Priority Area 1: Jobs/Industry Council Ideas Initial Progress/Results
1. Staff and Council reviewed and updated fees that were adopted by City Council effective August 1, 2019. The lesser of an inflationary increase or actual cost of staff and supplies was used. Staff recommended a revised structure for building permit fees that was based on staff time instead of a flat 1% of permit valuation. Council further revised the building permit fees to subsidize the cost of lower valued projects.2. With the support and direction from Council, an ordinance to allow retail cannabis businesses to open within the City will be considered by the Planning Commission on August 28, 2019. The ordinance allows cannabis businesses that are primarily retail to also have small scale manufacturing, cultivation and distribution at the same location.
Goal 2 - Partner with educational
institutions Education and developing a qualified workforce.
1. City Council is pursuing opportunities to assist in providing a higher education facility by seeking land on the southern portion of the Mill Site that could be used for such a purpose.1. Staff and Council are exploring ways to encourage local businesses and potentially discourage chain or formula box stores. The City Attorney has been directed to provide guidance on this topic.
2. The City continues to partner with the EDFC and on April 22, 2019, the Council adopted the EDFC Mendocino County Digital Infrastructure Plan 2019-2025.3. The City Manager along with the Executive Director from the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of West Company started a walk about program to check in with local businesses on an informal basis.4. The City's Visit Fort Bragg Committee has sponsored a walking map of the historic downtown, which highlights local businesses, purchased 2,000 totes to promote Fort Bragg and started a First Friday Block Party to create more traffic in the CBD.5. The City has offered local businesses an outdoor display encroachment permit, without cost or the insurance requirement, so that a business may display merchandise or other temporary enticements for customers to enter the businesses.
Goal 1 - Become more business
and customer service friendly
Fort Bragg City Council Priority Areas and Goals
Updated 8-14-2019
Goal 3 - Foster and help sustain
Local businesses
Public/private partnerships; overcome barriers to industry such as broadband, housing, and transportation; work with West Company and Economic Development Financing Corp. (EDFC); and support businesses that "keep money here".Ombudsman support for developers and new businesses; provide for more decisions to be reviewed by the Planning Commission; look at fee collection structure; ensure fees are fair and reasonable; prioritize restorative businesses; proactively invite businesses to Fort Bragg; and market Fort Bragg as a place to locate your business.
Fort Bragg City Council Priority Areas and Goals
Updated 8-14-2019
Priority Area 2: Quality of Life Council Ideas Initial Progress/Results
1. Council appointed a City Prosecutor to enforce the City's Municipal Code. This will provide better results on code enforcement matters and allow for recouping costs associated with the enforcement and cleanup corrective actions taken by the City.2. Visit Fort Bragg Committee is replacing the decorative banners displayed on street lights in the CBD with new artwork that continues to support the City's brand.
Goal 2 - Assist with façade
improvements for businesses
Matching funds/grants; Main St. Program; EDFC; and Mills Act - property tax.
1. Staff is developing a façade improvement grant program, which would award a 50% match of up to $2,000 for local businesses to improve their facades.
1. City Council and staff are actively pursuing both the Pudding Creek restoration project and preserving property for public facilities on the Mill Site.2. Staff with Council approval submitted a $1.6M grant application for Prop 68 funds to complete phase two of the Bainbridge Park and improve the functionality of the park for the community.1. Police Department will be fully staffed in September, when a police officer and community services officer, who have conditionally accepted positions are scheduled to start work.2. The Police Department is actively reaching out to the community for assistance with gang related activity. Additionally, the School District and PD are pursuing a grant that would help fund a School Resource Officer (SRO) for up to 5 years. The City has pledged financial support for a portion of the SRO.
Goal 4 - Maintain a fully-staffed
police force A more community-involved police force.
Goal 1 - Beautification of
streets/sidewalks
Adopt a street program; sponsor volunteer clean-up days; and explore in-house maintenance options.
Goal 3 - Pursue partnerships to
maintain open space
Example: Pudding Creek 80 acres; and Mill Site Open Space.
Fort Bragg City Council Priority Areas and Goals
Updated 8-14-2019
Priority Area 3: Housing Council Ideas Initial Progress/Results
1. Council is in the process of adopting the 2019 Housing Element to expand housing units within the City of Fort Bragg.2. Staff has applied for grant funding of $160,000 in order to pursue and implement programs set forth in the 2019 Housing Element.
Goal 3 - Streamline permitting
process and pursue creative
approaches to fees
Pay fees over time or delay collection until permit final; and review barriers to building.
1. Staff is developing an Economic Development Incentives Policy and Programs to encourage economic growth, business expansion and local retention. Proposed programs include capacity fee deferrals, financing/taxing districts, Mills Act incentives, TOT sharing agreements, facade improvement programs, and housing and jobs planning incentives.
Goal 1 - 200 Units of housing in the
next 5 years
Pursue public/private partnerships; funding for developers; updating local plan to make more attractive; pursue tax credits and grants; and look at density.
Goal 2 - Pursue Community Land
Trust/JPA/Housing Authority
Joint Power Authority (JPA) with other cities or county; incubator program for nonprofit land trust; and research funding mechanisms.
1. Staff and City Council are reviewing opportunities for a community land trust or other community housing partnerships.
Fort Bragg City Council Priority Areas and Goals
Updated 8-14-2019
Priority Area 4: Infrastructure Council Ideas Initial Progress/Results
1. Staff has updated and thoroughly reviewed the City's water model in order to more accurately measure and predict the impact of growth and other factors on future water needs. The model provides a tool going forward to evaluate the adequacy of City sources under other circumstances.2. Staff is working with Georgia Pacific in order to transfer their water rights associated with the Mill Site to the City. 3. Staff is actively seeking to negotiate the two remaining Lake and Streambed Alteration (LSA) agreements with CA Fish and Wildlife in order to confirm/establish the City's ongoing water resources.
Goal 2 - Renewable Energy
Develop and encourage: Solar Power; Wind Power; micro-grids. Focus on City Facilities first as a demonstration of possibilities.
1. Staff has developed a list of shovel ready projects, so that grant and funding opportunities can be easily matched. 2. As mentioned in other Goals, the City has applied for the $1.6M Prop 68 grant for Bainbridge Park Phase 2, the HCD housing funds $160k and $80k for continued work on the Mill Site LCP.
Goal 3 - Emphasize Grants for City
Focus Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds on City infrastructure projects. Actively pursue all grant and other funding options and possibilities.Modular de-salinization; construction of additional water tanks; seek out other water sources. Goal 1 - Develop Water Security