CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Strategic Plan Update
MEETING DATE: February 5, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Mandy Stephens, Management Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Rebekah Kramer, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Receive and file an update on the implementation of the City of Menifee’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan for the period extending from July 1 to December 31, 2024.
DISCUSSION
The City’s five-year Strategic Plan establishes the City’s vision for the future and sets a roadmap for meeting current and future needs. The 2023-2028 Strategic Plan (“Plan”) was adopted during the City Council meeting on March 1, 2023. This Plan includes the following five overarching Strategic Priorities:
1.Connectivity and Mobility – Enhance accessibility and link the community with sustainable infrastructure to meet the City’s needs.
2.Unique Identity - Engage in thoughtful and collaborative planning with stakeholders to develop a distinct sense of place that leverages the community's historic and scenic assets and makes the City a highly attractive and desired destination for residents, businesses, and visitors.
3.Community Engagement and Social Infrastructure – Create opportunities to bring people together and enhance communication to amplify accessibility, increase awareness, and proactively deliver information to maintain quality of life and build a strong community.
4.Thriving Economy – Encourage intentional smart growth and support the City’s business community so that residents have access to businesses, housing, employment, and well-paying jobs.
5.Safe and Vibrant Community – Provide exceptional public safety and maintain the City's attractive look and feel so that Menifee is one of the safest cities where residents and visitors are secure in their neighborhoods and surrounding spaces.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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The objectives outlined in the Plan are designed to support the vision for the future and fulfill the City’s strategic priorities and goals. Performance measures are established to monitor progress.
Based on the Plan, specific capital and operational projects are prioritized and included within the City’s Operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets. The implementation plan tracks the progress made in executing the goals and objectives established by the Mayor and City Council in the Plan. Updates regarding the progress made in implementing the Plan are provided biannually, with the last update provided on June 5, 2024, for the six-month period extending from January 1 through June 30, 2024. This report summarizes the goals and objectives initiated and/or completed during the last six months of the five-year planning period extending from July 1 through December 31, 2024.
Implementation Plan Highlights
Connectivity and Mobility
CIP Projects: In late fiscal year (FY) 2023/2024, following community outreach events and final Project Advisory Team meetings, the Complete Streets Plan (CSP) was presented as a Public Hearing item and adopted during the July 17, 2024, Council meeting. The CSP webpage (cityofmenifee.us/CSP) remains active, with an interactive survey map available for ongoing community recommendations and suggestions. The CSP recommendations will be considered during the planning and design of both city and private developer projects. The CSP is designed to improve access, mobility, and safety for all modes of travel, including walking, bicycling, public transit, and automobiles. The CSP, the General Plan, and the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) collectively serve as the City’s Traffic Mitigation Plan (TMP). Traffic mitigation projects identified in the TMP are incorporated and prioritized in the City's five-year CIP and are evaluated annually through the budget process. TMP project priorities may be updated from time to time based on available funding, roadway conditions, and changes in traffic conditions. The FY 2024/2025 CIP includes 15 projects which received funding during this reporting period. Several of these projects are intended to mitigate and reduce traffic congestion on the City's streets and roadways based on the TMP. These projects include, but are not limited to:
Scott Road/Bundy Canyon Road Widening (CIP 20-01) - In Design Holland Road Widening – Bradley to Haun (CIP 25-04) – In Design Goetz Road/Vista Way Traffic Signal (CIP 23-02) – In Design Evans Road/Craig Avenue Traffic Signal (CIP 25-05) – In Design Murrieta Road/Holland Road Intersection Improvements (CIP 25-01) – In Design FY 2024/2025 Local Roads Asphalt Concrete Resurfacing Program (CIP 25-07) – In Design
Antelope Road Resurfacing – Holland to Newport (CIP 25-08) – In Design Garbani Road Drainage Improvements (CIP 25-09) – In Design McCall Blvd Widening (CIP 22-03) – In Design
Murrieta Road Widening – Holland to Newport (CIP 25-03) – In Design City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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Updates on additional TMP projects previously programmed in the CIP include:
Bradley Road Widening near Paloma Valley High School Northern Entrance (CIP 22-03) – Completed
Romoland Grid Area - 3rd Street Improvements - ATP - Completed Holland Road/I-215 Overcrossing (CIP 13-03) – Substantially Completed Garbani Road/I-215 Interchange (CIP 20-05) - In Design (Project Approval and Environmental Document)
On September 18, 2024, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement to Bucknam Infrastructure Group to enhance the City's Pavement Management Program (PMP).
This update will assess the current average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to identify the City’s most critical roadway maintenance needs. The findings will help establish a framework for prioritizing resurfacing projects to preserve and improve existing City roadways. The CIP division has mapped out several pavement maintenance projects for FY 2024/2025 aimed at increasing PCI in the areas identified as having the greatest need.
In August, the City Council accepted grant funds totaling $92,500 from the Cycle 6 Rubberized Pavement program for the Menifee Road Resurfacing project, located between Aldergate Drive and McCall Blvd (CIP24-21). The City Council also approved $400,000 in District Annual Zone 4 Program Funding from the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for the McLaughlin Road Storm Drain project (CIP25-12).
In October 2024, the CIP division applied for a $146,570 rebate voucher through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, administered by the Department of Energy.
This funding will facilitate the purchase of two mobile electric vehicle charging stations to support the City's transition to electric fleet vehicles in line with new regulations. The stations will be installed at the Maintenance Operations Center and Fire Station No. 7. Staff received notification on November 26, 2024, that the application was approved. This purchase was approved by Council at the January 15, 2025, Council meeting.
In October 2024, the CIP division submitted three funding applications through the Highway Safety Improvement Program Cycle 12 administered by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), collectively totaling just over $1.6 million. These funds would support various safety upgrades throughout the City, including guardrail and crosswalk enhancements, edge line striping, and pedestrian ramps.
On October 22, 2024, the highly anticipated Holland Road/I-215 Overcrossing opened to the public. This provided a new four-lane overpass connecting Holland Road over the I-215 Freeway between Hanover Lane and Haun Road. The project aims to alleviate traffic congestion on Newport and Scott Roads, reducing commuting times by providing an additional east/west corridor in the City. Additional work, including sidewalk completion, landscaping, and the installation of traffic signals, will continue through February 2025 while the overpass remains accessible to the public.
Development/Community Planning: City staff are working with the County of Riverside and nearby communities to address growth and development impacts outside city limits, focusing on regional City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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infrastructure and essential services. On March 20, 2024, the City Council directed staff to pursue a General Plan Amendment, a Sphere of Influence (SOI) amendment, and annexation for 1,929 acres in the Sun City/Menifee Valley Area Plan. This area spans from Briggs Road to Leon Road and from Old Newport Road to Scott Road. During this reporting period, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued to engage a consultant to facilitate this process. The first release received no proposals, so the RFP was revised and released again in September. Three proposals were received, and a consultant has been selected. Staff will be preparing a phased scope of work to facilitate a fiscal analysis of a potential SOI/annexation of the 1,929 acres prior to initiating the General Plan Amendment and associated environmental review.
Unique Identity
During the last update of the Plan, the scope of work for the Placemaking, Identity, and Tourism Master Plan RFP was revised and rereleased after no qualifying bids were received following the initial RFP release. At the August 7, 2024, Council meeting, an agreement was awarded to Hunden Partners. Community meetings and Council interviews are scheduled for the first quarter of 2025 as part of the feasibility study. The feasibility study results are anticipated to be completed by June 2025, six months after the December 2024 target date. Accordingly, the target date for assessing regional events has been extended from March 2024 to Winter 2025, and the completion of the City’s first annual signature event has been extended from December 2025 to 2026.
Community Engagement and Social Infrastructure
Social Media & Community Alerts: The City continues to improve community awareness by encouraging residents to sign up for city alerts and follow the City on social media. During this reporting period, the City saw a 5.6 percent increase in social media followers, growing from 80,226 to 84,697. This data reflects the growth of our primary City of Menifee accounts, which include Facebook, Instagram, X (previously known as Twitter), LinkedIn, and Nextdoor. The City also maintains social media accounts for Menifee’s Police, Community Services, and Economic Development Departments, with two new accounts launched in the past six months (@CityofMenifeeCommunityServices and @ExploreMenifee). Subscriptions to the City website newsflash alerts increased substantially (105 percent), from 1,182 to 2,429. This growth is attributed to the incorporation of text-based sign-ups in addition to email alerts.
Menifee TV: The City’s Public Education Government (PEG) channel can be accessed on multiple cable providers: Spectrum (channel 1301), Frontier (channel 25), and Mediacom (channel 595). It is also available on the City’s website at cityofmenifee.us/Menifeetv. Menifee TV aims to deliver quality local programming, public meetings, and service announcements. During this reporting period, 38 original content videos were produced. This includes all video segments for the State of the City address, which were produced in-house by the Communications and Digital Productions divisions, as well as the livestream of the event. Other livestream events include the ribbon cuttings of Fire Station No. 5 and the Holland Road/I-215 Overcrossing. In addition to the regularly scheduled programs that premiered last year, including Show Me, Menifee, and The Agenda Rundown, a new City of Menifee Staff Report
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show, Happy Tails, debuted this fiscal year. Happy Tails collaborates with Animal Friends of the Valleys to promote pet services and adoptions.
Website Enhancements: During the last reporting period, staff selected a consultant to assess the City’s website for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The results of this assessment have been shared with key staff members across all departments. Given the complexity of the work required to meet ADA standards, the deadline for this goal has been extended to May 2025, allowing the consultant sufficient time to work with City staff to address the identified issues. The website remains fully functional while these improvements are being implemented.
Park Amenities/Recreation Program Enhancements: The City is devoted to developing unique park amenities, recreational facilities, and programming to serve the community's diverse needs in alignment with the Parks Master Plan. During this reporting period, the City launched the Park After Dark Summer Series, which included Enhanced Moonlight Markets with concerts, Movies in the Park, and Shakespeare in the Park. The E.L. Pete Petersen Dog Park was expanded to include a fountain and dog agility amenities and a Bark in the Park event was held in October 2024. The City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Arts Council of Menifee in July 2024. Under this partnership, City staff and the Cultural Arts division will curate year-round programming for the Central Park Amphitheater.
The City is currently developing several projects to address the diverse needs of the community.
Sun City will soon welcome its first park. The design for a 1.94-acre passive park, which will include a butterfly garden next to Faith Lutheran Church, has been finalized. Construction is expected to begin in June 2025, following the acquisition of the property. City staff are collaborating with Faith Lutheran Church and the California Natural Resources Agency, the grant funding agency, to complete the purchase and sale agreement.
Construction on the Central Park Amphitheater (CIP 19-15) is ongoing. The east and west pillars, back concrete storage walls, stage planters, and stairs have been completed. The amphitheater is expected to open in Summer 2025. Another exciting project is the Paloma Wash Pedestrian Bridge (CIP 20-13), which will connect Central Park to shopping centers east of the City. The purchase of the prefabricated bridge was approved in December 2024, and bidding for construction services will take place in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, the Civic Center Parking Lot Project (CIP 22-24) is set to begin construction in the first quarter of 2025.
Engagement Opportunities: The City recognizes the importance of providing engagement opportunities for residents to enhance their understanding and participation in City planning and community events. Two committees were established during the Council meeting on August 21, 2024. The Veteran and Military Families Advisory Committee will serve as an advisory body to the City Council, creating opportunities for veterans and military families to contribute to community projects, programs, and events while promoting community engagement. The Central Park Amphitheater City Council Ad Hoc Committee will focus on the vision and initial programming for the amphitheater.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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A special council meeting was held on October 2, 2024, to discuss the Menifee Community Center (CIP 23-10). The community center would be another facility within the City that can be utilized for community programs, multiple meeting rooms, and performance areas. This design workshop allowed staff and architecture consultant TSK Architects to present three schematic design options for the Council to review and give feedback. Community input was solicited during community workshops, online surveys, and following a presentation to the Parks, Recreation, and Trails Commission (PRTC). Discussions will continue with a joint workshop with City Council and PRTC in the first quarter of 2025.
Thriving Economy
Fiscal Sustainability: To enhance the long-term financial sustainability of the City, the reserve fund balance was established at 40 percent during the Council meeting on June 5, 2024. The final steps of the year-end audit for 2024 are currently in progress to determine the availability of funds after the year's close. These funds will contribute to the assigned balance for facilities, vehicle and equipment replacement, and for larger, unpredictable ongoing expenses such as insurance premiums, claims, and pension liability-related costs.
The City’s Enterprise Response Planning (ERP) system, officially named Menifee Metro (Munis), went live on July 1, 2024. Since then, the Information Technology (IT) and Finance departments have continued to support staff with ongoing training and troubleshooting while improving workflows. The Human Capital Management sessions with Human Resources and payroll are ongoing. Payroll codes and benefits summaries are being uploaded for employee access. Time and attendance workflows are completed and ready for testing. The go-live for these modules are scheduled for April 2025.
Business Development: The City received a $40,000 matching grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. This funding will support the completion of Menifee’s next five- year CEDS following a formal RFP process. With the support of this grant, City staff will develop a new CEDS that focuses on engaging local stakeholders, increasing revenue for essential services, creating jobs, growing the business community, diversifying the economy, and improving the quality of life for residents.
To achieve the goal of increasing the number of new jobs added each year, it was essential to establish a baseline and determine the best way to track this metric. Staff conducted research on available options and concluded that the State of California Employment Development Department’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) Ad-Hoc Report would be the most effective tracking method. This report is an official government source that provides historical data and is updated quarterly. It meets all criteria for tracking the total number of jobs, allowing for an annual analysis of workforce growth, specifically within Menifee city limits. The data for 2024 is anticipated to be available in Summer 2025. The data collected for the past two years is:
2022 Average Employment: 14,828
City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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2023 Average Employment: 15,990
Planning/Development: The City continues to work to develop the Menifee Innovation District Specific Plan, previously referred to as the Southern Gateway Specific Plan, to support the diversification of Menifee's economy. The first public workshop was held on June 25, 2024, which covered several topics, including the vision for the area, project schedule and process, urban design, and land use, and a joint Council and Planning Commission workshop was held on December 4, 2024, to provide input and direction to staff on developing a vision statement for the Plan. A Design Charette/Visioning Workshop was held on January 14, 2025, with design professionals and community stakeholders where participants were encouraged to dream big to create the foundation for the Innovation District to attract high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.
The input from this charette will be used to inform the land use plan and alternatives to be prepared in Spring 2025.
Safe and Vibrant Community
Infrastructure Improvements: The Menifee Police Department (MPD) aims to reduce pedestrian and bicycle fatalities by 25% by June 2028, aligning with Vision Zero. MPD continues to partner with schools for regular bicycle and pedestrian safety training and is providing public service announcements on traffic safety. The Public Works Department collaborates with MPD and local schools to enhance sidewalks and improve crosswalk visibility through upgraded markings, signage, and traffic signals. These improvements include the following projects:
CIP Projects:
oPedestrian Crossing at Audie Murphy Ranch - In Design (CIP 24-03) oEvans Road/Craig Avenue Traffic Signal - In Design (CIP 25-05) oGarbani Road Drainage Improvements - In Design (CIP 25-09) oRomoland Elementary School - ATP - In Design (CIP 24-04) oWatson Road at Harvest Valley Elementary School - ATP - In Design (CIP 24- 15)
oRomoland Grid Area - 3rd Street - ATP - Completed (CIP 23-04) oHolland Road/I-215 Overcrossing - Substantially Completed (CIP 13-03) oLa Piedra Road at Bell Mountain Middle School - ATP - Substantially Completed (CIP 22-25)
oPaloma Wash Pedestrian Bridge - Bidding (CIP 20-13)
Public Works Maintenance Projects:
oInstalled crosswalk and ADA compliance ramp at Audie Murphy Road/Normandy Road
oInstalled school speed limit signs and School Ahead signs at Audie Murphy Road/Normandy Road to Talking Stick Circle
oRemoved standard crosswalk and upgraded to school zone crosswalk at Audie Murphy Road/Yerba Drive
oInstalled ADA ramp to accommodate school crosswalk at Bradley Road/Paloma Valley High School
oDouble chip sealed dirt road to improve durability to support a projected increase City of Menifee Staff Report
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February 5, 2025
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in school traffic at Briggs Road from Wickerd Road to Garbani Road oInstalled asphalt pedestrian walkway along the south side of Garbani Road at Garbani Road from Menifee Valley Middle School to Murrieta Road oInstalled school crosswalk, ADA ramp, and signage at Junipero Road/W.
Heritage Lake Drive
On December 3, 2024, a ribbon cutting ceremony marked the opening of the new Fire Station No. 5 located in Quail Valley. This energy-efficient facility is designed to meet current building codes and replaces the outdated Fire Station No. 5 from the 1960s. It comfortably houses up to eight personnel and features a three-bay garage for a large ladder truck and other vehicles. The station is staffed and operational, built to serve the Menifee community for the next 50 years. This updated station aims to enhance public safety and improve response times.
Technology Enhancements: The City has made several improvements to enhance community safety. During the Council meeting on August 7, 2024, the purchase of 15 automated live-view Flock cameras was approved. These cameras will be installed at Audie Murphy Sports Park, Spirit Park, and Silver Star Park. Staff are working to ensure each site has sufficient power to accommodate the cameras, with installation anticipated to begin by February 2025. The addition of these cameras aims to deter crime and assist in identifying perpetrators, which will contribute to a safer environment. This will increase the total number of Flock cameras in the city to 44.
MPD has acquired an additional drone to increase the impact of the Drone as First Responder Program. The drone provides officers with valuable aerial perspectives prior to entering crime scenes, thereby improving situational awareness and response effectiveness.
On July 17, 2024, the CIP division completed the Quail Valley Grid Area Streetlight project, (CIP23-08), which installed 17 solar-powered streetlights in strategic locations along residential streets and intersections that did not have adequate lighting, such as mailbox clusters, to improve safety for the community.
City staff worked with consultant Rick Engineering to survey and inspect major bridges (spans of 4 feet or larger) and culverts (4-foot diameter or larger) within City limits, focusing on key roadways. The collected data was reviewed and finalized into recommendations, identifying a Citywide bridge and culvert inventory as a priority. The final report was completed in November 2024. Coordination between Public Works and the Geographic Information System (GIS) departments continues to integrate these findings and update the City's GIS data.
Partnerships and Public Education/Training: The City signed a MOU with the County of Riverside, Riverside University Health Systems Behavioral Health for Crisis Triage Behavioral Health Services on September 18, 2024. This partnership aims to provide community-based crisis triage and behavioral health services in collaboration with local law enforcement. The goal is to reduce jail incarcerations and involuntary treatments for individuals facing behavioral health crises who are often the subject of 9-1-1 calls. The staff will focus on diverting these individuals to appropriate community resources and reaching out to hard-to-reach homeless individuals with serious behavioral health issues.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Strategic Plan Update
February 5, 2025
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Two hundred and eighty-five (285) people were trained during this reporting period as part of the Menifee Life Savers Program in emergency response, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use, basic first aid, and bleeding control. There are now five accredited CERT basic trainers that have completed the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) train the trainer course. This enables certified trainers to teach CERT classes in their communities, helping individuals to be disaster-ready themselves and equip others with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in emergencies. Having certified individuals within the City results in cost savings of approximately $5,000 per class, as it eliminates the need to contract with Riverside County’s Emergency Management Department (EMD).
To enhance emergency preparedness, the City purchased 25 AEDs to be placed in all MPD patrol vehicles, thereby increasing the availability of lifesaving devices, along with two AEDs in the Oasis Homeowners Association (HOA).
MPD continues to collaborate with the City’s educational partners to offer safety courses and classes:
Teen Driving Safety (2 sessions)
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Prevention (2 sessions) Current Trends in Law Enforcement within Schools (3 sessions) Internet Safety (1 session)
Drug Awareness (1 session)
Overall Safety and Decisions (1 session)
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
The Strategic Plan update addresses all the Strategic Plan objectives.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action. The costs associated with the implementation of each of the Strategic Plan elements are incorporated within the City’s Operating and CIP budgets.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2023-2028 Strategic Plan Implementation Task Summary – Update (July - December 2024)
2. 2023-2028 Strategic Plan