Looking back: Fostering a welcoming, sustainable environment

This is Part 2 of a 6-part series of blog posts that I am writing to share achievements of the City of St. Charles during my tenure as City Administrator.

The City's Strategic Plan identifies 6 main "vision areas." They are:

• Quality of Relationships - Our City fulfills its commitment to building quality relationships throughout the community.
• Sense of Place - Our Community generates an appealing sense of place and fosters a welcoming, sustainable environment.
• Service Delivery, Resources and Needs - Our City organization maintains an optimal service delivery framework that balances resources with needs.
• Economic Vitality - Our Community prospers in a diverse, self-renewing climate of business, industry and housing.
• Vibrant Downtown - Captivating downtown St. Charles, rich with social, cultural and economic vibrancy, is a distinctive element of our community.
• Mobility and Connectivity - A quality transportation system assures community access, mobility and connectivity.

This week, I am sharing the achievements that I am most proud of in the area of Sense of Place. They are as follows:

• Over the past 5 years, over $250,000 has been expended on downtown storefronts through the City’s façade improvement program to enhance the appearance of the downtown and maintain a historic charm.
• In 2009, the City developed and implemented a policy regarding the application and funding of special events to be held in the community. The policy recognizes that special events often bring certain benefits to the community. At the same time, the City must evaluate the potential impact such an event might have on resources of City departments, City owned properties and facilities, and ultimately on the public.
• In 2009, expanded the use of the community restitution program to assist with maintenance and up-keep of abandoned and foreclosed homes to protect property values and sustain neighborhoods.
• In 2010, City initiated discussions with Park District, Kane County, and Kane County Forest Preserve District to work cooperatively to acquire and repurpose the Union Pacific railroad corridor for recreational and utility uses.
• In 2010, the City affirmed its commitment to neighborhood parks on city lands. The Park District installs and maintains park spaces on land owned by the City such as Langum Park and Moody Park.
• In 2010, the City deployed a “green” webpage to inform and promote its environmentally conscious programs and initiatives both internally and within the City.
• From 2009-2012, the City ensured that incomplete residential subdivisions were maintained and that sufficient infrastructure was installed to adequately serve residents and protect the integrity of neighborhoods during the economic downturn.
• The City is poised to approve a new Comprehensive land-use plan, the City’s official Land Use and Development Policy Guide. The plan is intended to be referenced when annexing property, changing zoning, reviewing development and redevelopment projects, and identifying public infrastructure improvements. Over 100 stakeholders have participated in the process to date.
• In 2012, City issued $3 million in bonds to remove and replace trees in the urban forest that were inflicted with the Emerald Ash Borer. This initiative will allow all inflicted trees to be removed and replaced in a 3-year period, maintaining the appearance parkways and the vitality of neighborhoods.
• In 2012, the City completed the Bob Leonard River Walk which includes stabilization of the west shoreline of the Fox River and development of a bicycle/pedestrian path that stretches from Illinois Street to the Prairie Street bridge.

Next week I will share my "Top 10" achievements in the area of Service Delivery, Resources and Needs.