Project: Zoning Code Update – Village of Watkins Glen, NY

Project Funding: This project will be funded by the NYS Department of State, under the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI)

Issuing Agency: Village of Watkins Glen

Issuing Date: February 5, 2020

Response Deadline: April 7, 2020

Contact: Lonnie Childs
303 N Franklin St
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
607-535-2736
villageclerk@watkinsglen.us

ZONING CODE REWRITE

The Village of Watkins Glen is currently accepting proposals from qualified firms to perform a comprehensive update to its zoning code and corresponding zoning map. The new code and map shall be in compliance with State statutes and shall be consistent with the Village’s Comprehensive Plan and various community plans.

Proposals received via the competitive bidding process will be reviewed by the Zoning Update Committee comprised of Village Officials and Staff and others as appointed by the Village Board.

BACKGROUND

The Village of Watkins Glen is located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of New York State, with a growing population of approximately 2,000.  The Village of Watkins Glens scenic beauty, abundant recreational amenities, and proximity to population centers such as Rochester, Ithaca, and Corning, also make it an attractive locale for potential investors. The economy of the Village of Watkins Glen and Schuyler County is heavily dependent on agriculture, manufacturing and tourism. 

In recent years the Village has struggled to balance new development and the expansion of tourism-related growth (particularly around the development of short-term vacation rentals) to maintain the components of a “traditional” small town and the character of the Village. 

In August 2017, the Village of Watkins Glen was one of 10 communities identified by the New York State Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC) to receive $10 million in State funding. The $10 million was awarded to support a Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) to transform downtowns ripe for development through a comprehensive, community-driven approach. The DRI program was first launched in April 2016 by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to improve the places that people live, work and raise families, by generating new opportunities for local development and investment.  This zoning update was one of the projects awarded under the DRI program.

PURPOSE

The Village of Watkins Glen wants to update their zoning code and zoning map in a way that will promote a style of development that preserves the charm of Watkins Glen while allowing development in a proactive way that is consistent and enforceable for the current residents, new residents, businesses, developers and the Village.  The Village of Watkins Glen has identified the following issues which serve as the purpose for the update:

The state of the current Zoning Code is not unusual:

• It is traditional in nature and contains design standards that are outdated and difficult to administer.
• Numerous amendments have been made that sometimes are not consistent with the rest of the code.
• It is not user-friendly and lacks consistent graphics to improve readability.

SCOPE OF WORK

With assistance from Village staff, elected officials, Schuyler County Planning Department and others appointed by the Village Board, the selected consultant will conduct a public process to develop a new Zoning Code for the Village of Watkins Glen. It is anticipated that the selected consultant will create a state of the art zoning code that will consider all zoning tools such as: form-based standards, traditional zoning and hybrid solutions.  These standards and new code shall support walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use commercial areas. The new code should assist to preserve the character and historic structures of the Village. This update should also incorporate the key concepts of Smart Growth, New Urbanism principles, and architectural design standards. It should include graphics when appropriate. This update should also include modifications to the sign code in order to meet the legal requirements stipulated in Reed v. Town of Gilbert.

The Zoning Update Committee appointed by the Village Board will work with the selected consultant to build a final scope of work. Expected deliverables should include the following:

• Current Zoning Code Audit. The consultant will work closely with Village staff in producing a diagnosis of the existing code.
• Review of Comprehensive Plan/ Downtown Revitalization Initiative Plan. The consultant will review and identify Plan Goals, Objectives and Recommendations to ensure the new code will be consistent with recent planning documents
• Public Outreach. The consultant will develop a public outreach strategy designed to inform community stakeholders and the general public on the state-of-the-art zoning code, as well as conducting regular meetings and web/social media interaction throughout the process.

In addition to regular meetings with the Zoning Update Committee, the consultant shall hold a minimum of two public meetings to inform the public concerning the project and solicit public input.

• Evaluation of Existing Neighborhoods, and Districts. The consultant will study existing neighborhoods and districts and determine unique areas that may warrant context-sensitive regulations.
• Drafting the Document. The consultant will prepare drafts of the zoning code, including graphics, and zoning map for review by Zoning Update Committee, culminating in a final version to be acted upon by the Village Board.

Issues to be addressed include, but are not limited to:

• Development of zoning that encourages vibrant neighborhoods, downtown revitalization and historic preservation.
• Examination of Short-Term Rental regulations to propose regulations that accommodate trends within this economy and protect the existing neighborhoods and community character.
• Inclusion of zoning regulation requirements that will encourage pedestrian and bicycle-friendly practices, complete streets, and the protection of critical environmental areas, waters, and natural resources.
• Inclusion of zoning regulation that address signage requirements within the code to ensure consistency with current legal requirements
• Inclusion of zoning regulation to accommodate the changing population. Including such things as housing, aging populations, etc.
• Inclusion of subdivision regulations.
• Inclusion of clear and administrable Design Guidelines.
• Integration of the New Code into User-Friendly Formats. The consultant will work with Village staff as well as its information technology vendors to make the new code accessible and interactive with the public and is suitable for electronic distribution.
• Staff Training. The Consultant shall provide resources to assist Village staff with implementation of the new code through a ‘start-up’ period not to exceed one year.

Fifteen (15) Hard Copies, and One (1) digital copy of all work shall be provided. All work products, data, and digital files shall be editable and within “normal printing dimensions” and be fully owned by the Village of Watkins Glen and New York State.

Funds for the project have been awarded through NYS Department of State Funding.  The project is not to exceed $50,000.

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals should be marked “Village of Watkins Glen: Zoning Code Update Proposal” and sent to the attention of Lonnie Childs, Village of Watkins Glen Clerk, and be received at the Village of Watkins Glen Offices, 303 N. Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY 14891 by Monday, April 7, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. Each submittal should include one (1) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive. Firms interested in submitting a proposal shall submit the following:

1. Letter of Interest with a brief description of the services that will be provided.
2. A roster of all team members.
3. A statement of qualifications, including at least one digital sample of a recent relevant project. If the sample was not prepared by the team members who will be working on the Village of Watkins Glen Zoning Code Update, include relevant samples of work by those team members.
4. A brief description of your philosophy and/or approach to the project which demonstrates the team’s understanding of the project and the relevant issues.
5. A proposed public input process including expected outcomes of each meeting.
6. A proposed Scope of Work describing your approach to accomplishing the objective stated in the RFP and identifying the methodology proposed. The consultant is encouraged to include suggestions or supplemental tasks which may enhance the project or streamline the scope of work and improve cost effectiveness. Clearly articulate all assumptions regarding data and information that you expect from the Village.
7. A Detailed Budget identifying the key components and subcomponents. Estimates must include the costs to complete each component and subcomponent, including estimated staff costs. The budget should use the same terminology as the project approach and schedule.
8. A time-line showing the estimated length of time for completion of the project. Time estimates should be expressed in number of days/weeks without reference to a specific starting date. The time-line should identify when draft and final work products will be submitted to Village staff.
9. A minimum of three references for a similar scope of work for similarly sized communities should be submitted.
10. Insurance Statement: Provide a statement that the firm has reviewed and is willing to meet the requirements specified in Appendix A – Standard Clauses for The Village of Watkins Glen Contracts and provide insurance as specified in Appendix B – Minimum Insurance Standards for The Village of Watkins Glen Contracts.
11. Any other information you would like to submit that you feel will assist us in the evaluation of your firm’s qualifications.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Village will use objective criteria to determine each consultant’s suitability to perform this work. Evaluation criteria shall be scored on a 100-point scale based on criteria that include:

• Relevant Experience of Firm (20pts)
• Relevant Experience of Project Team (20pts)
• Understanding of the Issues (20pts)
• Public Process (15pts)
• Clarity of Presentation (15pts)
• Project Cost (10pts)

The Village’s Zoning Update Committee will review all proposals based upon the above stated criteria and may interview selective consultant teams. Following the interview process, it is the intention of the Village of Watkins Glen to negotiate a contract with one consultant. If a contract cannot be successfully negotiated with the selected firm, the Village reserves the right to negotiate with the next firm listed in the evaluation ranking. The Village of Watkins Glen reserves the right to accept proposals in whole or in part, and to reject any and all proposals.  If you have any questions, contact Lonnie Childs by phone at 607-535-2736, or by email at villageclerk@watkinsglen.us

M/WBE PARTICIPATION

The Village of Watkins Glen strongly encourages Minority/Woman Business Enterprises to submit proposals under this RFP.