6. Request for Proposals
City of Scandia
Request for Proposal (RFP)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING CODE UPDATE
ISSUED: February 6, 2020
PROPOSALS DUE BY: March 13, 2020
Proposals to be submitted to:
Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator, City of Scandia, 14727 209th Street North, Scandia, Minnesota 55073.
k.cammilleri@ci.scandia.mn.us
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I. Project Description
A. Community Background
The City of Scandia, Minnesota is a rural community located in northern Washington County, at
the edge of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Formerly known as New Scandia Township
until its incorporation on January 1, 2007, the City of Scandia is a community with a rich history
as the site of the first Swedish immigrants to settle in Minnesota. The historic village center
(located around the intersection of Oakhill Road and Olinda Trail) is home to a business
community that provides many goods and services and is the focal point of community life.
Scandia's 39.7 square miles represent a scenic, rolling landscape dotted with lakes, woodlands,
farms and low-density rural development. The St. Croix River, Big Marine Lake, and William
O’Brien State Park are three natural gems that are among the community’s greatest
attractions. Scandia's population (2010 Census) is 3,934 persons in 1,703 households.
The City’s history is distinct part of the Community’s landscape. The village center and historic
family farms maintain their historical charm and appearance. The community’s early rural
commercial centers marking exist at the historic town site of Copas on Minnesota Highway 95
and near the Big Marine Lake community on County Road 15.
On October 15, 2019, the City adopted a new 2040 Comprehensive Plan that now incorporates
development concepts that are intended to retain the community’s rural character while allowing
select areas of the City to develop differently.
The City of Scandia desires to update its development code and zoning map in accordance with
the 2040 Scandia Comprehensive Plan. A copy can be found by visiting the City’s website at:
www.ci.scandia.mn.us
B. Project Overview
Primary Project Scope
The primary scope of work of this project will include providing updates to the City’s existing
zoning regulations and zoning map to reflect development goals and objectives set with the 2019
Comprehensive Planning Process. The City wishes to retain its existing Euclidian framework of
the zoning code (including existing zoning districts), but introduce changes necessary to
modernize the code and bring it into conformity with recent Comprehensive Plan changes. This
will include adding districts to reflect both existing and future anticipated uses.
Project Alternate
The alternate scope of this project is to rewrite the City of Scandia’s subdivision code, zoning
code and map, and site plan ordinance, to create a new Unified Development Code that is more
reflective of what the community is today and what it envisions to be in the future. This
alternate option should guide new subdivision, zoning, and site plan ordinances that are easy for
all parties to understand and are straightforward for City staff to administer and for citizens to
understand within the framework of existing neighborhoods and development goals reflected in
the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
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C. Project Objectives
1) To update Scandia’s Development Code and zoning map to implement the recommendations
of the City’s most recent 2040 Comprehensive Plan existing Euclidian structure, through a
unified development code that considers Scandia’s natural setting its scenic vistas, lakes, and its
shoreland in the St. Croix River Valley and its development goals.
2) The City desires an updated zoning code while maintaining existing zoning districts and
adding additional districts as necessary to maintain existing development while adding districts
appropriate to identified comprehensive plan goals.
3) Incorporate existing design standards and other zoning strategies for the Village Center
district to maintain architectural character and consistency.
4) (ALTERNATE ADDITON) Revamp Scandia’s Development Code to include changes to
subdivision regulations, zoning code and map, and site plan ordinance to add illustrated and
size-based regulations, allowing for a degree of flexibility and greater document usability.
II. Scope of Services
A. Public Participation Process
The Consultant shall propose a broad-based public participation process that specifies how and
when the public will be engaged throughout the development code rewrite process.
B. Project Orientation
At the beginning of the project, the Consultant shall meet with City staff and Planning
Commission for a project orientation meeting. The meeting will provide an understanding of
project process, goals, and schedule.
C. Issue Identification
The Consultant shall describe its approach for gathering broad-based input about the existing
subdivision code, zoning code and map, and site plan ordinance. Input shall be obtained from
the City Council, Planning Commission, city staff, the general public, stakeholders, and others.
D. Development Code Analysis
The Consultant shall complete a technical analysis of the existing subdivision code, zoning
code, and site plan ordinance. The analysis shall be made in consideration of:
1) Information obtained from the issue identification process
2) The Consultant’s experience and/or knowledge of best practices in other communities
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3) The Consultant’s knowledge of innovative zoning and land use practices
E. Outline of Proposed Development Code Changes
The Consultant shall provide an outline of the proposed changes to the subdivision code,
zoning code, and site plan ordinance. The outline shall include:
1) An overview of the proposed structure and substance of the new codes
2) Different options for addressing issues
3) A recommended approach for each issue
4) Commentary on the rationale for the recommended approach
5) An explanation of illustrative and size-based regulations that may be included as part
of the project alternate scope of work.
The Consultant shall present the outline to the Planning Commission for review prior to
creation of the draft development code changes.
F. Draft Development Code Changes
The Consultant shall prepare a draft subdivision code, zoning code, and site plan ordinance
based on the outline of proposed development code changes. At this stage, it is not expected
that the Consultant will prepare a zoning map, but the Consultant shall provide working maps
that show how the proposed changes would be applied. After initial review by City staff and the
Planning Commission, the draft changes shall be widely distributed for review and comment.
The Consultant shall propose an approach for soliciting broad-based input about the draft
changes from the City Council, Planning Commission, and committees, the general public,
stakeholders, and others.
The proposal shall include the projected number of meetings/presentations/workshops etc. the
consultant will conduct in order to gather input. It is expected that the draft development code
changes will have multiple rounds of drafting, circulation, and revisions.
G. Draft Zoning Map Changes
After a final draft of the development code changes is completed, the Consultant shall provide
a draft citywide zoning map necessary to implement the proposed code changes. After initial
review by City staff and the Planning Commission, the draft zoning map changes shall be
widely distributed for review and comment.
H. Final Drafts of Development Code Changes and Zoning Map
The Consultant shall prepare a final draft of the proposed development code changes and
zoning map changes for public hearing purposes. An executive summary shall be produced
explaining the final drafts and rationale behind the proposed changes.
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I. Attend Public Hearings and Revise Development Code Changes and Zoning Map
The consultant shall present the final drafts of the development code changes and zoning map
to the Planning Commission and City Council at public hearings. The consultant shall make
changes to the final drafts based on input from the public hearings and the Planning
Commission and City Council.
J. Development Code Adoption and Implementation
The consultant shall provide a final copy of the adopted development code changes and map in
hard copy, modifiable electronic, and web-friendly formats. Final updates to the zoning map
shall be compatible with the City of Scandia’s Geographic Information System (GIS).
III. Role of City Staff
1) Technical resource for code amendments
2) Coordination of meetings (hearing notices, dissemination of press releases, scheduling
meetings, etc.)
3) Production of copies of documents
IV. Fees and Expenses
The consultant shall provide an estimated cost for the primary scope of work and an additional
estimate for the addition of the alternate scope of work, See VI.
V. Calendar of Events
Date/s Event
February 10, 2020 Date of issue of the RFP
4:00 pm, March 13, 2020 RFPs due
Week of March 16-20, 2020 Advisory Committee reviews
RFPs and selects 2 finalists
Week of March 23-22, 2020 Advisory Committee
interviews finalists
April 1, 2020 City Council
Meeting
Advisory Committee
recommendation of selected
consultant to City Council
and Council authorizes staff
to enter into final contract
with consultant
April 21-24, 2020 Final contract executed
May 5, 2020 Planning
Commission Meeting
Project begins
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VI. Required Submittals
1) Description of the Consultant’s proposed overall approach to
the project including strategy used to accomplish the City’s
project objectives and the scope of services described in
Sections I and II.
2) Description of the methods proposed to complete each task in
the scope of services (Section II letters A-J). Provide a
proposed project timeline that indicates the approximate
schedule for completing each task. Describe the allocation of
the project budget by task. Submit proposed fee and
reimbursable expense schedules as necessary to accomplish the
scope of services.
3) Description of the Consultant’s experience in preparing zoning
codes that have form-based or other zoning frameworks
integrated with conventional land use-based provisions.
4) Description of the Consultant’s experience in drafting zoning
codes for cities of similar size and setting to Scandia (approx.
4,000; rural character; river valley; greater Minnesota;
Minnesota land use law).
5) Description of the Consultant’s staffing plan for the project,
including resumes and qualifications of key personnel.
VII: Zoning Code Update Advisory Committee
This committee will screen and review proposals submitted as part of this RFP process
narrowing the selection to two candidates’ proposals which will be review and selected by the
City Council.
The Committee shall be made up of:
Mayor
City Council Representative
Planning Commission Chair
Planning Commission member
VIII. Contact Information:
Project Manager:
Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator
14727 209th Street North
Scandia, MN 55073
(651) 433-2274
k.cammilleri@ci.scandia.mn.us
IX. Miscellaneous Information
Visit or contact the project manager for additional information.
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X. PROPOSAL EVALUATION.
A. The City of Scandia will evaluate all complete proposals received by the deadline.
Incomplete proposals, late proposals, or proposals sent to any other address will not be
considered. In some instances, an interview or demonstration may be part of the
evaluation process.
B. The first part evaluation will be limited strictly to the general submission
requirements and project specific requirements as outlined in Sections I, II, and VI.
C. The second part evaluation of all proposals shall be based upon deriving the “Best
Value” for the City of Scandia. Best Value means achieving an appropriate balance
between price and other factors that are key to the delivery of satisfactory deliverables. A
proposal that obtains a low price but does not include other necessary qualities and
features as specified in this RFP does not meet the Best Value criterion. Factors upon
which the proposals will be judged include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Vendor’s industry experience and previous experience in performing similar work,
particularly with public sector entities and public employers in the state of Minnesota;
2. Thoroughness, quality, specificity, robustness, flexibility of Vendor’s approach/
methodology, including the approach to accounting for both public input;
3. Cost estimate;
4. Vendor’s past performance and client references.
5. Timeliness of start date after contract execution, and ability to complete a thorough
market study and provide high-quality deliverables within a compact time frame.
XI. Additional Terms and Conditions
A. The City of Scandia reserves the right to determine, at its sole and absolute discretion,
whether any aspect of a proposal satisfactorily meets the criteria established in this RFP.
Further, the City of Scandia reserves the right to not select any proposal to fulfill this
project should it deem proceeding would be too cost prohibitive.
B. The City of Scandia reserves the right to request additional information from Vendors
during any phase of the proposal evaluation process. During the evaluation and selection
process, the City may require the presence of Vendors’ representatives. Vendors are
required to travel at their own expense for the demonstration of the product and answer
questions; vendors may be asked to participate in conference by telephone. Notification of
any such requirements will be given as necessary.
C. The City of Scandia will not pay for the information solicited or obtained. The information
obtained will be used in determining the alternative that best meets the needs of the City.