A Q&A with Melanie Potyondy, running for Fort Collins City Council District 4
Name: Melanie Potyondy
Council race: District 4
Why are you running for this office?
As a public school psychologist (with the last 8-plus years at Rocky Mountain High School), a career-long union member, and active community volunteer, I have devoted the entirety of my adult life to being of service to others. I care about people deeply and am passionate about identifying systems that are not working optimally for them, so that they can be improved. I strive to make my neighborhood and overall community better and more sustainable for all through active engagement, and local government is one of the best avenues to actually effect positive change.
My background as a school-based mental health provider and working mom gives me unique insight into my southwest Fort Collins neighbors’ values and struggles, which will allow me to make smart, compassionate decisions on their behalf while on council.
Finally, having served as an interim councilperson in 2021, I was able to gain a sense of what it takes to lead in that capacity. I believe my progressive perspective, work ethic, and relational skills will enable me to meet the needs of my constituents and support the changing landscape of our city.
How would you approach citizen engagement as City Council member?
When I join council, I will commit myself to actively listening to the viewpoints of my constituents. This includes engaging in the processes that have already been established, such as community listening sessions, public comment during meetings, and email correspondence, as well as more personal contacts with constituents as requested.
In addition, because I can only be an informed decision-maker if I am privy to the viewpoints of residents across neighborhoods, backgrounds, and personal circumstances, I hope to expand my outreach efforts to be more inclusive. This might include providing online communication venues (e.g., Zoom), interacting via social media, and scheduling targeted conversations in strategic, easily-accessed locations to solicit feedback from residents whose perspectives are less frequently heard. I also hope to incorporate translation services as needed for constituent engagement.
As a school psychologist and member of multiple boards, I have spent years honing my skills as a listener and communicator and know this will directly translate into me being a responsive representative for residents of District 4.
Further, having a background in research and statistics, I believe I will be able to capably aggregate feedback from various resident groups, evaluate it in the context of content knowledge from city staff, and then make equitable and well-informed decisions for Fort Collins.
The next City Council will consider changes to the U+2 residential occupancy ordinance that limits unrelated roommates to three individuals. What changes to the ordinance, if any, would you support?
Although I support the policy’s mission to maintain the livability of neighborhoods, I firmly believe our current Fort Collins occupancy limit is overly restrictive and needs to adapt. The number of city residents who need or elect to rent (vs. buy) their homes has steadily increased over time, whereas vacancy rates for rental units have consistently declined. Further, research shows that more and more renters who violate occupancy limits are not college students, and that an increasing number of these situations involve families with children. Our community is changing, but our occupancy expectations are not.
I support the modification of U+2. This could either be achieved through a blanket increase in the renter cap beyond three unrelated or a policy that allows for “right-sizing” by tying the number of occupants to the number of bedrooms or square footage in a home. We must allow for a more flexible definition of what kinds of living arrangements are “appropriate” and de-emphasize a fixed perspective on what constitutes a “family.” Denser and more cooperative living arrangements are, in many situations, safe, beneficial, and nondisruptive to neighborhoods. Shifting away from U+2 to a more adaptable policy will reflect this reality.
With our current situation, we are keeping potentially wonderful neighbors out while, at the same time, constraining the rental market. That being said, I recognize that issues between neighbors already arise with our current policy and that guardrails will likely prove beneficial as we adjust it over time. I am a strong proponent of robust and enforceable expectations for property upkeep, safety, and neighborly behavior, not just for renters but also for homeowners.
All Fort Collins residents deserve to live in homes and neighborhoods where they can feel comfortable, complete their life activities unimpeded, build healthy relationships, and maintain the value of their property. Improving and expanding code enforcement, neighborhood mediation programs, and other livability-focused policies and procedures should ideally occur in tandem with occupancy adjustments. The city might also engage in more robust landlord/tenant education to encourage positive neighborhood climate (e.g., clear contracting about owner vs. renter responsibilities, xeriscaping to minimize landscaping demands).
Finally, in the case of rentals, it might behoove the city to extend a greater degree of responsibility for upkeep and tenant conduct to landlords and property management companies.
The city's Housing Strategic Plan seeks to increase housing supply and diversity with the overall goal of improving housing affordability, and the land use code changes reflect that process. How should the city address affordability issues and balance it with resident concerns about proposed changes?
As a high school psychologist, mentor to young public educators, and mom to two children, I am acutely aware of the fact that Fort Collins housing costs are increasingly unrealistic for the young people who are poised to inherit our city in the upcoming years and decades. Similar challenges are apparent for workers of all ages who are employed in essential fields with low-to-moderate compensation (e.g., health care, education, construction); they keep our community running, but are often unable to afford to live in the city in which they work.
Further, my parents and in-laws live in town and, although they happen to be in fortunate financial circumstances themselves, I am sensitive to the fact that our community’s housing stock and cost of living are ill-matched to the needs of many senior citizens. It is unacceptable to me that so many community members are either cost-burdened by their housing or being forced out of our community to avoid this fate.
On council, people will always center my decision-making. Fort Collins should strive for all of its residents to have adequate, comfortable homes, dictating that we must enact sustainable policies that might make this goal a reality. Without healthy, stable housing they can afford, our Fort Collins residents cannot be physically or emotionally safe. They are precluded from reaching their personal or professional best and are excluded from so many of the benefits our community celebrates: wellness, immersion in nature, and interpersonal connection. As a mental health professional, I maintain a core value that basic needs must be met for individuals to fully realize their potential as productive citizens. Our current housing situation in Fort Collins directly contradicts this tenet.
Our City Council is actively engaged in reworking our municipal Land Use Code at this time. Discussions I have observed during meetings have been responsive to resident feedback about the future direction of the document. Stakeholder participation in city decision-making is valuable and I am grateful that, after the repeal of the previous proposed code via citizen petition, time was taken to hear more perspectives before embarking on a new round of document revisions. I am especially hopeful that outreach was inclusive of residents whose housing options in Fort Collins are currently most limited, as these individuals often experience multiple obstacles to having their voices heard. It is my hope that, by integrating expanded resident feedback with data about best practices in land use, our city’s code can be adjusted in meaningful ways that meet the needs of most residents and pave a path toward a sustainable, equitable housing future.
I have engaged in much independent inquiry about best practices for managing housing costs, and have observed that research generally supports sensible density increases across zoning areas, concentrated density in areas of town that are closest to commerce and public transportation, diversification of housing types to meet changing needs/desires of tenants, and provisions for multi-family homes to include affordable units. Not only does evidence support all of these practices for stabilizing/reducing housing costs, they align with the city’s stated priorities (and my personal values) for sprawl reduction, climate action (i.e., reduced commuting from out of town, fewer car trips in town, smaller and more energy efficient homes), and smart water use through minimization of water-dependent landscaping.
I believe growth in Fort Collins is inevitable and, if we want to gain control of how that growth occurs and to select a path that includes and protects everyone, it behooves us to create a code that is realistic, data-based, and in line with the evolving desires of an increasingly diverse community of residents. As we move forward, I foresee an evolution of the code to make sure the details are “just right” for our goals and values as a city (e.g., height restrictions, setbacks, percent of required/incentivized units) while setting us on a long-term path toward a more affordable, climate resilient, and inclusive city for all.
The city continues to pursue its climate goals: cutting 2030 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2005 baseline levels; providing 100% renewable electricity by 2030; and achieving 100% landfill diversion by 2030. What specific initiatives do you support to help the city reach these goals? What else should be considered?
I believe the city must be assertive in its approach to combating climate change. In residential/commercial development and transportation planning, we must always strive to increase walking and biking opportunities and decrease driving, as through expansion of bike trails, creation of safe intersections, redevelopment and infill vs. new development (especially in more remote areas), and mixed-use development.
Likewise, we must increase our fund of achievable housing options in the city to de-incentivize commuting into Fort Collins from adjacent, less expensive communities. Aspiring to a 15-minute city model might serve to significantly decrease our city's net emissions. Although zero-emission transit is optimal, for situations that are not conducive to such options, we must expand and improve our public transportation options and encourage their use; it is imperative that we make less-polluting forms of transit easier and preferred over driving.
Finally, incentivization of electric vehicles and tools (e.g., leaf blowers) for both city and personal use (including maintenance and landscaping vehicles) is critical.
Another priority I support relates to the environmental impacts of waste management in the city. I agree with the city of Fort Collins' recent decision to centralize trash hauling services to remove trucks from the road. In the future, I would like to see more assertive action around electrification of trash hauling vehicles and more importantly, waste diversion, especially via pursuit of zero-waste point-of-sale strategies and municipal composting infrastructure.
I support expansion of alternative energy sources and enhanced opportunities for both private and public entities to minimize dependence on fossil fuels. This should include improvements to city facilities to make them carbon neutral over time. Consistent communication with state and federal legislators on optimal regulation of emissions by private and public industries is warranted. Continual monitoring and regulation of our most impactful industrial emitters will also be an important component of this process. Additionally, I am grateful for Fort Collins' commitment to strict oil and gas regulations.
Mass transit and active modes of transportation have been given greater priority in the city’s transportation planning to create safer streets and increase access for pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair users and more. There are future plans to expand the MAX bus rapid transit to Elizabeth Street and North College Avenue. What specific initiatives do you support to help the city reach these goals? What else should be considered?
I support continued expansion of our clean-running city bus system and would like to see continuous service options like the MAX extend into key east/west corridors in Fort Collins. I am also in support of increasing our efforts to promote alternative transit options, such as walking, bicycling, e-bikes, scooter/bike shares, and ridesharing. I believe planning/zoning and infrastructure investments should enhance and promote these transit methods. Public transportation is a vital resource for our residents without reliable means of transportation, those with disabilities, and those with other barriers to car-based transit. Further, increased usage of public transportation is a critical component of the city's climate action and affordable/attainable housing plans. I support expanding the breadth, frequency, and efficiency of our Transfort routes to achieve comprehensive connectedness throughout the growth management area.
With specific reference to bicycle travel, I believe the city should continue to expand the urban trail system, invest in infrastructure that mitigates issues at problem intersections, champion protected bike lanes, and explore and/or invest in expanded mountain biking routes that minimize hiker/biker conflicts. They should also continue to allow e-bikes, to extend bicycling opportunities to individuals with long commutes, physical limitations, or other obstacles that inhibit a traditional bicycle meeting their needs.
Finally, the city should explore and/or expand media and incentive programs that encourage bike commuting to work and school, as well as funding for individuals who experience challenges to purchasing or maintaining a bike.
Since the last election in 2021, Fort Collins created a new department focused on diversity, inclusion and equity to “dismantle racial disparities and increase equitable access so that persons of all identities, including race, ethnicity, religion, age, class, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and physical and mental abilities can fully participate in City services and experience equitable community outcomes.” How would you advance these efforts?
Equity needs to remain a central focus in all we do as a municipality. I applaud the city’s decision to invest in our equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts and the hard work our our EDI staff has completed thus far; I also know we have a long way yet to go in this arena.
Moving forward, I think it will be imperative that our EDI office (and city staff and leadership, in general) maintain frequent communication with individuals from various marginalized groups in our community to identify, in real time, areas of success and where we are falling short in our equity efforts. We must have current, responsive data about our equity circumstances if we want to actively pursue improvements where we are not optimally addressing the needs of community members.
I support continuing efforts to enhance leadership opportunities for residents from diverse populations, such as roles on board and commissions, involvement with City Council, chances to volunteer, and careers with the city. In these efforts, we must always be mindful of factors that make it difficult for some to engage in these activities, such as barriers related to language, child care access, income, physical ability, mental health, and transportation, as well as the impacts of bias and discrimination. It is critical that we provide opportunities for those from marginalized groups to engage in meaningful dialogue with city staff in safe, productive, affirming spaces on a regular basis, and thereafter, that feedback be put into meaningful action.
On council, I look forward to interfacing with the EDI office about where our city’s historically underrepresented groups are most disproportionately facing obstacles, so as to more effectively pair with community agencies to address the most salient areas of needs, and to enact policies and procedures that work hard for all residents. As a member of council, I look forward to collaborating with our EDI office to review city initiatives through an equity lens, eliciting feedback about how current and proposed policies are likely to help or hurt our larger vision for a thriving, accessible, inclusive Fort Collins.
The Fort Collins Rescue Mission is making progress toward building a 24/7 shelter for men experiencing homelessness in north Fort Collins. And while the city does not provide direct services to people experiencing homelessness, it does provide some funding to community agencies that do. It also funds a position to coordinate sheltering efforts, including emergency shelters. What do you think of these approaches, and do you have any other specific suggestions for the city’s role in addressing homelessness in Fort Collins?
Addressing the needs of the unhoused is an area in which our city needs to take especially focused action. Fort Collins has already engaged in extensive, targeted data collection and community engagement around this issue. Now, we must move forward with addressing areas in our housing continuum that are insufficient or lacking altogether, as through bringing our 24-hour comprehensive shelter plan to fruition and expansion of diverse housing options, such as supported and unsupported apartments, ADUs, deed restricted units, subsidized housing for young people aging out of foster care, etc. We will need to leverage all possible funding sources to do this, including government programs, private donations, agency contributions, and our city revenues.
Similarly, the city should continue to engage in concrete actions to identify and fund lagging support services that might enhance individuals’ and families’ chances of avoiding initial and/or recurrent homelessness (e.g., mental health services, substance abuse treatment, financial/employment counseling, job coaching, landlord/tenant mediation services, etc.).
What areas do you think the city should prioritize higher or lower with its investments of time and money?
My budget decisions as a City Council member will always center on people, first and foremost. In line with my campaign priorities of equity, community, and sustainability, I would like to see adequate funds devoted to the creation and maintenance of housing options for all, including expanded supports for our unhoused residents; workforce development; connectivity through eco-friendly transit; our police co-responder and restorative justice programs; inclusive parks, recreation, and creative opportunities; care for and expansion of our city-owned natural areas; and environmental initiatives to create a sustainable future, like municipal composting and renewable energy.
If we experience shortfalls in the budgeting process, essential safety and public services (e.g., fire, critical police functions, EMS, housing supports, food banks, physical and mental health centers, libraries), especially those that take care of our most vulnerable residents, will need to be budgeted for first.
I will also prioritize essential infrastructure that maintains safety and community access for residents (e.g., safe drinking water, utility subsidies, public transit).
Should taxes and fees need to be levied to balance the budget, I will be mindful of the disproportionate impact that "sin taxes" (e.g., cigarettes, alcohol) have on residents facing sociocultural and financial hardships.
More about Melanie Potyondy
Occupation: School psychologist, Rocky Mountain High School
Campaign website: www.melanieforfoco.com
Experiences, jobs, affiliations or community work relevant to this office:
School psychologist, Rocky Mountain High School (2015-present)
Building representative, Poudre Education Association (2018-present)
Board member, Colorado Society of School Psychologists (2019-present)
Member, Colorado Department of Education Mental Health Advisory Committee (2020-present)
Member, League of Women Voters (2021-present)
City councilperson, city of Fort Collins (2021)
Member, Fort Collins Women’s Commission (2018-2020)
Participant, Fort Collins City Works 101 (2018)
Need more info? Voter guide for District 4: What Shirley Peel and Melanie Potyondy want for Fort Collins
Potyondy's opponent: A Q&A with Shirley Peel, running for reelection to Fort Collins City Council District 4
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins City Council election 2023: Q&A with Melanie Potyondy
