CITY COUNCIL
HOUSING AUTHORITY AND
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL
CAJON
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
El Cajon Police
Department
100 Civic Center Way
El Cajon, CA 92020
City Council Priorities & Goal Setting Workshop
JANUARY 31, 2023, 7:00 P.M.
Bill Wells, Mayor Graham Mitchell, City Manager
Steve Goble, Deputy Mayor Vince DiMaggio, Assistant City Manager Gary Kendrick, Councilmember Morgan Foley, City Attorney Michelle Metschel, Councilmember Angela Cortez, City Clerk Phil Ortiz, Councilmember
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Angela Cortez
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT:
1. City Council Priorities & Goal Setting Workshop
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council conducts its annual Priority & Goal Setting Workshop.
ADJOURNMENT: The Joint Special Meeting of the El Cajon City Council/ El Cajon Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency held this 31st day of January 2023, is adjourned.
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City Council
Agenda Report
Agenda Item 1.
DATE: 01/31/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Graham Mitchell, City Manager
SUBJECT: City Council Priorities & Goal Setting Workshop RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council conducts its annual Priority & Goal Setting Workshop.
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this memorandum is to prepare the City Council for next week’s Priority/Goal Setting Workshop on Tuesday, January 31st at 7:00 P.M. at the Public Safety Facility Community Room. This memo:
Provides an explanation of the attached matrix of last year’s priorities and goals,1.
Suggests a format for the workshop, and2.
Provides several recommendations from staff for goals in 2023. 3.
Priority/Goal Matrix
Attached is a matrix that includes goals/outcomes, required milestones, and the status of each milestone. The matrix is color coded as follows:
Green – completed
Red – incomplete
Blue – in process or ongoing
Workshop Format
Staff recommends that the City Council follow a similar format as it has in previous years. Staff recommends a very brief review of the 2022 priorities/goals with an opportunity to ask questions. Second, staff suggests that the City Council establish the principal priorities for 2023 (maintain the same priorities or add/subtract priorities). Once 2023 priorities are established, the City Council can share their ideas of specific goals for each priority. Depending on how many goals are established, there may be a need to narrow down or prioritize the list. Staff recommends that the City Council try to limit the number of goals to about twenty.
With priorities and goals established by the City Council through the workshop, staff will present the City Council Action Plan for 2023 at a regular city council meeting for consideration and adoption.
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• • •
Staff Recommendations
Assuming the City Council determines to maintain existing priorities, staff recommends several 2023 goals for consideration.
Revitalization of Downtown – staff has made progress toward issuing a request for proposal for potential development of City-owned property and other properties. I suggest that the City work with the development community to market several development sites in the downtown area, including issuing formal requests for proposals for public/private partnerships.
Economic Development – staff recommends that in 2023, the City establish an Economic Development fund with the use of General Fund Reserves so that the City can proactively fund projects (one-time incentives, façade improvement program, business attraction, and other recommendations from the future Economic Development Strategic Plan’s implementation study).
City Beautification – there are several beautification and neighborhood improvement projects that have been approved, some of them relying on ARPA funding. Staff believes there is value in focusing City resources on completing these projects so that the funding is not lost. These projects include:
Street Beautification/Safety Projects (Oakdale/Alameda, Fencing at Johnson, and West Washington Avenue Road Safety Improvement, Jamacha Road Safety Improvements, and Neighborhood Street Lights Project)
Cool Zones
Solar Project
Expand Broadband
Park Amenity Project
Fire Station 7 Design
Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Project
Homelessness – staff recommends that the City engage residents through a series of four town hall meetings (one in each City Council district), providing more education about what the City can and cannot do and the success of its programs.
Public Safety – as part of reducing the number of speeding incidents in the City, staff recommends that the City continue the pilot street camera program in high speed areas.
Prepared By: Graham Mitchell, City Manager
Reviewed By:
Approved By: N/A
Attachments
2022 City Council Action Plan
•
• • • • • •
1 City Council Action Plan – 2022
UPDATE: January 25, 2023
Priority: Revitalization of Downtown El Cajon
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Analyze how to best leverage
Property Business Improvement
District (PBID) revenue
Council to receive a report from a consultant with an
analysis of the existing assessment district structure
and identify issues to consider as the Downtown
redevelops.
In Progress
RFP was issued in October 2022 to prepare the
analysis.
Council to review an analysis of existing expenditure of PBID funds and provide direction on uses of those
funds, such as social media marketing, façade/sign
improvement program, capital projects, etc.
In Progress
RFP was issued in October 2022 to prepare the
analysis.
Maintain and improve Downtown’s
public rights-of-way
Facilitate with the Downtown Business Partners routine
cleaning of streets and sidewalks through power
washing, litter removal, and landscape maintenance in
accordance with the adopted PBID Engineer’s Report
(March 2016).
Ongoing
Improvements have been made with more work to be
done.
Staff is analyzing an option to modify agreement with
the Downtown Business Partners for City to take over
maintaining cleanliness of Downtown.
Work with the County of San Diego
to explore joint development
opportunities of public lands in the
Downtown to serve as a catalyst
development project
Secure an agreement with the County of San Diego to
install a process in compliance with Surplus Land Act
as part of a joint effort to solicit investment and
development interest in developing various public and
private uses in the Downtown.
Incomplete
Staff has met with various County staff and
departments. Not strong interest from County to
pursue. Staff is working on a marketing plan of the City and County properties to help the process move
forward.
Issue a developer request for qualifications/proposal. Incomplete Select a developer(s) to initiate the catalyst project. Incomplete
2 Priority: Economic Development
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Implement strategies identified in the
Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategic Plan
Council to adopt the Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategic Plan and provide direction on
the first few projects to initiate.
Complete
Economic Development Strategic Plan adopted by
the City Council and an implementation plan is
underway as next phase.
Consider land purchases and/or partnership with large
undeveloped and developed sites for development or
redevelopment
In Progress
Staff seeks and analyzes opportunities to purchase
property with high return on investment or
redevelopment opportunity.
Re-envision Parkway Plaza
Engage current mall owners (Pacific Retail Capital
Partners, Seritage, Pacific Retail, JC Penney
Properties, Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, and
Fletcher Parkway Group) with a focus on additional
activation strategies and development along Johnson
Avenue and Fletcher Parkway corridors.
Incomplete
Secure assistance from San Diego State University to
oversee a community re-envisioning project for
Parkway Plaza to develop “big ideas” to consider.
In Progress
SDSU students have adopted the Parkway Plaza Re-
Envision Project with the study to be completed in
May 2023.
Also, USC professor (Dr. Hilda Blanco) is researching
large mall redevelopment sites and has included
Parkway Plaza in the analysis.
Council to receive a comprehensive report on re-
visioning of Parkway Plaza.
In Progress
Presentation to occur in May 2023.
Connect City events with The
Magnolia
Working with the Downtown Business Partners and
Live Nation, create a program to connect events and
Downtown businesses with The Magnolia.
Incomplete
Integrate Foodie Fest into American
on Main Street event
Council to consider budget approval for a 2023
American on Main Street/Foodie Fest event Complete
Council to approve theme for 2023 America on Main
Street and level of assistance to participating Foodie
Fest restaurants
In Progress
Host 2023 American on Main Street/Foodie Fest In Progress 3 Initiate a catalyst project in the
Transit District Specific Plan area
Working with MTS for development on MTS property,
present a catalyst development project for Council
consideration. This will require a MTS policy change
toward a more pro-housing development policy for
mixed-income projects.
Complete
Staff worked with MTS staff to issue an RFP and
select a developer (Chelsea Investment Corporation)
Identify and work with interested private parties to
facilitate a catalyst mixed-use project.
In Progress
Staff is working on two additional development
opportunities in the TDSP.
4 Priority: City Beautification
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Promote City renewal projects
Present to the Council the FY 2022/23 Budget with the
inclusion of a marketing staff person to facilitate
promotion of City project (upcoming and completely)
and help each City department with public outreach
efforts.
Complete
For each significant project, City to prepare marketing materials (e.g. social media posts, door hangers,
videos, etc.) to promote beautification and improvement efforts.
Complete / Ongoing
Council to receive semi-annual reports on
improvements made over the previous six months and
a preview of upcoming projects.
Complete / Ongoing
Public improvements to create safer,
well lit, and beautified streets
Install at least 60 new street lights in CDBG eligible
census track areas in two phases.
Complete – Phase I (26 lights)
In Progress – Phase II underway (34 lights)
In Progress – Phase III planning for 2023
Consider a program to identify and repair all sidewalks in the City.
Ongoing
City is inspecting every sidewalk, secured funding
allocation for sidewalk slicing project, and finalizing contract with vendor for slicing.
Present to Council a freeway underpasses lighting &
mural pilot program, in partnership with Caltrans.
Ongoing
A report was provided to the Council on Sep 13, 2022
with next steps. Using ARPA funds, entry projects are
underway. Mural projects at the Oakdale/Alameda
gateway project is envisioned, but not yet
determined.
Add art to frequently graffiti targets (traffic signal
cabinet wraps), revitalize median & island landscaping, and consider a one-year program to repair all sidewalk
tripping hazards.
Ongoing
Staff is securing wraps for controller boxes, continues to support City’s graffiti removal contractor, and is
working on trip hazards with a comprehensive City
survey and slicing project.
Launch a neighborhood clean-up
program that relies on resident
leadership and participation
Present to Council possible programs and partnerships
for encouraging neighborhood residents to initiate
clean-up and beautifications projects.
Complete
5 Priority: Homelessness
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Promote success of the City’s
Compassionate/ Corrective Strategy
on Homelessness
Promote the success of the City’s
Compassionate/Corrective Strategy regarding
homelessness through a more user useful website,
videos, and social media posts.
Complete / Ongoing
Engage residents and business operators about issues
& solutions for homelessness by way of a community
survey and possible community focus groups.
In Progress
Town Hall series to be scheduled in March 2023
Coordinate homeless services and
housing with cities in the East
County region so that all jurisdictions
in the region share the responsibility
of providing housing and services to
individuals experiencing
homelessness
2023: Let’s let others do a project
before we launch another
Council to consider a Memorandum of Understanding
with regional government agencies to coordinate
homeless shelters and programs.
Incomplete
City attempted to open an additional shelter in
cooperation with other East County cities but City
was not successful in securing County grant funding.
Develop a regional plan to address homelessness with
regional government agencies.
Incomplete
Staff recommends as a next step for this goal,
scheduling an East County mayors/city managers
meeting.
Address illegal lodging in the City’s
public rights-of-way and property
Illegal encampments to be addressed within 2 business
days after being reported. Completed / Ongoing
In high propensity areas of illegal encampments,
consider implementing environmental design tools (e.g.
landscape, hardscape, fencing, lighting, music, etc.)
Ongoing
City is installing coated higher-gauge fencing in areas where homeless individuals cut fencing at City
channels.
Create widget on front page of app and improve
messaging about how El Cajon is addressing
homelessness in the city, including resources, how to
report concerns, and statistics about work done to date.
Complete
Reduce pedestrian traffic violations
related to panhandling
Targeted enforcement of state and local laws. Complete / Ongoing Council to consider new “no panhandling” signage. Complete Consider modifications to City medians to deter
panhandling activity.
Ongoing
Locations for improvements identified at Johnson Ave
and I-8, Johnson Ave south of Fletcher Parkway,
Fletcher Parkway west of Cuyamaca, Navajo and
Fletcher Parkway, and Johnson Ave and Fesler.
6 Priority: Public Safety
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Reduce the number of high speeding
incidents in the City through the
development and implementation of a
comprehensive strategy
Council to receive a report on an education campaign
developed with the aid of high school student focus
groups.
Complete
Implement education campaign. Complete / Ongoing
Administer a community-wide survey to identify
problem areas, perceptions of, and possible solutions.
Ongoing
Staff has identified high problem areas (based on
complaints and observations) and uses this
information to prioritize enforcement areas.
Pairing with existing Capital Improvement Program
projects, consider environmental design features that
will naturally slow traffic in high speed areas without significant impact on traffic circulation (e.g. lane
narrowing, landscape bulb outs, lighting, striping,
traffic circles, enhanced crosswalks).
Ongoing
Smart growth projects (Main Street & El Cajon Blvd),
HSIP projects (Madison and Washington), and Traffic
Safety Calming Project (installation of Rectangular
Rapid Flashing Beacons)
Pilot a street camera program in a high speed area(s).
In Progress
Expected completion date in 2nd Quarter 2023. This
program has expanded to include a pilot license plate
reader program in other areas in the City.
Ongoing Enforcement including specific Traffic
Division details targeting speeding violations. Complete / Ongoing Fill the ten lateral police vacancies Fill all lateral vacancies. Ongoing
7 Priority: Miscellaneous
Goal/Outcome Milestones/Tasks Status
Increase public engagement,
promotion of City projects, and
celebration of accomplishments in the
community
Present to the Council the FY 2022/23 Budget with the
inclusion of a marketing staff person to facilitate
promotion of City project (upcoming and completely)
and accomplishments in the community.
Complete
If position approved, increase public outreach and
marketing through video production, social media
posts, and community engagement.
Ongoing
Position the City to more effectively
address regional issues impacting El
Cajon residents and businesses
Issue a Request for Proposals for a public
relations/lobbyist firm to assist the City. Incomplete
Council to select firm. Incomplete
Develop a consensus for the design
of a new City of El Cajon Veterans
Memorial
Conclude outreach to City’s veterans coalition and
stakeholders
In Progress
Staff has conducted a total of 10 meetings (large
group and small group discussions) with various
stakeholder groups. Community input was also
solicited at City events.
Council to receive report on progress of outreach effort and finding and provide direction.
In Progress
Anticipated to occur in January 2023
Consider the use of up to $10 million
in General Fund reserves for projects
that will have a significant impact on
the community or will yield a fiscal
return
Council to receive a report and provide direction on
possible one-time uses of General Fund reserves for
projects that are within the purview of the City and do not require future ongoing expenditures.
In Progress
Staff presented several options to the Council for the
use of General Reserve Funds (overhire of police
officers, sidewalk repair, Rec Center HVAC, portion
of a fire engine, and digital marquee at recreation
center)