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Home My WebLink AboutEnvision Madison Report (2)Report Facilitated by 2 ENVISION MADISON PARTNERS Madison County Sugar City Rexburg City BYU–Idaho Madison Economic Partners Idaho Transportation Department EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE Gary Archibald — Co-Chair Lori Woodland — Co-Chair Kim Clark — Former President, BYU–Idaho Jon Weber — Madison County Commissioner Glen Dalling — Former Mayor, Sugar City Richard Woodland — Mayor, City of Rexburg Randall Porter — Committee Member Carlos Aponte — Committee Member Richard Smith — Committee Member Clark Gilbert — President, BYU–Idaho Lamont Merrill — Mayor, Sugar City Eric Conrad — BYU–Idaho Liaison Phil Packer — Former BYU–Idaho Liaison STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE Jill Anderson Carlos Aponte Gary Archibald George Archibald Connie Ball Mickey Beaver Jordan Busby Terry Butikofer Christine Campbell Kim Clark Tom Cluff Criag Cobia Stephanie Cook Colby Coombs Bruce Crapo Patti Crapo Brent Crowther Glen Dalling Jerry Dalling Melanie Davenport Allen Dunn Winston Dyer Ryan Easton Rex Erickson Ron Feik Kathryn Gardner Rachel Gonzalez Marianna Gonzalez Janet Goodliffe Doug Hancy Dan Hanna Harold Harris Ted Hendricks Brent Hill Leslie Huddleston Ethan Huffman Christine Jarski Justin Jenkins Troy Kartchner Randy Landon Rochelle Mathews Doug McBride Kelly McCandless Anthony Merrill Jerry Merrill Art Morales Matt Nielson Phil Packer Aaron Peterson Shay Phister Glen Pond Randall Porter Spencer Priest Dell Raybould Craig Rindlesbacher Blake Rindlisbacher Randy Schroll Cory Smith Sally Smith Betsy Smith Richard Smith Liza Souders Bart Stevens Bruce Sutherland Jason Swatsenbarg Amy Taylor Teri Tengiao-Phillips Geoffrey Thomas David Thueson Shane Turman Jedd Walker Jeff Walters Johnny Watson Richie Webb Jon Weber Bart Webster Joseph West Scott Wood Lori Woodland Richard Woodland Mary Zollinger 3 4 Introduction 6 Background • Process • Projections Public Process 12 Committees • Workshops, Results & Analysis • Scenarios Task Force Recommendations • Survey Results Madison Vision 30 Vision Statement • Vision Principles • Vision Implications • Maps Contents 6 The foundation they laid reflected the values they thought important: community, family, and education. It would be a place of gathering where their children and grandchildren could live, work, and raise families. We are the beneficiaries of their vision. In Envision Madison, we lay the same kind of groundwork for those who come after us. Madison County is a rural county in Eastern Idaho that includes Rexburg, Sugar City, and other communities. Residents of this area face unique challenges as a rural community with a large and growing university: Brigham Young University–Idaho. The community relies, for much of its economy and sense of identity, on the University, and the University, in turn, relies on the community to provide housing, employees, services, and quality of life. Traditionally Madison County has been an agricultural community; today, our community is growing and changing as the University grows and changes. Over the last decade Madison County has experienced unprecedented growth, which has brought opportunities and challenges that were not Introduction dreamed of fifteen years ago. These opportunities require us to ask some hard questions, questions that will affect the way our area develops for the next 50 years. How can the community and BYU– Idaho best work together to accommodate student, faculty, and staff housing needs and create a vibrant community that everyone can enjoy? How can the area develop the jobs that will allow young people to stay in the community long term? What recreational opportunities will we create or enhance to improve our community and increase tourism? These are among the questions Madison County’s visioning process explored as residents and their leaders worked together toward a vision for the future. Envision Madison is a community driven effort which helped identify and develop a vision for the future of Madison County. The goal of Envision Madison was to bring the community together in a process that explored potential decisions to shape future growth. The process allowed community leaders to understand which planning strategies resonate with residents and stakeholders. These strategies served as the basis for a vision. The vision acts as a voluntary framework for the university–community relationship; to support planning how we grow our cities, towns, and rural areas; for how we foster economic development; and for how we develop transportation in the community. PIONEERS CAME TO THIS VALLEY 130 YEARS AGO AND ENVISIONED A THRIVING COMMUNITY IN THE SAGEBRUSH-COVERED LAND. 6 7 VISIONING PROCESS The process of visioning is a powerful tool used to meet difficult challenges and create great communities and regions. A successful vision is guided by a large, trusted, and diverse group of stakeholders. It relies on community values to find common ground, communicate choices and build consensus, and it uses scenarios to engage the public, provide clear choices, and refine direction. Visioning helps the public and today’s decision makers understand the long-term consequences of the choices they make now. The first step of the visioning process was to identify issues, attitudes, and values that are most important to residents of Madison County. This first step was accomplished using two processes: • A focus group and random sample survey of Madison County residents about their attitudes on growth and what they value most about life in Madison County.• Stakeholder meetings to define the most important issues as the community, BYU–Idaho, and the county continue to grow. Background After the issues were identified, two tracks were created to further study the issues, one track to explore spatial or physical layout issues, and the second track to study the primarily non-spatial issues such as economic development, recreational opportunities, and the relationship of BYU– Idaho and the community. The track regarding the physical layout of the community involved: • Developing a range of scenarios based on public preferences that explore growth issues and choices.• Exploring consequences of each scenario.• Engaging residents and stakeholders in evaluating scenarios and their components and consequences. The second track (for primarily non-spatial issues) involved the creation of three community task forces to investigate and evaluate alternatives and make recommendations on the three core non-spatial issues: jobs and economy, recreational opportunity, and the BYU–Idaho, community relationship. Upon completion of the scenarios development process and the work of the task forces, the public was then asked to evaluate and make choices among spatial scenarios, and prioritize recommendations and strategies from the three task forces. This involved an online public survey and a number of community meetings where community members were asked to vote for their preferences across the full range of topics investigated in the visioning process. 8 Background VALUES, ISSUES IDENTIFICATION, & ATTITUDES ABOUT GROWTH The core values of Madison residents guided the Envision Madison process. At the beginning of the process, Envision Madison sponsored an innovative piece of research in our community, involving a focus group and a statistically significant survey to understand what matters most to Madison County residents and, even more importantly, why these things matter. The findings helped the Envision Madison Stakeholder Committee to know what to focus on in the Envision Madison process. Together, we want to create a future that honors what residents value most. Madison county residents love where they live and the high quality of life it provides • Madison County residents view their quality of life far more favorably than the rest of the country. It is among the highest measured in regional visioning. • Moreover, most residents believe the quality of life for future generations is promising— again, much higher than in the rest of the country.• The “family-friendly environment with strong values” is the key factor underlying what residents value most about life in Madison County. In addition, the “small town feel” and “strong sense of community” contributes to a feeling of “safe community.”• Enjoying the outdoors and the high quality educational opportunities also exert a positive impact on the quality of life of residents.• The weather and the inaccessibility to entertainment/shopping and jobs are factors that exert the greatest negative impact. Residents feel that growth is a good thing • Residents believe the opportunities and possibilities that accompany growth in the region are good things.• Importantly, the large majority of residents recognize the importance of planning and investing in the future. 9 ECONOMIC SECURITY The lack of jobs and the high cost of living in Madison County forces some residents (or their children) to live a lower quality of life and robs them of a sense of peace of mind and security. OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES Proximity to great open spaces and recreational opportunities help people do the things they enjoy most and spend good times with family and friends in a high quality of life of freedom, happiness and peace of mind. People in Madison County enjoy the strong values of a small-town, family-friendly place where people look out for and care about each other. This creates a sense of community and a feeling of security and belonging.Psychosocial Consequences • My family and I feel safe • Strong, close-knit community Key Community Values • Peace of mind • Security • Belonging • Security Functional Consequences • Friendly people who look out for each other • Sense of community Madison County Quality of Life Attributes • Family friendly enivornment with strong values • Safe community with low crime Madison County Quality of Life Attributes • Lack of jobs • High cost of living Functional Consequences • I can’t earn enough • I’ll have to leave the area Psychosocial Consequences • I can’t provide for myself and my family • I can’t afford to do the things that are important to me Key Community Values • Peace of mind • Security Key Community Values • Peace of mind • Freedom Madison County Quality of Life Attributes • Outdoor recreation opportunities • Open spaces Functional Consequences • Spend time with friends/family • Options to do the things I enjoy most Psychosocial Consequences • Quality of life CARING AND SAFE COMMUNITY Madison County Values 10 RESIDENT POPULATION PROJECTION TOTAL POPULATION PROJECTION PROJECTED DEVELOPED RESIDENTIAL ACRES STUDENT POPULATION PROJECTION WHAT COULD MADISON COUNTY BE LIKE IN 2040? Unlike most rural areas in Idaho, Madison County is growing. Population projections show the county growing from about 41,000 now to 67,700 by 2040. Much of this growth will come from Brigham Young University– Idaho if and as it continues to expand its student population. But more than 12,000 of those additional people will be permanent Madison County residents. How our community grows will affect our quality of life, jobs, educational opportunities, and recreational opportunities. The decisions we make together should have a positive impact on what we value most in our lives. Madison County Values Public Process How is a vision created by the public? Envision Madison engaged residents from Rexburg, Sugar City, and unincorporated areas within the county. More than 1,500 participated, representing about 5% of the adult population. 12 13 INITIAL ROUND OF PUBLIC INPUT More than 600 residents participated in an initial round of public input in June 2013 through four public workshops and an online questionnaire. Participants brainstormed how growth should occur in coming decades, and workshop attendees created maps illustrating their preferences for conservation, housing, employment, and transportation. Participants worked collectively to create 40 maps, which, along with survey responses, presented ideas used to develop alternative growth scenarios. The workshops and other public events were the heart of the visioning process. The goal was to capture public values and preferences in order to create a publicly generated and supported long-term vision. At the brainstorming workshops participants were asked to imagine the future for their children and grandchildren and how they would accommodate anticipated growth. Together residents looked forward a few decades—mapping the kind of place they envisioned Madison becoming as it grows. Participants explored questions such as these: What should our downtowns look like? Do we preserve existing neighborhoods? How does student housing fit into the community? How will we get around? Participants also weighed in on other issues including employment, recreation, and the relationship between BYU–I and the community. An active citizenry and committed stakeholders participated in the Envision Madison process. The entire process was overseen by a local stakeholder committee and a local executive committee. In addition to the values study, public workshops provided opportunities for residents to craft maps illustrating their ideal future, town hall events enabled residents to express preferences regarding ideas proposed by the public at prior events, and online questionnaires facilitated another means to provide feedback. Three task forces focusing on the community-University relationship, recreation and tourism, and job growth also served to address the issues most important to Madison residents. Public Process Summary COMMITTEES Envision Madison Stakeholder Committee The stakeholder committee was composed of a large and diverse group of community leaders and residents. Charged with directing Envision Madison, the stakeholder committee ensured a transparent and public process in which residents could explore the challenges associated with growth and express preferences leading to the creation of a publicly supported valley-wide vision. Under the direction of the stakeholder committee, Envision Utah facilitated the process. Envision Madison Executive Committee The executive committee was composed of a small group of stakeholders who oversaw project administration, operations, and facilitators. Envision Madison participants identified the following goals as most important to the future: • Preserve the scenic beauty in Madison County.• Create high quality jobs in Madison County.• Maintain/improve the relationship between BYU–I and the community to address growth issues.• Enhance recreation for ourselves and visitors. • Work to revitalize our downtown.• Create trails for recreation and to get around town.• Move the airport so that it can accommodate larger airplanes and redevelop the current site.• Improve infrastructure, such as broadband.• Keep housing reasonably priced.• Retain viable agricultural land. 14 90% say it is important that the community works with BYU–Idaho to address growth worries. 92% say it is important to create high quality jobs for our kids and grandkids. 80% say it is important to enhance our recreation opportunities. Public Process Summary RESULTS OF INITIAL PUBLIC INPUT After the workshops, Envision Utah staff, local planners, and the project steering committee carefully reviewed the public input to identify common themes and ensure that the public voice guided subsequent steps. Some features related to the above goals are tied to land use and can be measured across alternative growth scenarios. These measures enabled residents to compare the growth scenarios against common values. Others are not tied to land use and were addressed by local task forces. The stakeholders sought to understand what conservation, housing, employment, and transportation patterns emerged from the workshop input. Analysis of the input showed some striking similarities as well as some divergent ideas. ENVISION MADISON TASK FORCES The values study, workshops, and online survey also clearly defined three other major non-spatial themes that were important to Madison County residents, and three community task forces were created to address the following three issues: 1. The relationship between the community and BYU–Idaho 2. Community recreation and tourism 3. Overall job growth The three task forces were convened in 2013 and included local experts and decision makers in one of the three areas identified. Their task was to identify and evaluate strategies that would strengthen the relationship between the community and the University, enhance the recreational opportunities for residents and tourists, and create jobs for residents and students. These strategies would be presented to the public as choices to solicit their feedback and preferences. DEVELOPMENT AND MODELING OF SCENARIOS FOR THE LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION FUTURE The public’s input on land use and transportation was analyzed to develop major themes for alternative scenarios for the physical layout of the county as BYU–Idaho and the community continue to grow. The alternative scenarios described below were presented to the stakeholder group and modified according to the group’s comments. Each scenario was based upon themes identified from the public input at workshops and designed to test broader public response to future land use and transportation choices. 15 The community expands infrastructure and development follows. Investing in transportation by building more roads and allowing land use development to follow, means our growth pattern is more spread out. People can more easily recreate in their own backyards. We encourage predominantly large lot development, meaning housing costs are higher and commute times are longer on average. • Transportation investment in building more roads. • Housing development generally disperses along the new roads.• New bridge east of Rexburg.• Single family housing dispersed throughout the county.• Most new stores and businesses to locate along 2nd East and Highway 20 interchanges.• Single student housing surrounds the University, most within a 15-minute walk.• Community housing (mostly for married students) spreads throughout southwest Rexburg. Burton Hibbard Thornton Hinckley Sugar City Existing Roads Expansion Large to Smaller LotSingle Family Housing Single Student Housing Community Housing Jobs Mixed Uses Scenario A Scenarios Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County 16 This scenario incorporates ideas from the local growth plans adopted earlier by the cities and county as well as current growth and development trends. While similar land uses tend to be clustered together rather than spread throughout the region, the uses are kept separate. Clustering uses — single family homes, community housing, or commercial — into separate areas means we grow more compactly but still spend extra time on our daily needs. Concentrating housing reduces pressure to develop on agricultural land. Residents’ and developers’ infrastructure costs are lower. Many don’t live near work, parks, and schools, spending more time in cars and reducing time spent doing things they enjoy. • Development patterns are somewhat more compact (fewer 2, 5, & 10 acre lots) than Scenario A.• Single family housing, community housing (mostly for married students), and jobs centers are less disbursed (around existing communities), but remain separate from each other.• Most businesses are located along Highway 20 interchanges.• The airport is moved; the land is converted to industrial uses.• New single student housing develops southeast of the University, within a 5-minute walk of campus.• Small clusters of community housing (mostly for married students) located throughout Rexburg. Burton Hibbard Thornton Hinckley Sugar City Existing Roads Expansion Large to Smaller LotSingle Family Housing Single Student Housing Community Housing Jobs Mixed Uses Scenario B Scenarios What could Madison County be like in 2040? Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County 17 Development, especially housing, is more compact. Job growth centers around existing infrastructure, such as Highway 20 and the railroad. We cluster new development, as in scenario B, but also live within walking or biking distance of different types of housing, work, parks, and schools, where appropriate. Our neighborhoods, therefore, include a more diverse range of ages and families. We use existing roads, such as 2nd East and Highway 20, for commercial development, reducing overall infrastructure costs. • Development patterns include more housing choices with some small lots and townhomes.• Single family housing, some workplaces, and parks (but not shopping) are mixed together.• Bike paths and walking trails connect regional recreation areas.• A new bridge is built near fairgrounds/ airport.• Single student housing surrounds the University with a mix of appropriate uses like office space and BYU–Idaho facilities.• Community housing (mostly for married students) is mixed in neighborhoods. Burton Hibbard Thornton Hinckley Sugar City Existing Roads Expansion Large to Smaller LotSingle Family Housing Single Student Housing Community Housing Jobs Mixed Uses Scenario C Scenarios Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County 18 A mix of student housing, offices, educational services, and other complementary uses within a walkable area of downtown Rexburg create a strong spatial connection between the community and BYU–Idaho. New development focuses in and around the heart of our existing communities, preserving some agricultural land. Work, schools, and shopping are more integrated into neighborhoods, creating the lowest cost for new infrastructure. Neighborhoods near downtown and the University are redeveloped to provide space for student housing, jobs, and shopping. • General development pattern is similar to Scenario C with a few more townhomes and small lots.• The community and BYU–Idaho work together to restore the downtown area.• People walk more and drive less.• Downtown becomes a location for student living, tourism, student/ neighborhood services, and community destinations like restaurants.• Buses connect the University, communities, and other places.• Single student housing and university- related jobs and services extend from BYU–Idaho to downtown.• Community housing (mostly for married students) is built in and near downtown. Burton Hibbard Thornton Hinckley Sugar City Existing Roads Expansion Large to Smaller LotSingle Family Housing Single Student Housing Community Housing Jobs Mixed Uses Scenario D Scenarios Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County Illustrative Image. Not necessarily from Madison County 19 Many of the measures selected to evaluate the scenarios reflect the issues that residents said were most important at the workshops. When scenarios were compared, residents gained a sense of some of the potential impacts of growth choices. For instance, different home types have different implications for growth. Single family homes on large lots have more yard space but consume more land. Townhomes have smaller yards but cost less. Growth occurring beyond the edge of existing cities happens on rural land that tends to be less expensive. In contrast, the land cost of growth occurring as infill or redevelopment can be higher, though new infrastructure costs are likely lower. When land uses (such as housing and shopping) are separated, driving tends to increase, and when land uses are integrated, walking and biking tend to increase. Each of the choices that are made regarding land use has long-term impacts. Weighing those impacts ahead of making choices can help guide growth patterns that yield the outcomes residents want. Each of the scenarios includes the same number of people and jobs, but they test different decisions regarding conservation priorities, housing and employment patterns, and transportation investments. 99%99%96%94% 1%1%4%6% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Infill and Developed Acres Vacant Developed / Infill INFILL AND DEVELOPED ACRES $116 $73 $86 $85 $- $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Mi l l i o n s Total Cost: New RoadsTOTAL COST: NEW ROADS 9.0 2.9 2.6 2.7 0 2 4 6 8 10 Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D New Square Miles Developed NEW SQUARE MILES DEVELOPED Rexburg today is 10 square miles $169,377 $153,547 $142,040 $138,377 $100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $130,000 $140,000 $150,000 $160,000 $170,000 $180,000 Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Average Home PriceAVERAGE HOME PRICE The average home price in Madison County is $169,600 today Comparing Scenarios 20 149.7 93.5 85.9 86.5 - 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0 140.0 160.0 Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Landscaping Water Use per Household Landscaping Water Use (G/Day) LANDSCAPING WATER USE PER HOUSEHOLD 7%9%5% 10%12% 70% 90%76%78% 30% 4%4%5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D New Housing Mix: Permanent Residents Townhome/Twinhome Less than 0.2 acres 0.2 to 1 acre Greater than 1 acre NEW HOUSING MIX: PERMANENT RESIDENTS Comparing Scenarios 21 Task Force Recomendations for Each task force compiled a report with their findings and recommendations. These reports can be found in their entirety in the Appendix. The following is a brief summary of each task force’s work. UNIVERSITY & COMMUNITY RELATIONS TASK FORCE The goal of this task force was to explore and suggest mutually beneficial principles and activities that would strengthen the University and the community. Findings There is an organizational structure for interactions between the University and city/county governments. The University and city/county officials would like to explore ways to improve communication. Members of the community want to be more involved in improving community–University relations. A structure for dealing with community–University concerns should be established to address issues as they arise. Cultural Strategies • Expand community recreation and use it to keep students in the area on evenings and weekends.• Sponsor joint University/community events that include bringing residents on campus.• Develop a sense of the shared history of the University and the community. Economic Development Strategies • Expand student volunteering, service, and internship opportunities in the community.• Create a joint campaign to attract jobs for students.• Use University talent to grow related industries for the community. Community Development Strategies • Work together to determine where student housing will go.• Work together to improve our infrastructure (e.g. broadband, bus, other).• Work together to revitalize downtown by bringing students and jobs to the area. COMMUNITY RECREATION TASK FORCE The goal of the Community Recreation Task Force was to identify and explore how to promote future and existing recreational opportunities in our community and to ensure the public has input on what, when, how, and where to build or upgrade recreational facilities. Findings • Many outdoor fields are underutilized due to their poor quality and a lack of coordination between communities and school districts.• There is a lack of outdoor complexes that would enable groups to host large tournaments.• The opportunity for indoor recreation during the winter months is inadequate.• There is opportunity to expand our parks and trails network along the river. Possible Choices • Build outdoor sports complexes to allow hosting of regional tournaments and provide economic benefit to our community.• Build an indoor athletic complex to provide more recreation opportunities.• Relocate the fairgrounds and make it a regional events center.• Use the old fairground property to enhance recreation and expand the open green belt area along the river. 22 JOBS TASK FORCE The goal of the Jobs Task Force was to explore Madison County’s capability to increase the number of available jobs in the area and explore strategies to attract business and increase the number of available jobs. Findings: Industry Profile The two industry clusters that are strongest in Madison County are education and agriculture. A number of other job clusters in Madison County are smaller compared to other similar locations, but there is a recognition that there is potential for growth in these areas. The smaller clusters include the following: • Leisure and hospitality• Information• Construction• Manufacturing• Medical/Healthcare Findings: Workforce Profile Madison County has a young, well educated population, with people who are committed, hardworking, and ethical. Despite a low unemployment rate there are plenty of people willing to work. The current unemployment rate in Madison County, as estimated by the U.S. Census, is 5.2%. When accounting for the student population that would work if employment were available, the rate jumps to 23%. Findings: Infrastructure Needs The task force identified several infrastructure needs that, if addressed, could both make the community a more desirable and feasible place for businesses to locate. The following are the needs identified by the task force: • Install broadband infrastructure in the community• Upgrade the East Idaho Hub Airport in Idaho Falls• Upgrade our local municipal airport• Upgrade natural gas supply lines to increase capacity• Acquire additional municipal water rights• Upgrade the current grid to provide adequate electrical distribution Possible Choices The Jobs Task Force outlined and presented the following options to the public to understand what types of jobs the community should try to attract. They also proposed several strategies for attracting these jobs to the community. Types of Jobs We could Attract: • Strengthen existing education and agriculture industries• Strengthen small job clusters that complement our current job base (e.g. Leisure & Hospitality, Information, Construction, Manufacturing, Medical/Healthcare)• Explore opportunities in professional and business services industry• Leverage Madison’s connection to BYU–Idaho as a strong economic driver and strengthen the University, local government, and community working relationship Specific Strategies • Improve broadband infrastructure• Improve other infrastructure such as natural gas and electrical• Build a high quality regional airport (Idaho Falls) and a good municipal airport (Rexburg).• Promote tourism (with BYU– Idaho). Task Force Recomendations for Public Consideration 23 Hundreds of Madison County residents shared their views through the final survey in town hall meetings and online during spring of 2014. The survey included choosing the characteristics of the land use and transportation scenarios that residents liked best, as well as prioritizing the recommendations and strategies proposed by the three task forces. The results provide a strong foundation for the future direction of Madison County. Key results are highlighted here. The complete survey results can be found in the appendix. BYU–IDAHO & THE COMMUNITY The community and BYU–Idaho are deeply connected. Going forward, their relationship will have great power to aid and change each other. Residents believe they should work together to improve the community; the community should also help the University by making it easier for students to stay near campus and find their place within Madison County. As you think about improving the relationship between the community and BYU-I, rank the top three in order of effectiveness. 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 4th 4th 4th 4th Final Survey Results 24 If the community and University created a structure to address important issues and to propose strategies to improve the relationship, which three strategies would be most important to you? The energy of BYU-Idaho’s future growth should be focused to help restore Rexburg’s historic downtown. Rexburg and BYU-Idaho should work together to reduce the cost of living for BYU-I students (and their parents). Final Survey Results 25 In addition to grant money, which strategy do you most support to fund a new recreational facility? Thinking about your current recreational opportunities and future recreational needs, what type of facility is most important to you and your family? RECREATION Additional goals set by the Envision Madison task forces included the following: • Identify and promote future and existing recreational opportunities in our community.• Ensure the public has input on what, when, how, and where to build or upgrade recreational facilities. Which of the following general growth patterns is most appropriate for your community? GROWTH AND HOUSING Look forward, it is important to identify what kind of housing and growth we want to see. Will there be enough housing? Will new housing be appropriate for the character of the community? In your opinion, what is the best development pattern for permanent resident housing in the community? 26 Please drag to rank the following choices by how important/effective you think they would be in creating good jobs in the community. What strategy would best help create good jobs in the community? JOBS AND ECONOMY The third focus of the task forces was jobs: • Explore Madison County’s capability to increase the number of available jobs in the area.• Explore strategies to increase the number of available jobs. There are a number of choices that we could make to attract more jobs to Madison County. 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 4th 4th 4th 4th STUDENT HOUSING As the University continues to grow it will be vital to plan for student housing. Residents chose the areas where they believe student housing would fit best. In your opinion, where would single student housing best fit into the community?In your opinion, where would married student housing best fit into the community? 27 TRANSPORTATION A successful and efficient transportation system will be vital for the growth of Madison County, but what form that transportation system will take is even more important. Will we only have more roads? Will we have a variety of transit modes to serve the needs of the future? Where will additional infrastructure need to be added? Rank which mode of transportation should be the highest priority for future investment. Would you support construction of a bridge, and if so, where? How much emphasis should beplaced on developing bike and walking trails? 2nd 3rd1st 2nd 3rd1st 2nd 3rd1st 28 We will work together to keep our community and the University strong, prosperous, safe, and neighborly for future generations. Madison Vision 30 31 The Vision for Madison County We will work together to keep our community and the University strong, prosperous, safe, and neighborly for future generations. Madison County residents envision a future that embraces the community, character, and quality of life that residents currently appreciate. Our neighborhoods and values are a source of pride and identity. The relationship between the community and Brigham Young University–Idaho has a long history of cooperation and spirit of service with one another. We want to invest in our towns and neighborhoods which have served us well as safe places to live, work, and play. We encourage most growth to happen in these communities, maintaining and creating safe, vibrant, and rich places for future generations. We envision a better community as the University and communities work together to strengthen an already strong relationship. We will work together to make this an attractive place for employers, so that our kids and grandkids have the good paying jobs they need. We value our natural surroundings and our recreation opportunities. We will maintain and enhance those recreation opportunities we enjoy today, while working together to provide additional wintertime opportunities for residents and University students alike. Principle 2: Prosperous Community and Jobs Strengthen our current job base and explore opportunities in other job sectors by leveraging Madison County’s connection to BYU–Idaho as a strong economic driver. BYU-Idaho not only employs a large number of residents in Madison County, it is also a major driver in attracting other jobs to the area. Madison County should work closely with the University to strengthen the education and agriculture industries as they are the two strongest job sectors in the County. There are other job sectors that have the potential to grow and should be part of the focus for the community and the University. The sectors with the most promise for growth are professional and business services such as leisure and hospitality, information, construction, and manufacturing. Infrastructure is one of the major barriers to new industries locating in Madison County. The community and the University should work together to improve infrastructure. The most pressing needs are broadband internet and water availability. Improving the distribution and capacity of natural gas electrical infrastructure would also reduce barriers to potential employers and industries. Identifying and securing new well sites will ensure that communities can maintain the quality of their drinking water as growth continues. Principle 1: Caring and Safe Community Maintain a caring and safe community with strong, shared values, creating a close-knit community. Residents and their families should feel safe and comfortable in their community. VISION PRINCIPLES 32 The Vision for Madison County Principle 3: Affordable, Convenient, and Safe Communities Enhance our downtowns through investment, by encouraging businesses to locate there, and by locating student housing near the area. Maintain strong communities that are safe and walkable, with a variety of housing types and strong downtowns. Keep our existing communities strong. Encourage most growth within Rexburg and Sugar City. Enhance our downtowns through investment, by encouraging businesses to locate there, and by locating student housing in or near the area. Provide a broader choice of housing options, with a variety of choices including small to large lots and townhomes. Improve convenience by mixing appropriate uses, such as parks and some employment, with housing where such mixing makes sense. Focus the energy of BYU–Idaho’s future growth toward helping restore Rexburg’s historic downtown. Plan single student housing to surround the University and move toward Main Street, with appropriate uses, such as University facilities and student jobs, in close proximity. Design housing to allow students to live within a 5 to 10 minute walk of campus so that students can get around without a car, saving them money and reducing traffic. Cluster community housing throughout Rexburg, integrated into the community. Make our streets safer by building a better network of bicycle and walking trails to get around town and to access local recreation areas. Look into the potential for implementing a bus system. Evaluate the possibility of building one or more new bridges, with priority on a new bridge in Rexburg near the current fairgrounds and airport. Principle 4: Enhanced Community Recreation and Tourism Enhance recreational opportunities by coordinating and advertising those opportunities that already exist. Provide more recreational opportunities during the cold winter months by building an indoor athletic complex. Residents should continually have the opportunity to provide input on what, when, how, and where to build or upgrade recreational facilities. While there are many opportunities for recreation in and around Madison County, much of it is underutilized due to a lack of awareness that certain facilities are publicly available. Coordinating communications and schedules between the cities, the county, school districts, and the University would allow better utilization of the amenities that are already available. Cross posting schedules on various websites and using social media would also help inform residents and students of the opportunities that exist. Creating recreation opportunities for both residents and students during the harsh winter months is a top priority for the community. An indoor athletic complex would be the ideal solution. This complex could include an indoor turf area — that could be utilized by multiple sports such as football, soccer, and even baseball — along with possible tennis courts as well as a gathering area and kitchen for community groups. This would provide recreation opportunities in the winter for the general public, local sports organizations, and high school teams. Such an athletic complex could cost about $3.9 million but would be substantially cheaper to build than a recreation center. Where the facility should be located and how it should be funded would be a matter of continued discussion with the community and University. While there are grants available for this type of structure, the community could also fund the building as a joint effort among cities, the county, and school districts. 33 Illustrative Vision Map for Madison County These illustrative vision maps are representations of ways the vision could be implemented, but are not intended to propose or dictate specific land-use or zoning outcomes. 34 Main St. W Poleline Rd. Illustrative Vision Map for Rexburg 35 The University and community recognize the importance of continuing to work together to make Rexburg and BYU– Idaho stronger individually and collectively. The two entities should work together to bring students and jobs to downtown. We can bring more students to downtown by creating more volunteer, service, and internship opportunities in the community. Students tend to leave town in the evenings and on weekends to visit family or to recreate. There are many recreation opportunities in Madison County that, if publicized better to the students, would keep them in the community during evenings and on weekends. One of the volunteer and service opportunities that should be made available for students is a standing committee that would help generate ideas and strategies for creating additional volunteer and internship opportunities in the community and keeping students in town during evenings and weekends. The committee should include community members, representatives from the University, and students. There are also many existing groups and clubs in the community and at the University that should be used to increase How can BYU-I add value to the community for the future 7.7 7.5 7.4 7.2 7.0 6.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Be transparent as they work with city/county officials Be active and cooperative in planning that directlyinvolves the city/county Be a strong contributor to infrastructure development Be a partner in the overall economic developmentfor city/county Provide opportunities for public participation to andfrom university events Encourage student/faculty involvement in communityissues Importance to the Future of Madison County Not at all important Extremely important How can BYU-I Add Value to the Community? How can the community add value to BYU-I for the future 7.9 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.0 6.9 6.1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Proactive long term county planning for universitygrowth Create opportunities for student/faculty volunteeringand service to community Develop more walking and bike paths so not asmany students need cars Be a partner in creating student based employmentopportunities Be a constructive partner in solving universitychallenges Create a greater sense of common identity andhistory for the university and community Create more recreational opportunities for students Importance to the Future of Madison County Not at all important Extremely important How can the Community Add Value to BYU-I? Principle 5: Productive and Supportive Relationship Between BYU–Idaho and the Community Maintain and strengthen the relationship between the University and community by working together, communicating regularly, and providing students with opportunities within the community. 36 Importance of Benefits of BYU-I to the Community 8.0 8.0 7.7 7.5 7.4 6.9 6.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Provides a focus on the importance of education inthe community Contributes to the strong values of our community Provides an economic engine for the region Creates a pipeline for a well educated workforce Provides increased culture, arts and activities Generates a strong core of new ideas and futureentrepreneurs Contributes to a more diversified population Importance to Me Personally Not at all important Extremely important Benefits of BYU-I to the Community Significance of Concerns about BYU-I 7.2 6.8 6.8 6.5 6.5 6.2 4.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Increased traffic congestion Safety for the large pedestrian population Community involvement in the University decisionsaffecting the community Planning for increased student growth Creating a common vision of the future for theUniversity and the community The location of new student housing The lack of involvement by the student population inthe community Significance to Me Personally Not a concern for me at all Very significant concern Concerns about BYU-I the communication and collaboration between the University and the community. An administrative group made up of city officials and University administration (which is already in place) could help to expand and support some of these existing programs. The nature of this group would also lend itself to addressing other strategies that could improve the region’s economy and provide more job opportunities for students and residents. This group should continue working together and, when possible, reach out to the other committees for assistance and feedback. 37 The Envision Madison process provides local leaders with a summary of public preferences and supported strategies regarding patterns of future growth, job creation, BYU–Idaho and the Community and recreation. These preferences are incorporated into the Madison Vision Principles, which provide a bridge between the public visioning process and local action by residents, businesses, the University, and local government. Indeed, the public input from this process may be used as a foundation for updating comprehensive plans in individual jurisdictions. Each of the vision principles can be implemented locally in a variety of ways to address both local challenges and region- wide objectives. Because implementation strategies are voluntary and each community will have varied opportunities for realizing vision objectives, the suggestions in this chapter are intended more to generate conversation and the development of specific strategies by local leaders than to prescribe a specific set of implementation steps. Each jurisdiction will, in fact, need to create its own unique strategy. Actual strategies will, of course, vary among the cities and county, depending on specific priorities, existing codes, policies that are working well, policies that need improvement, and resources available. REALIZING OUR VISION The following plans or organizations have come directly out of or have been influenced by Envision Madison: • Rexburg/Madison County Airport Study• Madison Rural Planning Organization• Madison County, Sugar City, City of Rexburg, ITD Transportation Study• Downtown Vision Committee• Rexburg Zoning Task Force• Rocky Mountain Power Madison/Jefferson County Electrical Plan Task Force• Teton View Regional Plan• Community Partnership Committee• Madison Economic Partners’ Industry Sector Meetings• Recreation• Joint City of Rexburg/Madison School District baseball quad• Riverside Park multi-use complex• BYU–Idaho Strategic Management Council The Madison County Vision is the result of countless hours of collaboration by numerous leaders and residents working together to chart a path forward for the community they love. During this process, a strong consensus emerged concerning what matters most to Madison County residents. The resulting vision will be realized as these same leaders and residents—and future leaders and residents—continue to cooperate to ensure a future that fulfills the hopes and aspirations of Madison County residents. 38