The City of Edgewater (City) is requesting proposals for consulting services from a professional planning
firm to lead a comprehensive update to its Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) and its Land Use and
Development Code (the Code). The selected firm or team of firms will have demonstrated experience in
variety of areas, including but not limited to, developing community visions, growth policies,
implementation strategies, land use, zoning, subdivision policies and regulations, and public outreach
techniques. The consultants will prepare and provide documents and associated services for the
comprehensive plan and development code in accordance with the requirements described within this
request for proposal and accompanying documentation.
Qualifications:
The consultant must have the availability and adaptability of services to meet the needs of the City. At a
minimum, this project will consist of the following services:
1. Robust Public Participation Process/Engagement Strategy. The consultant will be the project lead
for community engagement efforts for the Comp Plan update. The City expects a robust, broadbased
community engagement process that includes formal and information engagement
techniques with a variety of tools. Coordination with other community events during the process
is highly encouraged. These techniques and tools should be adaptable to various age groups and
ethnic communities. The City expects that community engagement collateral be available in
English and Spanish. The consultant will be responsible for the development of community
engagement materials including posters, flyers, web content, FAQs, and other collateral necessary
for the successful execution of the engagement strategy.
2. Project Kick-Off and Site Tour. The Consultant shall meet with Planning and Zoning
Commission and City staff for a project orientation meeting and tour of the City. The meeting
will provide an understanding of project process and schedule, goals, and an orientation of the
various areas within the City. The meeting will be coordinated by the City and will be a half day.
3. General Coordination Meetings and Partner Meetings. The Consultant shall be present at
regularly scheduled coordination meetings and limited meetings with partner organizations to
forward the progress of the project. In person attendance is not required for these meetings.
Conference hosting will be provided.
4. Proposed Comprehensive Plan Framework. The Consultant shall prepare a draft framework for
the structure and content of the Comp Plan at an appropriate time in the project agreed upon by
the consultant and the City. This framework will serve as the workplan for the project moving
forward and should take into consideration community feedback received.
5. Draft Comprehensive Plan. The Consultant shall prepare draft chapters or elements based on the
proposed project schedule for review. Draft chapters or elements shall include maps and
supporting images that support the text content of the information.
6. Final Comprehensive Plan. The Consultant shall prepare a final draft of the proposed
comprehensive plan for public hearing purposes. An executive summary shall be produced
explaining the final drafts and rationale behind the proposed changes.
7. Initial Code Assessment. The Consultant shall conduct an assessment of Edgewater’s land use
and development code. This assessment should be a technical review of the existing code, include
a community engagement strategy, and consider the following:
a. Notes and comments from City staff regarding areas of concern.
b. Feedback from Planning and Zoning Commission, boards/commissions, other committees,
residents, business owners, and development partners.
c. The Consultant’s experience and/or knowledge of best practices in other communities.
d. The Consultant’s knowledge of innovative zoning and land use practices.
e. The Consultant’s experience in developing best practice zoning codes, per recommendations
set forth in comprehensive plans.
f. The Consultant’s experience with developing user-friendly zoning codes, as well as land use
application policies and procedures.
8. Outline of Proposed Development Code Changes. The Consultant shall provide an outline of the
proposed changes to the development code. The outline shall include:
a. An overview of the proposed structure and substance of the new codes.
b. Different best practice options for addressing issues and recommended approach for each
identified issue.
9. Draft Development Code Changes. The Consultant shall prepare a draft code based on the
outline of proposed development code changes. The Consultant shall provide working maps that
show how the proposed changes would be applied. The draft shall include high quality graphics
to illustrate elements of the code, which are engaging, attractive, and easy to understand.
10. Final Drafts of Development Code Changes. The Consultant shall prepare a final draft of the
proposed development code and zoning map for public hearing purposes. An executive summary
shall be produced explaining the final drafts and rationale behind the proposed changes.
11. Attend Public Hearings and Committee Meetings. The Consultant shall be present at appropriate
public hearings and committee meetings to present the final drafts of the documents to the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council at public hearings. The consultant shall make
changes to the final drafts based on input from the Planning and Zoning Commission and City
Council public hearings.
12. Adoption and Implementation. The Consultant shall provide a final copy of the adopted Comp
Plan and development code (including the zoning map) in a digital file, compatible with the
systems and programs utilized by City.
13. Additional Services. The Consultant may be contracted to assist the City in developing updated
land use application forms, FAQs, and “how to” documents related to the information in the new
Comp Plan and/or new development code. This should be listed as a potential added service to
the scope of work above.
