HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-05-08PLANNING BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE FOR COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN UPDATE
MAY 8, 2019
Present: John Kiefer, Craig Anderson, Tony Salerno, Daniel Bussman, Joe Wilson, Tom
Hatfield, Jim Skaley,. Martin Hatch
Liaisons: Craig Schutt, Conservation Board
Alice Green, Town Board
• Kiefer removed the two references to a revision to the Recreation Plan
because he's not familiar with it and doesn't know how to describe the
scope of work. The scope of work for the Comp Plan update will include
an updated description of Town recreational facilities and the survey will
include a section on adequacy of existing/need for additional
facilities. Update to the "Parks and Recreation" section in the
Recommendations section of the Comp Plan will be included. We will ask
the Rec Commission what additional things they would like and, if needed
and approved by the TB, add them to the work scope via contract
amendment.
• We noted the $20K in the current Town budget is way short of the
anticipated cost to update the Plan. Tom recalled that inability to meet
cash flow for the 2005 Plan was one reason the work took five years to
complete. We think the Plan update cost will be "into six figures".
• We discussed the TB's request to complete the work in two years and that
the 2005 Plan took five. Also, the more recent Ag Plan took three
years. We will try to keep the two-year schedule but will also ask the
consultants their opinion of appropriate project duration.
• We discussed whether the 2005 Plan included a citizen survey. The text on
Page 30 and 31 of the Plan talks about a 1990 and 1999 survey but does
not appear to indicate that they were done as part of the Plan
process. Survey questions and responses are not included in the 2005
Plan. Only a summary is included. The 1999 survey appears to be part of
Cornell class project.
• We discussed process for reviewing proposals, selecting and interviewing
finalists, and selecting a company for recommendation to the TB. We
agreed we will select a subcommittee of PB members (plus Ray) to
conduct the selection process.
• We discussed the redundant nature of the 2005 Plan and agreed to work
with the selected consultant to insure the revised plan is more concise and
readable.
The attached revised RFP (Request for Proposal) was drafted for review.
Meeting was adjourned.
Minutes submitted by J. Kiefer
Request for Proposal
Comprehensive Plan Update
May xx , 2019
Purpose
The Town of Dryden seeks to enter into an agreement with a qualified firm to provide a
general update to the Town's 2005 Comprehensive Plan.
Services shall include, but not be limited to: community engagement, research,
consultation on best practices, meeting facilitation, document drafting, mapping, creation
of supporting graphics, statistical analysis, and presentations to elected and appointed
officials and the general public..
The intent of this project is to update the Comprehensive Plan to reflect the community's
vision for its future growth and development and to preserve and enhance the quality of
life in the Town of Dryden.
2. Introduction and Background
The Town of Dryden prepared its first "General Plan" in 1968. The 25 year plan set forth
a vision for a "pleasant and efficient physical environment" based on guiding principles
to "protect that which is worth protecting, conserve that which is worth conserving, and
improve that which needs improving". The citizen survey that accompanied the plan
collected primarily quantitative demographic information although a brief qualitative
section indicated people were generally happy with schools and municipal services and
concerned about aesthetics of the landscape and lack of recreational facilities. The 1968
Plan recognized that agriculture is Dryden's principle land use and that the Town should
seek to preserve its rural character. The Plan acknowledged the need to plan for
anticipated growth, particularly in the Rt366/13 corridor, and to create conservation and
agriculture zones to protect those sensitive areas
Nearly 40 years passed before Dryden released its second and current Comprehensive
Plan in 2005. The Plan, which referenced a 25 year horizon and recommended a five
year update cycle, stated that its overall goal was to promote the health, safety and
general welfare of the people of the town of Dryden. Although the 2005 Plan did not
include a survey of Dryden's citizens, it did draw on and reference a 1999 survey
conducted for a class project in Cornell's City and Regional Planning Department and on
a 1990 survey conducted by the Town. The 1999 survey indicated a strong desire to
preserve the rural nature of the Town, protect environmentally sensitive areas and to
improve recreational and public transportation facilities. The Plan introduced the concept
of cluster subdivisions and other tools to accommodate growth while preserving and
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 2
enhancing open space. As an indication of how much has changed in the intervening
years, the word "sustainable" only appears twice in the 2005 Plan.
This RFP seeks a proposal to update the 2005 Plan. A 2014 STAR assessment of the
2005 Plan done by a Town staff intern provides context for the update. The following
table lists STAR planning categories listed in order of how well they are represented in
the 2005 Plan, with stronger representation at the top.
Built Environment
Natural Systems
Health and Safety
Economy and Jobs
Education, Arts, Community
Equity and Empowerment
Climate and Energy
3. Scope of Work
The general update to the Plan shall keep the 25 year planning horizon, a 10 year update
cycle, and shall include the following elements. We are seeking a comprehensive update
to the 2005 Plan and anticipate that most of the tables, maps and text will be either
confirmed as relevant or revised and supplemented with additional material as required to
meet the scope of work. The project deliverable is the updated Comprehensive Plan
which shall be submitted in accessible, tagged PDF format.
3.1 Update to the Introduction to the Plan
Update to the first chapter of the 2005 Plan shall include the following summaries of
Town of Dryden planning documents for the purpose providing background/contextural
information:
• The 2005 Comprehensive Plan including the Varna Community Development Plan
• The 2018 Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
• The 2011 Recreation Master Plan
• The 2003 Open Space Inventory
• The 2017 Natural Resources Conservation Plan
• The 2015 Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan which includes Dryden
• The 2008 Route 13/366 Corridor Management Plan and the current update
• The 2017 Town of Dryden Water and Sewer District Consolidation Study
The Chapter 1 Update shall also include:
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 3
• A summary of the New York Rural Water Association Source Water Protection
Plan which is started but not complete.
• A summary of significant events/projects in the Town including the ban on natural
gas and petroleum mining, the failed Critical Environmental Area initiative, the
three community solar projects in the Town, the Dryden Rail Trail project, and
Dryden's participation in the NYS Climate Smart Communities program.
• An Executive Summary of the Plan which is missing from the 2005 Plan.
3.2 Inventory and Analysis, Goals and Objectives Update
Update to the Chapter 2 Inventory and Analysis of the 2005 Plan shall include the
information in the maps and tables in the chapter and the associated text. Items of
particular relevance include:
• Data from the 2010 Census to inform trends and forecasting of future growth.
• Data from Dryden's building permit database to inform an analysis of the how recent
construction compares with the development goals set forth in the 2005 Plan and to
forecast future growth. Provide information on cost of existing housing to inform
better planning for affordable housing.
• The scope of work includes analysis of Dryden's Zoning codes, particularly the
Allowable Uses and Area and Bulk tables to determine their compatibility with Goals
and Objectives of the Plan.
• Update to the Transportation section to inform an analysis of traffic volumes and
availability/ use of public transportation.
• Update to the Schools section to include growth of the Tompkins Cortland
Community College.
• Update the infrastructure section to include broadband and water and sewer updates.
• Inventory of the tax base and revenue sources.
• The scope of work includes a greenhouse gas inventory for the Town and an
inventory of Town vulnerabilities to a changing climate.
The scope of work includes design and execution of a comprehensive survey and public
outreach program including a survey of all Dryden residents and at least three community
workshops located at different locations in the Town. Information from the survey and
workshops will form the basis for update and revision to Chapter 3 Goals and Objectives.
The survey and workshops shall be designed to inform the following:
• A vision statement and goals and objectives for the revised Plan
• A new topic in the Plan covering Climate Change and Energy and how Dryden
residents want their local government to participate in topics such as climate change
mitigation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 4
• An evaluation of whether the Goals and Objective identified in the 2005
Comprehensive Plan are still relevant and the degree to which they have been
accomplished.
3.3 Plan Recommendations
The scope of work includes analysis and update of Plan Recommendations based on the
updated Goals and Objectives. Many of the recommendations from the 2005
Comprehensive Plan will still be relevant but their relative priority may have changed.
The following topics shall be emphasized in the recommendations:
• Affordable Housing The Plan shall include a thorough analysis and
recommendations for how Dryden can incentivize construction of affordable
housing. The analysis shall include locations and suggestions for zoning
language if needed and appropriate.
• Transportation The Plan shall include analysis of existing transit modes and
recommendations to reduce fossil motor vehicle use.
• Walkable Communities The Plan shall include a thorough analysis and
recommendations for how Dryden can incentivize construction of walkable
communities/nodal development. The analysis shall include locations and
suggestions for zoning language if needed and appropriate..
• Development in the Conservation and Agriculture Zones. The Plan shall include
an analysis and recommendations for development in these two zones to insure
development is consistent with Plan goals. The analysis shall include
suggestions for zoning language changes if needed and appropriate.
• Economic Development The Plan shall update the Town's economic
development goals, inventory commercial, agricultural and ag-related enterprises
and make recommendations to meet development goals.
• Climate Change and Energv Anticipating community support for inclusion of the
topic of climate change the consultant should plan on a thorough analysis and
recommendations on the topic.
4.0 Project Structure
The Dryden Town Board delegated the management of the update project to the Dryden
Town Planning Board, which, along with the Town Director of Planning, will serve as
the steering committee and the "customer" for the work. The Town Director of Planning
will serve as point person for the project for contractual matters such as invoice approval
and payment for serves. The Planning Board meets in early evenings and the consultant
will be expected to accommodate the Board schedule for project meetings. Similarly,
community meetings will need to be scheduled for times when the community is
available. We envision an open, transparent process for the work.
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 5
5.0 Project Schedule
RFP Release
Last Date for Written Questions
Proposal Submission
Anticipated Contract Award
Anticipated Work Completion
6.0 Proposal Requirements
Please include the following with your proposal:
• A narrative indicating the your understanding of the work and an outline of how
the you plan to conduct and complete the work. Describe your approach to data
collection, e.g., traffic volumes, GHG inventory. Describe if and how you plan to
use 2020 census data.
• A description of your proposed public engagement process including some of the
tools and techniques to be employed.
• A schedule broken down into project phases and including on-site meetings.
• A cost proposal broken down into project phases and including fee and
reimbursables. Provide a project cash flow projection.
• Billing rates of people who will work on the project.
• Roles and resumes of people who will work on the project including any
subcontractors. Identify the proposed project manager.
• Examples of similar projects/work scope elements done by the people proposed
for this project.
• Exclusions, if any, to this Request for Proposal.
6.1 Proposal Preparation Costs
The Town shall not be liable for any costs associated with the preparation, transmittal or
presentation of any response or materials submitted in response to the RFP.
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 6
6.2 Additional Terms and Conditions
All document to be prepared and furnished to the Town in the preparation of the Plan shall
become the property of the Town.
7.0 Award of Work
Contract award will be based on previously demonstrated qualifications of the team
proposed for the work, completeness of the proposal, the proposed schedule and work
plan, and the proposed fee. The Town will also consider the following areas in
evaluating proposals, including such additional matters as it may determine are in its best
interest:
• Consultant experience and success working with diverse and sometimes
contentious groups and facilitating community consensus.
• Consultant approach to maximizing public input including techniques for
conducting surveys and community workshops.
• Consultant experience in working with communities on similar issues.
Following the receipt of Proposals, the Town reserves the right to request clarifications
and other comments of specific Proposers regarding matters covered in the Proposals
prior to identifying selected Proposers for negotiations. Proposers are advised that the
requirements of this Proposal are subject to further refinements and clarifications by the
Owner until an agreement between the Town and the successful Proposer is executed.
The Owner intends following receipt evaluation, clarification, and strengthening of
Proposals, to enter promptly into discussions to finalize an Agreement providing those
services with the selected Proposer whose Proposal, in the judgment of the Town, is most
advantageous to the Town. The Town may, in its sole discretion, discontinue such
negotiations at any time and begin negotiations with an alternate Proposer or Proposers
responding hereto. The Town specifically reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals
submitted, for any reason, in its sole discretion, or to reissue an RFP in identical or
altered form, or not to issue further RFPs.
Dryden Comprehensive Plan
RFP for Plan Update
Page 7
8.0 Questions and Proposal Submission
Submit any questions in writing to the Director of Planning at the address below
at least two weeks prior to the due date for the proposal.. Please do not submit
email or verbal questions and do not approach members of the Dryden Town
Board or Planning Board. An addendum to this RFP, if required, containing
responses to questions will be published on the Town's website a minimum of
one week prior to proposal submission date.
• Submit proposals to the following address. Submit 3 paper copies and a digital
copy (pdf) of the proposal to:
Ray Burger
Director of Planning
Town of Dryden
93 East Main Street
Dryden, NY 13045