On Monday, the city council adopted its goals and initiatives for 2007-2009. These goals and initiatives lay out the framework for what the city council thinks ought to be accomplished in the next two years. It comes after months of work and public input on the plan.

The goals and initiatives encompass a broad variety of things that happens within the city including city services, neighborhood integrity, infrastructure, financial planning and communication. The council also updated the city’s vision and mission statements and put in place actionable items.

A large and significant effort will be to update the city’s Comprehensive Planning Guide. While residents are often worried about immediate issues like run down apartments or traffic, the Comprehensive Plan acts as a road map for long term decisions that might have an impact on direction over the next 20 to 30 years.

The Comprehensive Plan will be updated as a joint project with the city’s Plan Commission. Appropriate and desired land use categories will be updated and the plan will include a giude to best property uses. This plan will have to be cohesive with transportation plans and the plan might include a refinement of the city’ Transit Oriented Development policies.

One area that is new to Richardson – at least as a category on its own – is the development of a comprehensive environmental plan. Under this category the city would seek to move its recycling program in house and expand it to multifamily residences and city events. It would seek designation as a “Tree City USA.” It would try to promote strategies for water, and electricity conservation by, possibly, offering incentives on things like residential toilet replacements.

Further, future city buildings might undergo consideration for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) that seeks to certify that buildings efficiently use resources from building materials to electricity to water. LEED certified buildings cost more to build but usually result in a cost savings over time due to increased efficiency.

Another area that might be enhanced is citizen communication. There was discussion of broadcasting council meetings on the internet or making them available for podcasts.

Notably absent in the initiatives section is any mention of crime or public safety or action items regarding aging apartment complexes. Several council members noted to the Echo that with regard to aging apartment complexes, this could be handled in the Comprehensive Plan initiative.

During the final discussion about the initiatives council members removed a proposed initiative to further strengthen Richardson’s sexually oriented business ordinances.

The Council updated the City’s mission and vision statements.

Vision

The best City of quality neighborhoods, community vitality, innovative economic development, outstanding public services, environmental friendliness, educational excellence, and strong healthcare services.

Mission

The City pledges to enhance and expand our business base, in concert with the promotion of high-quality residential neighborhoods. This effort takes advantage of Richardson’s community strengths, which are best characterized by a well-educated and highly motivated labor force; a strong, established education infrastructure; and a dynamic business environment. The City Council will continue its commitment to those components, recognizing their significance to the community and the contribution they make toward achieving the City’s vision for Richardson.

The initiatives were broken down into these sections:

• Update the City’s Comprehensive Planning Guide
• Enhance Neighborhood Integrity and Code Enforcement Practices
• Develop Strategies to Address the City’s Infrastructure Needs
• Develop a Comprehensive Program for Residential, Retail, and Commercial Revitalization and Development
• Develop Comprehensive/Long-Range Financial Planning Strategies and Policies (Budget Planning).
• Review City Ordinances and Zoning Considerations
• Review of Boards and Commissions and other City Council Outreach Initiatives
• Enhance Communication with Citizens
• Review Traffic and Transportation Policies
• Develop a Comprehensive Environmental Plan

We asked the city council members what they thought of the goals and initiatives and got a number of responses.

Mayor Steve Mitchell said, “I am excited. I think it represents the council doing great things for the city.”

“It’s a good plan that’s all encompassing,” Mayor Pro Tem Bob Townsend said, “The real key is when we put down action items.”

Place 2 member Rhea Allison said, “I am very impressed with the thorough nature of our plan and that we can translate these initiatives into an action plan.”

“The goals and initiatives sets the tone of where the council goes in the next two years,” Place 4 member John Murphy said, “It’s a road map of how we get through these issues and much of it is what citizens have brought forth.”

Veteran place 4 member Gary Slagel said that the council took the initiatives sessions “very seriously” and that the result was “a great basis on which we can move forward.”

First time member Pris Hayes said, “The goals are very forward looking in terms of how they deal with comprehensive planning and neighborhood integrity.”

“I don’t want this to be hollow words,” Place 7 member Dennis Stewart said, “I want this to be our report card to the citizens.”

The goals and initiatives documents contain broad and extensive content. I asked the city council members to give their top three highlights and left it open to how they could pick them without regard to order.

Mayor Mitchell summed his up in three words, “Residential, retail and commercial.”  He means residential, retail, and commercial development and redevelopment. “I am committed to greater retail options and this ties into revitalized neighborhoods and greater code enforcement.”

Gary Slagel:
1) Neighborhoods and enhanced code enforcement.
2) Economic development and redevelopment. He noted that, “With older shopping centers we need to encourage them to change when appropriate.”
3) Environmental initiatives: “It’s a new area for us but an important one that we are now taking seriously.”

Rhea Allison:
1) Consideration of smoking regulations within the city: “I am committed to smoke free air.”
2) Enhanced communications with citizens. Allison is in favor of video of council meetings on the city’s website.
3)  A retail plan for “developing incentives for aging or empty retail centers.”

Bob Townsend:
1) Neighborhood integrity and code enforcement: "I’ve thought this was a top item all the time I’ve been on the council.”
2) Infrastructure needs: “We are behind in getting our infrastructure in good shape.”
3) Comprehensive environmental plan: “I think the time is right to do this.”

Pris Hayes:
1) Comprehensive Environmental Plan.
2) Economic Development focus: "We will need to be more aggressive to bring companies to the city."
3) Continued partnership with neighborhoods.

John Murphy:
1) Continued focus on neighborhood revitalization: “This is the city’s future.”
2) Keeping city services excellent: “because this is one reason people want to live here and it helps keep the city new and fresh.”
3) Expanded Environmental efforts including recycling and conservation: “We have not done much before but we are headed that direction,” he said, “How can we recycle better? How can we have better water management? We will try to address these.”

Dennis Stewart:
1) Traffic issues. Stewart pointed to problems at Eagle-Mustang stadium and the possible need to “traffic humps” in some neighborhoods.
2) Environmental issues: “Have we ever gone to apartments and tried to get them to recycle? Have we provided containers to see if the residents will buy into it? We ought to at least give it a try.” About in-house recycling: “If we do it in-house and if it costs as much or more, I’d favor leaving it outsourced. It should be explored.”
3) Processes in place for city operations. “We have lots of outdated ordinances, and we ought to have standards for processes and procedures.”

The goals and initiatives now becomes the blueprints for action items for the rest of the council's term in office.