Rifle Downtown Design

and Development Academy Session I: The Big Picture

Clark Anderson and Jillian Sutherland

September, 26 2013

Our Vision

healthy landscapes • vibrant economies • successful communities

Training • Assistance • Outreach • Research • Innovation

The Downtown Rifle Project

Community Challenge/TIGER II Planning

Grant

Building on Past Projects & Recent Progress

2005 Economic Opportunity Assessment

2008 Downtown Master Plan

2009 Gateway Study

2010 Local Circulator Study

Main Street Program

Downtown Revitalization (Centennial Park, New

Library, Brendon Theater, New Ute Theater)

Key Project Partners

Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Rifle Regional Economic Development Corporation

(RREDC)

Community orgs, businesses, and property owners

Garfield County

State of Colorado – Department of Local Affairs

Downtown Rifle Project - Goals

Advance the City Council mission statement to enhance Rifle’s

sense of community and promote economic vitality.

Foster a spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship in the

downtown.

Build relationships with partners.

Identify the City’s downtown transit and mobility goals.

Create an Action Plan that prioritizes infrastructure

investments and redevelopment opportunities.

Move catalytic projects as closely as possible towards a shovel

ready stage.

Major Project Elements

Market Analysis and Redevelopment

Transportation planning and design

Community Engagement

Community Development Academy

Leadership

Knowledge

Successful Communities

Guidelines for working together

Legitimacy and respect. We all have different perspectives and backgrounds, but

all are committed to the wellbeing of the community. Nobody deserves to have their

motivations, values or personal integrity questioned.

Be a good listener. Listen to understand, not to debate. Ask questions for

clarification, and make statements that attempt to educate or explain. Don’t interrupt

others.

Be a smart speaker. Everyone is encouraged to speak! There are no bad ideas or

“dumb questions.” Yet you aid others if you are clear and concise and don’t

interrupt. If you’ve been speaking a lot, step back and let others chime in.

Kindly speak your mind, and let others do the same. Constructive candor is a little

used but effective tool. If you disagree, politely speak-up. Speak for yourself and

allow others to do the same; if they agree with you they are welcome to say so.

Be nice and have fun… (and turn off your cell phone!)

What makes

a successful

community?

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

Communities Change

The Winds of Change:

Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

Growth in the West

The go-go days!

Growth in the West

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Projected Growth Rates in the Intermountain West (2010)

The Recession & Housing Market Crash

Painful Realities

Our Vision

Changing Circumstances

Recovering from the worst housing market in 75 years

• Housing starts up and values rising

• Housing market critical to broader economic recovery

Broader economic recovery remains slow

• Stagnating real incomes

• Continued underemployment

How communities respond is critical to their future.

Fiscal Constraints…

Shifting Market Conditions

Drivers of Change • Socioeconomic

• Demographic

• Consumer choices

Technological Change

How we work is also changing

How we work is also changing

How do we create stable jobs?

Access to Recreation & Amenities

Healthy Lifestyle

Vibrant Places

Housing Options

Attracting Talent

Economic Gardening

Asset-based Economic Dev.

“Knowledge Economy”

Change will continue…

The future won’t look like the past or present

How will we respond to change?

Keys to Building Strong

and Successful Communities

Cast a Clear Vision

Identify and build on your assets

Align Community Planning

and Economic Development

Community Needs

Jobs, Housing, Mobility, Services, Infrastructure

Creating Great Places

Vibrant Downtowns

Placemaking

Setting the table…

Align Community Planning

and Economic Development

Housing Choices

Align Community Planning

and Economic Development

Transportation and Mobility

Align Community Planning

and Economic Development

“Place-making”

Align Community Planning

and Economic Development

Redevelopment

&

Revitalization

Proactive Implementation

Effective Community Leadership

What does a successful

community look like?

Our Community

• Who are we?

• How have we changed?

• What will we be in the future?

Population Changes:

Strong Countywide Growth

Garfield County was one

of 6 in the state with a

growth rate above 25%

Rifle has second largest

portion of county

population at 16%

(Glenwood has 17%)

Population Changes:

Children under 18 are a growing cohort

Rifle Population by Age

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Under the age of 18 years

18 to 24 years 25 to 44 years 45 to 64 years 65 years of age or older

2000

2010

The Past Decade

Rapid Growth in Hispanic Population

Garfield County was one of 5

in the state with a Hispanic

growth rate exceeding 100%

Rifle’s total Hispanic

population grew by 11%

27% of Rifle residents are

Hispanic (2010)

Unique Considerations

Household size is shrinking at the national and state

level, but not in Garfield County or Rifle

The age distribution of Rifle’s population changed most

within the age group under 18, and people between the

ages of 25 and 44

Unemployment – Garfield County

Sales Tax Earnings

Jobs by Occupation - Rifle

31%

24%

17%

15%

13%

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

Sales and office occupations

Management, business, science, and arts occupations

Service occupations

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

Jobs by Industry - Rifle

21%

14%

14% 12%

7%

5%

5%

5%

5%

4% 4%

4%

0% Construction

Retail trade

Educational services, and health care and social assistance

Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services

Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services

Other services, except public administration

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing

Wholesale trade

Manufacturing

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities

Public administration

Information

Past Decade - Incomes are Changing

Median Household Income up $18,534 (+43%) • Decreasing at national and state levels

People living below the poverty line up 10% • 9% of our families, 16.8% of our population

Conclusions

Current Changes:

• Large increase in Hispanic population

• More people living below poverty line

• Unemployment declining

• Important sales tax shifts

Future Changes:

• Will we age in place? Can we?

• Will younger people locate here?

• What services will grow in demand?

What does a success look like in Rifle?

What key assets can we build upon?

What are our key challenges or barriers?

What are our biggest opportunities?

What do we need to do to realize our potential?