � nority 2:Comma ity Brand is seen as a retirement community(this�l�can start to change the - Weakness Priority 3:Aging Infrastructure and associated costs. Weakness Priority 4: Lack of understanding of our technological capability Weakness Priority 5:Land Locked (must redevelop) Weakness Priority 6:Landlords not willing to rent currently empty space Weakness Priority 7: Lack of industrial space *Housing Affordability:We are doing more research into this to see how Fountain Hills compares to Phoenix metro. The average rent in Phoenix is$1,855 for a 3-bedroom apt(see Statistica city report). The median home price in 2019 was$273,000. Bestplaces.net records the average rent in fountain hills for a 3-bedroom apt as$1,890. I'd like to find an apples- to-apples source. It may be that the'affordability'for renting families is in line with metro averages. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY — Process Update (A joint project in collaboration with VisionFH) February 26, 2020 ✓ Final test version to be distributed electronically to FH Civic and Cultural Association members in early March. Estimated response rate should exceed 2-300 members. Survey results and respondents' feedback will be analyzed and reported to SPAC in April. ✓ A revised survey will then be promoted for communitywide participation in mid/late April. Results to be analyzed and reported to SPAC in May. ✓ VFH will use the results and feedback from these first two surveys to identify issues/trends for future follow up (including a third survey scheduled for September) and to set an agenda/talking points for a proposed planning forum in late September. ✓ Outputs from these interactions will assist SPAC in identifying key planning topics for the updated version scheduled for delivery to the Town Manager in January 2021. Outline of contents for Community Survey—Version 1 1. Demographics info section (Age, employment status, home ownership, etc) 2. General and specific attitude measures (Town and specific amenities) 3. Importance/performance measures for key community attributes — Parks and Open Spaces — Community Activities — Civic Plaza Facilities Public Safety— Town Conditions — Public Schools —Shopping and Restaurants. 4. General Comments section