The New Hanover County Planning & Land Use Department requests proposals from interested consulting firms with proven experience evaluating, researching, merging, and writing land use regulations to develop a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for the unincorporated county. Experience with land use code drafting in North Carolina and familiarity with state statutes is preferred. Currently, the County's development regulations are contained within several different ordinances that have been adopted and amended since the 1960s.

Staff began working a consulting firm on this project in 2016, but due to unforeseen circumstances, that firm is no longer able to complete the project. New Hanover County is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) in order to find a consultant or team to complete the remainder of the project.

Staff and the previous consultant team have developed an assessment of the existing code, public engagement plan, and some draft portions of the UDO. Phase 1 of this project (zoning districts, uses and use-specific standards, and use definitions) is approximately 60% complete. A partial draft of Phase 2 (general development standards) is approximately 20% complete.

The selected firm will have primary responsibility for completing the UDO, working in close coordination and consultation with the New Hanover County Planning & Land Use Department. Completion will entail finishing the drafts of Phases 1 and 2, and writing Phase 3 (processes, procedures, and administrative manual), multiple reviews and rewrites with County staff are expected during the process.

Project Background

New Hanover County is located in the rapidly growing southeastern coastal region of North Carolina. The County is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the East, the Cape Fear River and Brunswick County to the West, and Pender County to the east. The most recent population projections for this anticipate the county's total population growing an additional 84,000 by 2040 to approximately 310,000. Based on recent trends, almost half of that growth is expected to take place in the unincorporated county.

In 2016, New Hanover County adopted a Comprehensive Land Use Plan. One purpose of creating a Unified Development Ordinance is to develop new zoning tools to support the development pattern envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan.

New Hanover County's land use regulations have been amended periodically via text amendments since the adoption of the original code in order to address changing conditions. However, the ordinance contains essentially the same foundation and approach to development as the original document. The County is approximately 65% developed, and the current development pattern is generally characterized by low-density, large lot single family subdivisions with commercial uses lining major corridors. In future years, a development pattern consisting of a more mixed-use, integrated, multi-modal pattern is desired primarily in a 14+ square mile vacant area in the northeastern portion of the county, as well as smaller infill lots.

The original consulting team completed an assessment of existing ordinance in 2017, and Planning & Land Use staff began working with the consultant to develop Phase 1 of the UDO project in accordance with the redrafting strategy outlined in Section IV below. Phase 1 of this project (zoning districts, uses and use-specific standards, and use definitions) is approximately 60% complete.

Project Goals

The process to create the ordinance will address and complete the following overarching goals:

• Develop' zoning tools, such as new zoning districts, development incentives, etc. to allow and encourage the development pattern described in the Comprehensive Plan (integration of uses, reduce the need for driving long distances to access basic needs, greater diversity of housing options, etc.) ' ' ' '
• Create clear regulations and procedures that are easy for staff to administer and for code users to understand, using graphics and illustrations as much as possible, cross-referencing appropriate sections, and limiting the use of technical jargon '
• Update terms and regulations in accordance with current land development laws and practices
• Reduce the need for conditional negotiated zoning by providing objective general development standards and new zoning districts that provide appropriate transitions between higher intensity and lower intensity development patterns
• As much as possible, coordinate regulations and format with the City of Wilmington, also currently undergoing a code update.

Expected Deliverables

The prominent deliverable of this project is a modern, innovative and consolidated UDO. During the process, the product should include, but not be limited to, these additional deliverables:

• Draft and Final documents in a file format which the County has ability to take ownership of and edit (Microsoft Word or Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign);
• Administrative Manual to UDO in the same digital format(s).

Expectations of Selected Consultant

The selected consultant will be expected to serve in the following capacities and accomplish certain tasks, including, but not limited to:

• Draft, edit, and revise content of UDO in consultation with County staff;
• Provide visuals including, but not limited to, graphs, charts, graphics, illustrations, examples, etc. to format and structure a more user friendly and intuitive UDO;
• Provide an evaluation of different approaches and recommendations to land use regulations.

SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will be tasked with completing the comprehensive drafting of New Hanover County's Unified Development Ordinance. A project manager will be assigned by the County to serve as the primary point of contact for the consultant. The overall scope of work shall include, but not be limited to, the following key components:

I. Project Orientation

At the beginning of the project, the consultants will meet with the County representatives and the project manager for the project orientation meeting in order to provide an understanding of project components. This initial briefing will include an update to the consulting team on work completed to date, the status of work currently in progress, and remaining steps to completion of the project.

The consultant will be responsible for reviewing and understanding the comprehensive plan, other identified County plans and policies, and all relevant and applicable local, state, and federal laws.

II. Stakeholder Engagement

While Planning & Land Use staff will serve as the lead for stakeholder engagement, the consultant will be expected to provide expertise and assist in explaining recommended technical aspects and concepts within the drafts at public workshops and other related meetings as agreed upon in the project scope (generally one to two held at the end of each project phase). This may include, but not be limited to, producing meeting materials, visual presentations, and any other resources or materials necessary to engage project stakeholders. The consultant may suggest different strategies for stakeholder engagement.

III. Draft UDO

The consultant will prepare the remainder of the draft Unified Development Ordinance that will address identified weaknesses and needed changes, which may be based on the previously completed project audit, outline and approach. Changes to the previously identified project approach may be warranted based on best practices and recommendations from the consulting team and County staff.

The draft will revise and update the County's land use ordinances, as well as the Stormwater Ordinance, Stormwater Design manual, and Sedimentation and Erosion Control Ordinance to include current stormwater practices, updated rainfall amounts, stormwater design practices, and the inclusion of all Sedimentation and Erosion Control updates provided by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

The draft will include use of graphics and illustrations, tables, flow charts, matrices, and any other methods for facilitating easy use and understanding of the UDO.

The draft UDO is anticipated to be completed in the following phases, but the consultant may suggest a different method of developing the project:

• Phase 1: Zoning Districts, Uses Permissions and Use-Specific Standards, Use and Measurement Definitions
• Phase 2: General Development Regulations and Incentives (Parking, Signs, Buffering, Landscaping and Tree Preservation, Stormwater, Density and Height Bonuses, etc.)
• Phase 3: Processes and Procedures; Administrative Manual

IV. Adoption

The consultant will prepare a final draft of the UDO for staff to take through the adoption process. In addition, the consultant may assist with preparation of materials and documents explaining the major points of the final draft.

V. Administrative Manual

The consultant will develop an Administrative Manual as a companion to the Unified Development Ordinance. The UDO Administrative Manual will be a resource to help members of the general public to navigate various planning and zoning processes, and will contain explanations of development review procedures, applications, submittal requirements, and other administrative content deemed necessary. The final manual will be delivered to the County before the adoption of the UDO.

BUDGET

The County is operating on an appropriated fixed budget for the project. The work will be performed on a fixed price basis with a specific amount and payment program being determined through contract negotiations with the successful firm and will be based upon major milestones and/or identified tasks and subtasks.

TIMEFRAME

The anticipated project start with the new consultant is Fall 2018, with the final draft anticipated to be complete by Summer 2019.