I. BACKGROUND

In 2013 the City of Charlottesville amended its Comprehensive Plan to provide a detailed plan to guide the physical development of land within an area referred to as the Strategic Investment Area ("Strategic Investment Area (SIA) Plan"). The City intends to implement the recommendations of the SIA Plan for a portion of the SIA (Phase I) through a type of zoning ordinance commonly referred to as a Form Based Code. The City desires to engage professional planning services for the development of updated zoning regulations to implement Phase I of the SIA. A copy of the Phase I Implementation Area Map is attached to this RFP.

Interested firms should review the SIA Plan at the following location on the City's website: http://www.charlottesville.org/home/showdocument?id=27996.

The SIA Plan is the Vision on which the Form-Based Code must be based. The SIA Plan was adopted through an extensive process of community engagement, and it includes substantial information and details that are to be incorporated into a Form Based Code for Phase I. Examples of the vision and decisions already reflected within the SIA Plan include (but are not limited to):

(A) The SIA Plan recommends that the Form Based Code be organized by Transect Character Areas (SIA Plan, p. VI-3). These transect character areas shall be the basis for preparation of a Regulating Plan for the Phase I SIA area;

(B) The SIA Plan contains detailed regulations for building envelope s and placement standards, specified by transect zone (see SIA Plan pp. VI-4 and VI-5, and various recommendations throughout the text of the SIA Plan), as well as recommendations for Public Space standards and guidelines; and

(C) The SIA Plan contains a recommended New Street network plan (see SIA Plan p. VI-7).

(D) A Form Based Code must include provisions/ zoning-best-practices designed to facilitate the use and development of land in a manner that will (i) retain the existing number of committed affordable dwelling units within the SIA provided by the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA), or other entities (e.g., participants in the Section 8 Housing Program), and (ii) to promote new housing development affordable to households of various income levels.

(E) The citizen engagement component of the Scope of Services will be transparent, inclusive and understandable to community members. It is essential that lower income residents and people of color understand how zoning issues may impact the development or redevelopment of the Phase I SIA Area, and understand the range of choices that may be available for successful implementation of a Form Based Code.

(F) The ability to visualize and compare: (i) existing built conditions and (ii) potential build conditions under both the existing zoning and a proposed Form Based Code (FBC)(transect-based approach) will be critical. The City has established a partnership with the University of Virginia's Planning Department to develop a 3D Modeling Program to help inform an evidence-based decision making process and to serve as a practical tool for demonstrating development and redevelopment.

THIS RFP AND ANY ADDENDA WILL BE PUBLICLY POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.CHARLOTTESVILLE.ORG/PURCHASING. CLICK ON BIDS AND PROPOSALS TO ACCESS THE PUBLIC POSTING