Project Description

Summit Township's Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2001 following the more traditional format of comprehensive planning techniques. However, little of the plan's 96 strategies were ever implemented. This was primarily due to a lack of understanding during plan development of the limitations faced by the Township and their ability to achieve such an ambitious plan. Township officials realize that the new Comprehensive Plan must be implementable and focused on the priorities of the community rather than a "one-size" fits all format of traditional comprehensive planning.

To this end, Township officials will be seeking a consultant or consultant team that can assist the Steering Committee in creating an Implementable Comprehensive Plan that not only focuses on the priorities listed above but will allow implementation to start during the planning process. In addition, the planning process must also contemplate how to build capacity within the Township in order to move the community towards achieving their goals. Creating a plan that just sits on a shelf is not an option.

The Township seeks creative ideas and workable solutions and is interested in setting priorities and focusing its finances and requests for outside help on a series of strategic initiatives and projects the plan would identify. An updated zoning ordinance may also be needed to tee-up key properties for investment, and for modernizing regulations to promote desired development and investment in the Township. This element has been added as an option within the Scope of Services.

Services to be Provided

The consultant to be hired will provide the full range of planning services necessary to undertake the comprehensive plan and prepare an action plan for implementation that will be used as a year by year guide for local decision making. The selected consultant will be asked to focus its work on providing intelligence for decision making (not recitations of data), providing creative ideas and workable action plans, and helping the Township recruit partners and create capacity to implement the plan.

Comprehensive Plan

Summit Township has two primary goals for a new comprehensive plan: 1) To create a vision for the Township in the next 5-10 years with statements of principles and guiding policies promoting a character of community and quality of life Summit desires to move toward; and 2) To determine a doable series of strategic projects, programs, etc. that will help achieve the vision, visibly improve the community, and promote a locally defined quality of life.

The comprehensive plan should be an "implementable plan" following principles and keys currently being promoted by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. In 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development (PA DCED) released a comprehensive workbook and reference guide for creating an implementable comprehensive plan. These guidelines were developed as the result of a 2008 assessment of the impact of local comprehensive plans prepared using DCED funding. The Purpose of the assessment and resulting workbook was to develop strategies for creating plans that lead to more practical and desired development and community improvements. (Workbook – Creating an Implementable Comprehensive Plan, PA DCED, 2012). This workbook can be accessed here: http://wcddplan.org/Resources/Creating%20an%20Implementable%20Comprehensive%20Plan.pdf

To align with this focus the following should be considered:

The plan should focus on the Summit's priority needs, concerns, and opportunities:

• Growth management and viable land use design and layout for areas experiencing increased pressure for development.
• Transportation planning and improvements which focuses on connecting neighborhoods near areas of employment and service to those areas and amongst other Township assets while preserving rural vistas and views.
• Zoning modifications and other land use regulatory tools needed in order to allow for growth to occur without negatively impacting the quality of life for existing residents and business owners. At a minimum, the plan will include recommended zoning changes but the Township may request the preferred consultant to provide assistance in development of a new Zoning Ordinance at the conclusion of the plan project.
• Options for diversification of the local tax base and sources of revenue. Currently Summit enjoys healthy revenue from both a casino and a landfill located within their Township. Revenue from these land uses alone account for 50% of the Township's annual budget. Because of this they are able to keep property tax rates low, making the Township highly desirable place to live. However, recent court decisions have placed the funding from the casino in peril prompting the Township to reconsider its funding strategies. The Township would like to research alternative sources of funding and investment strategies that will help them be resilient to unexpected changes to their revenue stream and ensure operational efficiency.
• How to develop a communication and outreach strategy for their existing residents and as new families and businesses move into the area.
• Create locally defined quality of life indicators that will assist the Steering Committee in determining priority projects now and in the future.

The consultant's work and the comprehensive plan document should be organized based on the township's priorities or related goals or themes that emerge from the planning process, not based on a traditional template of land use plan, housing plan, transportation plan, etc. The plan document should be efficient in words, avoid jargon, and be written for use by township supervisors, township staff, partner groups, and citizens who will implement the plan after completion.

The plan should provide workable action plans for top recommendations – a series of strategic projects, programs, and initiatives – that emerge from the planning process. The plan should set priorities and a timetable for action based on expected results and ability to finance and carry out. Action plans should include reasonable depth and detail – specific action steps, responsible parties, estimated costs, and proposed means of financing – to facilitate implementation after the plan is completed. The consultant is asked to include some immediate action recommendations that would provide short-term, visible results and motivate further implementation of the plan.

The consultant will help the township and the steering committee recruit partners – organizations, businesses, and individuals with expertise and resources to be involved in the plan. The plan process should invite their ideas for recommendations and action plans, and invite partners to take roles in implementing the plan.

The consultant should facilitate a plan process whereby the community "owns" the plan, and the elected officials and community leaders are spokespersons for the plan and have a consensus commitment to implement it. There should be effective means within the project budget to obtain public vision and aspirations for their community.

The consultant will ensure the comprehensive plan meets minimum requirements of the PA Municipalities Planning Code. The consultant may have to address minimal subject matter not addressed in analysis and recommendations presented for the township's priority issues.

The consultant will deliver to the township complete comprehensive plan document(s) ready for adoption, including 20 paper copies and 10 CDs.

Optional Element: Zoning ordinance revision – It is anticipated that a revised zoning ordinance or modifications to the existing zoning ordinance may be needed to implement the new comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan will outline a vision plus community goals for the next 5-10 years that will likely suggest changes in the zoning ordinance. And the plan will make recommendations in matters that will affect zoning. Consultants should provide a breakdown of task and cost to prepare a comprehensive update to the Township's Zoning Ordinance that may achieve the following:

• Target locations and objectives for development, land use, community character, and design.
• Development plans along four (4) major corridors within the Township including Rt. 19 (Peach Street), Rt. 97 (Perry Highway, Route 99 (Edinoboro Road) and Hamot Road.
• Promotion of investment, business starts/expansions, and building upgrades in the downtown.
• Modernization of the ordinance regarding current and changing character of development and regulatory best practices.

Other objectives for revision of the zoning ordinance include:

• The ordinance should be updated to meet the requirements of the PA Municipalities Planning Code and ensure it is legally defensible.
• The ordinance should be efficient in the extent and degree of regulations so as to most directly address the township's objectives, avoid regulations for the sake of regulations, and be appropriate to the level of community resources and administrative capability.

The consultant will conduct work sessions with township officials to discuss suggested revisions and review drafts of the revised ordinance or amendments to the ordinance. The consultant should rely on the planning done, objectives developed, and related public input obtained in undertaking the comprehensive plan, and should not unnecessarily repeat this work for the zoning ordinance. A proposal for work sessions as part of this optional element should be included in the consultant's scope of services.

If the Township so desires to move forward with this Zoning update, the consultant will deliver to the township a complete revised zoning ordinance as determined by the township and the consultant and map ready for enactment, including 20 paper copies, 10 CDs, and 2 wall-sized zoning map prints.

Budget

The project for the plan has a fixed budget for consultant costs of $90,000. This does not include the Optional Element noted above. Please provide a not-to-exceed cost estimate for the Optional Element – Zoning Ordinance Revision. This will be used for budgetary purposes only and will not impact the selection of the consultant since it is an optional element which the Township may decide not to undertake.

Completion Schedule

It is expected that the comprehensive plan and action plan within 14 months of execution of a contract.

If the Township decides to proceed with updates to the Zoning ordinance they will work with the consultant to determine an appropriate schedule and budget based on the cost estimate provided by the consultant.

Contractual Requirements

All municipal professional services and bidding requirements which will be included in the consultant contract.

Project Management

Nancy Agostine, (Supervisor). As POC for communications with the consultant.

Proposal Content must include:

• Brief description of the consultant(s).
• Description of relevant work experience, capabilities, skills, and expertise which qualify the consultant(s) to undertake the project. Please include relevant, recent client references.
• Personnel assignments with resumes showing individual work experience, skills, and expertise.
• A proposed scope of work and approach, methods, etc. to carry out the project.
• Confirmation that the scope of work will be performed for the not-to-exceed cost of $90,000.
• Proposed work schedule.

Selection Procedures

Two (2) paper hard copies and one digital copy on CD or thumb drive of the proposal, titled Summit Township Comprehensive Plan Proposal, must be submitted to:

Summit Township
1230 Townhall Road West, Suite 100
Erie, PA 16509-5461
Attention: Nancy Agostine, (Supervisor)

Proposals must be received no later than 12:00pm, Thursday, February 2, 2017 to be eligible for consideration. Any questions on the request should be directed to Tammy Cass at tcass@summitpa.us or by calling 814-868-9686.

The consultant may make suggestions for alterations to the work scope that would be in the township's interest and not vary from the essential goals and objectives outlined in the RFP. Alterations could be considered in developing a final scope of work for contract with the selected consultant.

A short list of consultants may be asked to schedule and make presentations to a consultant selection committee. The consultant selection should occur within 45-60 days of the RFP deadline. A notice to proceed will be issued as soon as possible thereafter.