A Vision for Gaithersburg
The Sesma Platform – 2017
The City of Gaithersburg is maturing as a “Destination City”, known as a vibrant employment center, a city for diverse cultural engagement, and as an exceptional place for families to live, work, learn, and play. This has not happened by accident. My vision is to continue this evolution by focusing on the following key elements:
- Open Government – The City must remain committed to its policies of openness, transparency, public engagement and accountability.
- Economic Development – By policy and practice the City must continue to attract, partner with, and recognize those businesses that invest in Gaithersburg, strengthen its economic vitality, and provide employment to its residents. The city must continue to safeguard the factors that make Gaithersburg a great business environment.
- Public Safety – The City must engage our communities as partners in maintaining the high level of service from its Police, Public Works, and Neighborhood Services Departments in activities that ensure our communities are safe.
- Fiscally Conservative Government – Gaithersburg must continue its “pay as you go” budgeting and spending policies. Coupled with careful and thoughtful planning, new spending must be for investments in the future and maintaining the level of services that our residents expect and deserve.
- Environmental Stewardship – Gaithersburg must remain a leader among American cities, on the cutting edge of environmental policy making. We must continue to innovate, create, identify and adopt programs and policies that promote environmental protection, energy conservation, sustainability and resilience.
- Responsible Growth – The City must continue to ensure that development is planned and implemented with adequate infrastructure (schools, roads, public services), in compliance with the Master Plan, and in partnership with residents, property owners, county and state government, and the school system, to advance growth that benefits both current and future residents and businesses.
- Transportation – The City must work proactively with the County and State governments to develop transit network options and services (MARC, Metro, RideOn,CCT) to serve both residents and employers. We must continue develop strategies for all modes of travel to, from and within the city for pedestrians, bikers, drivers and transit users.
- Housing – The City must promote policies that encourage the availability of diverse affordable housing (single family, townhouse, condominium, etc.), and opportunities for home ownership. We must also promote and refine our Affordable Housing policies, to foster a market that serves working people at all economic levels.
- Master Plan – As the City regularly revisits its strategic blueprint for our future, all stakeholders must be engaged to insure robust public input and participation. We must remain faithful to the essence of our Master Plan as it represents the intentions of all stakeholders in the City.
- Preservation of Historic Gaithersburg – The City must continue to promote the preservation of its historic resources. Development and redevelopment should complement and enhance the fabric of our existing neighborhoods as well as preserving and protecting our City’s history.