Council Goals 2015-2020

Pillars:

  1. Economic Vitality
  2. Quality of life (neighborhoods, parks, the arts)
  3. Transportation/infrastructure

Focus Areas:

  1. Neighborhoods
  2. Infrastructure
  3. Transportation
  4. Economic vitality – metrics
  5. Diversity and population size
  6. Parks, trails and open spaces
  7. Community engagement
  8. Customer service
  9. Arts
  10. Financial Health
  11. Safety
  12. City Facilities

Detailed focus area reports:

NEIGHBORHOODS

  • Sidewalks – Policy for sidewalks and creative use of street space (wide sidewalks/narrow streets)
  • Percentage of open space
  • Pocket parks
  • Fewer through streets
  • Fiber optics to homes
  • Centralized mail drops
  • Some neighborhoods having bigger lots – more spread
  • Diverse housing stock – New subdivisions with higher end homes
  • Management of housing projects with THA
  • Connectivity
  • Coding questions – standards for each specific area
  • Wise preservation/conservation policies
  • Quality lighting standards for communities

INFRASTRUCTURE (water, sewage, streets, etc.)


  • Maintain adequate sewer plant (at half capacity now)
  • Adequate water reserved (extend agreement)
  • Use retention ponds as water features
  • Drainage strategy/ plan
  • Street maintenance program in place
  • Good data driven decisions on maintenance of streets (in house vs. outsourced)
  • Incorporating infrastructure into amenities by building wisely – good landscaping (berms, park features around drainage ponds)
  • Utilize gray water
  • Be proactive on water rights
  • Technology (i.e. AMI, etc.)
TRANSPORTATION
  • Lengthen runway at airport
  • Additional hangars at airport
  • Upgrade terminal at airport
  • AMTRAK depot
  • Completed loop- update Council on overall transportation plan/grid system with county and state
  • City-wide fixed bus route possibly run by city
  • Bike borrow program
  • Charging plan for electric cars
  • Policy on bike lanes – where will we have them?
  • Commuter rail
  • Explore other transportation projects

ECONOMIC VITATLITY

  • Goals for residential/commercial growth
  • Strategy for right balance with light industry vs. heavy industry based on data
  • Update Mega-site plan
  • Partnerships with EDC, Chamber, ISD, County, State
  • Good policies for private/public partnerships
  • Vocational, trade school, higher education as a means to attract and retain young adults
  • Maximize retail specialties – downtown
  • Retail shopping centers – 2 or 3 of them
  • 7th street campus – unique shop areas
  • Marketing of ISD

POPULATION


  • Make this place whole – Taylor graduates can come back and raise a family
  • Amphitheater could promote more diverse venues and participation
  • Focus on attracting all generations
  • Consider need for senior component in facilities and housing
  • Variety of housing options
  • Market the advantages of Taylor for seniors
  • Take advantage of creative class who are being pushed price wise due to gentrification
  • Improve marketing needed
  • Strategic in marketing

PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES

  • Master plan update
  • Implement Robinson Park Grant
  • Murphy Park as centerpiece – maximize amenities there
  • Multiple recreation centers
  • Connectivity
  • Maximize creeks as amenities and features
  • Notarium
  • Dog park
  • Focus on getting all generations
  • Skate park
  • Disc golf course
  • Friends of the Parks

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  • LEAD Taylor (revamped)
  • Community forums – education on growth (Summit)
  • Youth leadership in partnerships with schools to promote civics
  • Highly engaged students with city – start young
  • Be early majority on engagement
CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • Customer service training – high priority
  • Use technology to full extent
  • Well trained staff
  • Performance measures
  • Role of community survey

THE ARTS


  • Public art – especially in downtown
  • Music is a big part of the arts
  • Promote local artistic expressions
  • Possible performing arts center (possible partnerships with CORP/ISD)
  • Museums (private)
  • Art Gallery (private)
  • Filming is already here
FINANCIAL HEALTH
  • Reserves improved
  • Bond rating upgrades
  • Maximize industrial park revenues
  • Dedicated funds for improvements
  • Replacement plan
  • Regional employment centers
  • Use of TIFs and other zones
  • Be more specific/ include PID’s

​PUBLIC SAFETY

  • Perception of public safety
  • More education of community on public safety
  • Police station
  • New fire stations
  • Emergency management center
  • Communication system (replace)
  • Integrating community meeting space with fire stations
  • Regular presence at schools – resource officers
  • Keep up with technology, equipment
  • Relative growth of personnel
  • Increase education level and training of police officers
  • Role of community policing
  • Emergency preparedness training
  • Executive dashboards
  • More education of community on public safety

CITY FACILITIES


  • Governmental higher education complex
  • Public works facility
  • Police station
  • Fire Station #2
  • City Hall
  • Animal shelter
  • Admin building on 12th street – possible use for city
  • Pavilion at cemetery
  • Airport upgrades – including terminal
  • Add on to library