6.
City Council Combined Special Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 09/09/2014
- From:
- Kevin Burke, City Manager
TITLE:
Discuss and provide direction regarding City participation in Community Conversation on Student Housing.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Discuss and provide direction.
Policy Decision or Reason for Action:
Following the withdrawal of The Standard development application for student housing, County Supervisor Liz Archuleta reached out to the City and the University regarding conducting a Community Conversation on Student Housing. The Council reviewed this request at its July 15th Council meeting and authorized the Mayor to participate in planning meetings and bring back details to Council for consideration.
Since that time, a steering committee has been convened and met three times to discuss a framework for this conversation. The Committee consists of representatives from the County, City, University, the Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Flagstaff's Future, La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association and United Way.
The steering committee identified three distinct elements of this community conversation--Education, Engagement and Action. The Education components consists of what might be termed fact-based and perspective-based educational opportunities. The fact-based opportunities include presentations regarding how student housing development proposals are processed within City regulations including Regional Plan, Zoning Code, and legal restrictions like Prop. 207. Other City topics to present include where student housing facilities could be located under current zoning, what are the elements of a traffic impact study and what might be characteristics of student travels (i.e. method of transportation, time of transportation, volume, etc), and law enforcement issues. The second fact-based educational opportunity is focused upon Northern Arizona University. Information to be presented included current and projected student enrollment figures, capital facility planning, and public/private student housing plans on campus.
The perspective-based educational opportunity is focused on having neighborhoods adjacent to the University speak to the impacts of student housing in their neighborhoods. Potential neighborhoods included Plaza Vieja, Southside and Bow & Arrow. This section of the Education element would also share visions that the neighborhoods have in the form of neighborhood plans, enforcement, or redevelopment. Lastly, the steering committee discussed a desire to have some panel members from outside Flagstaff come and share best practices in student housing from their communities. This included both in-state and out-of-state examples.
Once this information is conveyed, the hope is to process what was heard and discuss several scripted questions such as, "Is it better to have 500 students in one location or 100 students in five locations?"
With this information and framework in mind, the steering committee is suggesting a one-day forum at an area conference center to be tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 27th. The first part of the forum would be focused on conveying the aforementioned information via panels. The second part of the day would be facilitated small group discussions. The forum would conclude with reporting out on ideas and suggestions from the small group discussions. The final report would not be a set of recommendations, but rather a collection of ideas, values and desires for policy makers and future participants to discuss. Therefore, the engagement and action pieces would be separate and determine their course of action subsequent to this symposium.
Since that time, a steering committee has been convened and met three times to discuss a framework for this conversation. The Committee consists of representatives from the County, City, University, the Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Flagstaff's Future, La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association and United Way.
The steering committee identified three distinct elements of this community conversation--Education, Engagement and Action. The Education components consists of what might be termed fact-based and perspective-based educational opportunities. The fact-based opportunities include presentations regarding how student housing development proposals are processed within City regulations including Regional Plan, Zoning Code, and legal restrictions like Prop. 207. Other City topics to present include where student housing facilities could be located under current zoning, what are the elements of a traffic impact study and what might be characteristics of student travels (i.e. method of transportation, time of transportation, volume, etc), and law enforcement issues. The second fact-based educational opportunity is focused upon Northern Arizona University. Information to be presented included current and projected student enrollment figures, capital facility planning, and public/private student housing plans on campus.
The perspective-based educational opportunity is focused on having neighborhoods adjacent to the University speak to the impacts of student housing in their neighborhoods. Potential neighborhoods included Plaza Vieja, Southside and Bow & Arrow. This section of the Education element would also share visions that the neighborhoods have in the form of neighborhood plans, enforcement, or redevelopment. Lastly, the steering committee discussed a desire to have some panel members from outside Flagstaff come and share best practices in student housing from their communities. This included both in-state and out-of-state examples.
Once this information is conveyed, the hope is to process what was heard and discuss several scripted questions such as, "Is it better to have 500 students in one location or 100 students in five locations?"
With this information and framework in mind, the steering committee is suggesting a one-day forum at an area conference center to be tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 27th. The first part of the forum would be focused on conveying the aforementioned information via panels. The second part of the day would be facilitated small group discussions. The forum would conclude with reporting out on ideas and suggestions from the small group discussions. The final report would not be a set of recommendations, but rather a collection of ideas, values and desires for policy makers and future participants to discuss. Therefore, the engagement and action pieces would be separate and determine their course of action subsequent to this symposium.
Financial Impact:
Estimated costs for this forum range from $16,000-$19,000. Along with the County, and NAU, the City is being asked to contribute toward the associated expenses of the symposium. The maximum City contribution would be $5,000 and would come from the City Manager's strategic planning budget.
Connection to Council Goal and/or Regional Plan:
COUNCIL GOALS:
11. Effective governance
REGIONAL PLAN:
Goal LU.1. Invest in existing neighborhoods and activity centers for the purpose of developing complete, and connected places.
Goal NH.1. Foster and maintain healthy and diverse urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods in the Flagstaff region.
11. Effective governance
REGIONAL PLAN:
Goal LU.1. Invest in existing neighborhoods and activity centers for the purpose of developing complete, and connected places.
Goal NH.1. Foster and maintain healthy and diverse urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods in the Flagstaff region.
Previous Council Decision on This:
Council discussed this issue at its July 15, 2014 meeting. It directed the Mayor to participate in these discussions and return with more details regarding the framework. Council would then evaluate this information and make a decision regarding its participation.