Appendix D Peoria Strategic Plan 2024-2029.pdf

Table of Contents

City of Peoria Landscape 2

Government Structure 3

Our Community Plan 4

Strategic Planning Process 5

Strategic Direction 6

Strategic Priorities 7

Quality of Life 9

Downtown Development 10

Community Safety 11

Infrastructure 12

Business, Growth & Prosperity 13

Embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 14

Acknowledgements 16

City of Peoria Landscape

TOTAL

HOUSEHOLDS

47,734

HOME OWNERS VS. RENTERS

57% OWN

43% RENT

2021 MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$129,400

TOTAL POPULATION

113,150

58%

WHITE

7%

ASIAN

26%

BLACK /

AFRICAN AMERICAN

7%

HISPANIC /LATINO

*2% OTHER

DAYTIME POPULATION

136,100

PEORIA POPULATION BY AGE

FAMILIES

36%

MARRIED COUPLES

36%

SENIORS LIVING ALONE

21%

SINGLES

38%

5-9<5 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75-84 >85

POPULATION

INFO

ABOVE $200,000

7%

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$53,568

BELOW POVERTY LEVEL

26%

HOUSEHOLD

INCOMES$

All info sourced: U.S. Census Bureau 2020, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Peoria Government Structure

5 DISTRICT

COUNCIL MEMBERS 5 AT-LARGE

COUNCIL MEMBERSMAYOR

DAILY OPERATIONS

OF CITY DEPARTMENTS

City Manager’s O�ce Communications O�ce

O�ce of Economic Development

CITY

MANAGER

TREASURER

CLERK

PEORIA

RESIDENTS

COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT

EMERGENCY

COMMUNICATIONS

CENTER

EQUAL

OPPORTUNITY

OFFICE

FINANCE FIRE

POLICE HUMAN

RESOURCES

PUBLIC

WORKS

INFORMATION

SYSTEMS LEGAL

COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT

Our Community Plan

Welcome to the city of Peoria's Strategic Plan for 2024-2029. This plan represents our collective vision for the future of our city and outlines the strategic priorities and initiatives that will guide our efforts over the next five years. Together, we will work tirelessly to achieve our goals and ensure a bright and prosperous future for generations to come.

Through a community-informed process, residents, businesses, religious and affinity groups, city staff, elected officials, and others were instrumental in the development of this plan. The community showed up in great numbers at the strategic plan kick-off event in June 2023.

Community forums and community engagement activities followed. The city council then met to deliberate on the ideas and feedback the community shared. In late summer and early fall, the city council held planning sessions to develop the city's mission and vision statements, guiding principles, and strategic priorities.

Since Spring 2023, the city of Peoria worked with BerryDunn to develop its five-year strategic plan. With the input, participation, and feedback from the council and staff, the strategic plan will serve as a guiding document for city staff to implement and city council to oversee.

The city council will provide leadership and oversight during the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure plan success and progress towards the city’s shared vision. As such, city staff will provide regular updates to the council on progress so that we can achieve our strategic priorities and objectives.

3. Through Planning Sessions with City Council and Staff Leadership, we developed the mission, vision, guiding principles, strategic priorities, objectives, and outcome measures.

4. Focus Sessions helped ensure alignment with city leadership and key decision-makers.

5. We reviewed the Draft Strategic Plan and conducted Community Review Sessions to emphasize transparency and collaboration.

6. Community Feedback was reviewed and outcome measures were refined based on this input.

7. The City Council officially adopted the Five-Year Strategic Plan, concluding this collaborative process of community engagement, expert analysis, and input from key stakeholders.

WHY WE NEEDED TO DO THIS

Over the past several years, it became clear to city leadership that, throughout the community, there were many misconceptions and misunderstandings regarding the city’s plans for the future.

As a result, city leadership determined that there were several critical areas that needed improvement, such as the communication of citywide priorities, providing effective methods of community feedback, and engaging with the community on critical issues affecting the future of the city.

A strategic planning process was held to help address these issues and provide a solid framework for the future of Peoria.

OUR PROCESS

1. We held Community Engagement activities, including a kickoff event, stakeholder interviews, surveys, focus groups, and online engagements.

2. A Service Gap Analysis and Environmental Scan assessed current services and identifed gaps and external factors affecting the city.

Strategic Direction

OUR MISSION

Peoria's mission is to provide excellent services, protection, and infrastructure that fosters a high quality of life.

OUR VISION

Peoria is a thriving, All-American City, rich in history and natural beauty, with an abundance of opportunities for everyone.

OUR VALUES

COLLABORATION

We foster an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard because we know that our collective intelligence is greater than that of the individual.

DIGNITY & RESPECT

We treat everyone with dignity, patience, and grace because we are all part of the greater good.

STEWARDSHIP &

ACCOUNTABILITY

We pledge to be transparent, ethical, and accountable in all that we do.

INFORMED DECISION-MAKING

We seek to understand issues in a holistic manner and use data and information to help us identify root causes and make the most efficient and effective decisions possible.

PUBLIC SERVICE

We strive to be responsive and supportive to everyone because we are a city made for and by the people.

Strategic Priorities

OUTCOME MEASURES

Defines the changes in the lives of individuals, families, or communities that will be accomplished by implementing the strategic plan. As data is tracked, additional outcome measures will be added to the strategic priorities annually.

DATA TRACKING

Provides the city with the necessary information to track ongoing conditions and future trends.

Community Safety

Downtown Development

Embrace Diversity, Equity

& Inclusion

Business Growth & Prosperity

Infrastructure Quality of Life

CITY OF PEORIA

STRATEGIC

PRIORITIES

CITY OF PEORIA

STRATEGIC

PRIORITIES

Quality of Life

STRATEGIC GOAL

Create a system among Peoria’s varied sectors (i.e., schools, arts, medicine, etc.) to support the availability of rich, diverse, and fulfilling programs and amenities for our residents and visitors.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Fostering a sense of belonging and connection in our neighborhoods.

• Addressing housing affordability.

• Maintaining the city’s fiscal condition and ensuring long-term sustainability.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Provide more equitable mobility access and reduce historic gaps.

• Support wrap-around services for community members in need.

• Provide housing options that support all Peoria community members.

• Make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time.

• Improve the desirability of our neighborhoods.

• Create safe pathways for youth to neighborhood schools.

• Effectively engage city boards and commissions.

• Work with community partners to encourage civic engagement, volunteerism, and participation.

• Support and partner with Pre-K to 12 and higher education institutions on educating and developing a skilled and diverse workforce.

• Exercise sound financial and risk management to build the city’s long-term fiscal strength.

• Optimize city operations through innovation and continuous improvement.

• Continue to partner with local health providers to address the health of our community by focusing on social determinants of health.

• Create a system of data-sharing among community partners.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will increase the labor force by 3% annually.

2. We will improve the overall health and wellness of residents.

3. We will reduce the number of persons experiencing homelessness by 10%.

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track the housing cost burden for homeowners and renters.

2. We will track the percentage of adults 18 and older who rate overall health as fair or poor.

Downtown Development

STRATEGIC GOAL

Attract commercial and residential development of all types, including mixed-use to create a safe, thriving, and entertaining downtown area.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Defining a clear identity of downtown.

• Improving the quality of transportation (streets, walkways, public transportation, bike paths).

• Restoring current buildings and commercial spaces.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Create an inclusive visioning process to incorporate beautification, arts, and accessibility.

• Support an innovative and smart downtown (i.e., free Wi-Fi).

• Enhance safety with lighting and other place-making features.

• Prioritize making downtown a family-friendly destination.

• Develop financial incentive programs to support all types of development, including the conversion of office and commercial spaces to mixed-use commercial/residential.

• Continue to develop the Riverfront as a downtown destination.

• Maintain options for lodging in the downtown area.

• Expand modes of transportation and access throughout the downtown area.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will increase the number of events by 5% annually.

2. We will increase the hotel occupancy rate by 3% annually.

3. We will increase the residential population downtown by 3% annually.

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track annual downtown hotel stays.

2. We will track the attendance to downtown special events annually.

3. We will track downtown commercial vacancy rates annually.

4. We will track the downtown residential population annually.

Community Safety

STRATEGIC GOAL

Invest in holistic crime reduction programs and collaborative initiatives that address root cause issues so everyone can feel safe in Peoria.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Enhancing overall safety and crime prevention measures throughout the city.

• Investing in youth education, activities, and development.

• Cultivating a positive city presence in the community.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Invest in crime prevention through environmental design programs.

• Commit to supporting programs focusing on individuals and families affected by violence to address the root causes.

• Expand and invest in technology to support crime prevention.

• Collaborate with organizations and external agencies to support programming for youth and young adults at the highest risk of being impacted or involved in violence.

• Increase the recruitment and retention of employees in public safety departments with an emphasis on increasing the number of people of color and women.

• Build positive relationships between residents and city departments to specifically focus on solving neighborhood-level issues.

• Utilize data-driven public safety practices that are tied to national best practices and standards.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will increase opportunities by 3% for youth and young adults to connect with community resources.

2. We will increase neighborhood-focused activities with city involvement (i.e., block parties, neighborhood clean-up day, etc.) by 4%.

3. We will increase the percentage of residents who feel safe in Peoria by 5%.

4. We will reduce violent crime by 5%.

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track the percentage of residents that feel safe in Peoria.

2. We will track violent crime rates.

STRATEGIC GOAL

Improve streets, sidewalks, lighting, and broadband to increase safety and accessibility across all neighborhoods.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Investing in our infrastructure so current and future generations' needs are met.

• Exploring all transportation options to improve accessibility of amenities for all.

• Investing and revitalizing our neighborhoods.

• Balancing neighborhood investment with the investments in our commercial corridors.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Commit to a sustainable long-term capital plan that maintains existing infrastructure and increases funding opportunities for residential areas.

• Expand broadband access to all areas of Peoria.

• Implement an asset management plan that identifies improvements needed to ensure reliability, compliance, and operational efficiencies.

• Prepare for the impact of new technologies.

• Expand stormwater infrastructure and improve overall water quality per the consent decree mandate.

• Leverage state and federal opportunities to maximize investment in local infrastructure.

• Update the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

• Implement the Riverfront Development Plan.

• Continue working with key state, federal, and other stakeholders to construct the Peoria to Chicago passenger rail corridor.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will increase the overall quality of our roads and our Pavement Conditions Index (PCI) score from 65 to 70 by 2029.

2. We will meet 100% of our Peoria Cares service level agreements.

3. We will determine Peoria’s digital inclusion score and increase digital inclusion for all residents of Peoria.

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track our overall streetlight density across Peoria, specifically within our commercial corridors and residential corridors.

Infrastructure

Business Growth & Prosperity

STRATEGIC GOAL

Diversify Peoria’s economic portfolio and improve processes that make our city an exceptional place to work, do business, and invest.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Increasing and diversifying our tax base.

• Supporting and developing our workforce.

• Fostering a supportive business environment for local businesses.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Foster innovative partnerships to expand the supply of high-quality, affordable housing.

• Continue to support an innovative and creative arts industry.

• Continue to support the healthcare sector as a primary industry of the city.

• Add and retain jobs and businesses in the city, prioritizing sectors that lead to family-wage jobs.

• Develop shovel-ready projects to attract business and investment.

• Deliver consistent, responsive, equitable, and high-quality services to residents and businesses.

• Grow existing businesses and create opportunities for entrepreneurs by identifying a dedicated source of funds for grants and support.

• Market Peoria’s stories and communicate our brand.

• Support programs and resources for entrepreneurs, resulting in business retention.

• Continue to focus business recruitment in high-demand industries.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will increase the percentage of city spending awarded to women and minority-owned businesses year-over-year.

2. We will establish a registry to track businesses operating in Peoria.

3. We will implement a tool to track the satisfaction rate of businesses in Peoria.

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track the time to issue permits and licenses city-wide.

2. We will track the satisfaction rate of businesses’ interactions with city departments.

3. We will track the number of disabled and veteran-owned businesses in Peoria.

Embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

STRATEGIC GOAL

Invest in equity and address disparities by working with our community partners to make Peoria a city where everyone feels heard, included, and accepted.

CHALLENGES WE FACE

• Addressing equity gaps throughout the city.

• Clear communication and dialogue between leaders and the community.

• Building and increasing our community’s trust in government.

• Improving community engagement, ensuring that all voices are heard.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES

• Develop a highly-engaged, diverse, culturally responsive, and high-performing organizational workforce.

• Provide residents with equitable access to services and resources.

• Improve the use of data broken down into smaller subpopulations for informed decision-making.

• Broaden the types of community engagement to support community-informed decisions.

• Where possible, use equity to inform policy makers of potential gaps and/or negative outcomes.

• Address disparities on committees and boards.

• Increase the percentage of city spend with racially and diverse business suppliers across all departments.

• The Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity will provide an annual report to Council on the status and recommendations related to disparities based on race.

2024-2025 OUTCOME MEASURES

1. We will train 100% of city staff on communication and cultural competencies annually.

2. We will establish an equitable and inclusive hiring and recruitment policy.

3. We will develop an interactive tool composed of multiple dashboards that visualize socioeconomic factors in Peoria (i.e., poverty, education, household median income, etc.).

DATA TRACKING

1. We will track the percentage of households participating in city-sponsored programs (i.e., roof replacement program, fire detectors, home down payment assistance, etc.).

2. We will track poverty rate at the household level.

A PLAN FOR THE

FUTURE OF

PEORIA

Acknowledgements

Acknowledging the diverse range of contributors – including community members, neighborhood groups, youth, businesses, community organizations, schools, and volunteers – highlights the interconnectedness of the community and the shared responsibility in shaping the city’s future.

Working together to build the Strategic Plan reinforced the idea that the plan is a shared endeavor with widespread impact. Thank you to those who participated in building this plan. The invaluable contributions made by various stakeholders reflect the aspirations and contributions of the entire community.

As the plan is implemented, this spirit of collaboration and appreciation will be a driving force in the city’s continued pusuit of reaching our community’s shared vision.

THE PEORIA COMMUNITY

Community Kickoff Event Facilitators Samer Aldroubi Leah Allison Kayla Casey Tony Cummings Brad Dixon Amy Dotson Lamia Doueihi Joe Dulin Jennifer Farrell Marisa Farrell-Gould Lenora Fisher Franklin Foulger Patrick Hayes Ashley Kinne Stephanie Lowery K.J. Matthews Richard Mayer Jessica McKean Nick McMillion Josh Naven Mas Perkins Mary Peterson Kristal Roop Mark Slover Matt Smith Shawn Sollberger Marcellus Sommerville Anu Uddavolu

Debbie Van Sickle Brandon Vissering Julie Waldschmidt Kerilyn Weick Rob Whitney Greg Wilson

City of Peoria Leadership Dr. Rita Ali Mayor

Denise Jackson 1st District Council Member

Charles V. Grayeb 2nd District Council Member

Timothy Riggenbach 3rd District Council Member

Andre W. Allen 4th District Council Member

Denis Cyr 5th District Council Member

John L. Kelly Council Member At-Large

Zachary M. Oyler Council Member At-Large

Dr. Kiran Velpula Council Member At-Large

Dr. Bernice Gordon-Young Council Member At-Large

Michael P. Vespa Council Member At-Large

City Manager Patrick Urich

City Department Directors

Staff Supporting the Development of the Strategic Plan Kyle Cratty Kaylee Drea Blake Eggleston Amanda Hall Donna Jamison Stacy Peterson Kimberly Richardson

Consultant - BerryDunn

All City Staff

Community Stakeholders

CITY OF PEORIA

419 Fulton Street, Peoria, IL 61602

(309) 494-2273 peoriagov.org