Budget Process and Capital Program Overview

Town of Frisco Finance Director, Leslie Edwards, and Capital Project Senior Manager, Addison Canino, led a work session which was a general overview on the budgeting process and how to effectively budget for and manage capital projects. The Finance Director also reiterated the easy-to-find public access to budgeting and financial documents on the budgeting and financial reporting page of FriscoGov.com.

Comprehensive Plan Update

In 2019, the Frisco Town Council adopted the Frisco Community Plan which has six guiding principles that have provided Frisco with a road map for the last five years:  inclusive community, thriving economy, quality core services, mobility, vibrant recreation, and sustainable environment. While these principles are still applicable, a lot has changed since 2019, and it is time to reevaluate the community’s goals and priorities; an update is recommended every five to 10 years. Additionally, a Comprehensive Plan is required by the State of Colorado to serve as a guide for growth and development. It reflects the community’s vision and goals for the future and should address different elements including land use, transportation, economy, and the natural environment. The Comprehensive Plan can be leveraged as a long-range planning tool to guide town-wide policy decision-making. The Town recognizes that an updated comprehensive plan will better guide the Town in decision making and amending the Town Code in a manner that meets the community’s vision.

In January 2024, the Town entered into an agreement with Design Workshop to develop and complete the 2024 Frisco Comprehensive Plan and Three Mile Plan. The proposed scope of work for the project includes the following tasks:

1. Task 1: Public and Stakeholder Engagement: Preliminary planning and community engagement initiatives will be performed to engage all sectors of the community, including both in-person and/or virtual meetings, with elected and appointed boards, strategic stakeholder groups, and residents.
2. Task 2: Community Assessment: The consultant team will complete a comprehensive analysis of the existing land use, developable land area, housing, infrastructure, parks, natural hazards, and other comprehensive plan elements within the existing Town boundaries.
3. Task 3: Future Needs and Trends Analysis: This task will focus on the analysis of development trends, growth patterns, and community need, as well as the economic impacts these trends will have on the Town.
4. Task 4: Alternative Development: The consultant team will focus on integrating findings from earlier tasks and providing creative solutions to the challenges and opportunities. Using the data gathered, the consultant team will provide an analysis applying different growth scenarios and options for each area of the Plan. The consultant will create recommendations for the proper mix of land uses for long-term financial sustainability, affordable housing incentive programs, enhancement and expansion of transportation networks and pedestrian corridors, and increase accessibility to parks and open space. The elements identified in the Town’s current Community Plan will be revised to include:  land use, housing, transportation, recreation, utilities, water, and resiliency.
5. Task 5: Plan Document Articulation: After information is compiled and alternatives analyzed, the consultant team will draft the plan for presentation to the Town.
6. Task 6: Comprehensive Plan Adoption: The consultant team will present the plan at a public hearing with the Planning Commission and Town Council in order to officially adopt it.
7. Task 7: Three Mile Plan Adoption: The consultant team will update the Three Mile Plan which was last updated in 2018.

The Town of Frisco received a $100,000 grant award from Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to contribute to completion of the Comprehensive Plan. The State requires that towns and counties have Comprehensive Plans, and they must comply with State law and also meet DOLA’s requirements which include:

• The plan must assess and address housing needs of current and future residents at all levels of affordability. It must include locally appropriate goals, strategies, and actions to promote affordable housing development.
• Risks of natural and human-caused hazards to life, property, and public resources, and consideration of their impact to vulnerable communities. Include goals, strategies, and/or actions to address and mitigate these hazards.
• In the spirit of the state’s goal to engage with disproportionately impacted communities, the plan must use an environmental justice lens, particularly when it comes to the impacts of hazards, resources, and amenities to promote equitable outcomes.
• The plan must address the community’s water supply and water quality goals.
• The plan must include an action plan that prioritizes actions necessary to implement the plan, creates a timeline for implementation, and assigns responsibility for actions.

The purpose of this staff presentation was to update Town Council on the development of the Comprehensive Plan to this point.

Frisco Town Council Meetings: Ways to Participate

Frisco Town Council meetings are available to view via Zoom and YouTube, and are also held in person to make Town Council meetings easier to access for everyone.

The public can provide comment during meetings via Zoom or in person (not YouTube), and a public comment period will be available at 7:00pm; during the consideration of ordinances; and at the discretion of Town Council during work session items, which are discussions that don’t require a formal vote by Town Council and do not require public comment. Again, this hybrid approach is intended to make Town Council meetings more accessible, and meeting recordings will typically also be made available the day after a meeting in the meeting archive with agenda topics bookmarked to the discussions in the video.