CITY OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES May 11, 2012 The City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is seeking the professional services of an urban planning firm to assist with a comprehensive update of the City of Lancaster Zoning Ordinance, as amended, in order to assure consistency with the City of Lancaster Comprehensive Plan and other community goals and objectives; to ensure that the City s zoning regulations are in compliance with relevant federal and state legislation and case law; to increase the consistency of City zoning regulations with the City s green infrastructure goals and objectives, to ensure that the historic urban form and walkable character of the city is preserved, and to improve consistency of the Ordinance with modern urban zoning practices and procedures. The Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Amendment Project is being funded, in part, by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through the Early Intervention Program. The submission deadline is 4:30 p.m.thursday, June 7, 2012. Interviews with the firms selected as finalists will be scheduled June 26 and June 27, 2012, with consultant selection made on June 29, 2012. The scope of work begins the week of July 2, 2012, with completion anticipated by November 30, 2012. Proposals exceeding $50,000 may not be considered due to funding limitations. If there are questions regarding the work program and submission requirements, please contact: Paula Jackson, Chief Planner, City of Lancaster, P.O. Box 1599, Lancaster, PA 17608-1599, at pjackson@cityoflancasterpa.com or at 717-291-4754. 1
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CITY OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BACKGROUND The current City of Lancaster Ordinance was adopted in March 1996 following a two-year citizen-based planning process intended to increase consistency of zoning provisions with the City s new 1993 Comprehensive Plan. The 1996 Zoning ordinance incorporated many new zoning provisions intended to implement the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Provisions in the Ordinance accommodated the adaptive reuse of existing buildings for residential and mixed uses, increased opportunities for small business development both as home occupations and small neighborhood shops and offices, added limits for impervious lot coverage in order to reduce stormwater runoff, provided for reduced parking requirements where mass transit and pedestrian accessibility existed or shared parking was feasible, created a Park and Open space zoning district encompassing the floodplain along the Conestoga River as well as existing parks, and retained the high-density development pattern of most of the City. In early 2000 the City Bureau of Planning embarked on a comprehensive review of its 1996 Zoning Ordinance. Following multiple work sessions with the City Planning Commission and technical assistance from a planning consultant, a comprehensive Zoning Ordinance amendment was adopted in December 2003. Both Zoning map and text changes were considered in this amendment. Among the changes in the 2003 amendment were the creation of a new CB1 (Central Business Core) District, exempting wheelchair ramps from lot coverage limitations, imposing height limits for commercial telecommunications tower and antennas, adding several new use categories, and rezoning seven areas/sites. In April 2007, the City of Lancaster, along with ten neighboring municipalities, adopted Growing Together, A Comprehensive Plan for Central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Funded by planning grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the County of Lancaster, Growing Together was the first multimunicipal plan of its kind in Pennsylvania. Prior to Growing Together, no other comprehensive plan in the Commonwealth had been developed through the cooperative effort of so many municipalities, ranging from urban to rural, in the core of a metropolitan area. In addition to adopting Growing Together, the Lancaster City Council reaffirmed the City s 1993 Comprehensive Plan, since many of the goals and objectives of the 1993 Plan address issues unique to the City. In accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), the City desires to review in its entirety the City of Lancaster Zoning Ordinance and to amend the Ordinance as necessary to achieve general consistency between the Zoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan. Along with its two-component Comprehensive Plan, the City has adopted the City of Lancaster Strategic Plan, 2011 2013, which targets certain strategic focus areas of the Comprehensive Plan as priorities for implementing actions. Consistency between the Zoning Ordinance and Strategic Plan also must be considered. 2
PURPOSE OF COMPREHENSIVE AMENDMENT Through this proposed Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Amendment Project, the City will ensure that its zoning provisions are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, that zoning provisions promote the green and sustainable focus area of the Strategic Plan, that the traditional urban quality and livable community character of Lancaster are preserved and enhanced through appropriate zoning standards, and that the residential, economic, and qualityof- life needs of the City s changing and ethnically diverse population are addressed. PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK Overall Scope of Work The Consultant will serve as a professional resource for a comprehensive review and update of the City of Lancaster Zoning Ordinance. Specific work program elements include the following: Kick-off meeting with City staff; Background research; Five focus groups; Online zoning questionnaire; Public workshop; Work session with City staff to review preliminary findings; Draft written report of findings and recommendations; Second work session with staff to review draft report; and Final product. The term of the five-month contract is proposed to be July 2, 2012 through November 30, 2012. Follow-through with the formal amendment and approval process pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code will be undertaken by City staff. Program Work Elements 1. Kick-off Meeting with City Staff Consultant will meet with City staff to review the City s experiences with the current Zoning Ordinance and other development-related City Ordinances. Items addressed by the staff will include primary staff recommendations for Ordinance revisions, patterns in Zoning Hearing Board decisions, pending development projects, and other City ordinances regulating design and development. 2. Background Research Consultant will become familiar with Lancaster s land use patterns by touring all neighborhoods and undeveloped/underdeveloped areas, and reviewing available maps. Consultant will review the City s Comprehensive Plan, which includes both Growing Together, the 11-municipality regional comprehensive plan adopted in 2007, and the reaffirmed 1993 City of Lancaster Comprehensive Plan, the City of Lancaster Strategic Plan, relevant sections within the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan, and the zoning classifications of adjacent districts within neighboring municipalities. Consultant will assemble examples of how other similar cities in Pennsylvania and elsewhere have addressed the types of issues present in Lancaster. Consultant will review the Planning staff s proposed changes to the City Zoning Ordinance, in consideration of this background research. 3
3. Focus Groups with Local Officials, Design Professionals, Developers, Realtors, Business Owners and Community Leaders Consultant will facilitate five focus groups with individuals identified by City staff, including, among others, the following: City and County elected and appointed individuals, the Smart Growth Coalition, and key developers, business owners and community leaders. Consultant will prepare a written summary of the zoning-related issues and recommendations identified by focus group participants. 4. Online Zoning Questionnaire Consultant will assist City staff in developing an online questionnaire, using Survey Monkey or other readily available software. Following the deadline for survey responses, the consultant will analyze results and prepare a written summary of key findings. 5. Public Workshop Consultant will co-facilitate one public workshop to review basic zoning concepts and to receive feedback on specific topics. Consultant will prepare written summary of public workshop findings. 6. First Work Session with City Staff Consultant will meet with staff to discuss preliminary results of background information and to discuss summaries of input from focus groups, online survey, and public workshop. 7. Draft Findings/Recommendations Consultant will prepare a draft report with the following elements: a summary of the findings and conclusions of the background research, the recommendations of focus group participants, results of the online survey, and the input of citizens at the public workshop. The report will identify possible revisions to the Zoning Ordinance, addressing the input of citizens, incorporating innovative zoning concepts successfully adopted and implemented in other urban municipalities, and appropriate revisions recommended by staff. 8. Second Work Session with City Staff Consultant will meet with City staff to discuss draft findings and recommendations. 9. Final Product Consultant will finalize the report and provide as a supplement a proposed draft Zoning Ordinance amendment, utilizing Word Tracking if appropriate. The consultant will provide the City with five paper copies and 30 CDs of the final written report and a draft Zoning Ordinance amendment. Anticipated Project Schedule 1. Kick-off Meeting July 2 12, 2012 2. Background Research July 2 31, 2012 3. Focus Groups August 1 31, 2012 4. Online Survey August 1 31, 2012 5. Public Workshop Sept. 10 14, 2012 6. First Work Session with City Staff Sept. 17 20, 2012 7. Draft Findings/Recommendations Sept. 24 Oct. 26, 2012 8. Second Work Session with Staff Oct. 29 Nov. 9, 2012 9. Final Product November 30, 2012 4
CITY OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA PROPOSAL FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Contents of Proposal Description of work program to address each element of the Scope of Work, including information sources for background research and methodology for interviews and public workshop. Qualifications of firm in developing zoning regulations. Address specifically the individuals to be assigned to the project. Description of previous consultant work similar to this proposal, with names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least three references. Only include references for municipalities where the work has been completed. Flowchart of the sequence of work activities and completion date for each element. A detailed budget, with costs of each work element; the staff members to be assigned to each element, with respective hourly rates and the number of hours each staff member will provide per work element. Resumes for each staff person assigned to this project, excluding clerical and support staff. Number of Copies and Submission Deadline Five paper and three CD copies of the proposal shall be submitted to Paula Jackson, Chief Planner, by 4:30 p.m., Thursday, June 7, 2012. Deliver or mail proposal to Ms. Jackson at the Bureau of Planning, City of Lancaster, P.O. Box 1599, 120 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17608-1599. Only timely received submittals meeting the requirements of this request for proposals shall be considered. No submittal shall be considered or accepted which is submitted by a firm that is in default under the terms of any existing agreement with the City of Lancaster, or which has failed to perform its obligations faithfully under any previous agreement with the City. The Chief Executive Officer of the firm shall sign submittals. Consultant Selection and Contract Interviews will be conducted at the discretion of the City, with anticipated dates of June 26 and June 27, 2012. The City intends to select a consultant by Friday, June 29, 2012. Primary factors to be considered in the award of the contract are the following: 5
1) Consultant s past experience in the development and amendment of zoning ordinances, particular in cities similar to Lancaster; 2) Experience of staff assigned to this project; 3) Consultant s familiarity with zoning in Pennsylvania and with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code; 4) Consultant s understanding of and approach to undertaking the Scope of Work; 5) References; and 6) Cost for Service. The City will issue a notice of selection to the chosen consultant. Accompanying the notice will be the contract, which shall be executed by the consultant and returned within ten (10) working days. The consultant will begin work on the contract effective date. The contract will be subject to the applicable statutes and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Lancaster, including but not limited to those involving nondiscrimination/sexual harassment and acknowledgement of Commonwealth assistance in all public documents related to the contract. The contract, when executed, shall be deemed to include the entire agreement between the parties; the Proposer shall not base any claim for modification of the contract upon any prior representation or promise made by the representatives of the City, or other persons. The successful firm and collaborating subcontractors will be required to submit a Non- Discrimination Statement and Certificates of Insurance at the time of Contract execution. The City will not execute the Contract prior to receiving all stipulated information. During the term of the contract, the consultant will provide the City with monthly progress reports. The City will serve as a resource for the consultant and will review the quality and scope of the consultant s work for acceptability and completeness. Contract Termination The City shall have the right to terminate a contract or a part thereof before the work is completed in the event: Previous unknown circumstances arise making it desirable in the public interest to void the contract. The proposer is not adequately complying with the terms of the contract. The proposer in the judgment of the City is unnecessarily or willfully delaying the performance and completion of the work. The proposer refuses to proceed with work when and as directed by the City. The proposer abandons the work. 6
Right to Audit Records The City shall be entitled to audit the books and records of a contractor or any sub-contractor to the extent that such books and records relate to the performance of such contract. Such books and records shall be maintained by the contractor for a period of five (5) years from the date of final payment unless a shorter period is otherwise authorized in writing. Withdrawal of Proposals Proposers will be given permission to withdraw any proposals after they have been received by the City, provided said request is in writing and properly signed, and is received at least prior to the time and date set for proposals to be received. After the proposal deadline, no proposal may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days following the receipt of proposals by the City of Lancaster. Proposal Rejection or Negotiation The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals for any reason. The City also reserves the right to negotiate with one or more consultants in regard to the Scope of Work, time of completion, and final compensation. 7