TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Adam Lindsay, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, Public Services Director
DATE: September 25, 2023
RE:
Title
Fayetteville Forward Infrastructure Bonds - Proposed Sidewalk Project Locations
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
This item supports the City’s Mission and Goals of the Council adopted Strategic Plan.
Executive Summary:
The City Council placed a ballot measure seeking authorization of the issuance of up to $25 million in General Obligation Bonds to support capital investments in public infrastructure on the November 8, 2022, ballot. The bond authorization measure was subsequently approved by voters.
Public Services staff is now seeking consensus from Council on the proposed locations for the sidewalk public infrastructure improvements.
In addition, staff seek consensus on reallocating up to $500,000 from Resurfacing GO Bond funds to use as grant matches to leverage additional funding to support eligible public infrastructure projects.
Background:
April 28, 2022
• City Council held a special meeting to discuss unfunded needs in the City. The City Council directed staff to initiate the process to set bond referendums for November 8, 2022, for not to exceed $60,000,000 in general obligation bonds for public safety improvement capital projects, not to exceed $25,000,000 in general obligation bonds for streets, sidewalk, and connectivity capital projects, and not to exceed $12,000,000 in general obligation bonds for affordable housing capital projects and to fund the Housing Trust Fund.
May 9, 2022
• City Council adopted a preliminary findings resolution authorizing staff to submit an application to the Local Government Commission for the proposed authorization of Public Safety Improvement Bonds, Streets, Sidewalks, Connectivity Bonds, and Housing Bonds.
June 27, 2022
• City Council adopted bond orders for $60,000,000 in Public Safety Improvement Bonds, $25,000,000 in Streets, Sidewalk, and Connectivity Bonds, and $12,000,000 in Housing Bonds, and to take several other actions required to proceed with related bond referendums.
August 8, 2022
• City Council conducted a public hearing on the orders for $60,000,000 in Public Safety Improvement Bonds, $25,000,000 in Streets, Sidewalk, and Connectivity Bonds, and $12,000,000 in Housing Bonds.
September 12, 2022
• City Council was briefed and accepted the Bond Education Campaign plan as presented by the Marketing and Communications Department.
September 26, 2022
• City Council adopted a budget ordinance amendment 2023-5 to provide funding for the Fayetteville Forward Bond packaged education and information campaign.
November 8, 2022
• City of Fayetteville residents voted to approve all three bond referendums.
December 12, 2022
• Staff updated Council on the infrastructure funding amounts and advised proposed locations will be provided at an upcoming meeting in March 2023.
March 6, 2023
• Staff presented Council a list of sidewalk projects selected from the 2018 Pedestrian Plan and CIP for review.
September 5, 2023
• Staff presented Council with sidewalk project funding options with school connectivity analysis selected from 2018 Pedestrian Plan and CIP.
• Council voted 7-2 to adopt Option 1: Proceed with $8M of projects completing the 2018 Ped Plan and CIP ($2M in FY24, $3M in FY25 & FY26) and reallocate $500K of the proposed $15M Resurfacing GO Bond funds to use as grant matches to leverage additional funding to support eligible public infrastructure projects.
Issues/Analysis:
Council guidance at the March Work Session was to examine sidewalk in proximity to schools within the City. After review of the proposed sidewalk list that was generated from the 2018 Pedestrian Plan and CIP, it was noted that 12.6 miles, roughly 82% of the sidewalks proposed, were within a 1-mile radius of a school.
For a more targeted approach for placing sidewalks near schools, a new Pedestrian Plan, heavily weighting proximity to schools, would need to be conducted. A grant for updating the City’s Pedestrian Plan has been submitted to NCDOT. The updated Pedestrian Plan would take 12-18 months to complete, delaying the start of sidewalk projects.
A hybrid approach is also being presented. This would allow staff to immediately begin on sidewalks projects identified as ‘short’ and ‘mid’ from the 2018 Pedestrian Plan and CIP while waiting on an updated Pedestrian Plan with more defined criteria for school placement.
Staff is also proposing to reallocate $500K of the proposed $15M Resurfacing GO Bond funds to use as grant matches to leverage additional funding to support eligible public infrastructure projects. This would reduce to overall resurfacing of streets by approximately 1.3 miles.
Budget Impact:
Projects will be funded with Public Infrastructure General Obligation Bonds.
Options:
Sidewalks:
• Option 1: Proceed with $8M of projects completing the 2018 Ped Plan and CIP ($2M in FY24, $3M in FY25 & FY26)
• Option 2: Proceed with $4M projects that provide connectivity to schools, while updating the Pedestrian Plan ($2M in FY24 & FY25)
• Option 3: Proceed with $2M of short-term projects that provide connectivity to schools, update pedestrian plan, and propose additional projects in FY26 ($2M allocated for FY24)
• Option 4: Remand back to staff and provide direction
Reallocation of funding for Grant Matches:
• Option 1: Reallocate $500K of the proposed $15M Resurfacing GO Bond funds to use as grant matches to leverage additional funding to support eligible public infrastructure projects.
• Option 2: Remand back to staff and provide direction.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends Council provide consensus on Sidewalk Option 1; to proceed with the projects identified from 2018 Pedestrian Plan and CIP as well as provide consensus on the Reallocation for Grant Matches Option 1; to reallocate $500K of the proposed $15M Resurfacing GO Bond funds to use as grant matches to leverage additional funding to support eligible public infrastructure projects.
Attachments: