Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide that consulting services for lead the review and update of the county’s comprehensive plan and the associated community engagement.
- The county comprehensive plan 2010; county codes, ordinances, and policies; all relevant sections of the code of state; relevant county strategic and master plans, including but not limited to, county parks and recreation master plan and the county water and sewer master plan, the county emergency operations plan, etc.; relevant regional plans, including, but not limited to, relevant studies and plans conducted by west piedmont planning district commission (WPPDC) and the planning organization (MPO), and relevant economic development plans.
- Review future land use maps for adjacent localities, particularly the city, to help evaluate how development may influence county.
- Work with representatives of the board of supervisors, planning commission, county administration, community development, and other county staff, regional organizations, as well as other county consultants where relevant.
- Provide an up-to-date analysis of the county’s population, demographics, and land use, including discussion of trends in population and housing growth, current development, and potential residential needs and build-out.
- Develop and implement a broad-based and robust community engagement strategy to involve all county citizens in the comprehensive plan process.
- Document specifically how and when the public, including but not limited to residents, businesses, the development community, the agricultural community and other stakeholders, will be engaged in the comprehensive plan review and update process.
- Include multiple modes of engagement and provide a variety of accessible options to the public.
- Demonstrate how this concept will achieve meaningful participation across the entire county, including participation from those not normally engaged in government processes, on topics such as land use and community design, transportation, housing, etc.
- Work with county staff to develop a branding for the update process and a project website.
- The project website should, among other things, educate the public on the purpose of a comprehensive plan, how it is typically applied, and their role in shaping the plan.
- Develop all materials for multiple methods of community engagement including but not limited to project webpage, surveys and questionnaires, facilitation guides for staff to utilize, visual presentations, talking points or other resources necessary to engage the public.
- In collaboration with county staff, facilitate all workshops, public involvement sessions, and meetings related to the comprehensive plan planning process.
- Synthesize background data collection and community engagement to inform comprehensive plan updates.
- Some known areas of the comprehensive plan that need to be updated are as follows:
• Demographics and socioeconomic data – the plan should reflect current and projected demographic and socioeconomic trends and their implications on land use patterns and public services planning.
• Plan updates regarding housing, including current and projected needs, affordable housing strategies, recommendations on the appropriate ratio of housing types, and possible incentives for each type.
• Plan recommendations regarding transportation, economic development, parks and recreation, and other sections as needed, including new chapters if deemed necessary.
• Future land use map (FLUM) – the plan should propose updates to the FLUM based on a full review of the map category designations for consistency with public opinion and desires.
• Plan recommendations regarding strategies to provide utility infrastructure that are sufficient to meet the current and future needs of residents and businesses in the locality
- Prepare plan amendments/updates for review and adoption by the planning commission and board of supervisors.
- facilitate work sessions with each body prior to plan adoption.
- Update the design and layout of the comprehensive plan to include more visual elements while following county branding guidelines.
- Digital links will also be encouraged.
- Provide updated comprehensive plan in microsoft word (or other agreed upon) format.
- Process for plan amendments and future land use map amendments may be listed as options in any proposals
- Zoning map evaluation:
• Identify areas where zoning, current land use, and the revised FLUM are in conflict and make recommendations on areas that should be rezoned.
• Based upon findings, prepare a draft report summarizing the recommendations. the areas suggested for rezoning shall be provided in the draft, as well as data in a format compatible with the county’s geographic information system.
- The county also requests proposals and qualified consultants provide ideas and guidance related to comprehensive plan best practices that the county may wish to implement into its own plan, to include, but not limited to, fiscal impact analysis for proposed land uses, social determinants of health, and resiliency related the capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant multi-hazard threats with minimum damage to social well-being, health, the economy, and the environment.
- Contract Period/Term: 12 Month
- Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference Meeting Date: March 13,2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: March 24, 2025