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El Cerrito Strategic Plan
2023 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE
On Saturday, October 28, 2023, the City held a Public Strategic Planning Council Workshop where the City Council reviewed the summarized public input collected so far and provided input on mission, vision, values, multi-year goals and strategies for the next five years. View materials from the Workshop: video, presentation and environmental scan.
The next step is to prepare the Strategic Plan for the City Council's consideration in December and an Implementation Action Plan to integrate into workplans and future budgets.
Why Develop a Strategic Plan?
The Strategic Plan establishes goals, strategies, and a clear vision, confirms the mission for the organization, and articulates the organization’s values. The Strategic Plan is part of an implementation action plan tied to other key planning documents and efforts including the General Plan, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, Climate Action Plan, and Economic Development Action Plan. The Strategic Plan helps decision-makers with service and resource prioritization.
UPDATING THE Strategic Plan
The City’s Strategic Plan, first adopted in 2013, articulates the City’s vision, mission and organizational values and establishes goals and strategies that guide the work of the organization, including decision-making and the prioritization of services and resources. In Spring/Summer 2023, the City kicked off a process to update the strategic plan that includes surveys, in-person outreach, a series of focus groups, and a workshop with the City Council, as well as engagement with City staff.
| Timeline (subject to change) | Activity |
|---|---|
| May to September 2023 | • Community Input |
| October 28, 2023 | • City Council Workshop |
| December 2023 | • City Council finalizes Strategic Plan |
The Strategic Plan provides the City with a road map for making service delivery decisions and allocating resources. The 2013 Plan established Mission, Vision and Value statements for the organization, as well as Goals and Strategies for the five-year period of 2013-2018.
VISION STATEMENT
The City of El Cerrito is a safe, connected, transit-oriented and environmentally focused destination with welcoming neighborhoods, thriving businesses and vibrant public spaces, and diverse cultural, educational and recreational opportunities for people of all ages
MISSION STATEMENT
The City of El Cerrito serves, leads and supports our diverse and transit-rich community by providing exemplary and innovative services, public places and infrastructure, ensuring public safety, and creating an economically and environmentally sustainable future.
History
In April 2013, the City Council adopted the City’s first Strategic Plan. The Plan was the result of a year-long effort to engage the community in creating a shared vision for our future. Thank you to all the community members who participated in the process.
In March 2015, the City Council held a study session to review and update the 2013 Strategic Plan. During this session, Council members discussed edits to the City’s Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and Strategies. The 2015 version of the Strategic Plan incorporates those edits and advances El Cerrito on a path towards achieving its vision during the five-year period of 2015-2020. In April 2017, City staff made a series of presentations to the City Council to update the community on progress made on the various Strategic Plan Goals and Strategies.
Starting in early 2020, the City reached out to residents, employees, the business community, and other stakeholders through meetings, community events, and an online survey, to gather the information needed to develop a Strategic Plan update that would cover 2020-2025. Development of the Strategic Plan update was put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beginning in May 2023, the City kicked off a new community engagement process to update the Strategic Plan for the years ahead.