Receive First Quarter update on the Strategic Plan 2020-2025. (No general fund impact) (Perez/Will)

With the approval of the Strategic Plan 2020-2025, County staff will provide the Board of Supervisors (Board) an update on a quarterly basis that highlights any changes to the plan and/or significant updates. Staff conducted the annual Board Strategic Planning Session on January 18, 2022 to discuss changes to the Strategic Plan including several new strategies around broadband and roads. Additional changes included updates to strategy timelines, metrics, and data collected.

Quarterly Update
The close of the first quarter of the year (January-March) provides an opportunity for staff to update the Strategic Plan, including changes to the plan as needed, new data for the metrics, and revisions to the Yolo Performs dashboard. The Yolo Performs dashboard may be found at https://yoloperforms.yolocounty.org/. Many of the data points have been updated, but there are certain data that are only available on a bi-annual or annual basis. Furthermore, staff does not generally make any changes to the strategies unless directed by the Board. Staff anticipates providing another update to the Board in July 2022.

Update Highlights
During the 1st quarter of the year, staff continued working through several initiatives under the Safe Communities, Flourishing Agriculture, and Robust Economy Goals. The highlights are indicated below:

Safe Communities
Under the Safe Communities Goal of the Strategic Plan, County staff continue efforts associated with disaster emergency preparedness and resiliency, infrastructure, criminal justice, and fire protection. Two of the newly added strategies from the January 18, 2022 Board Strategic Planning Session have seen progress over the past several months. First, the County received word that its collaborative effort with the Rural County Representatives of California to develop a Broadband Strategic Plan was to be funded through a State grant. Second, staff returned to the Board on March 22, 2022 to provide an update on the road network and planned projects. This presentation included a discussion regarding County priority projects and determinations associated with rehabilitation projects that should be prioritized with available funding. Both of these efforts advance the Strategic Plan Outcome associated with enhancing infrastructure and reducing flood risk in the unincorporated areas of Yolo County.

Flourishing Agriculture
Under the Flourishing Agriculture Goal of the Strategic Plan, County staff continue efforts associated with agricultural preservation and workforce and flood insurance. One of the first strategies associated with agricultural preservation was to identify the anticipated number of acres of farmland to be impacted over the next 10 years. With that assessment being completed, staff moved forward to the next step, which includes identifying a consultant group to complete the following tasks, beginning in February 2022:

These efforts will aid staff with the Strategic Plan Outcome associated with increasing the preservation of agricultural land, which is measured by the number of agricultural acres permanently protected.

Additionally, staff returned to the Board on March 8, 2022, to provide an Agricultural Worker update following up on the 2018 Agricultural Worker Needs Assessment. During this discussion, the Board provided direction toward expanding opportunities in this area that would support the Strategic Plan Outcome associated with increased stability and supports for agricultural workers and agricultural employers, which is measured by the number of agricultural workers (permanent and seasonal) employed at farms in Yolo County, the number and percentage of agricultural workers reached by the Agricultural Labor Program Coordinator, that were connected to supportive services, and the number and percentage of agricultural workers in the agricultural sector pathway program that were connected to employers.

Robust Economy
Under the Robust Economy Goal of the Strategic Plan, County staff continue efforts associated with housing, business development enterprise, workforce and job development, county assets, and rural community support. Over the last several months, County staff have engaged corporate and private interests in building hangars at the Yolo County airport and developing ground leases for the existing large hangar. Additionally, staff returned to the Board on February 8, 2022, to hold a public hearing associated with Senate Bill 9, and to revise the Yolo County Code of Ordinances associated with housing and accessory structure standards. These actions will move forward the Strategic Plan Outcomes associated with County assets and reducing barriers related to the development of affordable housing units.