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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTeton View Regional Plan WORD.docx t>-  TETON VIEW I' REGIONAL PLAN STAYING THE COUR S E / ,,. A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO R URAL PLACES / Multi-City/Multi-County Initiatives The initiativesproposed below appfy to one ormore small cities that lie within Fremont and Teton counties, Idaho, including St. Anthony, Ashton, Island Park, Driggs and Victor. / I n i t i at ive SC.1 - N eig hbo r h ood R evita l i zat i on wit h H a b itat for H u m a n i ty Proposed Lead(s) St. Anthony & Ashton Project Source Plan Appendices C.1 & C.2; E.3 he housing surveys performed for the four Teton View counties showed that between 11% and 17% of all occupants consider their homes to be in fair to poor condition, depending on the county. In Fremont County, where homes are generally older, 30% of the very low-income households have indicated the need for multiple repairs to make their homes livable. To address this need, a multi-year Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) is being proposed with the Idaho Falls affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat completed its first build in Ashton in 2013 and envisions an ongoing relationship with the community in financing new home construction and "gut" rehabs of existing homes. Under this initiative, new NRI projects would be launched in both Ashton and St. Anthony over the next year, dependent on funding. The focus in St. Anthony would be a 3 x 12-block area in the West Main Street neighborhood where street improvements are scheduled for T O A C C E S S A L L P L A N D O C U M E N T S : 2016. In addition to a home rehabilitation, several "A Brush with Kindness" volunteer projects are proposed that would involve exterior painting, landscaping and minor repair of eligible homes. Additional neighborhood revitalization projects would be designed for other Teton View communities as needs are demonstrated and funds permit. / Project SC.2 - R u ra l R i d esh a re a n d Loca l Sh u tt l e Services Proposed Lead(s) Teton County, ID Project Source Plan Appendices C.1, D.1, E.2 aving a range of multi-modal transportation services is of growing importance to rural communities to attract new residents, businesses and travelers W W W . S U S T A I N A B L E Y E L L O W S T O N E . O R G STAY ING THE COURS E (continued) / who may seek an alternative to driving private vehicles. Under this initiative, more support would be given to the Teton Valley Mobility Advisory Committee (fVMAC) and an equivalent group in Fremont County to: Promote use of the Northwest states' Rideshare Online program or help develop an equivalent program for the Greater Yellowstone region Ensure that the demand-response service currently provided in St. Anthony, Driggs and Victor is cost-efficient and meets local needs Evaluate transportation improvements that would provide fair access to services and options for all types of commuters. Persons with disparate need of tl r service include low­ income single parent and Hispanic/Latino households and persons of limited mobility Fund needed vehicles & transit infrastructure such as the Driggs Bus Storage Facility Support and expand recreational shuttle services in view of Greater Yellowstone data -Improve intercity connections throughout the region in cooperation with private companies and emerging public transit authorities in Rexburg and Jackson Initiative SC.3 - Walka bility and Wayfinding Concepts Proposed Lead(s) Driggs and Victor, ID Project Source Plan Appendices B.1, D.1, D.3, D.4, E.2 his initiative would seek to implement the 10 bike- and pedestrian-friendly recommendations that appear in the Multi-Modal Assessment for small cities and counties, including the adoption of Complete Streets policies by all localities interested in upgrading their applicable regulations, code and design standards. It would include monitoring the safety and traffic flow results of the intersection improvements made by City of Victor in 2014, and sharing those metrics as the city directs. The project could assist with installation of the selected wayfinding signs not only in Driggs, but in communities like St. Anthony that is moving forward with street/sidewalk improvements along West Main Street in 2016. / Initiative SC.4 - Main Street Matters: Downtown Revitalization Proposed Lead(s) City of Ashton Project Source Appendices E.2, E.3 his initiative would encourage and/or enable the region's small cities to: Be active members of the Idaho and/or National Main Street programs Coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Office and local historical societies to make adaptive re-use of historic buildings. A prime property now exists in Ashton for conversion to a local museum Apply and prepare for an Idaho Community Review, if not yet completed (e.g. City of St. Anthony) T O A C C E S S A L L P L A N D O C U M E N T S : W W W . S U S T A I N A B L E Y E L L O W S T O N E . O R G STAY ING THE COUR S E (continue d) / Compete for downtown enhancement grants and promote infill of empty downtown lots Enhance the local arts and music cultures in each city in cooperation with local organizations Coordinate and promote annual downtown events that enhance the region's brand and visibility / .] :11h::;:lJ!JI)'•·f ttl..:" C.5 - Colla borations for Business Retention a nd Recruitment Proposed Lead(s) All cities participate Project Source Appendices E.2 E.3 oth Fremont and Teton counties have periodically engaged in economic development planning with the assistance of state, federal or private funding. Historically, neither local chambers of commerce nor economic development entities have been able to fully implement the resulting plans or sustain their programs. Some plans have emphasized recruiting businesses from the outside to secure better-paying jobs; others have promoted means to support businesses already in place with the expectation of new jobs through expansion. This initiative would employ both approaches and pursue joint strategies where feasible to improve the region's overall economic vitality. Together these two rural counties could: Form two-county business networks to support emerging regional industries Develop joint capacity for new business recruitment so costs could be shared and each community's assets and amenities cooperatively promoted Use the Teton View Regional Plan as a CEDS-equivalent for seeking EDA grants Initiative SC.6 - Our Rural Schools Challenge Proposed Lead(s) Teton and Fremont counties Project Source Appendices C.1 E.2 E.3 he ability to attract new businesses and residents is dependent on a strong school system and diverse educational opportunities for all students, including those with limited English proficiency. This project would involve working closely with the two rural school districts and those providing vocational services to: Ensure all districts have the necessary resources to meet the needs of the increasing Hispanic tT1 including limited English proficiency courses and parent communication and outreach Address the capacity issues currently facing the junior high school in Driggs and other Teton Co. schools Evaluate the potential for a charter elementary school in the Island Park area as an alternative for K-5 students who must currently ride the bus between 17-50 miles each way to attend Ashton schools Offer more online workforce training and post-secondary courses to those in rural communities Create an apprenticeship program that meets actual community needs. One idea would be a "Circuit Rider" program for youth pursuing IT careers to design websites for small businesses in this area T O A C C E S S A L L P L A N D O C U M E N T S : W W W . S U S T A I N A B L E Y E L L O W S T O N E . O R G STAY ING THE CO URS E (continue d) / Focus on Teton Vall ey Project- S C.7 - A Teton V alley Housing Authority It is proposed that a reconstituted housing authority take the lead on pursing the following objectives in Teton County, ID: Identify suitable land for new multi-family housing Enact fee waivers and/or modify existing incentives for affqtda]Jle housing Develop entry-level homeownership opportunities Pursue self-help housing with Habitat for Humanity or other similar programs Develop rental apartments and encourage deed-restricted accessory rental units Encourage transit-oriented development / Project S C.8 - Code Updates for Fair Housing Compliance Under this project Teton County would modify its group home provisions to provide . consistency with Idaho state law and modify its current requirement for a conditional use permit. The cities of Driggs and Victor, while incorporating the state definition in their codes, still require a conditional use permit or special use process for approval that should be reviewed for full compliance with state law. The code updates in this project should also allow for smaller lot sizes, revised accessory unit standards and smaller scale housing. The county needs more multi-family housing stock and more affordable units near town and services that could be encouraged through adoption of the new Teton Valley Development Code. T O A C C E S S A L L P L A N D O C U M E N T S : Focus on Frem ont County Project S C.g - Code Updates for Fair Housing Compliance To diversity the housing stock in these cities, densities would be reviewed for attached units, such as townhomes or small duplex or four-plex homes. St. Anthony also could incorporate group home provisions pursuant to IC 67-6531 into its development code. Project SC.10 - Mobile Integrated Health Ca re This project would upgrade the Fremont County . cadre of volunteer EMTs to a more professional, paid level to better staff its clinics, improve communication systems, and identify patient in-home care needs. Formal agreements would need to be negotiated with the three community clinics, public health offices and the large hospitals in Rexburg and Idaho Falls that accept most patient transports. Project SC.11- Building Community across Fremont Co. A project of this nature could help build trust and foster positive feelings among the year­ round and seasonal residents of Fremont County. Actions could include: Host a County Volunteer Week Form a County-Wide Endowment Project S C.12 - Welcoming Seniors This project would encourage more seniors to reside full-time or seasonally in all parts of Fremont County using two approaches: Organize the "Fremont Ambassadors" . Explore a new Senior RV Park at the St. Anthony Golf Course W W W . S U S T A I N A B L E Y E L L O W S T O N E . O R G