City of Alma

Goals, Objectives and Initiatives

I.  COMMUNITY GOALS

Extensive background research, planning meetings and conversations with City Administration, Civic Organizations and Community Leaders identified important issues for the City of Alma.  General community goals representing these issues have been established to guide growth and redevelopment efforts throughout the 10-year planning period.  The following represent general Community Goals for Alma.

v      Strive to improve the life and sense of community for all residents of Alma.

v      Foster the value of family in Alma.  Encourage the development of local action to preserve and strengthen families.

v      Implement appropriate community and economic developments to establish a stabilization of jobs and population in Alma.

v      Diversify the economic base in Alma to create and expand employment opportunities for existing and future households.

v      Preserve and improve the physical appearance and character of Alma, with emphasis on the Downtown and the Highway 136 and 183 corridors.

v      Maintain a modern infrastructure.  Future public facilities, utilities and transportation systems will need to be both updated and expanded during the planning period.

v      Update and maintain the community land use plan, supported by progressive zoning and subdivision regulations.

II.  COMMUNITY AND HOUSING

GOALS

v      Establish community initiatives supportive of population, stability and improved economic conditions for the residents of Alma.

v      Secure resources to support community initiatives.

v      Provide all Alma residents with access to a variety of safe, affordable and sanitary housing types.

v      Coordinate housing programs with economic development efforts and available public and private funding sources.

OBJECTIVES

Ø       Establish a plan of action for the development of residential options and maintaining present developments for residents of all ages and incomes levels.

Ø       Protect and preserve both existing and future neighborhoods through the implementation of programs and policy supporting best building practices.

Ø       Maximize local public and private resources and organizations to assist in the promotion and development of housing opportunities.

Ø       Continue to promote and implement programs to secure both public and private funding to finance improved living conditions and job creation in Alma.

INITIATIVES

§         Enact (TIF) “Tax Increment Financing”.
 IMPLEMENTED and ONGOING

§         Train City Personnel in the writing and obtaining Grants.
IMPLEMENTED and ONGOING

§         Look into and promote Aggregate, Assisted, and Low & Mid Income Housing.
FEASIBILITY STUDY
COMPLETED - REHAB GRANT FROM DED COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED
APPROVED AND IN PROGRESS

§         Update Highway Corridors Appearance.
Grant AWARDED and iN PROGRESS.

III.  GENERAL LAND USE

GOALS

v      Preserve and improve the natural and built environment of the community to present the ideals of a progressive community to current and future residents.

v      Develop a future land use plan that encourages redevelopment efforts in the long established commercial, industrial and residential areas in Alma and plans for appropriate growth and development opportunities.

v      Implement zoning and subdivision regulations that rely on the future land use plan as the foundation for development and redevelopment potentials of a growing prosperous community.

OBJECTIVES

Ø       Redevelop and improve older areas of the community, with emphasis on established Redevelopment Area 1, to support rehabilitation and development opportunities in the Downtown, the Highway 183 corridor and adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Ø       Utilize natural topographic and drainage systems to enhance existing and future areas of Alma with parks, trails and open space, as well as for the convenience of storm water runoff.

Ø       Develop areas adjacent to the north and west portions of Alma for future residential subdivisions.

Ø       Future commercial development activities should be concentrated first in the Downtown and secondly along the Highway 183 and, to a lesser extent, Highway 136 corridors.

Ø       Industrial development should occur primarily along the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railway corridor, to the northwest portion of the community.

Ø       Residential neighborhoods adjacent commercial areas and corridors should be of a higher density to buffer single family neighborhoods from intensive commercial areas.

Ø       Establish a comprehensive program of eliminating substandard or dilapidated housing, commercial structures and area which pose eminent threats to the health, safety and welfare of the community.

Ø       Continue to implement the process of blight and substandard determination and redevelopment planning, as per the Nebraska Community Development Law.

Ø       Adopt both voluntary and involuntary annexation policies in conformance with state statutes.

Ø       Reinforce the City Council and Planning Commission to facilitate and oversee public/private partnerships, to insure the proper development of land.

INITIATIVES

   §     AIRPORT APRON & FUEL PROJECT
                  COMPLETED

§     HIKING/BIKING TRAIL
COMPLETED

§      ANNEXATION PROGRAM
COMPLETED

§      BOAT DOCK RENOVATION

      ONGOING DEVELOPMENT

§      NUISANCE PROGRAM
Support City Wide Clean Up.
Unlicensed or inoperable vehicle ordinance updated.
IMPLEMENTED and ONGOING

§       War Memorial

       IN PROGRESS

§       Dead Tree Program
 IMPLEMENTED and ONGOING

IV.  GENERAL PUBLIC FACILITIES, UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION

GOALS

v      Maintain and improve existing public facilities in Alma and develop, as needed, new facilities and services to reflect the needs and demands.

v      Maintain and improve existing public infrastructure in Alma and develop, as needed, additional infrastructure to meet the needs goals and demands of the community.

v      Provide a transportation system throughout Alma for the safe and efficient movement of people, goods and services.

v      Preserve and expand existing parks and open spaces throughout the community to provide improved recreational opportunities in Alma.

v      Provide expansion of public utilities in a contiguous manner to insure that new development is done in the most cost efficient manner.

OBJECTIVES

Ø       Insure that all public facilities meet the requirements of the American Disability Act.

Ø       Continue to maintain and improve school facilities to encourage and support excellence in education.

Ø       Provide adequate public services for the residents of Alma.

Ø       Provide adequate law enforcement and fire protection services, with increased emphasis on community relations as well as adequate civil defense and emergency service.  Insure facilities necessary to support such services are available throughout the community and promote the coordination of these services among the various governmental and quasi-governmental entities.

Ø       Provide adequate, efficient and appropriate utilities and services throughout the community of Alma to existing and future residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.

Ø       Maintain an adequate supply of potable water and expanded distribution system suitable for present and future consumption and, fire protection within Alma.

Ø       Coordinate the future land use plan and the One and Six Year Street Improvement Plan to prepare the City of Alma for future growth and development.

Ø       Maintain the provision of facilities and services necessary to prevent pollution of the environment.

Ø       Maintain and adopt a coordinated plan for maintenance, improvement and future location of all streets, roads and highways in the community.

INITIATIVES

§         Debt Reduction.
ONGOING

§         Sewer Project.
 COMPLETED

§         Street Project.
IMPLEMENTED and ONGOING

§         Recycling/Garbage.
 IMPLEMENTED and IMPROVEMENT ONGOING

§         Lake edge clean up around City.
ONGOING

§         Auditorium/Johnson Center Heating and Air.
ONGOING - IMPROVEMENT MADE AT THE JOHNSON CENTER

§         Golf Clubhouse/Golf Course.
ONGOING - CONTRACT AWARDED AND GROUND BROKEN
CLUBHOUSE - COMPLETED

§         Electrical Acquisition.
PHYSICAL SYSTEM STUDY
COMPLETED
FINANCE STUDY STARTED

§         Gas Distribution.
STUDY UNDERWAY

§         Hog lot Litigation.
COMPLETED

§         City Automation.
COMPLETED

§         Park Sprinkler Systems.
COMPLETED

§         South West Water Project.
COMPLETED

§         Swimming Pool Up Grade.

       MAJOR EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT MADE AND STUDY ONGOING

Heating System installed.
COMPLETED
Slide Project.
COMPLETED

§         Fire/EMS Department Update.
Pumper Truck Purchase.
COMPLETED
Ambulance Purchase.
COMPLETED
New Fire Hall Building.
COMPLETED

§         Broadband Internet Access Project.
 COMPLETED

V.  COMMUNICATION

GOALS

v     Establish initiatives to improve and promote effective communications.  Both internal and external.

v     Provide for the resources and training to support communications.

v     Coordinate communication efforts between boards, committees, other governmental and quasi-governmental organizations.

v     Maintain and improve existing communication efforts making sure that all efforts are done in the most cost efficient manner.

OBJECTIVES

Ø      Improve the distributions of information to increase public awareness and understanding of the workings of City Government.

Ø      Provide adequate infrastructure to facilitate open lines of communication between the City Government, City Employees and Citizens

Ø      Continue to maintain and improve communications between the City of Alma and the Citizens it represents.

Ø      Research and implement the most cost effective communication efforts.

 INITIATIVES

§         Local newspaper article covering City Council Meeting.
COMPLETED

§         Improve Meeting Notice to include agenda.
COMPLETED

§         Development of Public Web Site.
COMPLETED

§         Weekly newspaper column.
ONGOING

§         Implementation of E-mail system.
COMPLETED