REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

East Lampeter Township Comprehensive Plan

East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Submission Deadline: 4:00 pm Eastern Daylight-Saving Time on June 28, 2024

Purpose and Intent:

East Lampeter Township is soliciting proposals from qualified planning consultants to provide professional services in the development of a new long-range comprehensive planning document which is compliant with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, guided by the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan document, Places 2040, implementable, and action-oriented. The updated long-range comprehensive planning document shall also be directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development planning principals and objectives regarding an implementable plan. This long-range comprehensive planning document will provide a vision for East Lampeter Township through 2045 and a context for attaining the goals that are determined. This long-range comprehensive planning document must be strategic, provide action plans, means of financing, capacity to implement, and targeted accomplishments. A full range planning consultant is needed to undertake this project.

Township Overview:

Presently, East Lampeter Township follows both the 2003 Conestoga Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan and the 2007 Growing Together: A Plan for Central Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. The 2003 plan included Upper Leacock and West Earl Township along with Conestoga Valley School District as a region. The 2007 plan included 11 municipalities in central Lancaster County including: City of Lancaster, Lancaster Township, Manor Township, Manheim Township, East Hempfield Township, West Hempfield Township, West Lampeter Township, Borough of Mountville, Borough of Columbia, Borough of East Petersburg, and East Lampeter Township. Since then, many of these municipalities have gone on to do individual comprehensive planning documents. East Lampeter Township has guided policy decisions based on both of these comprehensive planning documents over the last twenty years. This has resulted in adoption of the Route 30 Streetscape Plan, adoption of an official map in 2015 and update in 2022, an overhaul of the zoning ordinance in 2016 with continual updates, adoption of a Bridgeport Land use and Transportation Study in 2018, adoption of a Conestoga Valley Region Park and Recreation Plan in 2020, an overhaul of the subdivision and land development ordinance in 2022, and a Housing Needs Study being completed in 2024.

As required by the Board of Supervisors of East Lampeter Township, Township staff has reviewed the existing comprehensive plans as required by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. In the most recent review, Township staff expressed the need to provide for a new comprehensive plan for the Township given the time frame that has transpired since adoption of prior comprehensive plan documents. In accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, East Lampeter Township seeks to update the long-range comprehensive plan for the Township consistent with the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan, Places 2040. In addition, the surrounding municipal comprehensive plans and various plans adopted by the East Lampeter Township Board of Supervisors need to be considered.

Goals for the Comprehensive Plan Update:

This Comprehensive Plan should have a vision that reflects the needs of both current and future residents and land owners. East Lampeter Township must be proactive while planning for future demographic trends, housing needs, environmental and man-made hazard issues, emerging technologies, infrastructure and development impacts.

It is imperative to explore all land use options for the transect community that East Lampeter Township is currently and to maintain the community character. The recommendations from the plan should result in policies that are financially prudent, economically viable, consider emerging demands, listen to the public and officials to continue East Lampeter Township's history as a leader in a changing environment and region.

Selection and Steering Committee:

The selection and steering committee will be one in the same and will include a member of the Board of Supervisors or their designee, a member of the East Lampeter Township Planning Commission, a member of the Lancaster County Planning Department, Director of Planning/Zoning Officer, Assistant Township Manager, a resident of the Township, and/or a member of the educational uses within the Township, and/or a business member of East Lampeter Township. At the discretion of the Board of Supervisors the members of the selection and steering committee could be reconsidered.

Scope of Services:

East Lampeter Township expects a comprehensive plan that is innovative, implementable, and which incorporates all of the plans, studies, and existing policies that have been adopted by the Board of Supervisors. In addition, per the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, this comprehensive plan must be in accordance with the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan, Places 2040. This comprehensive plan will need to reflect community input and incorporate a scorecard to track implementation and measure progress. The approach to this comprehensive plan should be a creative concept from the consultant that includes but is not limited to:

A. Community Engagement

There should be concerted effort to obtain public comment throughout the process from various contingencies including but not limited to elected and appointed officials. Stakeholders will include elected and appointed officials, organizations, business leaders, educational leaders, resident groups, neighboring municipalities, planning partners, Lancaster County Planning Department. Community engagement can occur through public open houses, community surveys, stakeholder interviews or workshops, virtual office hours, pop up events, planning commission and Board of Supervisor meetings, and social media communications. Attendance at evening meetings as well as daytime meetings will be required.

B. Existing Conditions Research and Analysis

East Lampeter Township will assist in providing all existing comprehensive plans, land use and transportation plan, streetscape plan, housing plan, existing ordinance, recreation and park plan. Consideration should be given to the urban and village growth areas of the Township and whether there should be expansion or contraction of these areas.

C. Creation of a mission and vision statement

A vision for the future growth of East Lampeter Township should be based on sound planning principals yet allow for innovation.

D. Future Land Use Map Update

Land use, transportation, park and recreation, and community resources shall all be considered in the development of the future land use map.

E. First Draft Plan Document

The consultant will prepare a draft document and conduct one review session with the steering committee to accept comments to work towards the final document.

The first draft plan document shall be provided in a pdf format.

F. Zoning Review Changes

Based on the first draft document, future land use map, taking into consideration the existing conditions, and a review of the existing zoning ordinance the consultant shall propose changes to the zoning ordinance that will effectively implement the comprehensive plan and future land use map.

The zoning review changes shall include any zoning map changes as well.

G. Second Draft Plan Document

After incorporating comments from the first draft plan and moving through the zoning review changes, a second draft plan will be presented by the consultant to the steering committee for review and comment towards the final document. This document shall also be reviewed with the Township Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors by the consultant. This version of the plan shall be supplied to the planning partners, neighboring municipalities, and Conestoga Valley School District for informal comments.

The second draft plan document shall be provided in a pdf format.

H. Implementation Project Listing and Scorecard

These project listings should be developed as short (1-4 years), medium (5-7 years), and long (8-12 years). Projects should include responsible parties, cost estimates, funding sources, priority order, possible partners, and consistency with goals and objectives.

I. Final Document

All necessary modifications from the review of the second draft plan document shall be Incorporated by the consultant. A final review shall be completed by the steering committee before presentation to the Township Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

The final comprehensive plan document should be in a typical format of 8.5"; by 11"; and be bound in a nature that lends itself to be amended as necessary. There shall be 15 paper copies delivered to the Township along with a pdf in both a low and high resolution. All documentation, information, data, mapping, layers, shapefiles shall be the property of East Lampeter Township and shall be provided to the Township. The consultant may retain copies of any work and reproduce without limitation for inclusion in a portfolio.

Selection Criteria:

As the selection committee evaluates each proposal, the following will be considered.

• Overall quality and experience of a consultant in preparing an implementable comprehensive plan document (20%)
• Experience and qualifications of the key staff for the project (20%)
• Understanding of the scope of services (20%)
• Ability to provide creative suggestions to carry out the project (20%)
• Proposed cost of the project (15%)
• Proximity to Lancaster, Pennsylvania (5%)

East Lampeter Township is open to considering consultant suggestions for alterations to the scope of work that would be in the best interest of the Township and not detract from the essential goals and objectives outlined in this RFP. Alterations could be considered in developing a final scope of work for contract with the selection committee.

A short list of consultants will be asked to schedule and make presentations to the selection committee. It is anticipated that the short list of consultant selection will occur within 30 days of the RFP deadline. A notice to proceed will be issued as soon as possible after consultant selection and approval by the Board of Supervisors.

Format of Proposals:

1. Cover sheet with consultant name, address, contact information, and project title.
2. Letter of interest – no more than 1 page
3. Executive summary – no more than 2 pages
4. Organization profile which includes background and experience of the consulting firm. Office location from which this project would be managed, organizational chart with key staff and their roles for this project, statement of workload for each key staff person and percentage of time that will be dedicated to this project.
5. Resumes of key staff.
6. References – not included in page count
7. Understanding of the scope of services, timeline of completing this project with public meeting schedule and overall approach.
8. Listing of proposed deliverables.
9. Technical and price proposal of services with estimated time per activity. This should include a lump sum fee as well as a detailed budget which includes related expenses and travel.

The total number of pages of the proposal shall not exceed 10 pages excluding resumes for key staff and references.

Submission Information:

East Lampeter Township

Tara A. Hitchens, AICP, Assistant Township Manager
thitchens@eltwp.org
717-393-1567 x3505

Colin Siesholtz, Director of Planning
csiesholtz@eltwp.org
717-393-1567 x3509

Deadlines:

Application Deadline: No later than 4:00pm Eastern Daylight-Saving time on June 28, 2024

Interviews: July - August 2024

Selection/Notification: Late August 2024 with intent to proceed mid-September 2024

If requested, prospective consultants may email Township staff with any questions regarding this request for proposals prior to submittal, all answers to questions will be shared with all known prospective consultants.

Disclosures:

East Lampeter Township reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any irregularities or information in any RFP response, and to accept/reject any item or combination of items. East Lampeter Township accepts no responsibility or liability for costs incurred by consultants responding to this RFP or in responding to any further requests for interviews, additional data, etc. All RFP submission are considered public records subject to Pennsylvania's Right to Know laws. Any material considered confidential by any consultant should be clearly identified in the materials submitted and a statement of why these materials should not be considered public records shall be included.