Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Project
City of Manhattan, Kansas

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of Manhattan, Kansas, is requesting qualification submissions from professional consulting firms to assist with an update of its Zoning and Subdivision Regulations into a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

II. COMMUNITY PROFILE AND BACKROUND

The City of Manhattan, located in Northeast Kansas in Riley and Pottawatomie Counties, is a growing community with a population of approximately 58,410 and a regional population estimate of 134,804 in a Combined Metropolitan Statistical Area. The City maintains a City Manager form of government. There are five members of the City Commission, who serve terms on a staggered basis. The City provides a full range of services through eight Departments. Please refer to the City of Manhattan web page for additional information at www.cityofmhk.com.

In 2015, the City, in partnership with Riley and Pottawatomie Counties, completed Manhattan Area 2035, an update of the Manhattan Urban Area Comprehensive Plan that was last updated in 2003. This 2015 update expanded the Plan's coverage from approximately 70 square miles to 93 square miles due to the continued growth of the Manhattan area and the anticipated growth resulting from NBAF and other regional economic drivers. One of the key Action Plan recommendations from Manhattan Area 2035 is to "Update zoning and development regulations to implement key plan concepts and promote increased predictability in the development process."

III. FOCUS OF PROJECT

Manhattan developed its first Zoning Ordinance in 1926, with significant updates in 1969, 1996, 2003, and 2015. Currently the Manhattan Zoning Regulations only apply to land that is located within the city.

Subdivision Regulations have been utilized since 1959. In 1987, Riley County and the City of Manhattan jointly adopted the Manhattan Urban Area Subdivision Regulations (MUASR) for the City and Urban Area surrounding the city. MUASR was last updated in 2000 and apply to the area depicted in Exhibit A, which is also the jurisdiction of the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board.

The City's objectives for the UDO project are to create a comprehensive process resulting in an integrated set of land development regulations that:

• Implement the vision, goals, guiding principles and policy recommendations identified in the Manhattan Urban Area Comprehensive Plan.
• Identify barriers to Plan implementation and opportunities to streamline the development review and approval process to the extent feasible.
• Promote ongoing coordination between City and County development review and approval processes in the developing urban fringe areas.
• Create development regulations that utilize best practices that are effective and practical within the existing and future economic, social and political climate.
• Address unique issues associated with the Manhattan area, and incorporate existing zoning and development tools as appropriate.
• Create regulations that are legally sound and consistent with applicable federal and state laws.
• Create regulations that are concise, consistent, and effective for use by citizens, developers, property owners, design professionals and City Administration.
• Involves stakeholders through an open, fair and equitable process that focuses on community engagement and creates support for the final product
• Incorporates graphics and internet/mobile-based platforms and implementation approaches to make the UDO more user-friendly, searchable and easier to understand for citizens, business and property owners, and consultants and developers.

IV. DEVELOPMENT OF SCOPE OF WORK

Following selection of the successful firm, a detailed Scope of Work will be developed by the City and Consultant to outline the specific tasks for the UDO Project.

V. PROPOSED TIMETABLE

Following are key dates identified for the UDO Project:

Date Activity

August 19, 2016 — Advertise Request for Qualifications

August 31, 2016 — Questions due from consultants

September 7, 2016 — Responses available on City website

September 19, 2016 — Consultant submissions of qualifications due

Week of September 26, 2016 — Selection Committee review of submissions

Week of October 10, 2016 — Tentative Interviews timeframe

November 1, 2016 — City Commission approves consultant recommendation

November 2016 — Development and Negotiation-Scope of Work

December 6, 2016 — City Commission approval of Contract

December 2016 — Notice to Proceed

July 2018 — Project completion

The Project is estimated to require 18 months to complete.

VI. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

The City of Manhattan will utilize a qualifications-based selection process in determining a consultant to assist with this project. Successful consultants must provide a team with the demonstrated qualifications, experience and expertise to complete the UDO Project. Team members must demonstrate an understanding of the requirements for the project, provide references for similar successful projects, demonstrate positive public participation skills and show an ability to work within a finite schedule. Key points the Selection Committee will consider in selecting the successful firm include:

1. Professional Qualifications. The education, training, registration, and amount of relevant experience of the proposed key project personnel.

2. Specialized Experience and Technical Competence. The firm's specialized experience and technical competence on similar projects, including the effectiveness of the proposed project team to address unique local issues at a detailed level, and incorporating appropriate community engagement processes (management structure and coordination of disciplines, offices and/or subcontractors).

3. Capacity of the Firm to Accomplish the Required Services on Schedule and within Budget. The firm must demonstrate an ability to complete projects within specified completion dates and budget.

4. Past Performance. Past performance of work on similar or comparable planning and development regulation contracts that have been successfully adopted and implemented should be demonstrated, including the ability to understand and incorporate zoning and development tools that address unique local issues. Include references and letters of commendation with a focus on Unified Development Ordinances incorporating graphics, and internet/mobile-based platforms.

5. Understanding of Project. A clear understanding of the type of project work to be performed and a plan to complete the work should be clearly demonstrated.

6. Design Quality Assurance. The team's quality control processes and management approach that will be used on the project.

VII. SELECTION PROCESS

All firms submitting a proposal should be prepared to participate in an interview. A Selection Committee comprised of members of the Manhattan City Commission, Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board and representatives of City administrative staff will be charged with evaluating submissions, interviewing consultant teams and recommending a consultant to provide the services identified in this RFQ. Interviews will take place with time given for a formal presentation, followed by a question and answer period.

Following the interviews and reference checks, the Selection Committee will forward a recommendation to the Manhattan City Commission. The City Commission will select the consultant it determines to be the most suitable.

VIII. BUDGET AND CONTRACT

Following selection of the successful firm, a detailed Scope of Work will be developed by the City and consultant to outline the specific purposes, objectives and tasks of the UDO Project. The consultant will be required to enter into a standard City of Manhattan contract, which will be subject to approval by the Manhattan City Commission.

The City of Manhattan has budgeted $350,000 for the UDO Project, including reimbursable fees and expenses.

IX. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All submissions must include the following information:

1. Identification of Consulting Team

a. Project Director with a list of team members and identification of responsibilities for each member.
b. Contact information for the Project Director, including e-mail address.

2. Qualifications:

a. Resumes of all principals and professional staff involved, demonstrating qualifications and related experience and expertise.
b. Descriptions of similar projects successfully completed by the firms involved in the team, completed by the principal staff assigned to the project and any innovative planning techniques incorporated in the Unified Codes, including web-based/mobile technologies.
c. A detailed description of the types of public participation processes used successfully by the team on similar projects.
d. Description of other relevant experiences of the team.

3. Response to the six key points mentioned in Section VI. Criteria for Selection.

4. References:

a. List of references, including brief description of projects and contact name and telephone number.

No pre-submission conferences will be held in conjunction with this RFQ. Questions concerning this project must be submitted via e-mail to Eric Cattell, AICP, Assistant Director for Planning (cattell@cityofmhk.com) by 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. Clarifications to the RFQ and responses to all questions will be posted online at www.cityofmhk.com by September 7, 2016. No interpretation made to any respondent regarding the meaning of the RFQ shall be binding upon the City unless set forth in writing and distributed via addendum by the City.

X. DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

All submissions must be no more than 35 numbered pages, (excluding cover, table of contents, cover letter and dividers) in an 8.5" x 11" format, with seven (7) bound copies and one unbound copy along with a complete PDF, electronic CD version or thumb drive, delivered to the address below before 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2016.

Eric Cattell, AICP
Assistant Director for Planning
Community Development Department.
City of Manhattan
1101 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-5497
Phone: 785-587-2422
E-mail: cattell@cityofmhk.com

Submissions shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope. The City of Manhattan will not accept oral submissions, or copies received by telephone, facsimile machine, or email. All submissions received after the deadline shall be returned. The City of Manhattan reserves the right to reject any and all submissions or portions of submissions, to waive minor deficiencies, or to solicit new submissions on the original project or on a modified project as may be deemed necessary or in the best interest of the City.

All persons awarded and/or entering into contracts with the City of Manhattan shall be subject to and required to comply with all applicable City, State and Federal provisions pertaining to non-discrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action.