Citrus Heights leaders set 22 new objectives for next 6 months

Following an April strategic planning session where key city leaders discussed and set short-term plans to accomplish by November 1, the City of Citrus Heights recently published a list of 22 objectives on its website.

Objectives include DUI enforcement, filling 4,000-square-feet of potholes, holding several public workshops, and 19 other tasks to accomplish over the next half-year. A Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign is also listed as an objective to accomplish, in light of four recent roadway fatalities in the city this year.

Leaders also brainstormed a list of 62 strengths or accomplishments over the past six months, including the hiring and installation of a new police chief on Oct. 31, amending the zoning code to allow backyard chickens, welcoming Black Bear Diner and Crepes & Burgers to the city, and signing a new animal shelter contract with the Sacramento SPCA.

Twice a year, for the past two decades, city leaders have faithfully gathered to brainstorm, set objectives, and assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The latest meeting, held on April 18, lasted about five hours, with leaders emerging with consensus on a list of short-term objectives to accomplish.

>>See full strategic plan: citrusheights.net/159/City-Strategic-Plan

Objectives decided on and published on the city’s website are categorized under a set of three-year goals the city previously identified. The set of five three-year goals are: maintaining long-term financial stability, growing the local economy, enhancing quality of life, enhancing public safety, and improving the city’s infrastructure.

The following list of objectives is taken from the city’s latest six-month plan:

Maintain long-term financial stability:

• Hold a community Budget Workshop regarding community support funding.
• Hold a community workshop regarding the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
• Project revenue and expenditures using the City of Citrus Heights Ten-Year Budget Model, with an emphasis on the next 5-year strategy, as a part of the FY 2017-2018 budget process.

Grow the local economy:

• Share ideas on aesthetic improvements and new programming for Sunrise Marketplace.
• Present to the city council the creative components of the City of Citrus Heights Awareness Campaign.
• Report to the city council on progress regarding expediting fire permit and plan check approvals
• Update the city council, under department reports, the Mitchell Farm Development Project.
• Complete a Business Walk, including an assessment of social media needs.
• Complete an additional four visits with targeted Citrus Heights businesses to obtain their feedback regarding doing business in Citrus Heights, and their plans as a business as well as inquire about social media use and advertising.

Enhance quality of life:

• Conduct a city council study session regarding new 2017 laws about housing and land use.
• Host the 20-Year Anniversary Block Party.
• Complete the transition of Animal Shelter Services from the county to the SSPCA.
• Complete the market analysis of the Transit Planning Project and report the results to the city council.
• Report to the city council the results of the 2017 Community Survey.

Enhance public safety:

• Ensure that regular DUI checkpoints or DUI saturation patrols are conducted.
• Launch a Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign to reduce traffic-related fatalities.
• Hold separate meetings with the Auburn Boulevard Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Sunrise Marketplace, and the Antelope Crossing Business Association, to educate and coordinate anti-theft and crime prevention efforts.

Improve city infrastructure:

• Recommend to the city council for action the award of a construction contract for the Baird Way Drainage Improvement Project.
• Mill and fill (pavement repairs) 4,000-square-feet of potholes along Sunrise/Greenback, Auburn/Old Auburn, and Van Maren.
• Finalize the design and right-of-way and recommend to the city council for action the award of the construction contract for the Sunrise Boulevard Complete Streets Phase 2A Project (west side of Sunrise – Locher Drive to Sayonara Drive).
• Hold a study session to discuss options and develop a long-term vision plan for the use of new transportation funds (SB 1).
• Finalize the design and recommend to the city council for action the award of the construction contract for the Mariposa Avenue Safe Routes to School Phase 3 (Farmgate to Northridge).

The city’s next strategic planning meeting will be held on November 1. Leaders will again set six-month objectives, and also set new three-year goals.

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