The full RFQ is available at: http://www.statecollegepa.us/Bids.aspx?BidID=122

Request for Qualifications

Borough of State College Zoning Ordinance Update

Submission Deadline: August 1, 2016

Submit Statement of Qualifications to:

Attn. Ed LeClear, AICP
Planning & Community Development Director
Borough of State College
243 South Allen Street
State College, PA 16801

The Borough of State College is seeking the services of a qualified consultant to provide professional planning services toward drafting a new zoning ordinance. This will involve a collaborative process with community stakeholders. The zoning ordinance should reflect recommendations of the community stakeholders, which are included in the Centre Region Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2013), the State College Downtown Master Plan (adopted in 2013), and the State College Neighborhood Plan (adopted in 2014). In addition to the recommendations of the plans specific to land use and future development, the new zoning ordinance should include current and best planning practices, graphic illustrations, and planning principles relevant to university communities with significant off-campus student housing and a strong tourism and hospitality industry.

Five copies of the response must be submitted in a sealed envelope along with a digital copy in PDF format on a compact disc or a USB storage device delivered by mail no later than August 1, 2016, at 5:00 p.m.

If any additional information is needed regarding the project, you may contact:

Ed LeClear, AICP | Planning & Community Development Director
Phone: 814-234-7109
Email: eleclear@statecollegepa.us

Scope of Services and Deliverables

List of Services

The consulting firm awarded the project will work closely with Borough Planning Department staff and members of the Planning Commission. The Planning Department will be the primary point of contact and will coordinate and implement the proposed zoning ordinance.

The consultant will be expected to provide the following general services during the project:

1. Research and analysis;

2. Public involvement and outreach;

3. Geographic Information Systems mapping and data creation, including limited 3-D massing imaging of proposed ordinance provisions;

4. Presentations to Borough Staff, Planning Commission and the Borough Council;

5. Regulatory language development, including graphical representation of ordinance provisions and legal review if necessary;

6. Ensure ordinance revision complies with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code of July 31, 1968, and its amendments, as well as relevant case law.

Main Objectives-Zoning Ordinance Update

Comprehensive update of the entire zoning ordinance to include but not limited to the following:

General Development and Planning Standards:

1. Reconcile current ordinance layout and format with modern accepted best practices.

2. Update definitions.

3. Revise development standards for most zoning districts, as identified through review.

4. Consider revising, removing, or implementing new overlay districts in areas where certain special uses and activities may be encouraged. This may be especially important in the “transitional zones” between downtown and low-density residential neighborhoods.

5. Review and revise current standards for the site plan approval and review the need for a separate Subdivision & Land Development ordinance and develop appropriate regulations accordingly.

6. Review and consider revising the current standards for primary and accessory structure setbacks.

7. Consider implementing certain historic preservation development standards within the historic districts.

8. Consider residential and commercial design standards such as minimum square feet for new construction and façade standards.

9. Review and update the standards for non-conforming structures and lots.

10. Review and revise the Borough’s sign ordinance.

11. Review and revise the Borough’s lighting ordinance provisions.

12. Review and update parking regulations, especially related to commercial and downtown development. Particular focus should be paid to innovative strategies to view parking requirements as a system that operates beyond the specific lot.

13. Remove outdated and obsolete regulations.

14. Address specific land-use challenges through tailored regulations. Such challenges include, at a minimum, balancing student housing and long-term resident’s needs, managing the growing short-term rentals uses, meeting the emerging demand for a diversity of new housing products and creating an inviting regulatory environment for bringing employers back to downtown State College.

15. Focus additional efforts on the area of the Borough typically called the West End and currently zoned the Urban Village district. This district is adjacent to Ferguson Township and presents an opportunity to create complementary ordinances for a targeted zone.

16. Review current residential and commercial market information and analyze how new ordinance provisions may, or may not, increase development capacity and meet market demand.

17. Review “Green Building” requirements (e.g. LEED Certification) and provide recommendations and regulatory language for how to appropriately incorporate green building requirements into the zoning ordinance.

18. Suggest policy documents & process criteria for addressing future zoning amendment requests post-adoption of the comprehensive revision.

Property Zoning:

1. Updated zoning map and zoning layer in Geographic Information Systems format reflecting new zoning categories on properties where applicable.

Qualification Selection

The members of the Planning Staff will review the statement of qualifications and recommend the most qualified consultant to the Borough Council for approval. In general, review will focus on the following criteria:

• Relevant experience of primary firm & project manager
• Relevant experience of project team
• Demonstrated success achieving municipal adoption of the zoning ordinances
• Public process and demonstrated ability to build consensus on complicated issues
• Understanding of the issues
• Clarity of presentation

If it becomes necessary to revise or expand upon any part of this RFQ, an addendum will be issued no later than four (4) working days prior to the RFQ acceptance date. Prospective vendors shall have complete responsibility for being aware of any and all addenda.

A pre-response meeting will be held at the Borough of State College Planning Department on Monday, July 11, 2016, at 2 p.m. The meeting is not mandatory for response.