WORKSHOP ITEM - Erik Thorvig, Community Development Director
Title
CITY VISION DISCUSSION
Background
Over the last month staff has had discussions with several individual councilmembers about the city’s vision as we continue to grow and develop. The City has completed several initiatives within the last two years related to the general organizational and city mission and vision through the strategic plan (see attached). Within the strategic plan, there are priorities that are specific to different divisions of the City such as Financial Sustainability, Infrastructure and Growth Management. Within those priorities are outcomes, targets and initiatives for the City Council and staff to work towards over the next 3-5 years.
The City also recently adopted the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The comprehensive plan provides an opportunity to establish a vision for how the community will grow and develop over the coming decades. The plan provides goals and implementation steps to assist the City Council in making decisions related to development, land use, transportation, housing and parks. In general, the comprehensive plan is a high-level document and does not necessarily get into specific strategies for individual development sites with the exception of 13 different redevelopment areas that have been identified. Attached are the implementation steps for the various chapters of the comprehensive plan.
These two resources provide the City Council and staff a framework for various decision making relating to the organization or physical development of the City. Based on conversations between staff and the City Council, there is a collective desire to talk more in-depth about the vision for the City as we continue to grow and redevelop over the next 30 years. To note, it is anticipated the City will achieve full build-out in the next 12-15 years and the City will continue to change through redevelopment afterwards.
The purpose of the discussion at the workshop is to take what has already been established in the strategic and comprehensive plans and discuss the City Council’s approach to accomplishing the goals and initiatives in those plans.
Challenge: Staff is asking the City Council to prepare the following prior to the City Council workshop:
In your own dream scenario, what do you envision Blaine as in 30 years? Please provide three highlights related to that vision. For example, be a destination as a recreation city, establish a community center, create a walkable city core. Please be as brief or thorough as you desire. We will be sharing these thoughts for discussion and to identify potential themes. PLEASE SEND YOUR THREE HIGHLIGHTS TO ME PRIOR TO THE MEETING ON MONDAY VIA EMAIL.
In addition to this topic, staff would like to discuss how the City could have impact and influence on either redevelopment or new development within the City. There are different approaches and strategies the City can take depending on the direction and position of the City Council. Staff will present information on various sites in Blaine along with examples and ideas from other communities on how to approach having impact and influence.
It’s likely this meeting could the be first of several related to this topic. This initial meeting will provide staff an understanding of common themes, strategies, philosophies, etc. to assist in guiding the discussion forward.