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Item 3.
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| City Council Work Session | |
| Date: | 03/07/2022 |
| Title: | Strong Towns |
| Presented by: | |
| Department: | City Hall Administration |
| Presentation: | Yes |
| Legal Review | Not Applicable |
RECOMMENDATION
CM Gulick’s ask is that Council and Staff fund a Cost of Services study, attend upcoming presentations by Jeff Speck and Charles Marohn, and start tracking infrastructure metrics for our city.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
As Billings grows, city decisionmakers should be aware of the fiscal cost, economic development, health, community, and environmental implications of different types of development patterns. Walkable, higher density districts have a number of benefits in each of those areas.
STAKEHOLDERS
Most immediately: city council, city administration, Planning Division, Public Works. Ultimately: all city departments, property taxpayers, and residents of Billings.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
FISCAL EFFECTS
This presentation is educational and does not have a fiscal cost. The presentation does, however, advocate for a Cost of Services study, the cost of which is not known by CM Gulick. Ultimate implementation of policy changes advocated by CM Gulick are anticipated to reduce tax burden of properties and/or increase community amenities without increasing property taxes.
SUMMARY
This presentation is the first of what CM Gulick hopes would be three presentations on Creating a High Performance Community. This initial presentation focuses on how denser walkable districts likely bring in more tax revenue than they use in cost of services.