Clark County, Nevada

RFP 605400-19

SCOPE OF WORK Master Plan and Development Code Rewrite

I. PURPOSE

The County is soliciting proposals from qualified planning consultants, urban designers and multi-disciplinary firms or teams for consulting services related to the review, analysis and rewrite of Clark County’s Comprehensive Master Plan and Development Code. The County’s goal is to develop a modern and user-friendly master plan and development code to guide development in diverse communities and environments experiencing a variety of growth patterns. 

The purpose of this project is twofold. First is an update to the County’s Comprehensive Master Plan. Originally adopted in 1983, the plan has undergone several format changes through the years with each element and topic adopted separately, and has never been updated as one cohesive document. The goal is to create a document that is internally cohesive and reflects the needs of the community while providing the framework for future development and growth.

Second is an update to the Clark County’s Development Code which was adopted in July 2000 (Title 30) which itself replaced several development related ordinances – Title 26 (Land Development Regulations relating to annexations and major projects); Title 27 (Development Improvement Standards relating to off-site improvements); Title 28 (Subdivision, Drainage, and Desert Tortoise Habitat Conservation regulations); and Title 29 (Zoning) in addition to a portion of Title 24 relating to certain aspects of wastewater. These Titles were adopted and amended between 1946 and 1997.

II. BACKGROUND

Formed in 1909, Clark County is the most populous county in Nevada. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas “Strip” and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark County is the nation’s 14th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2.3 million citizens and more than 45.3 million visitors last year (2018).  Although Clark County’s primary population and economic center is the Las Vegas Valley urban area (the Las Vegas “Strip” and the surrounding urban unincorporated towns), the County also consists of a satellite urban area being the unincorporated Town of Laughlin, many differing rural unincorporated towns and communities, and an alpine environment (Mt. Charleston). See Exhibit A, Attachment 1, Clark County Map.

There are several reasons for this contract-The rapid growth and changing demographics of the County, a need to keep up with recent development trends, and current inconsistencies within and between the comprehensive master plan and the development code resulting from numerous revisions over time. These variables have made implementation of the existing comprehensive plan and development code increasingly difficult. In addition, state legislation and specific development issues have triggered fragmented rather than comprehensive amendments to the development code since its adoption.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

A. General Requirements

1. The Consultant’s services shall include a review of, and coordination of proposed comprehensive plan and development code revisions in accordance with relevant state statutes and County ordinances.
2. Present the proposed comprehensive master plan and development code revisions and maps for public information and comment during the County’s approval process.
3. The work plan shown in Exhibit A, Attachment 2 includes schedules of dates, activities, and a cost estimates.

B. Project Initiation and Orientation

1. Review the County’s current comprehensive master plan and development code and conduct the necessary research to understand the County’s development application process.
2. Review the County’s comprehensive master plan and development code, including associated maps and related documents; planning documents that provide policy direction, administrative rules, and interpretations; and County ordinances related to the land development process.
3. Conduct interviews with the Board of County Commissioners, County Planning Commissioners, and County staff to solicit feedback.
4. Review Nevada Revised Statutes provisions related to the comprehensive master plan and zoning matters.

C. Stakeholders and Public Involvement Strategy

1. Develop a public involvement strategy consisting of interviews, workshops, and outreach. This shall include at least two stages of public outreach: once during the drafting of the comprehensive master plan and development code revisions and once during their adoption processes.
2. Coordinate meetings with small groups of stakeholders to include members of unincorporated town advisory boards and citizen advisory councils to gather feedback.
3. Develop an internet strategy to provide the general public timely information and to allow the community to provide feedback throughout the process of drafting and adopting the revised comprehensive master plan and development code.
4. Provide quarterly updates to the County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners throughout the process of drafting and adopting the revised comprehensive master plan and development code.

D. Drafting of the Comprehensive Master Plan

1. Conduct background studies and review the existing comprehensive master plan and other planning documents, and evaluate census and demographic data to identify any specific trends.
2. Divide the drafting process into manageable installments based upon content and processes agreed upon by Planning staff and key stakeholders.
3. At a minimum, the following elements will need to be addressed per Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 278.160:
   • Conservation
   • Historic Preservation
   • Housing
   • Land Use
   • Public Facilities
   • Recreation and Open Space
   • Safety
   • Transportation
4. Additional elements or topics may be included as identified and agreed upon by both parties.
5. The successful offeror shall present a draft outline that creates an overall structure that ties various elements together by topics or addresses each element individually.

E. Drafting of the Development Code Rewrite

1. Divide the drafting process into manageable installments based upon content and processes agreed upon by Planning staff and key stakeholders. For example, the installments may be divided among procedures and administration, districts and uses, definitions and development standards, and supporting graphics and tables. The development code revisions should be drafted to address the items described in Section 2 below, feedback from stakeholders and advisory groups, and recommendations of County staff involved in the land development process.
2. Include the following in the proposed development code, as applicable:
   1. Standards and incentives to improve site design and review processes, including placement of buildings, pedestrian mobility and bicycle access, access management, parking, signs, landscaping, and overlay districts.
   2. Revisions to lists of permitted uses to include new uses, to delete outdated uses, to incorporate performance standards, and to provide alternatives to static lists of uses.
   3. A set of procedures for making land use decisions that promotes efficiency, predictability, and citizen participation.
   4. Progressive ideas, best practices, and useful features from other codes around the country, including intermodal transportation, smart growth, mixed use development, traditional neighborhood design, preservation of community character, and sustainability and resiliency.
   5. Inclusionary zoning.
   6. Graphics, tables, and charts to illustrate development requirements and standards.

3. Include the following supporting documentation, as applicable:
   1. A matrix highlighting the major recommended changes in the proposed development code and the rationale for each change.
   2. A cross-reference document (cross-reference the new development code with the current development code) to help retain the intent of the re-written development code, and to keep consistency in the interpretations.
4. At a minimum, the comprehensive update of the County’s development code should address the following topics:
   • Zoning Code Administration & Permits
   • Zoning Districts
   • Overlay Districts
   • Zoning Map
   • Permitted Uses
   • Development Standards – Standards and guidelines should be clearly identified as such, separately provided, and their appropriate use clarified
   • Subdivision regulations
   • Off-site improvements
   • To the extent permitted by State law, urban vs. rural vs. alpine development standards.
   • Standards for Special Uses and Activities
   • Definitions/Glossary

F. Public Hearing and Adoption

1. Submit drafts to the Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning for review and comment.
2. Distribute proposed comprehensive master plan and development code for public review after initial review and comment by the Planning staff. The proposed comprehensive master plan and development code shall be accompanied by an executive summary that explains the structure of the documents and proposed changes. The draft comprehensive master plan and development code shall be provided in Microsoft Word, Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf), and Internet-ready format.
3. Provide formal presentations at public hearings with the County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners to explain the proposed comprehensive master plan and development code.  Provide 20 hard copies of the proposed comprehensive master plan and development code at each public hearing.

G. Post-Adoption Deliverables and Implementation

1. Provide a digital file of the adopted comprehensive master plan and development code (and any other Clark County development related ordinances if the results require revisions to other chapters of the Clark County code) in Microsoft Word, Adobe Portable Document format (.pdf), and Internet-ready format. The digital file should include all related charts, tables, and illustrations in Internet-ready format. 
2. Tables and graphics are to be created in a mutually agreed upon editable format.
3. Provide a digital file of procedure manuals, pamphlets, and brochures to implement the proposed comprehensive master plan and development code within 60 days of their adoption. The procedure manual shall assist staff and the general public in learning the new requirements and procedures of the adopted comprehensive master plan and development code.
4. The Consultant shall work with County staff as well as its information technology vendors to ensure the new comprehensive master plan and development code is easily accessible to the public, interactive, and searchable on the County’s webpage.  The Consultant shall incorporate a public outreach component designed to inform community stakeholders, the Planning Commission, Board of County Commissioners, and the public on the new comprehensive master plan and development code. The plan should address engaging both the urban and rural communities of the county.

IV. COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning will designate an individual to act as its representative with respect to the work to be performed under this contract. That individual shall have the authority to transmit instructions, receive information, and interpret and define the policies and decisions with respect to the contract.

V. DOCUMENTS

The following documents are available for viewing and download at the locations listed below:

Comprehensive Master Plan

http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/comprehensive-planning/advanced-planning/Pages/ComprehensivePlan.aspx

Development Code (Title 30)

http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/comprehensive-planning/zoning/Pages/Title30.aspx

Landscaping list

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/764b47_5c18a01287f64740a7e734e44ccfb2a1.pdf

All questions can be submitted to Susan Tighi, Purchasing Analyst, at (702) 455-2724 or at SLT@ClarkCountyNV.gov.

The full RFP can be viewed at https://clarkcountynv.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/18296