Title
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH HOUSEAL LAVIGNE ASSOCIATES, LLC TO CONDUCT AN UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHICH WILL INCLUDE A PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN PHASE II; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Executive Summary: This project will involve an update to the 2004 Comprehensive Plan and will include a plan for what is known as Downtown Phase II.
Body
Legislative History
None.
Purpose & Explanation
In the last couple of years interest in planning for what is known as Phase II of downtown has accelerated. This coincides with the City Charter requirement that an update to the City's Comprehensive Plan is to be initiated in 2014. Contemplating these plans, $100,000 was budgeted for a consultant to conduct these plans. Accordingly staff issued a Request for Qualifications and Proposal (RFQ/P) on March 19. Six firms submitted proposals. After reviewing the proposals, conducting interviews with three of the firms, and contacting approximately five communities for each of the firms interviewed, staff is recommending that the City retain Houseal Lavigne Associates (HLA), 134 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois. Members of the Downtown Phase II Ad Hoc Committee were invited to examine all of the proposals submitted. At a recent meeting after discussing the selection process and the recommended firm the committee endorsed staff's recommendation. HLA proposes to conduct the work for a fee of $99,880 and conclude the work within one year of when the agreement is executed. The proposed fee and time frame are within the parameters specified in the RFQ/P.
As of this writing Council has yet to appoint members to a Comprehensive Plan citizen committee. During the interview process and as discussed at the Ad Hoc Committee meeting the appointment of a separate committee may not be necessary or advised. Council may wish to consider simply adding several members to the existing committee such as representatives from Planning Commission and other existing boards. The committee would oversee the Comprehensive Plan process and could appoint a task force or subcommittee to concentrate on the downtown plan if it wished. The Ad Hoc Committee was supportive of this structure. Such a structure would have the following benefits:
· It would better ensure that the downtown component was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
· It would combine the plans into one which would simplify the process in terms of public notices, and the number of public meetings, resolutions, staff reports, agenda items, and other administrative steps.
· The plan would be easier to market and for the public to understand.
· Finding the same number of persons to serve on a separate Comprehensive Plan committee may prove difficult.
Timing Considerations
Staff contemplates final action on this Resolution on May 21, 2014. Staff hopes to have the agreement executed by Memorial Day. Work on the plan can therefore commence in June. New appointments to the Ad Hoc Committee should be made as soon as possible.
Fiscal Impact
X Currently Budgeted ($100,000 included in the professional services line under contractual services in the 2014 Community Development Department budget)
Supplemental Appropriation Required
Appropriation Not Required.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends that City Council approve this Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Houseal Lavigne Associates. Further staff recommends that Council widen the scope of the existing Downtown Ad Hoc Committee to include the update to the Comprehensive Plan.
Submitted by,
Mark Richardson, Community Development Director