City of Richardson - Statement of Goals

Download PDF Version of this Document

A. COMMUNICATION

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

Richardson has tremendous community assets that must be highlighted to the citizens of our City, the business community, various institutions, local media and other key stakeholders within the City, as well as our own City employees. Effective, strategic communication with these audiences is critical to support the City’s overall, two-fold marketing communications objective: Affirm that Richardson is a great place to live and get an education, in which to conduct business, and in which residents and visitors can enjoy recreational and cultural activities; and To foster a meaningful flow of information and two-way dialogue with key stakeholders. Through the following strategies, we will further enhance the City’s communications program to accomplish the objective outlined above:

1. Develop and implement strategic communications initiatives that are consistent and cohesive, and that advance the City’s key messages, overall Statement of Goals, and key initiatives.
2. Elevate the City’s communications to effectively inform and deeply engage Richardson residents,  businesses, employees, and visitors.
3. Expand communications to utilize new methods being utilized with the emergence of new technologies.
4. Align communications activities to support advancement of the City’s strategic Goals and Initiatives, and to support the programs and initiatives of each City department.
5. Key audiences of the City’s strategic communications efforts include:
   1. Residents of Richardson
   2. Homeowners/neighborhood associations
   3. Richardson businesses and their employees
   4. Local media
   5. Public and private schools
   6. Colleges and universities
   7. County, state and federal elected officials
6. Strategic communication of key messages helps critical stakeholders connect the City’s vision, mission and strategic goals to its programs and initiatives. Key messages should consistently convey that Richardson is:
   1. A great place to live, do business, get an education, and participate in recreational or cultural activities;
   2. A city with an unusually strong focus on technology business and other innovators, as well as a provider of outstanding City services for residents and businesses;
   3. An early adopter of multi-modal transportation solution, forward-thinking transportationoriented developments, and innovative revitalization programs;
   4. A great value and ideal location for families looking to establish a home;
   5. A diverse city that is recognized for its people, its services, its quality of life, and its business leadership; Committed to two-way communications with its residents and its businesses, and to the principles of open government.

- Return to Top -

B. COMMUNITY VITALITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD INTEGRITY

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson is committed to protect its vitality and integrity by creating healthy neighborhoods through proactive yet fair and reasonable enforcement of codes and ordinances, by providing support and resources to residents’ efforts to organize and positively affect their community, and by partnering with residents such as neighborhood/homeowner associations to put into action enhancement strategies that help realize a shared community vision. The following strategies encompass the City’s recognized role as a partner in enhancing neighborhood integrity and community vitality:

1. Enforce existing property maintenance codes aggressively and fairly in residential, commercial and multi-family areas, and develop new code enforcement initiatives that complement the Neighborhood Integrity Program.
2. Promote a sense of ownership and accountability for property maintenance, especially multi-family dwellings.
3. Implement neighborhood enhancement initiatives to assess the assets and weaknesses of neighborhoods, in the effort to maximize housing values and retail market desirability. Implement new proactive and customized strategies to address the unique challenges of Richardson neighborhoods.
4. Maintain a focus on policies and programs that enable residents to continue to live in their homes and evaluate other means to assist them in this endeavor.
5. Remain active in neighborhood relations with formal and informal neighborhood/homeowner associations’ efforts that foster neighborhood self-management, result in greater neighborhood interaction, and promote the strength and appeal of Richardson neighborhoods.
6. Evaluate all financial options and redevelopment incentives to deal with the ongoing needs of aging residential and commercial areas of Richardson, including public and private resources.
7. Support the need for capital project improvements throughout the City in order to enhance property values and maintain the City’s capital investments.
8. Consider the application of development standards designed to accommodate residential and commercial redevelopment in the Old Town/Main Street area.
9. Solicit input relative to the market’s assessments of the City’s residential and commercial properties.
10. Recognize significant redevelopment efforts through the City’s Community Revitalization Awards.
11. Maintain the drainage system throughout the City where it is necessary to preserve the integrity of the system, minimize erosion, and protect property from the threat of flooding.
12. Encourage utility and transportation agency infrastructure maintenance and convey their responsibility to the community.

- Return to Top -

C. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson is committed to the enhancement, diversification, and expansion of its business community. The City believes that providing a fertile business environment is essential to the economic vitality and redevelopment of Richardson. Prosperous economic development results in tangible benefits of jobs, commerce and increased tax base, while bringing new residents to Richardson with needs for schools, housing, and consumer services. The Dallas-Fort Worth region is one of the major economic centers of the United States. Due to its corporate base, technology clusters, and strong partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson plays a significant role in the success of this region. The following strategies encompass the City’s recognized role as a partner with the corporate sector in Richardson:

- Return to Top -

D. EDUCATION

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

Recognizing the tremendous benefit provided to the community by our educational institutions, the City of Richardson will be an active partner with these institutions in their efforts to achieve excellence in education for Richardson residents and the corporate community. Blessed with quality educational opportunities at all levels, the City is committed to all reasonable actions necessary to enhance our academic institutions, as exemplified by the following tasks to be performed in this partnership:

1. Establish and maintain effective avenues of communication with and between each of the educational institutions in our area including:
   1. Richardson Independent School District (R.I.S.D.)
   2. Plano Independent School District (P.I.S.D.)
   3. University of Texas at Dallas (U.T. Dallas)
   4. Richland College
   5. Collin College
   6. Private, vocational, and religious educational entities
2. Ensure that the City is responsive to the current and future needs and interests of the educational institutions.
3. Promote and encourage safe environments in our schools and other educational institutions in order to provide an excellent learning atmosphere within the classroom.
4. Encourage R.I.S.D. and P.I.S.D. to maximize the use, availability and value of publicly funded programs, buildings, and lands for the benefit of citizens promote the value of the neighborhood school concept.
5. Meet the challenges associated with the growth of U.T. Dallas, and maintain communications and partnerships with the university throughout its planning initiatives. Support the program and campus development of U.T.Dallas to achieve national prominence and the pursuit of ‘Tier One’ university recognition.
6. Ensure that necessary City infrastructure commitments are in place relative to future expansion of U.T.Dallas and any building programs executed by the R.I.S.D. and the P.I.S.D.
7. Promote efforts by colleges, universities, and technical training and certification programs to provide continuing education and training for our local work force.
8. Assist local public educational institutions in administrative matters, such as recruitment of personnel and financial/bond rating reviews, by sharing City information that is relevant to such activities.
9. Develop communications and operational associations between the Richardson Public Library and the libraries at area educational institutions.
10. Encourage and facilitate private funding support for all educational venues, including library collections that provide special benefits to the Richardson community.
11. Communicate the successes and highlights of educational achievements in City publications and audio/visual productions, and make these materials available to the educational institutions.
12. Recognize publicly and enhance awareness for the academic achievements of students and educators throughout the City’s educational spectrum, and continue to promote youth participation in civic activities.
13. Encourage career opportunities in public service through commitment to internship programs and interaction with local educational institutions.
14. Enhance communication between the City and our educational partners to promote student, institutional, and faculty achievements.

- Return to Top -

E. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson is committed to encouraging and implementing programs that provide sustainable quality of life and economic benefits such as reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air quality improvements, storm water quality improvements, reduced traffic congestion, improved transportation choices, and economic development and job creation through energy conservation and new energy technologies. The City’s strategy for environmental management is exemplified by the following principles:

1. Protect and preserve significant physical features, environmentally sensitive areas, and historical sites within the community.
2. Ensure a safe, healthy local environment.
3. Encourage the development and redevelopment of property in a manner that recognizes the importance of physical features and natural amenities to the identity of the City and its residents.
4. Encourage the provision of public access and exposure to significant physical features and environmentally unique areas.
5. Maintain the drainage system throughout the City where it is necessary to preserve the integrity of the system, minimize erosion, and protect property from the threat of flooding. Evaluate available funding opportunities for drainage rehabilitation and enhancement projects.
6. Promote conservation oriented and environmentally sustainable practices through education and financial incentives, where applicable.
7. Promote land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create walkable urban communities.
8. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction, carpooling and public transit.
9. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by advocating for the development of renewable energy resources and supporting the use of waste to energy technology.
10. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements.
11. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program or a similar system.
12. Encourage green certification in new home construction as well as home reconstruction and remodeling.
13. Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles.
14. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems.
15. Increase recycling rates in City operations and promote increased community participation in single-family, multi-family, and commercial recycling, mulching, composting, and proper household hazardous waste disposal, with emphasis placed on realistic measures to reduce the community’s overall waste stream to landfills.
16. Maintain healthy urban forests and promote tree planting.
17. Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about conservation oriented and environmentally sustainable practices.
18. Maintain a coordinated environmental sustainability effort among all applicable City Departments.
19. Engage in highly visible signature projects to demonstrate Richardson’s commitment to forward thinking environmental practices.

- Return to Top -

F. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
(View on Mobile/Tablet)	The City of Richardson is committed to sound financial management based on conservative budgeting policies, aggressive collection efforts, and conscientious capital financing and bond security programs. The City’s strategy to promote and preserve its fiscal integrity is exemplified by the following principles:

1. Employ a balanced, conservative strategy with regard to revenue forecasting and expenditure budgeting.
2. Promote measures that enhance the value of the City’s tax base, and encourage active dialogue with the Dallas and Collin County Appraisal Districts relative to appraisal trends for both residential and commercial tax values.
3. Develop strategies to enhance our commercial/retail desirability and the corresponding City sales tax revenue position.
4. Evaluate and implement, where appropriate, user fees, service charges, and other consumer-controlled fees for revenue generation, recognizing the equitable distribution of costs to the citizenry based on usage.
5. Use hotel-motel taxes for facilities and activities as allowed by State statute including support for cultural arts and special events projects, the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations, and support for the Convention and Visitors Services division.
6. Recover all reasonable costs associated with the planning and construction processes through fair and equitable building and zoning permit fees.
7. Plan and execute capital construction programs in accordance with overall financial policies of the City.
8. Pursue aggressive collection efforts for all revenues, including taxes, utility charges, and franchise fees.
9. Demonstrate excellence in areas utilized by rating agencies to determine bond ratings.
10. Maintain necessary processes to ensure the City will continue to earn quality performance recognitions such as the Governmental Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, and the Government Treasurer’s Organization of Texas Certificate of Distinction for Investing and the Comptroller Leadership Circle.
11. Maintain a comprehensive Capital Improvement Budget for all current and future capital improvement projects.
12. Establish and maintain financial policies that reflect a commitment to strong reserves for the various City funds, and enhance the fiscal integrity of the City.
13. Stay active with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) to develop customer rate policies that fairly represent conservation and growth management philosophies.
14. Consider the City’s ability to fund continuing expenditures in the absence of future outside funding before participating in grant programs, intergovernmental financial participation, or other external funding sources for any project.
15. Support a conservative philosophy toward debt financing of the City's future capital improvements, emphasizing a fiscally sound level of indebtedness compared to assessed valuation and the residential/employment population.
16. Explore cost-sharing alternatives with other governmental agencies for services and facilities where practical and economically advantageous.
17. Evaluate ongoing opportunities for privatization of City services when financially viable and operationally desirable.
18. Seek private donations of land, money, and resources to promote City goals and public improvements, including the support of the Eisemann Center, library, parks, recreation facilities, and other public properties.
19. Maintain vigilance in periodically reviewing and reporting on the City’s fiscal performance to anticipate and respond to changes in economic conditions and communicate the City’s financial position to the public.
20. Foster a practice of financial forecasting and multi-year projections to establish fiscal performance objectives and contingent responses.
21. Maintain all City Charter requirements for auditing and financial reporting, and assure an active program of internal control reviews and compliance verifications to assure the integrity of the City’s financial operations.
22. Utilize budgeting techniques and decision making tools that efficiently allocate resources to effectively meet service level demands.
23. Identify ways to use technology to reduce operating costs and improve efficiencies.
24. Utilize risk management techniques to proactively identify exposure points for unanticipated expenses.

- Return to Top -

G. GOVERNANCE

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson is guided by principles of good governance including transparency, ethical behavior, and fiscal accountability. These principles enhance the public trust, promote efficiency and effectiveness in government operations, and strengthen representative democracy. The City is committed to promoting and fostering a sense of open, transparent, and accountable government through the following elements:

1. Provide City government meeting agendas with adequate description for citizens to be aware of the topical items to be discussed during the meeting.
2. Provide information to the public in a timely manner.
3. Increase the availability of documents on the City’s website where applicable.
4. Develop practices that allow taxpayers to better understand the use of their tax dollars.
5. Provide adequate training to public officials regarding open government practices.
6. Proactively identify opportunities to enhance open government and transparency initiatives.
7. Monitor and implement legislative changes in public information and open government meetings.
8. Public officials will operate under the City Council’s Code of Ethics.
9. Periodically review the City’s Charter and Code of Ordinances.
10. Evaluate the use of various media forms to expand community access to meetings that fall under the Open Meetings Act.

- Return to Top -

H. HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson recognizes the importance of a quality health care system as a valuable community asset. The City will be an active partner with the Methodist Richardson Medical Center (MRMC) and other quality health care providers in their efforts to achieve excellence in medical care for Richardson residents and businesses. It is also a priority for the City of Richardson to promote strategies that enable MRMC to maintain its unique community hospital orientation. The City is committed to supporting our health care providers, and will foster a work plan of partnership including the following elements:

1. Promote healthy lifestyles and community wellness.
2. Encourage the development or acquisition of state of the art health care technologies, programs and facilities that will serve Richardson citizens.
3. Foster fitness related events that provide local and regional participation.
4. Support efforts to recruit and retain doctors, nurses, technicians, clinics, allied services and other facilities essential to provide quality community-based health care.
5. Encourage the inclusion and involvement of local medical facilities and services in the health care benefit programs and work place needs of Richardson’s commercial business sector.
6. Promote the MRMC partnership as a strong, positive community asset.
   • Ensure the City is responsive to the needs and interests of MRMC through appointed City liaisons, maintaining frequent and thorough status reports on MRMC’s service delivery, and encouraging sustained administrative dialogue.
   • Publicly recognize the achievements of MRMC, promote and market the utilization of MRMC with special emphasis on the Bush/Renner Campus, cancer treatment center and emergency care facility.
   • Promote the efforts of MRMC to achieve National Cancer Institute Recognition.
   • Support efforts to identify and respond to emerging needs for medical services by providing relevant information for MRMC periodic review of community trends and demographics. Collaborate with MRMC in addressing expansion of its market share.
   • Ensure that the City and MRMC maintain a viable emergency response plan for the community through joint review of protocols, procedures and resources. Maintain programmatic partnerships between the City of Richardson and MRMC including MRMC’s Senior Health Center and the City’s immunization program.

- Return to Top -

I. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson will guide land use and physical development within its borders to maintain compatibility between residential and non-residential uses. All decisions relative to development and redevelopment proposals will consider not only existing conditions and concerns, but also the long-range needs of the community and the sustainability of the environment. Such development decisions will be given consideration based upon the adequacy and availability of public facilities and municipal services. The Comprehensive Planning Guide will serve to synchronize physical development within the City. The following statements represent an overview of the planning considerations central to promoting appropriate land use and physical development:

General Land Use

1. Encourage the efficient and appropriate use of all land areas by promoting orderly physical and sustainable development.
2. Administer development guidelines which will result in the provision of proper services throughout the community.
3. Maintain the desirable mix of residential and non-residential uses that presently exists within the City.
4. Encourage development that is aesthetically pleasing and properly oriented in relation to adjacent streets and surrounding properties.
5. Ensure that zoning regulations proactively anticipate and react to modern development trends.

Urban Design

1. Promote a greater sense of community identity and pride through beautification projects and support for the highway/rail/turnpike corridor amenity programs.
2. Encourage development techniques and post-development programs that are designed to establish distinctive neighborhood identities within the City and distinguish Richardson from surrounding communities.
3. Promote continuity and expansion of pedestrian and bikeway networks throughout City thoroughfares and parks.
4. Provide for the comfort, convenience, and safety of pedestrian movement citywide.
5. Ensure that development and redevelopment in the City are compatible with and enhance the value of existing environmental resources.
6. Promote renewable energy, rain harvesting, and water conservation as a part of urban design.
7. Maximize the opportunities along US 75, the President George Bush Turnpike Corridor, the “red line” DART light-rail, and the Cotton Belt DART line corridor to create a progressive and positive image for the City.
8. Promote planning strategies that enhance the recreational potential and aesthetic appeal of creeks, floodways, and utility easements in the community.
9. Promote the design of rail facilities that are compatible with the surrounding area and include elements that make these facilities a unifying feature along rail corridors.

Strategic Community Visioning

1. Encourage the creative, functional design of residential areas, employment centers, commercial areas, and public facilities.
2. Encourage an environment suitable for persons of all ages and abilities, with adequate support services and facilities conveniently located to those persons.
3. Require appropriate buffering and transitions between potentially incompatible land uses.
4. Provide adequate infrastructure, including transportation and utility systems, to serve existing and projected land uses.
5. Require appropriate access to all land uses.
6. Strongly promote underground utility installations whenever possible.
7. Promote the use of high-quality construction materials to enhance building appearance and minimize maintenance.
8. Promote appropriate and quality redevelopment along the DART rail corridors.
9. Seek out architectural input in matters regarding community investment in private development and architectural history.
10. Leverage external resources to assist in the modeling of strategic visions for special study areas.

Community Design - Specific Interests/Special Study

1. Residential Areas - Adopt the neighborhood concept of development as the principal residential design standard for Richardson, with particular emphasis on the provision of neighborhood parks, schools, and open space.
   1. Provide for an appropriate mix of housing types in the community with an emphasis on single-family detached development, while encouraging higher-density developments to locate around transit-oriented corridors.
   2. Market the housing needs of all segments of the City’s population who desire safe, affordable, and low-maintenance dwellings.
2. Commercial Areas - Encourage a variety of retail services, conveniently located and easily accessible to those they will serve.
   1. Develop strategies to enhance the long-term success and appropriate uses of existing neighborhood shopping centers, after assessing their viability.
   2. Encourage redevelopment of outdated facilities, such as vacant industrial/flex space
   3. Protect and preserve commercial areas from incompatible land uses.
   4. Research, evaluate, and enable the strategies and tactics to promote the necessary demographic elements which attract the desired retail mix for this community.
   5. Promote projected land uses in line with the City’s strategic vision.
3. Employment Areas - Provide for convenient, well-located employment centers to support the corporate community.
   1. Encourage the provision of on-site amenities such as recreational facilities and private open space to support persons working in the office environment.
   2. Encourage the development of support retail uses and restaurants within office projects.
   3. Require industrial development in Richardson to be clean, safe, and environmentally sound.
   4. Where possible, provide for linkage between employment centers, recreational trails, and other public amenities.
4. North Central Expressway and President George Bush Turnpike Corridors – Recognize the development/redevelopment potential within portions of the North Central Expressway Corridor and the possibility of new development within both corridors, encouraging low to mid-rise types of development within these areas, while providing for higher density development at locations that are uniquely suited for development of this character.
   1. Protect adjacent residential areas from the adverse influences of higher density developments.
   2. Acquire public access and possible ownership of any floodways within these corridors so as to preserve and enhance the natural character of the creek system and incorporate it into the public open space network.
   3. Implement the corridor amenities guidelines through the review and approval of development proposals.
5. University of Texas at Dallas – Promote the appropriate growth of UT Dallas to serve the student population and encourage its development as a major research university, while ensuring adjacent residential areas are appropriately buffered. Ensure that adequate infrastructure and City services are in place to provide for the proper interfacing of a growing university with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
6. Transit-Oriented Development/DART Station Areas – Identify and encourage the appropriate land uses and densities necessary to support development/redevelopment within the area surrounding each of the DART stations, and along major transportation corridors, while committing to mitigate adverse effects on adjacent neighborhoods.
   1. Create regulations that encourage development that takes advantage of close proximity to a transit facility.
   2. Utilize zoning strategies that allow appropriate densities, land uses, and parking requirements including requirements for open space and special design features.
   3. Develop and refine urban design guidelines aimed at creating a unique identity for the DART corridor in Richardson, with visually and functionally coordinated rail stations, pedestrian-friendly access, and techniques that integrate station areas with nearby neighborhoods and businesses.
   4. Support transit-oriented development opportunities by initiating station-area planning research, coordinating public sector support services, and cultivating owner and investor interest in development opportunities.
   5. Research and evaluate the best practices in station-area development.
   6. Periodically review changing market conditions and development trends around DART Stations and transportation corridors.
7. Special Study Areas – Promote acceptable redevelopment strategies and plans that take advantage of development trends and position properties for long-term success. Study areas include West Spring Valley corridor, Central Expressway corridor, Coit Road corridor, West Arapaho corridor, Main Street/Old Town, East Arapaho/Collins.
8. Rowlett Creek Corridor – Implement the Rowlett Creek Interjurisdictional Watershed Management Program policies for stormwater management and stream corridor planning. Cooperate with other cities to actively pursue the development of a continuous linear park along the Rowlett Creek Stream Corridor.

Community Facilities

1. Develop a system of basic public services capable of supporting the needs of the projected residential and employment base.
2. Provide high-quality public facilities, including police and fire stations, library facilities, recreation and cultural centers, trails and open spaces that are properly located and responsive to the needs of the community.
3. Ensure the construction and use of public facilities utilizes conservation and environmentally sustainable practices through the use of modern green-building practices such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
4. Protect the “neighborhood park” environment throughout the City. Actively pursue the acquisition of available land for future park developments as recommended in the Richardson Parks and Open Space Master Plan. Address park planning considerations that meet the changing demands of athletic and recreation users, including construction and operation of park facilities on public and private property.
5. Encourage cooperative measures with our partners in education

- Return to Top -

J. MARKETING

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

Recognizing the importance of effectively marketing Richardson to a variety of audiences – such as prospective residents, prospective businesses, meeting planners, business travelers, visitors, regional/national media, surrounding municipalities, affiliated professional organizations, and other key audiences and influencers – the City of Richardson will pursue marketing strategies and best practices that will further enhance the reputation of Richardson regionally, nationally, and globally. The focus of the City’s marketing efforts will be on promoting Richardson as destination community of quality neighborhoods, with a proven and stable City government, innovative economic development, outstanding public services, sound environmental focus, educational excellence, strong healthcare services and access to a variety of cultural and recreational amenities. Strategies will include the following:

1. Partner with the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, through the Richardson Economic Development Partnership, in promoting Richardson’s vibrant and diversified business community, where excellence is the expectation, to companies seeking the latest technological breakthroughs, the highest level of financial services or the synergy of a great business and research university.
2. Encourage the public to support Richardson’s local retail and restaurants through ongoing support of the Shop Local and Dine Smart Dine Local programs, in partnership with the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, and other initiatives aimed at increasing public awareness and aiding the success of local retail and restaurants.
3. Promote the strength and appeal of Richardson’s attractive, healthy, and safe neighborhoods where personal investment and sense of community are encouraged and valued.
4. Promote the use of key municipal assets including the Richardson Public Library, the Civic Center, Sherrill Park Golf Course, Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations, and Parks and Recreation facilities and trails, so as to increase the return on investment of these amenities in serving our community.
5. Promote the City’s signature events such as the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, Cottonwood Arts Festival, Huffhines Arts Trails, Corporate Challenge, Family Fourth and celebrate their success in bringing people together and creating a sense of community.
6. Promote events and activities of partnering institutions, organizations and businesses throughout the community to enhance public awareness and further overall community pride and success.
7. Promote Richardson as a premiere destination for business and leisure travel encouraging visitors to stay at local hotel properties.

- Return to Top -

K. PUBLIC SERVICES

(View on Mobile/Tablet)

The City of Richardson will provide quality, affordable municipal services to Richardson residents and corporate citizens, recognizing the responsibility to continuously monitor and respond to the needs of the community. It is also important that the City of Richardson administration and staff be well recognized for a strong work ethic, commitment to public integrity and dedication to services accessible to all citizens. Accordingly, this high-caliber work force will be maintained through a commitment to competitive compensation and benefits. Richardson’s municipal operations are aimed at providing a clean, safe, and healthy living environment as indicated in the following overview of City services:

1. Animal Services – Provide a quality, customer-oriented animal shelter that serves the needs and interests of the community in a safe and healthy fashion. Effectively address animal related issues throughout Richardson in a reliable, responsive manner.
2. Building Inspection – Protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public through the enforcement of building codes, zoning ordinances, and property standards. Consider the recommendations of citizens, contractors, and building construction industry professionals when evaluating and improving existing policies and programs. Make energy efficiency and environmental sustainability a priority through building code improvements.
3. Civic Center – Enhance customer experiences of the Civic Center and City Hall complex through physical improvements and strong support services and encourage the desirability of the facilities as a community meeting place.
4. Convention and Visitors Bureau - Enhance the role of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in highlighting our community and bringing visitors to share in our quality of life.
5. Cultural Arts - Enhance the development and quality of the arts in Richardson by serving as a facilitator for the community’s expanding interest in these activities. Appreciate and promote Richardson’s history and heritage. Encourage the enhanced utilization of the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations by both our local arts groups and corporations and a wider audience throughout the Metroplex.
6. Environmental Services - Promote energy efficiency and environmental sustainability through the adoption of new codes and programs, public outreach and education, and community collaboration and partnerships.
7. Finance - Support an overall conservative strategy with regard to revenue forecasting and expenditure budgeting.
8. Fire - Provide a high level of readiness for rapid and effective response to fire, medical and other emergencies. Provide for public education, prevention, code enforcement and other services in a professional manner consistent with national trends and standards.
9. Golf - Provide a high-quality, competitively priced golf course operation with emphasis on a well-maintained facility and a strong customer service orientation.
10. Health - Ensure responsible attention to the safety and welfare concerns of the City, with particular emphasis on issues beyond the control of the individual, such as air/water quality, food inspections, animal services, and other community health services.
11. Human Resources - Maintain and recruit a professional, highly qualified City Staff by providing competitive benefit/compensation programs, a safe and healthy work environment, a well-managed civil service system, and opportunities for training/education in work-related areas.
12. Information Services – Provide and maintain effective customer service applications that promote the use of technology and enhance the quality of life, and foster efficient and effective delivery of municipal services.
13. Library - Recognizing the high educational level and expanding educational requirements of this community, support ongoing upgrades to library services and explore options for facility and technology enhancements to meet these needs.
14. Community Services – Implement and maintain a comprehensive community vitality and strategy charged with commercial and redevelopment protecting the integrity of Richardson by making certain its residential neighborhoods, apartment committees and commercial areas are maintained in a safe and healthy manner through fair and reasonable enforcement of codes and ordinances. Assist in the creation and growth of neighborhood and homeowner associations. Promote Richardson as an attractive, healthy, and safe place to live. Coordinate reinvestment plan implementation.
15. Parks and Recreation - Ensure the acquisition, protection, and enhancement of well-maintained parklands, trails, and green spaces in the City, thus providing numerous park facilities and leisure activities for citizens of all ages and abilities. Promote general recreation opportunities for residential and corporate citizens.
16. Planning & Engineering - Promote comprehensive zoning, development, and drainage regulations and policies.
17. Police - Provide expeditious emergency response and responsible investigative follow-up by well-trained and service-oriented Police personnel, with particular emphasis on enhancing the quality of life through the City’s commitments to crime prevention, neighborhood crime watches/patrols, community outreach, traffic management, and enforcement of traffic laws.
18. Public Information - Expand and enhance the dissemination of information on City Council actions and City services to the citizens through all available print, visual, and electronic media communications, with concurrent emphasis placed on community feedback to City Hall.
19. Recycling - Promote increased community participation in single-family, multi-family, and commercial recycling, mulching, composting, and proper household hazardous waste disposal, with emphasis placed on realistic measures to reduce the community’s overall waste stream to landfills.
20. Solid Waste - Provide for timely and efficient refuse collection, with continued commitments to special pickup services.
21. Special Events Programming - Promote well-planned and popular community events designed to enhance the City’s quality of life.
22. Streets - Provide for the conscientious maintenance and protection of the City’s roadway infrastructure.
23. Transportation - With the benefit of state of the art technology and engineering analysis, successfully forecast and plan for traffic movements throughout the City in the most efficient and safe manner.
24. Water and Sewer - Enable the community to depend on safe and efficient handling of their utility needs in a manner that is cost effective, equitably priced, and adequately supplied

- Return to Top -

L. TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
(View on Mobile/Tablet)	The City of Richardson is committed to the safe and efficient movement of people, goods and services. The City believes that a safe and efficient transportation and mobility network are essential to the economic vitality and quality of life of the City. The following strategies encompass the City’s role in this endeavor:

1. Establish a transportation network that will protect the integrity of neighborhoods and enable the safest and most efficient movement of people and goods possible.
2. Minimize safety hazards and uphold aggressive traffic management and traffic enforcement efforts, including the expanded use of photographic red-light enforcement.
3. Relate the Master Transportation Plan to development considerations represented in the Comprehensive Planning Guide.
4. Develop and maintain state-of-the-art modeling techniques permitting the City to analyze individual development requests in relation to their impact on the entire transportation system and adjacent areas.
5. Develop and apply guidelines and procedures to evaluate the traffic impact of proposed projects and ensure that the street system is in balance with the development of the City.
6. Provide and encourage the use of all appropriate modes of transportation.
7. Promote pedestrian mobility through the creation of pedestrian friendly transportation corridors within the City’s centers of commercial and office development, including crossing major transportation corridors.
8. Enhance traffic mobility through support for the City’s Advanced Traffic Management System (A.T.M.S.) and video monitoring programs.
9. Support the implementation of a balanced DART Service Plan that provides a multi-modal transportation system, with particular emphasis on the light rail system, the Cotton Belt rail system, an extended managed lane network including high-occupancy vehicle lanes and high-occupancy toll lanes, and development of a customized bus circulator system serving area business.
10. Enhance regional mobility, with particular emphasis on east/west Cotton Belt rail access to DFW airport.
11. Support and promote the regional effort to address air quality issues through a variety of programs, including a citywide ozone alert program, a transportation management effort to stimulate car and van pooling, the ongoing conversion of non-public safety vehicles to alternate fuels, and mass transit programs.
12. Provide for rehabilitation of aging infrastructure and support related traffic management techniques.
13. Continually pursue the use of new technologies in infrastructure construction and maintenance.
14. Promote the use of traffic calming strategies in residential areas to address problems of aggressive driving and encourage safe driving practices.

In summary, the Statement of Goals represents the City Council’s vision for Richardson. These goals identify a foundation of principles upon which the community will prosper. The City Council is excited about the future prospects for Richardson, and looks forward to the challenges of tomorrow. Based on the well-recognized strengths of our residential, academic, and business communities, the City Council is confident Richardson will successfully meet these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities.

- Return to Top -

Bob Townsend Mayor, Place 1	Laura Maczka Mayor Pro Tem, Place 4	Mark Solomon Councilmember, Place 2	Scott Dunn Councilmember, Place 3
Kendal Hartley Councilmember, Place 5 Steve Mitchell Councilmember, Place 6 Amir Omar Councilmember, Place 7

Download PDF Version of this Document