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2023-2025 Council Strategic Focus Areas and Goals

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Council Strategic Focus Areas 

The Town Council has seven strategic focus areas to guide the Town’s core business functions and emerging strategic initiatives. These focus areas provide high-level guidance to staff as they develop the Town’s annual budget and create department business plans.  

  • The Council’s commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Sustainability apply to all focus areas and initiatives and the Council intends for all efforts to be conducted with those principles in mind. 

  • The broad goals in each focus area capture Council’s high-level interests and the departments most directly associated with each goal. Through the year, Council receives updates from departments, which may include more specific objectives, outcomes, measures, etc.  

  • Initiatives that support the Council’s goals are tracked in department business plans with associated metrics. 

  • Connections to the Complete Community Framework are listed to recognize Council’s adoption of the framework, align it with the strategic focus areas, and illustrate that successfully delivering on the framework involves all Town functions. 

Below are the 2023-2025 Strategic Focus Areas and Goals  approved by the Town Council on April 27, 2023. 

 

Strategic Focus Area 1: Environmental Stewardship

To mitigate effects of climate changes through management of Town resources, partnerships, and natural environment and as we densify to also strengthen protection of sites in our natural areas plan and parks master plan.

Goals

  • Continue implementation of Climate Action and Response Plan
  • Model environmental best practices across departments and facilities
  • Encourage energy efficient buildings, and renewable energy while reducing energy needs
  • Continue to link transit, transportation, and climate action initiatives

Core Departments

Sustainability, Planning, Public Works, Library, Parks & Recreation, Transit

Complete Community Connections

Green infrastructure, mature tree canopy, natural landscapes, waterways, features, affordable housing choices with access to jobs and transportation 

 

Strategic Focus Area 2: Economic & Financial Stewardship

To support a vibrant economy by supporting business development, jobs creation, and entrepreneurship by balancing our tax base to support a diverse community.

Goals

  • Continue implementation of ReVive plan, focusing on women and minority businesses
  • Continue Town/Gown collaboration, with a focus on entrepreneurs, innovators, and housing for employees
  • Continue implementation of Downtown Together plan, with focus on downtown revitalization

Core Departments

Economic Development, Planning, Business Management

Complete Community Connections

Support innovation & entrepreneurism, social innovation/non-profit incubators, UNC presence 

 

Strategic Focus Area 3: Affordable Housing & Housing Production

To increase housing access across a range of incomes and housing types and achieve equitable housing outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

Goals

  • Increase availability of affordable housing
  • Preserve existing affordable housing
  • Sustainably manage public and transitional housing
  • Increase production and diversity of housing

Core Departments

Public Housing, Affordable Housing and Community Connections, Planning, Transit

Complete Community Connections

Housing diversity, access to home ownership, live/work neighborhoods with access to sustainable transportation options 

 

Strategic Focus Area 4: Connected Community

To create a highly connected community where bicycling, walking, and transit are convenient, everyday choices for our neighborhoods, businesses, and public spaces are accessible to all residents without a car.

Goals:

  • Continue implementation of current multi-modal plans to increase connectivity
  • Work with transit partners to support long term financial sustainability of Chapel Hill Transit
  • Implement Transit-Oriented-Development plans
  • Implement Everywhere to Everywhere Greenways and explore funding options (fed, state, partnerships)

Core Departments

Transit, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Parking Services, Planning 

Complete Community Connections

Greenways, transit-oriented, active transportation options, housing density supports transportation options 

 

Strategic Focus Area 5: Healthy & Inclusive Community

Collaborate with communities and institutions to eliminate inequities, build community, and enrich the health and lives of those who live, work, and visit Chapel Hill.

Goals

  • Continue to implement the Community Connections Strategy
  • Leverage partnerships to increase access to arts and cultural experiences, especially those that highlight historically marginalized artists
  • Create opportunities for residents to share their own stories and explore our community’s history, with a focus on historically marginalized residents and communities
  • Focus on inclusivity in cultural and social events, friendly to children through seniors and those with mobility issues or other disabilities
  • Fund cultural arts activities and facility development for arts, cultural events, and parks

Core Departments

Library, Community Arts & Culture, Parks and Recreation, DEI Office, Affordable Housing & Community Connections, Communications & Public Affairs 

Complete Community Connections

Cultural & social events, friendly to children and seniors, non-able-bodied, and the whole population 

 

Strategic Focus Area 6: Safe Community

Embrace a holistic approach to making Chapel Hill a healthy, safe, and supportive community in which to live, work, and visit. Stable and safe housing makes stable and safe communities.

Goals

  • Continue implementing Reimagining Community Safety recommendations
  • Continue implementing Vision Zero Strategy
  • Clarify roles for Town and County and continue collaborative partnerships to address homelessness, mental health, substance use, and other community issues
  • Focus on safety in densely populated and connected communities

Core Departments

Police, Fire, Emergency Management, Building & Development Services, Public Works, Technology Solutions, Affordable Housing and Community Connections, DEI Office  

Complete Community Connections

Friendly to children and seniors, non-able-bodied, and the whole population, access to affordable housing 

 

Strategic Focus Area 7: Employee Recruitment & Retention

Attract top talent across the organization, offer fair and competitive compensation, and ensure that all employees have the resources, knowledge, and training to do their best work every day.

Goals

  • Continue work on employee compensation, with a focus on addressing compression and inflation
  • Better maintain and improve facilities, with a focus on MSC and Fire Stations
  • Support employee work-life balance

Core Departments

Human Resources Development, Technology Solutions, Business Management, Manager’s Office, Ombuds Office, DEI Office  

Complete Community Connections

Our people are essential to successful implementation of the Complete Community Framework