Legislative, policy, management and administrative decisions are made within the broad context of the Livingston’s Strategic Planning, Implementation and Evaluation Decision-Making Process. This decision-making process provides a framework for planning, implementing and evaluating City operations, budgets, programs, service levels and capital improvements.
This decision-making process is designed to:
- Bring the Mayor, City Council, community leaders, residents and special interest group together to work toward the same objectives consistent with the community’s values and vision.
- Involve the community in actively planning for the future and build support for programs policies, revenue-raising measures, cost-cutting strategies and capital projects. By involving community leaders, residents and special interest groups, the Strategic Planning, Implementation and Evaluation Decision-Making Process helps the City communicate with its constituents.
- Assist the Mayor, City Council, staff and City committees to allocate time more efficiently. When priorities are clear, it is easier to allocate time to the most important things.
- Provide a framework for resource allocation during the annual budget process. If the City knows what programs, issues and action plans have the highest priority, then staff will have a better idea of how to allocate funds when preparing the annual budget. The Mayor and City Council will have a better idea on where to make adjustments when approving the final annual budget. Enhance communication between the Mayor, City Council, City Manager and staff. Without clearly defined directions, the City Manager and staff may have difficulty establishing priorities among requests from the City Council, special interest groups and residents.
- Provide an evaluation tool for City activities. Carefully crafted community values, community vision, mission statement, Strategic Plan, City Council legislation, Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan and annual budget are a standard against which to measure employee and organizational performance.
Strategic Planning Phase.The strategic planning phase consists of the following components: community values, community vision, City mission statement, and Livingston Strategic Plan.
1. Community Values
Community values are the non-negotiable core principles or standards that the community’s citizens wish to maintain. They must be acknowledged, honored and constantly defended to ensure that change and development occur in accordance with these core principles and standards. The community values held by the residents, community leaders and elected officials determine the City’s character, urban design features and ultimately shape the development of the City. Community values guide the community’s vision, mission, Strategic Plan as well as its goals, objectives, activities, capital projects, budgets and service levels. The following represents an overview of the community’s core values that form the basis for the community’s vision.
Community Values Statements. Livingston is a community that:
- Recognizes that it is in the midst of one of earth’s great natural treasures and its unique, spectacular, and fragile environment is worthy of preservation and careful stewardship
- Promotes the development of a wholesome, serviceable and attractive City resulting from orderly development and preservation of its natural beauty, natural features and cultural heritage.
- Provides a clear, clean and open visual image of the community that reflects the highest standards of design quality for public and private commercial, residential, institutional and industrial development.
- Fosters retail commercial, office and light industrial enterprises that will preserve the City’s natural environment, capitalize on the City’s natural beauty, provide tax revenues to fund City services and be conducive to the City’s desire to be a rural, open and uncrowded community.
- Promotes buildings and public infrastructure development that are practical, aesthetically pleasing and in harmony with the environment and surrounding landscape.
- Provides an atmosphere in which people can live in good health, move safely about the community (even at night) and feel confident that they and their property are protected from criminal harm, flood and other natural hazards and man-made disasters.
- Fosters a feeling of community spirit, community identity and promotes a sense of full citizen participation, guaranteeing an opportunity for everyone to share in the activities, duties, responsibilities and benefits of the City.
- Welcomes and accommodates the needs and desires of current residents, future residents and visitors, and lives with the spirit of volunteerism where neighbors work together for the common good to build a strong and vibrant community.
- Promotes efficient and effective municipal services and makes adequate provision in community planning for police, fire, emergency medical, roads, water, sewer, natural gas, storm water, schools, libraries, parks and other public facilities and services.
- Provides a municipal government that is honest, dependable, inventive, creative, economical and ethical.
- Provides cultural, recreational and contemplative opportunities for the residents and visitors to Livingston.
- Shoulders the full share of the community’s county, regional and state responsibilities, acknowledging that the City is part of a larger community and that the provision of services and the solution to certain problems must be the result of intergovernmental cooperation.
2. Community Vision
The community vision articulates the type of city Livingston will become as it changes and grows over the next several decades. This vision ultimately influences and shapes the goals, objectives, strategies, action plans and priorities of the Strategic Plan. It will also influence the development of City ordinances, regulations, policies, procedures and urban design standards. The community vision guides the preparation of the city’s Five-Year Capital Improvements plan and annual budget.General Vision Statement: Livingston is a city that values and preserves its scenic beauty and provides a variety of intellectual, educational, cultural, recreational, historic and economic opportunities to its diverse population and visitors. Livingston is a regional agricultural, warehousing, light manufacturing and commercial retail center---proud of its ability to maintain its unique character while sustaining a vibrant community and maintaining a high quality of life.
Vision Statements: Livingston will be a city that:
- Maintains the spectacular views of the San Joaquin Valley that forms the backdrop to the community. It preserves this natural beauty, environmental quality and vital natural resources through appropriate stewardship of the land, ensuring visual and physical harmony between the natural and the man-made environment.
- Preserves its general open, rural, low profile, uncrowded character punctuated with ample open space, set backs, panoramic views and pristine vistas.
- Promotes urban design features that provides artful integration of building site with the environment with an emphasis on earth-tone colors, mission Spanish architecture, exterior building materials, monument signs, large building set backs, appropriate landscaping, berms and features that hide or reduce the visibility of negative urban features such as parking lots.
- Includes a variety of residents, varied in age, family makeup, income levels and interests, who can commonly enjoy the beauty, economic opportunities, recreational activities and cultural amenities of the City and surrounding region.
- Provides choices in housing types in a variety of neighborhoods that are seamlessly integrated together and well insulated from high volume roadways, noise and nonresidential land uses. Neighborhoods harmonize and compliment one another through good urban design, architectural standards and landscaping where residents can fulfill their varied individual housing needs and dreams of home ownership. Housing fosters a sense of neighborhood among nearby residents and a sense of community through landscaped linkages with surrounding neighborhoods, parks and pristine areas.
- Provides a practical, landscaped, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sensitive transportation circulation network that includes roads, bike paths, walkways and trails that are easily accessible and that efficiently and safely transport residents and visitors throughout the City and surrounding region. The circulation system, especially major corridors, will provide panoramic views of the community’s surrounding environment and will avoid blocking these views with walls, fences, overhead power lines or other visually negative features. The circulation system will be landscaped and will link neighborhoods, parks, schools, libraries, shopping areas, topographic features, pristine primitive areas and wildlife habitat.
- Views economic development as the sustained creation of community wealth and The generation of tax revenues through the retention, expansion and development of diversified business opportunities that are compatible with the environment, community values and community vision. Quaint shops, neighborhood commercial developments, office developments, light industrial enterprises, restaurants, motels and pedestrian malls are in harmony with Livingston’s small town character, scenic beauty and natural resources which are the foundation of its economic strength and quality of life.
- Interacts and works with other governmental entities for the mutual benefit of the City, county, region, state and nation.
- Provides creative, orderly and efficient community facilities and municipal services that meet the needs of residents and visitors. Community facilities are sensitively and successfully integrated into the natural environment with necessary municipal and public utility services including police, fire, emergency medical, water, wastewater, storm water, electrical power, natural gas, cable television, communications, library, building, community development, solid waste and public education services implemented at the lowest possible cost.
- Develops a convenient and comprehensive system of neighborhood parks, community parks, athletic parks, primitive natural areas, green belts, open space, bike paths, trails, scenic vistas and other recreational opportunities that meet the needs of the citizens and enriches the lives of residents and visitors. Parks and recreation facilities that will be adaptable to changes in the population, and provide beauty and functional efficiency to complement the City’s natural environment and the needs of its citizens.
- Collects, restores, preserves its natural, cultural and geologic heritage and displays, artifacts, histories, maps, and cultural items relating to the early Native American inhabitants, pioneer settlers, and Hispanic, Portuguese, East Indian, Filipino, and Japanese immigrants.
- Provides outstanding cultural activities that serve the entire region and touch and enrich the lives of citizens and visitors. The arts and the environment play equal and complementary roles in realizing a culturally animated future. They act as a stimulus to civic pride and involvement and provide vigor and zest to the community’s quality of life.
3. Mission Statement
The Mission of the City of Livingston is to: (1) protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents; (2) ensure high quality residential, commercial and industrial development that preserves the community’s character and is in harmony with the City’s unique small-town environment; (3) deliver high quality, responsive, and customer-oriented City services in an efficient and effective manner;(4) develop, and encourage a culturally diverse community and (5) promote an economically diversified commercial and industrial sector to promote a vibrant City economy and ensure the future financial stability of the City.
4. Strategic Plan
The City Council adopts a Strategic Plan to carry out the mission of the City in accordance with Livingston’s community values and the community vision statements.
- Strategic Plan Components:
The Strategic Plan consists of three components. They are:- General Plan. The General Plan contains a Land Use Element; Circulation; Element; Open Space, Conservation and Recreation Element; Urban Boundary; Element; Community Design Element; Noise Element; Public Services and Facilities; Element; Safety Element and Housing Element.
- Specific Area Plans. More detailed area plans, called "specific plans," may be adopted to further outline in more detail the development of a designated area in the City. The City intends to develop specific plans for the downtown area, Gallo property area and Ranchwood development area.
- Utility Master Plans. The City develops a Water Master Plan, Wastewater Master Plan, and Storm Drain Master Plan to guide the construction of future utility infrastructure. The utility master plans also become the basis for the adoption of development impact fees and the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan.
Each component of the Strategic Plan will contain the following components.
- Description of the current situation.
- Needs Assessment.
- Development of Strategy Areas.
- Determination of Goals.
- Determination of Policies.
- Development of Action Plans.
- Priority of Action Plans.
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Strategic Plan Development Sources. The City of Livingston uses citizen advisory committees, interviews with community leaders, input from special interest groups, public hearings, facilitators and consultants, City staff and community workshops or charettes to develop its Strategic Plan.
- Citizen Advisory Committees. Livingston gives citizen input moreweight and power by formally involving individual citizens in the Strategic Planning process through citizen advisory committees. Citizens serve on advisory boards because they have strong opinions and concerns about their community. They represent an important source of information and are removed from day-to-day administration, providing the elected officials with a fresh point of view on community issues. The participation of citizens in the strategic planning process gets them involved and develops advocates for changes that must be made.
- Interviews with Community Leaders. Business, religious and civic leaders will have valuable insights in helping to develop the community’s Strategic Plan
- They are also crucial in shaping public opinion and developing consensus for City goals, objectives, strategies, action plans, activities, ordinances, policies and capital improvements that will carry out the community’s vision.
- Input from Special Interest Groups. Special interest groups will have strong opinions about specific policy areas. If they are involved in the strategic planning process they can represent a very powerful tool for gaining support for City goals, strategies, action plans, activities, ordinances, policies and capital projects that will implement the community vision
- Public Hearings. The public hearing is the simplest approach to letting citizens be involved in the development of the City’s Strategic Plan
- Facilitators and Consultants. The City may retain facilitators and consultants with expertise in specific areas to generate policy options, assist with the development of the City’s Strategic Plan components, help develop goals and objectives, identify alternative approaches to community issues and provide options for action plans and ordinances.
- City Staff. City employee participation is an essential component of a strategic planning process. Employees understand the community issues and know the workings of the City government. They will be responsible for implementing action plans and administering budgets to accomplish community goals. City staff involvement improves morale, encourages employee cooperation, makes them owners of the overall objectives of the City government and improves communication throughout the governmental structure.
- Community Workshops or Charettes. Community workshops or charettes are an effective way to bring together community leaders, City employees, special interest group representatives and interested residents to "brain storm" and develop alternative solutions to community issues in an intensive work setting.
Implementation Phase
The implementation phase of the Strategic Planning, Implementation and Evaluation Decision-Making Process consists of the following components: City Council legislation, organization development, Five-Year Capital Improvements Plan and annual budget.
- City Council Legislation. Ordinances, resolutions, regulations, directives, development standards, urban design features, engineering standards and contracts consistent with the community vision are drafted to achieve the goals and objectives, and implement the strategies and action plans of the Strategic Plan. For example, the City adopts a zoning ordinance to carry out the Land Use Element of the General Plan. The adoption of an impact fee ordinance and subsequent development impact fees by the City Council to fund the development of the City’s water, sewer, storm drainage and parks facilities are other examples where ordinances are used to implement the City’s Utility Master Plan component of the Strategic Plan.
- Organization Development. The City Council and the City Manager create an organizational structure to achieve the goals of the Strategic Plan and implement the policies and action plans within each of its strategy areas. This might include: (1) creation of citizens committees, offices or positions within the City government or (2) changing job descriptions or making specific assignments for specific programs or projects.
- Five-Year Capital Improvements Plan. The City of Livingston’s Five-Year Capital Improvements Plan is a multi-year guide to the construction of community improvements such as roads, bridges, storm drains, curb, gutters, sidewalks, water facilities, sewer facilities, storm drainage facilities and parks and recreation facilities. It is through this process that the long-range plan for the orderly maintenance and improvement of Livingston’s physical assets can be accomplished. This document is intended to serve as a planning tool and is structured to present a meaningful long-range perspective of the community’s long-range capital needs and goals.
- Annual Budget.The annual budget conforms to the Strategic Plan and is the primary mechanism for achieving the community vision through achieving the goals of the Strategic Plan, implementing its policies and executing its action plans. The annual budget is a (1) policy document, (2) operations guide, (3) financial plan and (4) a communications device. It shall contain:
- Summary of City accounting, financial, investment, capital improvement, fixed asset and budget policies.
- Description of the City accounting system.
- Presentation of the City organizational structure.
- Description of Department programs, activities and service levels.
- Presentation of Accounting Fund and City department mission statements.
- Presentation of Accounting Fund and City department descriptions.
- Presentation of Goals for each Fund and department. These goals shall conform to the Strategic Plan and the Five-Year Capital Improvements Plan adopted by the City Council.
- Performance measures for each Accounting Fund and City department.
- Line item budget for each Accounting Fund and City department.
- Estimated changes in fund balance for Governmental Funds, Special Revenue Funds, Debt Service Funds or cash and investment balances for Enterprise Funds.
Evaluation Phase
The evaluation phase of the strategic planning, implementation and evaluation decision-making process is concerned about the efficiency and effectiveness that the community vision is being achieved through the City’s Strategic Plan.
Evaluation: The Department heads, City Manager and City Council evaluate their activities at least once a year. This includes a Strategic Plan Evaluation, goals and objectives evaluation, action plans evaluation, Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan Evaluation, budgeting and financial resource evaluation and employee performance evaluations. Some of the following questions should be considered as department heads, City Manager, Mayor and City Council evaluate the activities of the City’s departments.
1. Questions Relating to Goals.
- Does the Strategic Plan have goals and strategies that will achieve the community vision?What are the goals of the City?
- Is there agreement from all groups on the goals of the Strategic Plan, Five Year Capital Improvements Plan and the annual budget?
- Do the action plans contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan?
- Are the action plans of the Strategic Plan correctly prioritized?
- Is there steady progress toward the attainment of the goals of the Strategic Plan achievement of the community vision?
- What goals need to be modified or new goals established to reflect changes in the community values, community vision or Strategic Plan?
- Did City department activities lead to goal achievement?
2. Questions Relating to the Organization
- How effective is the department in executing the action plans and achieving theGoals of the Strategic Plan?
- Is the organization structured to meet the goals of the Strategic Plan, Five-Year Capital Improvements Plan and annual budget?
- Are responsibilities clearly defined and are mechanisms in place to ensure accountability of managers, supervisors and employees?
- Are reporting procedures and organizational relationships clearly defined?
- Is the staff using its time effectively in carrying on department activities and delivering municipal services?
- How effective is the organization in resolving citizen complaints and finding solutions to complex problems?
- What is the nature and frequency of complaints received by elected officials regarding employees, department activities, capital improvement projects or City services?
- What individuals or groups have been opposed to or been critical of certain City policies and activities in the past and why? Are their concerns legitimate?
- Are performance measures adequately measuring what is really taking place in City departments?
- What are the activities and service areas where the organization excels?
- What activities and service areas should the organization improve its performance?
3. Questions relating to budgeting, financing and resource allocation.
- How are time, money and personnel being allocated?
- What does staff perceive it needs? What problems are they experiencing?
- What are the financing sources for each City activity?
- What kinds of equipment could be purchased to make municipal services more cost-efficient?
- What types of revenue-raising or cost-cutting activities can be or should be implemented?