TO: Mayor Bien-Willner and Town Council Members
FROM: Jill Keimach, Town Manager
Paul Michaud, Planning Manager
Loras Rauch, Special Project Planner
DATE: September 10, 2020
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
Staff Contact Loras Rauch, 348-3595
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AGENDA TITLE:
Title
2022 General Plan Update Process
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
To provide Town Council an update on the 2022 General Plan Update process. This includes the discussion of project budget, consultant selection process and review process going forward.
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with A.R.S. §9-461.06.K. on or before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the plan's most recent adoption, the governing body of the municipality shall either readopt the existing plan for an additional term of up to ten (10) years or shall adopt a new general plan.
In accordance with A.R.S. §9-461.05 the General Plan shall consist of a statement of community goals and development policies, include maps, any necessary diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles, standards and plan proposals. Based on the Town’s population, the Paradise Valley 2022 General Plan must include at a minimum the following elements per A.R.S. requirements:
ü Land Use Element
ü Circulation Element
ü Open Space Element
ü Growth Area Element
ü Environmental Planning Element
ü Cost of Development Element
ü Water Resource Element
The 2012 General Plan addresses these A.R.S. mandatory elements albeit in a combined fashion. The existing 2012 General Plan elements consist of:
• Land Use and Development Element
• Community Character and Housing Element
• Mobility Element
• Open Space and Recreation Element
• Environmental Planning and Water Resources Element
• Sustainability Element
• Public Facilities/Service and Cost of Development Element
In the case of the 2012 General Plan the Town added a “Community Character and Housing Element” to provide goals and policies on an issue that was identified by the Paradise Valley Town Council during the general plan process. So long as the A.R.S. mandatory elements are addressed there is nothing preventing a community from including additional elements in a general plan. For instance, other general plan elements required by state statues for cities with populations larger than that of Paradise Valley include:
ü Conservation Element
ü Recreation Element
ü Transportation Element (additional topics required to be covered)
ü Public Services & Facilities Element
ü Public Buildings Element
ü Housing Element
ü Conservation. Rehabilitation & Redevelopment Element
ü Safety Element
ü Bicycling Element
ü Energy Element
ü Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization Element.
In accordance with A.R.S. §9-461.06.M. once the Town Council adopts the 2022 General Plan it shall be submitted to the voters for ratification at the next regularly scheduled municipal election or at a special election scheduled at least 120 days after the council adopts the plan. The project schedule has now been somewhat condensed due to the COVID crisis. However, it is still staff’s intent to meet the deadline to place the ratification question on the August 2022 general election ballot.
PROJECT UPDATE:
Budget: The current Town budget has three priority levels for expenditures and has allocated $20,000 for this project at priority level one and $100,000 at priority level two. Staff sent out the Request for Proposal (RFP) stating that the project budget would be split between two (2) fiscal years to better balance the Town’s budget concerns with the anticipated cost expenditures for any consultant responding to the RFP. Staff would then have the flexibility to reimburse for work completed within fiscal year one with the contingency rolled over to the second fiscal year of the project. The RFP also requests that each proposal provide a full description of the expected expenditures per fiscal year based on the six (6) project work phases outlined in the Town’s scope of work.
Timeline: The project solicitation process is underway following the schedule outlined below. It is staff’s intention to come back to Council for contract approval at the October 8th Council meeting.
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Request for Proposal Issued |
August 24, 2020 |
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Deadline for RFP Submittal (via Bonfire) |
September 14, 2020 |
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Selection Committee Shortlist |
September 18, 2020 |
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Interviews |
Week of Sept. 21, 2020 |
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Contract Approval by Council |
October 8, 2020 |
Depending upon the RFP responses from the consultants the project could commence immediately. Optimistically, staff would like to have a draft of the Public Participation Plan for Council to review and comment on at one of the November meetings and a final draft of the Public Participation Plan for adoption at one of the Council’s December meetings. This accelerated schedule reduces the timeframe devoted to drafting the Public Participation Plan from 4 months, as originally outlined, down to 1½ months. To meet this challenging schedule, staff will be evaluating the consultants who respond to the RFP on their specific methodology, personnel and their experience in order to move this project quickly forward and closer to the original project timeline (pre-COVID).
Condensed schedule to make up for time lost due to COVID
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2020 / month |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
2021 |
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Release RFP (8/24) |
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Council Discussion on Process (9/10 WS meeting) |
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Selection of Consulting Firm • RFP Due (9/14) • Selection Committee Meet (9/18) • Consultant Interviews (9/24) |
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Council Award of Contract to Firm (10/08 meeting) |
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Draft of Public Participation Plan (November WS meeting) |
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Adoption of Public Participation Plan (December H meeting) |
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Draft 2022 Draft Update |
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Original schedule pre-COVID
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2020 / month |
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2 |
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5 |
6 |
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8 |
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9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
2021 |
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Council Discussion on Process |
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Selection of Consulting Firm |
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Council Award of Contract to Firm |
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Drafting of Public Participation Plan |
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Adoption of Public Participation Plan |
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Draft 2022 Draft Update |
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General Plan Review Process: Staff understands that the Council wishes to be very involved in and lead the development of the 2022 General Plan. Since the general plan must be ratified by the voters it will be extremely important that Council adopt a Public Participation Plan that provides ample and various opportunities for citizen involvement in updating the general plan. Transparency, inclusivity and accessibility for people with different working schedules to provide their input and dialogue into the plan-making process will be key to voter buy-in and ratification of the plan.
Format of deliverables: The general plan is used by town government, development community, and the residents; all with different purposes for using it. The RFP states that the General Plan must be “easy to use, easy to read, easy to understand”. Staff anticipates that the consultants will have a few new ideas for the deliverable product (bound book, web-based, static, interactive, executive summary etc.) or a combination of end products. Staff requests Council input on any specific directions regarding what your expectations are for the final deliverables.
Staff wanted to update the Council on their decision to split the project between two (2) fiscal years and still achieving a timetable of August 2022 for voter ratification of the general plan.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
None unless directed otherwise, the $120,000 budget is to be split between fiscal years 2020 and 2021 based on project work phases to achieve the August 2022 timetable for voter ratification of the general plan.
However, the consultant responses to the RFP are due on September 14th and if there is a need for a change to the budget staff will so inform the Council and seek further Council direction.
ATTACHMENT(S):
A. 2012 Paradise Valley General Plan
B. RFP #20-112-CMD
C. PowerPoint Presentation