The Plan area comprises approximately 513 acres in central Fairfield comprised of residential, commercial, industrial, and public land uses. The Plan established a comprehensive long-term vision to revitalize Downtown Fairfield through the year 2040.
In November of 2018, staff presented a comprehensive update of City efforts at implementation of the Plan. This report builds upon the 2018 update to Council and reorganizes information based on the Implementation Action Plan adopted in the Plan (Attachment 1). Updates are presented in Attachment 2, which provides a high-level overview of City actions taken since November 2018. To better align presentation of City actions with the Plan, the update identifies actions numerically based upon the Objectives outlined in the Plan under the Ongoing, Short-Term, and Long-Term phases of Plan implementation. Additionally, the update provides a brief description of upcoming actions to further support implementation of the specific Action Item updates.
The City has accomplished much in the past 18 months. The Plan lays our a bold vision that will take decades to fully see implemented. However, there is more the City can do to help accelerate implementation of the Plan in the years to come. Staff recommends the City refocus efforts to specifically eliminate barriers to redeveloping catalyst and opportunity sites in the Plan area. To facilitate development, staff will begin pursuing the following strategies:
· Focus efforts at development on sites with the greatest opportunity to impact the Plan area. Target sites include any properties, publicly or privately owned, that are eligible for outside grant funding opportunities, that increase development density, that leverage public-private partnerships, and that implement the Plan’s zoning, design standards, and vision.
· Develop detailed information on site-specific barriers to development, prioritize funding strategies to remove those barriers to development, and create greater certainty to prospective developers. This includes the City acting as a developer to jumpstart development on targeted sites, including public-private partnerships with interested developers.
· Utilize SB2 and Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grant funds to further analyze any environmental impacts of plan implementation, develop and refine infrastructure improvement plans, create detailed mixed- use and higher density development plans around the Fairfield Transportation Center and Train Station, and implement internal process improvements to streamline project development approvals.
· Modify the City’s Development Impact Fee program to separate infill development fees from fees required for newly developing areas of Fairfield. Where feasible and legal, utilize fee credits or incentives to reduce the cost burden from infill development fees.
· Expand business support and development programs to assist downtown businesses. A primary strategy is renewing the Façade Improvement Program to attract private capital in the revitalization of commercial buildings. This includes expanding eligible projects to business interiors and serve as seed money to leverage private capital.
· Continue to increase collaboration with the Fairfield Mainstreet Association and Visit Fairfield to create marketing strategies. Plan for new events and programs that can attract patrons downtown.
· Leverage greater interdepartmental collaboration with the Life Safety Task Force. The Task Force will improve coordination between Code Enforcement, the Building Division, and the Fire Department to ensure properties meet life-safety and municipal code standards.
· Partner with property owners and brokers to identify and help market available spaces downtown to prospective restaurant and entertainment entrepreneurs. Identify standard tenant improvement requirements for converting space to restaurant uses and develop a program to streamline the permit approval process.
In the coming year, staff will return to Council with actionable items, policy considerations, and additional strategy discussions for implementing the Plan. Additionally, staff will submit to Council routine updates to the document provided in Attachment 2. This will serve as a running log of actions taken under the Plan’s Implementation Action Plan.