City of Sparks Strategic Plan Progress Report
Vision & Priorities Vision Statement: To be a city which embraces the changing needs and expectations of our citizens through respect for people, preserving the small town atmosphere and creating a progressive, prosperous and safe community. Strategic Priorities: Create a balanced community with attention to smart growth, community balance and the preservation of the small town atmosphere. Become a strong, influential leader in the formation of economic and political policy of the region and the state through collaboration and seeking points of common interest. Establish a strong presence of art, culture and history to both enhance the resident and business experience and celebrate the roots of Sparks sense of place. Form an economic development policy direction that encourages hi-tech, research and others in concert with a master plan to be formed. Implement the Sparks Road Ahead to develop transportation elements and traffic safety locally and regionally to stay even with or ahead of growth. 2
Balanced Community Objective #1: Develop partnerships with all educational stakeholders. Objective #2: Enhance opportunities for attainable housing in Sparks. Objective #3: Update the Master Plan, including the Parks & Recreation element. Objective #4: Protect & enhance open space & trail networking. 3
Balanced Community Objective #5: Build neighborhood identity at the same time as celebrating Sparks. Objective #6: Redefine Citizen Advisory Committees and ensure representation in all wards. Objective #7: Environmental & energy sustainability. 4
Influential Leader Objective #1: Advance strategic alliances at the state level. Objective #2: Initiate and advance collaborative strategic alliances at the local level. Objective #3: Initiate and advance collaborative strategic alliances at the regional level. 5
Influential Leader Objective #4: Initiate and advance strategic alliances at the federal level. Objective #5: Educate the public to increase understanding of local government funding. 6
Art, Culture & History Objective #1: Identify, preserve and protect meaningful history of Sparks. Objective #2: Identify art venues to create a home for Arts & History. Objective #3: Explore privatepublic partnerships to develop a plan for a viable performing arts program using existing venues. Objective #4: Develop a funding mechanism to support public art. 7
Economic Development Objective #1: Create, enhance, and market Sparks as a Tourism Destination city. Objective #2: Update the Economic Development Plan to develop and market incentives to attract desired companies. Objective #3: Create a marketing tool / campaign. 8
Economic Development Objective #4: Focus on revitalization of existing big box commercial buildings. Objective #5: Establish Wi-Fi Infrastructure. 9
Transportation Objective #1: Engage and educate the public on the impact and options for transportation solutions. Objective #2: Strengthen comprehensive regional transportation solutions. Objective #3: Examine all traffic management strategies. 10
Transportation Objective #5: Improve road construction, utility and road improvement coordination. 11
Mission Statement: To be a fiscally stable municipal government and provide a progressive foundation and entrepreneurship resources for businesses. This will be accomplished by maintaining and enhancing the quality of life, fulfilling employment, recreational, and educational opportunities for all, and by utilizing neighborhoods as the building blocks of the City of Sparks. Budget Priorities: Promote Public Safety, Health & the Well-being of our residents. Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure. Enhance Quality of Life through Redevelopment and Economic Growth. Create Great Neighborhoods in which to live, work and play through maintenance of the appearance of our city. Encourage our citizens to interact with their city government. 12
Promote Public Safety, Health & the Well-being of our Residents Objective #1: Review options at the policy level for funding public safety and service levels. Objective #2: Address Injury and fatality accidents in Sparks. Objective #3: Increase efforts to promote public safety awareness (Outreach). 13
Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure Objective #1: Provide a Facilities Investment Plan and amend the annual Capital Improvement Planning process to include an annual update. Objective #2: Identify resources for the construction of Phases II and III of the Larry D. Johnson Community Center. Objective #3: Continue efforts to advance developing a new city hall. 14
Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure Objective #4: Continue efforts to find alternatives and solutions to better balance the distribution of fuel taxes to all residents. Objective #5: Follow up on the Transportation Workshop on traffic surface and control systems. Objective #6: Seek partnerships to enhance car/van pooling and increase public transportation usage. 15
Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure Objective #7: Perpetuate the 5-year Transportation Road Ahead Program for local roadway preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance and rehabilitation projects. Objective #8: Maintain existing city sidewalks to city standards. Objective #9: Minimize street cuts to newly rehabilitated roadways. 16
Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure Objective #10: Be an active partner with the RTC for coordination of regional roadway projects in the City of Sparks. Objective #11: Be an active partner with NDOT for coordination of state roadway projects in the City of Sparks. Objective #12: Maintenance, rehabilitation and development of the park system. 17
Assure Resources keep pace with deterioration of Infrastructure Objective #13: Storm Drain, Flood Damage Reduction. Objective #14: Maintenance rehabilitation, and development of sewer, storm drain & effluent systems. Objective #15: Identify Green infrastructure technologies to be incorporated by the city. Objective #16: Improve traffic safety in the city. 18
Enhance Quality of Life through Redevelopment and Economic Growth. Objective #1: Complete Phase I Public Improvements for Victorian Square. Objective #2: Continue to acquire property and prepare for Phase II of Victorian Square. Objective #3: Execute the amended DDA and public financing bond issues with RED Development. 19
Enhance Quality of Life through Redevelopment and Economic Growth. Objective #4: Adopt a permanent Transit-Oriented District (TOD) Ordinance to drive investment in older area of the city. Objective #5: Adopt Phase I of the updated Master Plan. Objective #6: Adopt updated industrial/commercial regulations to encourage new investment in the existing industrial area. 20
Create Great Neighborhoods in which to live, work and play through maintenance of the appearance of our city. Objective #1: Increase proactive Code Enforcement. Objective #2: Expand the agreement with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful. Objective #3: Establish a formal Art in Public Places program. 21
Create Great Neighborhoods in which to live, work and play through maintenance of the appearance of our city. Objective #4: Support strong preservation of neighborhood character through design standards, code enforcement and community involvement. Objective #5: Establish a city-wide Lighting & Landscaping district for transportation arterials 22
Encourage our citizens to interact with their city government. Objective #1: Public Awareness. Objective #2: Enhance the Multicultural Advisory Committee/Diversity Commission. Objective #3: Continue the use of Leadership Conferences. 23
Encourage our citizens to interact with their city government. Objective #4: Enhance and expand the Youth Academy. Objective #5: Develop a Citizen Academy to improve knowledge of how the city works and to develop future leaders. 24