Specifications include, but are not limited to: The City of Burlington is seeking proposals from an interdisciplinary firm or team of consultants that may include landscape architects, planners, urban designers, ecologists, environmental law experts, graphic designers and/or climate resiliency professionals to complete a comprehensive Open Space Plan for the City. This project will be led by a collaborative city team including Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, Permitting and Inspections, and City Planning. It will involve the work of the Conservation Board, Conservation Legacy Program, and the Parks Commission. Ultimately, City Council will consider adopting the plan when it is complete. The Consultant(s) will be working under the direction of City staff throughout the development of the project. The Consultant(s) will also be expected to independently collaborate with other relevant City Departments in order to gather and synthesize relevant information. Mapping and related data analysis will be performed by the University of Vermont’s Spatial Analysis Lab. The selected consultant will work collaboratively with city staff and the Spatial Analysis Lab to provide a comprehensive final product. The Open Space Plan is intended to identify both existing and potential connections between open spaces and the tree canopy, between people and the infrastructure that connects us. To do so, it is anticipated that the process will require: ● Utilizing the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment to be generated by UVM Spatial to evaluate ecosystem services provided by our urban trees and natural areas, and articulate their role in mitigating existing and forthcoming climate challenges that Burlington faces and will face, such as urban heat islands and in providing cooling areas. ● Analyzing data to inform future scenarios related to climate change. ● Identifying any inequities related to open space and tree canopy by neighborhood and propose steps towards narrowing any gaps. ● Building upon the foundation of the existing Urban Forestry Plan, Open Space Protection Plan, Nature Based Climate Solutions Addendum, Municipal Development Plan, and coordinate with the city’s Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Comprehensive Plan, and the comprehensive plans for individual parks.
