Introducing the East Mulberry Plan#
The updated East Mulberry Plan was adopted by City Council on December 5th, 2023. The East Mulberry Plan serves as an update to the previously adopted 2002 East Mulberry Corridor Plan. The Plan incorporates new goals, the Plan policy direction and action items for the next 10-20 years based on extensive business-owner and resident feedback within the area and internal policy discussions amongst City staff. Much like the previously adopted plan, the East Mulberry Plan will continue to be a guidance document for Larimer County staff prior to annexation and a policy document for future areas potentially annexed into Fort Collins.
The East Mulberry Plan is broken down into five distinct sections:
- Introduction
- Character Areas
- Goals & Strategies
- Implementation
- Annexation Thresholds
East Mulberry Plan Area and Enclave#
The East Mulberry Plan Area overlaps with the enclave and guides future development and policy decisions. The ‘enclave’ refers to unincorporated Larimer County properties surrounded by the City of Fort Collins due to urban growth. The East Mulberry Plan Area is the area of focus for both the 2002 East Mulberry Corridor Plan and this newly updated plan document. The plan area is different than the enclave area, but largely overlaps. Plan area boundaries are typically established based on other adjacent City of Fort Collins subarea plans.
Plan Goals#
When approaching this update to the East Mulberry Plan, study of existing conditions and conversations with residents and business owners reveal the complexity and challenge of planning within this area. The diversity and uniqueness of land uses, combined with the desire to simultaneously preserve many things about the plan area, while at the same time, improving other aspects, like deteriorating infrastructure and lack of community amenities, pose a unique challenge from a planning perspective. For these reasons, establishing a set of goals that cover a wide breadth of elements impacting the East Mulberry Plan area felt like an appropriate way to balance both the preservation and augmentation needs of this area that a single vision statement could not adequately capture. The plan goals speak to desired future outcomes for the plan area and were collaboratively generated with community members and City staff.
Understanding the Future of Annexation#
To learn more about the future of threshold annexations in the East Mulberry Enclave, and to view our full annexation FAQ resource, visit fcgov.com/mulberryannexation.
Want to stay up-to-date on the future annexation of the East Mulberry Enclave? Subscribe to the project newsletter below.
How We Heard from the Community#
- Q&A Sessions
-
City staff hosted two virtual Q&A sessions for businesses and residents of the East Mulberry Plan Area to address questions about the update to the East Mulberry Plan and potential annexation.
- Visioning Sessions
-
Over a series of six meetings in June, July, and August of 2021, City staff presented key themes from the Existing Conditions document and gathered input from community members on the future vision of the East Mulberry Plan Area. See Appendix A for more information.
- Online Survey
-
The East Mulberry Online Visioning Survey received 43 completed surveys. The invitation to participate in the East Mulberry online survey was sent out in a mailer to those in the plan area and via email to everyone who subscribed to the newsletter. See Appendix A for more information.
- Community Advisory Group
-
A community advisory group was formed to better understand the needs, concerns and desires of both businesses and community members in the East Mulberry Plan Area to provide in-depth feedback and input at each critical stage of the planning process. See Appendix A for more information.
- Business & Community Workshops
-
These four virtual workshops covered a range of topics including: look and safety of streets, new sidewalks, bike lanes, and connections to the Poudre River Trail, improvements to Internet speed and ways to address flooding, community priorities for businesses and housing. See Appendix A for more information.
- Annexation Q&A Sessions
-
This series of four public meetings were hosted to share information as well as proposed ideas and policies impacting the East Mulberry Plan Area. Four meetings were held with both virtual and in-person options. A presentation covered strategies related to a potential annexation approach and the latest information about the East Mulberry Plan Area update. See Appendix A for more information.
- Online Comment Form
-
In tandem with the Annexation Q&A Sessions, staff released an online comment and question form for anyone with questions or concerns to be able to reach out with staff directly to have their questions answered or request follow-up phone or in-person meetings. Staff had multiple one-on-one meetings with community members asking to share additional thoughts or ask questions to staff about their specific properties.
- Nueva Vida Resource Fair
-
Planning staff attended the Nueva Vida Resource Fair (a Mobile Home Park community within the East Mulberry Plan Area) to share information with Nueva Vida residents about the update to the East Mulberry Plan and potential annexation. An FAQ document translated into Spanish was distributed to those interested.
- Business Information Sessions
-
Staff hosted individual and group informational sessions with business owners from the Mulberry Plan area to address their specific concerns and hear feedback on the plan and annexation thresholds strategy.
- Open House
-
Staff hosted a four-hour Open House event at the Genesis Project for community members to learn about the draft plan and ask staff any questions related to the plan or annexation.