June 20, 2019
Council Discusses Priorities
The Fort Collins City Council discussed the list of priorities it created during a retreat last month. The priorities are important because they will be the focus of much of Council’s work for the next two years and will be used in the City’s budgeting for outcomes (BFO) process. The priorities will be formally adopted by resolution on July 2nd.
Councilmember Ken Summers spoke at length, saying he felt the list needed to be evaluated and prioritized. He argued that everything on the list wasn’t necessarily a priority. He said, isn’t “affordable housing more important than declaring a climate crisis? I think most residents would agree with that.”
Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stephens said she felt the Council is clear on the priorities. “I don’t want to throw it all out and start over.” Ross Cunniff didn’t attend the meeting in person but sent a detailed email with comments. He also texted the City Manager throughout the meeting. He wanted to ensure items like broadband and Smart City technology were included on the list.
Some items on the list, such as reducing the use of plastic bags, came from one citizen comment according to Councilmember Susan Gutowsky. Ross Cunniff added transparency to the priority list after one resident told him they couldn’t find information on Council activities on the City’s website. Staff reminded the Council that some items such as achievable and affordable housing will be the subject of upcoming work sessions in order to get more clarity from the Council.
Note: At the end of the meeting the City Manager mentioned that the City’s biggest funding gaps are park maintenance and transit. Park maintenance is included on the Council’s priority list, but funding transit is not.
Group Opposes Stadium Redevelopment
A group of Fort Collins residents is calling for Colorado State University to cancel its $10 million contract with Lennar Homes to buy and develop the former Hughes Stadium site. Planning Actions to Transform Hughes Sustainably (PATHS) says Lennar is not the “right developer” for the project, which currently calls for 600-700 dwelling units on the 161-acre site.
According to the Fort Collins Coloradoan, “CSU’s Board of Governors signed a purchase-and-sale agreement Jan. 30 to sell the land to Lennar, which has a Colorado division and a presence in Larimer County. The parties are in what is called the “feasibility period” until Friday (June 14), during which Lennar can pull out of the deal.”
CSU will post updates on the project here: https://hughes.colostate.edu
IRES MLS: Come Home to Colorado 