6. Discussion on engaging a consultant for the development of the 2040 Comprehensive PlanSCANDIA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: September 7, 2016
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: 2018 Comprehensive Plan update — consultant selection process
Background: The City will need to adopt a 2040 Comprehensive Plan by December 31, 2018.
There are no funds allocated for work on the comprehensive plan in the 2016 budget. In the
preliminary discussions on the 2017 budget, the Council has allocated $56,000 (80% of
estimated cost) in 2017 to engage a consultant to work on a revision to the comprehensive
plan. Given the number of meetings involved and the need to submit the plan to other
governmental agencies for review in advance of adopting, the work on the plan will need to be
completed by mid -2018 which leaves an 18 -month time frame for the completion of the
majority of the work. In checking with other cities, many are already working on their plans or
are in the process of seeking proposals for work on the plan. The other advantage of seeking
proposals at this time is that the cost can be built into the final 2017 budget.
Issue: Should the City issue a request for proposals for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan?
Proposal Details: If the City chooses to engage in a consultant selection process, a tentative
timeline for the process would be as follows:
RFP Invitations Sent
September 15 2016
Deadline for Consultant Questions/Clarifications
September 30, 2016
City Responses and/or Addenda
October 7 2016
Proposals Due
October 14 2016
Invitation of selected consultants to interview
October 18 2016
Schedule Consultant Interviews
Selection of Consultant
October 24 - November 2 2016
November 15 2016
Meet with City Staff to review schedule etc.
TBD
Planning Commission Meeting
TBD
Fiscal Impact: The only expenditure of funds in 2016 would be for staff time.
Options:
1. Seek proposals for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan update
2. Contract with TKDA, our current planner, for the update
3. Defer any action on the plan update until a later date ( post elections or after elected
officials take office)
Recommendation: Option 1— Deferring action on seeking proposals will likely limit the number
of firms responding to the proposals based on their capacity for working on plan updates in
other cities. The tentative timeline referenced above would allow for the selection of
consultants to be interviewed at the October Council meeting and final selection of the
consultant at the November Council meeting.
City of Scandia
Draft of Proposed Comprehensive Plan Update Calendar
Dates Action
August, 2016
Discussion at work session regarding update / cleanup vs. major
revisions (completed – Major revision)
August, 2016
Include funding in 2017 preliminary budget, earmark funds for 2018
budget (completed $70,000 split 80% in 2017,20% in 2018)
September, 2016
Discussion at work session regarding consultant selection – rfp vs. use
current consultants
September, 2016
If using r – solicit proposals
October – November, 2016
If using rfp – interview and award proposals
October, 2016
Pre -planning survey included in newsletter
November - December, 2016
If using current consultants – approve work orders
December - January, 2017
Work with consultant contract – define tasks, process and timeline
February - March, 2017
Pre -planning Community visioning meeting
April – July, 2017
Evaluation of current conditions, identify items where updates are
needed and focus areas for 2040 Comp Plan
• Land Use
• Transportation – Bolton Menk
• Wastewater – Bolton Menk
• Water Supply – Bolton Menk
• Surface Water – Bolton Menk
• Parks & Trails – Parks & Rec Committee
• Housing – Washington County CDA
• Resilience
• Economic Competitiveness – EDA
• Implementation
September, 2017
Public Community visioning meeting
November, 2017 – February,
Develop draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan chapters—text, maps, goals
2018
and policies
April, 2018
Public meeting on draft of plan
June 30, 2018
Plans draft submitted to Metro Council, and neighboring communities
for review. Surface water and water supply elements submitted to
watershed districts for review.
October, 2018
Public hearing on final Comprehensive Plan and make changes for
submittal to Metro Council
October – December
Metro Council approval and City Council adoption of final
Comprehensive Plan
December 31, 2018
Deadline for plan submission