TOWN OF STONINGTON

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP: #2021-008

COMPREHENSIVE ZONING REGULATION REWRITE

The TOWN of STONINGTON is accepting sealed proposals for a Comprehensive Zoning Regulation Rewrite of the Town's Zoning Regulations. Those interested in providing these Services as set forth in the RFP's specifications are invited to submit their Proposals to Mr. James Sullivan, Director of Finance, at the Stonington Town Hall, 3rd Floor Finance Office, 152 Elm Street, Stonington, Connecticut 06378, until 2:00 pm local time on Thursday October 14, 2021 at which time the proposals received will be opened publicly and read aloud. Proposals submitted after this time will not be accepted. Each proposer must submit a sealed envelope, the outside of which must be clearly marked "RFP#2021-008 ENCLOSED – COMPREHENSIVE ZONING REGULATION REWRITE" and include the proposer's company name and address.

The full Request for Proposals, and submission documents, may be obtained on the Town's website, under http://www.stonington-ct.gov/bids-rfps or on the CT DAS contracting portal.

The Town of Stonington is located in the southeastern corner of Connecticut. Stonington boasts 3 major historic villages, semi-rural uplands, coastal areas and 3 interstate highway interchanges. The 2020 census population is estimated at 18,566, over 42 square miles.

Stonington's major historic villages include Mystic, Pawcatuck and Stonington Borough. (Stonington Borough maintains its own land use regulations which are not included in this RFP.) Major attractions include Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium and the Barn Island Recreation Area.

Stonington's challenges over the coming years include dealing with sea level rise while enabling appropriate village development, maintaining historic resources, reimagining outdated highway commercial areas, promoting housing affordability, maintaining adequate utility services (particularly sewer), protecting the town's ample environmental resources including coastal and inland wetlands and waterways, groundwater resources, forested lands and other natural habitats and balancing the Town's tourist economy with residential quality of life.

The Town's Zoning Regulations were initially adopted in 1961 and comprehensively rewritten in 1979. Since then, piecemeal changes have been made along the way, initiated either by the Town or the private sector. The Regulations are difficult to follow and interpret and are often at odds with the stated goals of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and with State Statutes.

Specific goals of this project include, but are not limited to:

• Making regulations user-friendly, including liberal use of graphics, and plain language descriptions; streamlining the permitting process, particularly for low-risk proposals.
• Eliminating conflicting and inconsistent provisions, re-organizing requirements in appropriate sections of the regulations and enhancing predictability.
• Making regulations conform to relevant state enabling statutes and be legally defensible; including conforming to Connecticut's recent changes to the Zoning Enabling Act (PA 21-29), and other relevant state and federal laws.
• Determining whether uses currently permitted by-right or by Special Permit are still properly classified.
• Advancing several general goals in the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) including coastal resilience, promotion of local agriculture, preservation of natural resources, open space, historical and scenic resources, enhancement of villages, promotion of appropriate housing and commercial development, provision of adequate community facilities, services and utilities and transportation systems.
• Advancing the several specific tasks and recommendations related to Zoning Regulations in the POCD.
• Implementing zoning recommendations in the Stonington Affordable Housing Plan.
• Implementing zoning recommendations in the Stonington Coastal Resilience Plan.
• Reviewing and advising on appropriate densities in residential zones.
• Reviewing and advising on appropriate changes to zoning districts and the Zoning Map, including existing Overlay and Floating Zones.
• May also include related amendments to the Town's Zoning Map Atlas.
• Proposed regulations shall incorporate Stonington's unique character.
• Protecting residential areas from potential adverse impacts of commercial uses.
• Robust public input process involving the general public, development community, various boards and commissions and interest groups.

Any addenda to the RFP will be posted to the Town's website along with the CT DAS contracting portal. All firms are responsible for checking for new addenda.

Any questions regarding this bid should be emailed to Keith Brynes, Town Planner at kbrynes@stonington-ct.gov, with copy to James Sullivan, Director of Finance, Town of Stonington, at jsullivan@stonington-ct.gov by 3:00 PM on Friday September 24, 2021.

The successful Proposer is required to comply with all provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972, Executive Orders #3, No. 17, 11246, 11375 and 11478. Contractors shall comply with State Statutes concerning Employment and Labor Practices, if applicable, and Section 31-53 of the Connecticut Statutes, as amended (Prevailing Wages).

The Town of Stonington and its Agencies and Commissions is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Respondents must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran status intellectual disability, mental disability or physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, unless it is shown by such Respondent that such disability prevents performance of the work involved. The Town of Stonington complies with all Federal, State, and Local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in the Town has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Respondents to this RFP agree and warrant that in the performance of the work contemplated under this RFP they will not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons. Respondents agree to provide the State of Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities with such information requested by the Commission concerning employment practices and procedures.

A completed Fee Proposal Form Exhibit G, and all other attachments listed therein must be submitted with the Proposal.

Any proposer that qualifies for the "LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE" must fill out a "Town- Based Business Affidavit Form" signed by an authorized representative of the proposer at the time of Proposal submittal in order to be considered for this preference. Failure to submit a Town Based Business Affidavit on the form provided by the Town of Stonington will result in disqualification of town-based business status and loss of any preference given to a town-based business on the part of such Proposer as to its bid. The form is available on the Town's website at www.stonington-ct.gov or can be obtained by contacting the Finance Office at 860-535-5070

The Town of Stonington reserves the right to amend or terminate this Request for Proposals, to reject any or all bidders, to waive and technical or legal deficiencies, to request additional information, to waive any informalities or non- material deficiencies in a response, to determine qualifications exclusively and finally in its sole discretion, to select any firm based on any combination of factors, and the Town's best interests, to negotiate with any firm submitting a bid for different or additional terms, and to take any and all other action that, in the Town's sole judgment, will be in its best interests.

The Town of Stonington is an:

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

MBE/WBE AND SBE's are encouraged to bid