Statement of Need

Henderson County is seeking proposals from qualified, professional consultants who will assist the County in creating a comprehensive plan for land use that updates, incorporates, and builds upon the current County Comprehensive Plan (CCP), while creating the policy framework for balanced growth over a 25-year planning horizon. The consultant(s) awarded this contract will have the primary responsibility of developing the 2045 Comprehensive Plan document and will work in coordination with Henderson County's Planning Department.

County History and Overview

Henderson County is located in the mountains of western North Carolina. The County borders South Carolina to the south and Buncombe County to the north; the City of Asheville is approximately 30 minutes from the county seat in Hendersonville. The County is approximately 375 square miles and has five incorporated municipalities; City of Hendersonville, Town of Laurel Park, Village of Flat Rock, Town of Mills River, and Town of Fletcher. There is also a small portion of the Town of Saluda that falls within Henderson County.

The County's estimated population is 116,748 based on the 2018 American Community Survey with the majority of residents living in unincorporated areas. Thirty percent of all residents are aged 62 and older. With a large proportion of the community retired or nearing retirement, it will be essential for the 2045 Comprehensive Plan to adequately prepare for proper land use and infrastructure to support our aging community.

The County's current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2004 and was a twenty-year plan. The County recently adopted an extension of the current plan until 2023. Since the plan's adoption, the County implemented new county-wide zoning (2007) with the adoption of the Land Development Code (LDC), floodplain restrictions, stormwater and erosion controls regulations, and high density water supply/watershed preservation requirements. The amount of time that has passed, coupled with the major changes to the Land Development Code, requires the County to perform a full rewrite of the comprehensive plan.

Henderson County is experiencing increased pressure on road infrastructure and housing inventory mainly due to the sprawl from neighboring Buncombe County and the influx of "second-home" residents. The 2045 Comprehensive Plan will need to address these pressures and ways to work with NCDOT amidst their financial crisis and recent plans to halt and postpone most major roadway projects. The selected consultant should consider the County's high level of public participation in land use and transportation decision making, but also actively pursue the large portion of County residents who are not typically engaged. The consultant will help design a public participation plan that specifically targets underrepresented community members and aims for substantial public involvement in the planning process.

The County has undertaken many other long range planning efforts. Recently, these plans focused on bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Below is a list with links to the relevant plans. Part of the new comprehensive plan will be to integrate the existing community plans and receive an update from the original stakeholder groups regarding recommendations and developing recommendations for the remaining community plans through community participation. Going forward, County staff will perform problem-based long range planning that focuses on corridors and small areas versus large and diverse communities.

Expectations of Consultant

Throughout the process the selected consultant will be expected to utilize their experience and drive the process. To achieve this goal, and utilize the experience of the selected consultant, the County will require the following expectations be met and identified within the consultant's proposal:

1. Initial meeting with County staff to review a project timeline, schedule meetings and begin the process of data acquisition.
2. Review all existing plans, maps, documents, data and other materials relevant to the project. County staff will provide all available existing documentation to the consultant. The consultant will study and consolidate applicable materials into the 2045 Plan.
3. Plan and possibly conduct meetings with key elected and appointed officials.
4. Plan an extensive stakeholder and public outreach process using a range of methods to inform and involve stakeholders, citizen organizations and the general public. County staff is prepared to implement the various public outreach activities to ensure the consultant(s) can focus on data analysis and document creation.
5. Develop 2045 Plan goals, objectives, and implementation strategies based on technical data and public input.
6. Draft materials for review and comment by the County in accordance with a schedule developed at the beginning of the planning process.
7. Confirm the final 2045 Plan conforms to existing North Carolina General Statutes including NCGS 160D.
8. Analyze consistency of current County ordinances and policies in relationship to the 2045 Plan goals and objectives.
9. Prepare a draft document for public review and comment. The plan should be presented in a format and language that is user-friendly and easily understood by the general public and that can be edited or amended by County staff in the future.
10. Prepare a final draft document and present at all associated meetings including the public hearing(s) for adoption of the plan.
11. Provide at least bi-weekly updates, primarily via e-mail or virtually and occasionally in-person, to update County staff on project status, discuss issues and review drafts. Periodic written status reports and status update presentations may also be required to the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners.

Scope of Services

The consultant will be expected to conduct the following tasks. The County strongly encourages proposers to expand on these tasks, emphasize tasks, and to suggest additional tasks not identified in this RFP that may be necessary or beneficial.

• Project Meetings: The consultant is expected to meet regularly with staff. When appropriate, these meetings may be via telephone or video conference.
• Meetings with Staff, Planning Board, stakeholder groups, and the Board of Commissioners: County staff will primarily work with stakeholders and the public, but consultant participation may be necessary. In addition, the consultant will attend the Plan's formal adoption by the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners.
• Public Engagement and Communications: Public Participation is essential to this planning effort and must include an outreach and public participation process designed to engage the public and specific stakeholders in visioning the future of the County. Significant public input will be required throughout the process. We anticipate that a number of public meetings will be held in order to seek the opinions and views of the public at large, report on progress as the plan develops, solicit comments on specific ideas or concepts, and identify problems or barriers that must be acknowledged and overcome. Public involvement in the planning process and acceptance of the final plan is critical to the success of this effort, and respondents should explain their approach and public participation plan in detail in their responses.
  • The consultant's public participation approach must include methods for reaching diverse county residents including minority populations.
  • Experience with ArcGIS StoryMaps and other online engagement platforms is preferred.
  • Consultants should propose creative ways to engage the public virtually as well as in-person.
  • To help with cost, County staff will conduct most public meetings.
• 2045 Plan Development: The consultant will serve as the primary drafter of the plan and shall perform research and develop materials for the 2045 Plan, including but not limited to:
  • A baseline review of existing plans and relevant information, including plans and documents listed under the County History and Overview section, current codes and policies, demographic and census data, and other information relevant to the required plan elements.
  • Develop an inventory and assessment of issues and opportunities based on work with staff, stakeholders, and the public participation process.
  • Develop a vision for Henderson County that will serve as a focal point for goals, policy, and strategy decisions.
  • Draft the 2045 Comprehensive Plan for Planning Board and Board of Commissioners adoption.
  • Provide digital, editable, working, and printable copies of all final documents including reports, maps, and final plan.
• 2045 Plan Content. The 2045 Plan document will include assembling and analyzing data regarding existing conditions within the established planning area and utilizing that data to develop policies, actions, and an implementation plan to guide future development and decision making over a 25-year timeframe. It is anticipated the 2045 Plan will cover the following content:
  • Community Assessment – Population, housing, demographic, and economic trends, and projections
  • Economic Development – Including general analysis; particular attention to projected job growth and tourism pressures as related to the proposed Ecusta Trail as well as existing outdoor recreation opportunities
  • Natural Resources, Resiliency, and Hazard Mitigation – Consider the County's responsibility as the water supply/watershed administrators and the role of increased extreme weather events in future policy decisions (reference the regional resiliency planning efforts)
  • Land Use – Including historic preservation, agriculture preservation, designated Opportunity Zones, and analysis of areas where zoning can be changed to enhance the natural progression of land use; consider the inclusion of a greenway overlay district
  • Growth Boundary – Emphasis on water/sewer extensions and municipal annexations
  • Transportation – Inclusion of recent feasibility studies, needed NCDOT projects, and the French Broad River MPO's current regional transit feasibility study
  • Public Health – Inclusion of the County's ongoing efforts to fight the opioid crisis and other addiction issues, ways to address the aging population and increased homelessness, as well as consideration towards methods of creating a healthier community
  • Broadband – Analysis of current internet availability and efforts to increase accessibility
  • Traditionally Underrepresented Groups – Consideration of traditionally underrepresented groups and equitable planning in all aspects of the plan
  • Implementation – Specific goals and policies to implement each element of the 2045 Plan

FOR THE COMPLETE RFP, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/rfps