908 City of] Fowler 128'S.5-Street Fowler, California 93625 WORKSHOP October 3, 2019 5:30P.M.  FOWLER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA  Inc compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to access the Council Chamber ort to otherwise participate at this meeting, including auxiliary aid or services, please contact City Clerk. Jeannie Davis at (559) 834-3113 ext. 102. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to City Council/ Planning Commission Meetings. The City of Fowler is an equal opportunity employer andj provider.  1. 2. 3. 4. 8.  Call Meeting to Order Roll Call  General Plan Update Workshop Communication Adjournment  CERTIFICATION: I, Sennaida Zavala, Planning Secretary fort the City of] Fowler, California, hereby certify that the foregoing agenda was posted for public review on, Friday, September 27,2019.  GmNdN Sennaida Zavala Planning Secretary  or    CITY OF FOWLER  PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT  Califoria  DEPARTMENT  STAFF REPORT: CITY OF FOWLER PLANNING COMMISSION  To: From: Date: Subject:  Planning Commission Sara Allinder, AICP, Project Manager Dawn E. Marple, Planning Consultant  October 3, 2019  General Plan Update Planning Commission Workshop No. 1-K Key Issues and' Vision  Recommendation  Staffrecommends that the Planning Commissonrecelve the report and presentation and provide feedback on the Key Issues Report and draft Community Vision for the General Plan Update, as  appropriate. II. Discussion  The Cily is embarking on its first comprehensive update to the General Plan since 1976. The  update process includes six phases, consisting of the following:  Phase 1: Discovering the existing conditions and community profile for the City of Fowler. Phase 2: Listening to thei feedback received from stakeholders, residents, and other interested groups andi identify key issues and a draft vision for the community. Phase 3: Vetting concepts for addressing keyi issues and implementing the vision through Phase 4: Documenting the goals, policies and implementing actions to support the community vision in the draft General Plan and preparing the required Environmental Phase 6: Adopting the General Plan after certifying the EIR through the public hearing Between the months of April and May of 2019, the consultant team fort the City ofF Fowler's General Plan Update conducted 14: stakeholder interviews.. As a supplement to the stakeholder inferviews, the consultant team also prepared a Community Report, which summarizes existing conditions within the City of Fowler. Together, the stakeholder responses and the Community Report informed the key issues identified that will be considered in the drafting of the General Plan update. The keyi issues provided the basis for the draft community visionstatement and willi inform subsequent, goals, policies, and actions included ini the final General Plan document. These activities have represented work completed under Phase :: Discovering and Phase 2:  goals and policies for the community.  Impact Report (EIR). process.  Phase 5: Presenting the draft materials for public review.  Listening of the work program. Stakeholder Interviews  The consultant team interviewed stakeholders individually or, in some cases, in groups of two. While there was a standard list of questions prepared to ensure that interviewers touched on particular topics, the questions were not shared with the interviewees. This allowed the meetings to be conversational and provided an opportunity fori individual concerns tol be expressed based  Page 1of4    City of Fowler Planning Commission  October 3, 2019 Page 2of4  Planning Commission Workshop No. I-K Key Issues and' Vision  on the interviewees' relevant experience with City processes and challenges rather than be limited to pre-determined questions. Interviewees were also informed of the intent to keep individual comments confidential to encourage more frank discussions with the consultant team. Results of the stakeholder interviews are summarized in Attachment :: Stakeholder Interview  Summary Memo. Community Report  The Community Report provides useful background information for future environmental analysis and will inform the General Plan update process. Notably, conditions documented in the Community Report were used to inform the Key Issues Summary, which identifies key issues to be addressed as part of this update. As part of the General Plan process the Community Reportmay  be added to as new information becomes available ori is warranted. The Community Report is included as Affachment. 2: Fowler Community Report.  Key Issues  Together, the stakeholder responses and the community report inform the selection of keyi issues that will be considered in the drafting of the General Plan update (see Attachment 3: Key Issues Report). Identifying key issues early in the process allows for the consultant team, City staff, decision makers, andi the public toi identify and understand thei issues ofi importance for Fowler. As noted above, the key issues identified below provided the basis for the draft community vision statement and will inform subsequent, goals, policies, and procedures included in the final Several primary themes emerged from the stakeholder interviews as well as information from the Community Report and represent high-level issues reflective of the most common input heard during the interview process. Key issues identified are in response to the challenges that exist for expansion of City limits and top challenges to businesses and residents in general. The key issues Economic Development. Increase the amount of business support services offered by the chamber of commerce. Help the chamber become a "one: stop shop" for business development for the City and consider pursuing branding efforts to help attract development and increase Local Amenities. Increase amenities which help attract and keep residents and businesses in the Growth Coordination. Growth coordination and expansion willl be al key focat point of future long- range planning efforts. Concerns include expanding the Sphere of Influence, LAFCO Infrastructure Expansion. Infrastructure and City service expansion were. considered both opportunities and constraints to future growth. Road infrastructure as well as police, water, and fire services were all cited as being top concerns in the face of expansion of the planning area. Circulation. Connection points, road capacity, design principles, pedestrian enhancements and linking the east and west sides of the City are an existing challenge and will be a key issue when  General Plan document.  include:  amenities. area.  coordination, environmental regulation, and land use planning.  considering expansion of the planning area.    City of Fowler Planning Commission  October 3, 2019 Page 3of4  Planning Commission Workshop No. 1-K Key Issues and Vision  Parks and Recreation. Identify opportunllestoincreose efficiency of current joint use agreements, address maintenance issues, and implement a plan for increased park and recreation facility Community Character. A small-town character was identified as one of Fowler's top assets. Preservation of that community character should be a top priority in future planning efforts. The draft community vision for Fowler is expressed through a vision statement and a series of supporting principles and is a declaration of the kind of community that Fowler wants to become in the future. The community vision establishes the basis for General Plan goals and policies. The vision statement describes the values and aspirations for Fowler in the future. It identifies key characteristics necessary for sustaining what is important to the community and for Fowler to achieve its potential. The vision statement is supported by five supporting principles, statements that together contribute to the larger community vision and provide more specific guidance for Based on the responses identified in stakeholder summaries and additional inputs from the Community Report, the consultant team and City staff has developed the following vision statement and accompanying supporting principles for each of the key issue areas identified.  demands.  Draff Community Vision  general plan goals and policies.  Staffi is seeking feedback on these draft materials.  Vision Statement The City of Fowler is...  A safe, affordable place to live with a small-town feel. Fowler's community events and thriving schools create a place where you can raise your family and know your neighbors. Fowler fosters a dynamic business-friendly environment, where shared goals and cooperation support local businesses and new economic investment. Thoughfful policies help conserve natural resources and provide well maintainedi infrastructure to: support responsible growth and development while preserving the unique, small towni identity that makes Fowler a great place to live, work, and play. The following statements are guiding principles which implement the broader community vision Our Economy Thrives and Businesses Provide Local Amenities. We value and support businesses which bolster the community by providing, jobs, services, goods, and recreational opportunities. Economic development focuses on: supporting business expansion and diversification. Oursmall- town character is preserved while also providing jobs and increased local amenities, ensuring Growth Occurs Thoughffully and is Shaped by Our Community. A creative growth management strategy allows expansion to occur in a way that aligns economic needs, community vision, and regional goals. There is a strong system in place to guarantee that as the community accommodatest newr neighbors and newj jobs, it continues to maintain andimprove upon thel lives of City residents, ensuring infrastructure and services successfully reach growth areas while continuing to serve established neighborhoods. New development is executed through land use decisions which involve careful research, coordination and community outreach.  Supporting Principles  and willi inform the goals and policies of the General Plan.  residents the opportunity tol live, work, and recreate alli in one place.    City of Fowler Planning Commission  October 3, 2019 Page 4 of4  Planning Commission Workshop No. 1-K Key Issues and Vision  Our Community is Mobile and Connected. Our circulation system is complete, with amenities whichr make walking, biking, andi transit use asafe, comfortable, and viable means of getting from place to place. Roadways are scaled appropriately for the types of land uses that surround them and provide access to jobs, services, goods, and recreational opportunities. The central commercial core is contiguous, with av well-mdintdined streetscape. Our circulation patterns are shaped by urban design principles which value street design as a method of community Parks and Recreation are a Focal Point of Our Community. Our parks and recreation facilities are safe, accessible, and connected to the community they serve. Passive and active recreation opportunities are abundant and coordinated across local facilities and organizations. Protecting our Community's Character. We celebrate Fowler's unique small-town character and balance it with the need to foster growth both physically and economically. Our commitment to facilitating growth in a way that complements our character is reflected in core planning documents. Growth policies preserve our central commercial core, residential neighborhoods  connection and placemaking.  and: support local businesses that contribute to the fabric of our community.  III. Next Steps  The Stakeholder Summary, Community Report, Key Issues Report, and draft Community Vision, along with feedback received from the Planning Commission and public on these items, will be presented to City Council for consideration. Confirmation of the Community Vision by the City Council will inform next steps in the General Plan update process and initiate the next phase of Over the next six to eight months, the consultant team will define the scope of changes to existing goals and policies in order to support the updated Community Vision, as confirmed by the City Council. A review of the existing General Plan relative to state requirements for general plans will also informi identified changes necessary to the General Plan. Alternative development scenarios will be developed for review and consideration by City staff, the Planning Commission, City Council, and the public. The conclusion of work under Phase 3: Vetting will result in the selection of a preferred land use scenario for inclusion in the General Plan and associated Environmental The alternative development scenariosy will ber presented at al Planning Commissiony workshop and a preferred land use scenario will be confirmed by City Council at a workshop following  work, Phase 3: Vetting.  Impact Report.  consideration of input received on the alternative scenarios. IV. Attachments 1. Stakeholder Interview Summary Memo 2. Fowler Community Report 3. Key Issues Report    City of Fowler General Plan Update STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS  Summary MEMO September 24, 2019  From: To: Subject:  Sara Allinder, Project Manager Dawn E. Marple, Planning Consultant Jeannie Davis, City Manager Fowler General Plan Update STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Summary  During the months of April and May of 2019, the consultant team for the City of Fowler's General Plan Update conducted 14 stakeholder interviews. The interviews were intended to solicit an understanding of issues and challenges the community currently faces, what aspects of the community stakeholders found to be beneficial to residents and local businesses, as well as what issues should be addressed as a  priority in the General Plan Update.  This purpose oft this memo is to provide a summary of these interviews and includes:  The key themes identified, as informed by the feedback collected through the stakeholder  interviews; Thel list ofinterviewees; The approach usedi in thei interviews; and, Asummary of the comments received.  The information identified int this memo' will be considered during the City of Fowler General Plan Update process. Specifically, thei input from the stakeholders will provide the basis fort the draft CommunityVision for Fowler, which will inform development of the goals, policies, and actions includedi int the General Plan.  KEY THEMES  The key themes identified below were derived fromi feedback received during thes stakeholderintervlews. These key themes will be combined with issues identified through preparation of a Fowler Community Report and be included in a Key Issues Summary for presentation to the Planning Commission and City  Council.  September 2019  Pagelof7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Summary  Economic Development. Comments on the Chamber of Commerce included the recognition that the organization is still fairly young compared to more established chambers. Suggestions fori improvement included a more comprehensive branding for the City, as well as implementation of more coordinated business support services. There was a desire to create a "one stop: shop" for new businesses wishing to Local Amenities. Lack of amenities, such as restaurants, shopping and entertainment contributes to low resident retention, which in turn, keeps population low and makes it hard for businesses to thrive. Increasing amenities which attract and keep residents in the area will be a key issue when considering Infrastructure Expansion. Lack of City infrastructure was noted as a major hurdle to successful city expansion to Fowler's west side. Specific services of concern included traffic and road infrastructure capacity, police, water, and fire services. It should be noted that while service expansion is considereda a top challenge, itv was also identified as at top benefit of expanding the sphere ofi influence Growth Coordination. While there was a high level of acknowledgement that City expansion was a key necessity in orderi to sparke economic development, there was also recognition thatl land use and planning issues needed to be considered carefully. Community involvement in land use decisions, LAFCO coordination, and environmental regulations will be part of the challenges that lie ahead for planned expansion to the west side of the City. Several stakeholders commented on the need for coordination Parks and Recreation. Currently, sports fields and parks operate under a joint use agreement with local school districts. While there was a reçognition of a high level of cooperation between the City and the School districts, it was mentioned that these joint use agreements could be executed with more detail paid to maintenance issues and that it should be a priority to increase the number of parks in the Community Character. While there was a high level of recognition that city expansion would be a key driver of economic growth and the backbone of future development within the City, there was also a concern fori facilitating that growth in a way that maintains Fowler's key asset: its small-town character. Itwasi identified1 that Fowler's identity as a smallt town and tight knit community should be considereda and preserved ini the face of expansion. It was also identified as a potential catalyst for branding.  become established withint the City.  strategies for economic development and increasing the community's tax base.  and due diligence on these topics prior to implementation.  community to alleviate demand on exiting park and school resources.  INTERVIEWEES  Interviews were conducted with 14 total stakeholders representing diverse interests across the  community, including thet followingi individuals:  Jessie Hudgins, Vice President, Valley Children's Hospital Chelsey Marderosian, Accounting Manager, Bee Sweet Citrus Lori Gonzalez, Interim Superintendent, Fowler Unified School District Veronica Cazares, District Engineer, SKF Community Sanitation District Ben Munoz, General Manager, SKF Community Sanitation District LizG Gomez, Public Sector Representative, Waste Management  David Cardenas, Mayor Leonard Hammer, Mayor Pro Tem  September 2019  Page 2of7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDERI INTERVIEWS Summary  Dan Parra, City Councilmember Mark Rodriguez, City Councilmember Karnig Kazarian, City Councilmember Jeannie Davis, City Manager David Peters, City Engineer  Manuel Lopez, Fire Chief/Interim Public Works Director  APPROACH  Provost: and Pritchard: staffi interviewed stakeholders individually or, ins some cases, in groups oft two. While there was as standard list of questions prepared to ensure thati interviewers touched on particular topics, the questions were not shared with the interviewees. This allowed the meetings to be more conversational and provided an opportunity for individual concerns to be expressed based on the interviewees relevant experience with City processes and challenges rather than be limited to pre- determined questions. Interviewees were also informed of the intent to keep individual comments  confidential to encourage more frank discussions with the consultant team.  SUMMARY OF COMMENTS  The following summary of comments reflects individual feedback received during the stakeholder interviews. The summaries are organized byt the standard list of questions asked of each interviewee. In analyzing each response for content, it was revealed that many of thei interviewees had similar concerns, which were then sorted into major categories. Once sorted, comments were then quantified, revealing thet topt three priority areas for each question. These comments willi inform the keyi issues identifiedi int the 1. WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE ASSETS THAT THE CITY OF FOWLER OFFERSTO ITS RESIDENTS?  Key Issues Summary Report.  Stakeholders overall value that the City of Fowler possesses a small-town character, which fosters a sense of community, connection to one's neighbors, safety, and town pride. Small-town character was the most frequent asset listed by interviewees. Safety and location were tied for second  place and together make up the second highest ranked asset for the City of Fowler. 5 2 Respondentsreferenced: the City/sproximity to State Route (SR) 99, stating that easy access to the major transportation route, and larger metropolitan hubs by extension,  TOP 3. ASSETS FOR RESIDENTS  10 8 6 4 0  Small Town Safety Character  Location School District  made ita convenient place to live and raise ai family. The school district was often stated as al key asset, however there was little elaboration on what exact characteristics elicited: sucha al highl level ofs satisfaction. Other assets which were stated less frequently include high levels of government cooperation with staff  and residents, relatively high home values, and affordability.  September 2019  Page 3of7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Summary  2. WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE ASSETS THATT THE CITY OF FOWLER OFFERS TOITS  BUSINESSES?  Stakeholders identified several key assets for businesses, with the top three including location, a business-friendly environment, and economic opportunity. Locational assets mainly relate to the City's proximity to the SR 99 corridor and railroad accessibility, while economic opportunity refers to the high quantity of development opportunities within the City's industrial core. A streamlined, relatively easy permitting process as well as City responsiveness contributed to the  TOP 3 ASSETS FOR BUSINESSES  10 8: 6 4 2 0  Location  Business Friendly  Economic Opportunities  identifitationoffowler: as havngabusines-fnen.dy environment. Other lessi frequentresponses included  safety, small community, and resident support of local businesses.  3. WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE ISSUES OR CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY OF FOWLER SHOULD FOCUS ONTO IMPROVE SERVICE TO EITHER ITS RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES?  Stakeholder response to this question yielded four top responses, with the need for an expanded chamber of commerce and expansion- of park services tying for first place. Lack of amenities and limited housing development and design standards came in third and fourth place, respectively. With o 2 regard to the chamber of commerce, it was noted that the chamber and its services were relatively young and limited compared to other more developed chambers. Coordinated branding and the creation of business support services were identified as  TOP 3 CHALLENGES  3.  Chamber of Parks& Commerce & Recreation Business Support Services  Amenities Limited Housing  Development & Quality  being two main areas for improvement for the current chamber of commerce. Park services were also identified as being a top challenge. Currently, parkservices are coordinatedt through) joint use agreements with local schools. While there is a high level of coordination between the City and the Fowler Unified Schooll District, it was stated that maintenance agreements may need to be coordinated. at al higher level. In addition, current park facilities are in high demand and may need tol be expanded. Housing availability and range of choice were listed as a challenge as well. It was stated that design guidelines for housing quality need to be developed, especially for higher density housing product. In addition to these main responses, other less frequent responses included circulation issues, development streamlining, limited staff resources, limited business ownership, slow economic growth, and small tax base.  September 2019  Page 4 of7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Summary  4. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? 20 YEARS?  Five-year priorities for the City of Fowler parallel major themes identified within the City's top challenges. Top responses include service expansion, economic improvements. Comments on service circulation issues, including truck routes, Golden State Corridor improvements, as well as connections between east and west Fowler. Downtown improvements included both phystalimprovements, suchasi façade rehabilitation, as well as coordinated  Five Year Priorities  development, expansion  and specifically  downtown mentioned  3 2  Infrastructure & Service Expansion Development  Economic  Downtown Revitalization: & Business Support Services  service improvement which could potentially be provided through the Chamber of Commerce. Twenty-year priorities were much more varied, with no real trends emerging. Overall, comments tended to reference the need to address and keep pace with future growth, although no specific issue was identified as being at top hurdle, challenge, or opportunity. Some topics mentioned include water issues, downtown improvements, branding, circulation, park and public facilities expansion, visioning, and public  infrastructure.  5. WHAT BENEFITS WOULD THERE BE IF THE CITY EXPANDS?  Top! benefits ofe expansion include increased housing stock, economic development opportunities, and service expansion to the west side. Service expansion to the west side is recognized as a major facilitator of development in that area. Other economic development benefits include increased commercial opportunities, including amenities which might help facilitate resident retention. Lessfrequent responses included a larger tax base, positive impacts to downtown businesses, and additional  Top Benefits of Expansion  8 7  access to SR99.  Increase Housing Stock  Economic  Infrastructure &  Development Service Expansion  September 2019  Page 5 of7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Summary  6. WHATISTHE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOUT THINK THE CITY FACES IF THEY DO EXPAND?  Land use planning and growth coordination was the top concern for stakeholders swithregards to expansion mentioned considerably more often than any of the other responses. Concerns int this area include allaspects of the planning and development process, including Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) coordination, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, and land use planning. Lack of existing infrastructure within the expansion area was also cited as a major hurdle.  Top Challenges of Expansion  challenges.  This concern was  8  Branding Growth Infrastructure Lossof  Staff  Coordination &Service Character Resources  Expansion  Although it should be noted that stakeholders also see implementation of service expansion as a top benefit of growth. Loss of small-town character, limited City staff resources, and lack of coordinated branding were all equally represented as potential challenges to expansion. Density challenges, City politics, and competition with other cities were also mentioned, although with less frequency than the  topics identified above.  7. PLEASE LIST THE FOLLOWING IN ORDER OF PRIORITY. ONE BEING THE TOP PRIORITYAND  FIVE BEING THE LOWEST. Stakeholders were asked to evaluate five topics of concern for the City of Fowler and rank them in order, with one being the top priority and five being the lowest. Topics chosen for rank evaluation included economic development, connecting the east and west sides of Fowler, parks and recreation, walkability, and downtown revitalization. It should be mentioned that walkability and east/west connections were at times identified: as having the same ranking. In addition,  Top Five Priority Ranking  o 2  -  0  Economic Downtown Parks& East/West Walkability Development Revitalization Recreation Connections  some respondents felt that several of the categories really pertained to the same goal and were ranked equally as ar result. For example, connecting the east and west sides of Fowler, downtown revitalization, and economic development were: alli identified as serving thes same functionand were ranked accordingly. Responses were analyzed by averaging various rankings by category. Economic development was a clear top priority, with downtown revitalization and parks and recreation coming in nearly tied for second and third place, respectively. The east to west connection was identified as the second to last priority, while walkability was identified as the lowest priority out of the five options. Additional priorities identified during the interviews included water rates, the amount of active recreation space, the needi for water and  storm drain master plans, and future water capacity.  September 2019  Page 6 of7    Fowler General Plan Update  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS: Summary  ADDITIONAL NOTES, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS  Several concerns were mentioned throughout the discussion which do not fit into the discussion topics  noted above, including thei following:  There is a need for a community center for children. Joint Use Agreements for parks need to address maintenance issues. The City'sg government offices may need tol be relocated. There is a need for a community center and civic center. Truck routes should be incorporated as part of the Circulation Element. Focus on design guidelines and interface, /d compatibility guidelines.  Add community events tol help draw people into the City. These events can be focused on youth.  There is a need for a grocery store.  September 2019  Page 7 of7    CITY OF FOWLER  GENERAL PLAN UPDATE  KEY ISSUES REPORT September 2019    ATACHMENI A  STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS  SUMMARY MEMO    City of Fowler General Plan Update NTRODUCTION  Key Issues Report  The City of Fowler has initiated a comprehensive General Plan Update process. The General Plan, once complete, will be an overarching policy document that guides City actions and provides a blueprint for land use and development within the City. The City adopted its first General Plan in 1976 and adopted subsequent updates for land use, circulation, and economic development in 2009. The remainder oft the mandatory General Plan elements have not been updated since the original document was adopted in Update efforts will look ahead to the year 2040, making adjustments based on current issues and emergent trends, and positioning the City of Fowler for the next 20 years. The update also brings the General Plan into compliance with new laws related to climate adaptation, complete streets, and As part of the update process, the Provost and Pritchard consultant team (consultant team) conducted two distinct tasks to date designed to solicit input from a cross-section of interests and toi identify existing conditions that wouldi inform dentification of keyi issues for consideration during the process  1976.  floodplains.  Stakeholder Interviews, consisting of 141 focused interviews with stakeholders over a 2-month period. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders representing diverse interests across the community, including City Staff, local business owners, City residents, and City Council members. Preparation ofa Community Report, which summarizes the existing conditions within the City of Fowler as it relates to a number of topics that willl bea addressed in the General Plan Together, the stakeholder responses and. the community report inform the key issues that will be consideredi in the drafting of the General Plan update. The Key Issues Summarywill int turn providea ab basis fort the community vision statement and subsequent, goals, policies, and procedures included in thet final General Plan document. This summary identifies the key issues that were identified through the  stakeholder interviews and preparation oft the Fowler Community Report.  Stakeholder Interviews  During the months of April and May of 2019, the consultant team for the City of Fowler's General Plan Update conducted 14 stakeholder interviews. The interviews were intended to solicit an understanding of issues and challenges the community currently faces, what aspects of the community stakeholders found to bel beneficial to residents and local businesses, as well as what issues should be addressed as a The consultant teami interviewed: stakeholders individually or, in some cases, in groups oft two. Whilet there was a standard list of questions prepared to ensure that interviewers touched on particular topics, the questions were not shared with the interviewees. This allowed the meetings to be more conversational and provided an opportunityt fori individual concerns to be expressed based on the interviewees' relevant experience with City processes and challenges rather than be limited to pre-determined questions.  priority in the General Plan Update.  September 2019  Page1of3    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Key Issues Report  Interviewees were also informed of the intent to keep individual comments confidential to encourage Se-Attachment:Stokeholderinteniews: Summary! Memoj for additional details ont thei interviewprocess  more frank discussions with the consultant team.  and comments received.  Fowler Community Report  A General Plan update requires as solid knowledge base of existing physicale environmental, economic, and social conditions. The Community Report was therefore one of the first major steps in the General Plan update process. It summarizes baseline conditions in Fowler and the surrounding planning area and identifies preliminary planning implications that the update should address going forward. This Report will contribute useful background materiali for the environmental. analysis that occurs later int the process. The information conveyed in the Community Report will also help community members, City staff, and elected officials make informed decisions throughout the rest of the General Plan update.  KEY ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS  Thet following keyi issues include those topics or considerations that were derived from feedback received during the stakeholder interviews as well as those considerations that were identified through the  preparation of the Community Report. Key Issues Identified  Thet following keyi issues are listedi inr no particular order; however, they generallyf falli in level ofi importance based on stakeholder input. Many of the key issues are specifically related to community identity, economic development needs, local amenities, and other issues related to planning for future growth. Economic Development. Increase the amount of business support services offered by the chamber of commerce. Help the chamber become a "one stop shop" for business development for the City and consider pursuing branding efforts to help attract development and increase amenities. Local Amenities. Increase amenities which help attract and keep residents and businesses in the area. Growth Coordination. Growth coordination and expansion will be al key focal point of future long-range planning efforts. Concerns include expanding the Sphere of Influence, LAFCO coordination,  environmental regulation, and land use planning.  Infrastructure Expansion. Infrastructure and City service expansion were considered both opportunities and constraints to future growth. Road infrastructure as well as police, water, and fire services were all Circulation. Connection points, road capacity, design principles, pedestrian enhancements and linking the east and west sides of the City are: an existing challenge and will be al keyi issue when considering  cited as being top concerns ini thet face of expansion of the planning area.  expansion oft the planning area. September 2019  Page 2 of3    City of Fowler General Plan Update  Key Issues Report  Parks and Recreation. Identify opportunities to increase. efficiency of current joint use agreements, address maintenance issues, and implement a plan for increased park and recreation facility demands. Community Character. A small-town character was identified as one of Fowler'stop: assets. Preservation  of that community character should be at top priority in future planning efforts.  September 2019  Page 3 of3