The City of Cañon City (City) is requesting proposals for consulting services from a professional planning firm to lead an holistic update to its Zoning, Subdivision and Development Regulations (Code) as well as its Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan). 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 updates of both the Code and the Comp Plan in accordance with the requirements described within this request for proposal and accompanying documentation.

The City will work closely with the consultant team to ensure these objectives stay in the forefront of the project for the duration.

1. The successful vendor shall create an effective and inclusive Public Outreach Campaign, to glean public input from Cañon City residents and businesses for incorporation into the Zoning, Subdivision and Development Regulations, as well as the Comprehensive Plan Update.
2. The City of Cañon City, County seat of Fremont County Colorado, needs a new comprehensive plan to guide reinvestment, new development and future growth. Having a contemporary, holistic comprehensive plan that clearly establishes a vision for community, including: outlining clear goals, objectives and direction for revamped or new policies; establishes a process for orderly growth and development; addresses both current and long term needs; and provides for a balance between the natural and built environment is needed. The plan is needed now to be adopted before the City’s sesquicentennial anniversary in April of 2022.
3. The successful vendor will provide a newly written set of Zoning, Subdivision and Development Regulations comprised of updated regulations, definitions, design standards, illustrations, tables/graphs and other applicable informational items, as required. While it is anticipated that many of the current zoning district names will remain as they are currently, the City desires to clarify and calibrate its Commercial and Industrial zone districts.
4. The successful vendor will create final documents for both the Code and Comprehensive Plan updates which are user-friendly, comprehensible to citizens who lack experience in the field of planning, and specifically tailored to Cañon City’s unique needs.
5. Achieve alignment between the Comp Plan and the Code to support stated goals and policies.
6. Creates an Action Plan for implementation of the Comp Plan over the estimated 10-year lifespan of document, and incorporates relevant Action steps into the formation of the Code.

The City of Cañon City has allocated $300,000 (pending matching grant funds from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs) to update both the Comp Plan and Code. Ideally, the City would like to see this project finalized by April 2021, but is willing to consider additional time if a program proposal justifies the additional program duration to the satisfaction of the City’s Zoning Administrator.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive irregularities or informalities in the proposals, and to re-advertise for proposals if desired. After considering all proposals and information provided during the application process, the City will select the firm who is the most advantageous to the City from the standpoint of service, previous experience, and ability to deliver or for any other reason deemed by the City to be in the best interest of the City.

The full RFP can be accessed here: https://www.canoncity.org/bids.aspx