Purpose

The Town of Matthews is seeking proposals from interested consultants to update and modernize the Town's Unified Development Ordinance. The current Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) became effective in April of 2014. Since adoption, numerous amendments have been ratified to meet community needs, but these amendments have been done piecemeal and without a comprehensive plan as a guide. In May of 2024 the Town adopted Envision Matthews, its first comprehensive plan which reflects the community's vision for growth and development. This document will serve as the basis for the majority of recommended changes and additions to the Unified Development Ordinance.

Background Information

The 17-square-mile Town of Matthews sits at the southeastern edge of Mecklenburg County and is generally surrounded by Charlotte to the north and west, Mint Hill to the northeast, the town of Stallings in Union County to the east and south and an unincorporated portion of Mecklenburg County to the southwest. Matthews' most dramatic population increase occurred between 1980 and 2010, when the Town grew from about 1,600 to more than 25,000 people. While growth has slowed due to the scarcity of undeveloped land, development pressure is increasing as more people want to move to Matthews. The population in 2022 was 30,156.

Relevant Documents:

Town of Matthews Unified Development Ordinance

www.matthewsnc.gov/files/documents/FullUDODocument1318110828011625AM.pdf

Envision Matthews Comprehensive Plan

www.matthewsnc.gov/files/documents/EnvisionMatthewsAdoptedPlanforviewing1318112056071024AM.pdf

Project Goals

Generally, the updated Unified Development Ordinance must be clear and concise, user-friendly, and emphasize the use of graphics, diagrams, tables, and charts instead of voluminous text to explain desired concepts. The update should aim to remove barriers associated with traditional Euclidian zoning and support an inclusive and diverse approach to community placemaking.

The UDO will need to be consistent with appropriate references to all associated regulations within North Carolina General Statutes, as well as applicable federal statutes, pertaining to zoning, land use, signage, subdivision, environmental protection, permitting, administration, appeals/variances, special uses and enforcement. There should be clearly defined procedures for development application reviews, including approval process from external approval (Board) to internal approval (Staff). Definitions should reflect current and emerging planning practice and usage. The consultant will be expected to align the UDO with the goals and action steps outlined in Envision Matthews.

Scope of Work

The Town of Matthews has established that the following information should be included in the UDO update. These requested services will be the result of negotiations between the Town and the successful respondent. In general, the scope of services will include but not be limited to the following:

1. Existing UDO Review

The consultant will conduct an analysis of the current UDO utilizing the town staff and their own resources and professional review. This analysis should result in a detailed report identifying areas of weakness, provide recommendations for improvement, and establish a framework for the updated UDO. The following items and others not listed may be included for review:

• Identification of deficiencies with compliance of state and federal statutes and case law.
• Consideration of best practices.
• Recommendations for quality of life and ease of use upgrades.
• Clarity of standards, processes, definitions and enforcement.
• Organization and formatting of the UDO ensuring all information is concisely presented, with a high degree of readability for a variety of users.

Deliverable: A detailed report assessing the current UDO.

2. Review of Adopted Plans

The process of updating the Towns UDO will require review of the Comprehensive Plan's goals and recommendations, as well as any other adopted plans and documents, for the inclusion of strategies and potential obstacles outlined on their implementation.

Deliverable: A report consisting of recommendations integrating the goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan and other adopted plans.

3. Limited Stakeholder Engagement

As a part of the Envision Matthews plan the town did extensive public outreach, therefore town planning staff will be responsible for the majority of public outreach and stakeholder engagement. The town expects the consultant to have a limited role in public engagement meetings, but the consultants will be expected to assist in the collection and analysis of feedback. The consultant will be more involved with smaller stakeholder group meetings. A variety of methods and strategies may be used to engage and receive feedback from:

• Residents, businesses, and development professionals.
• Town Staff, including a steering committee that may be created.
• Town Council, Planning Board, and other relevant boards.

Deliverable: A report outlining the outreach that was performed and the utilization of that input.

4. UDO Rewrite Framework

Utilizing the goals of the Comprehensive Plan, other adopted plans, input from Staff, and input from other stakeholders, develop a framework for the UDO update. This framework should include detailed information and easy to communicate graphics to express the proposed changes.

Deliverable: A framework to demonstrate the recommended updates, including an outline of the final UDO.

5. Final UDO and Adoptions

A draft of the UDO text update shall be prepared, including all necessary tables, graphics, and references. Following staff review, the final draft will be ready for publication and usage in both print and digital formats. After review, the final draft will need to go through the process of obtaining the recommendation of the Planning Board and being adopted by the Board of Commissioners.

Deliverable: The final UDO in digital (PDF & Word) and print format.

Compensation and Budget

The town is operating on a fixed budget for the project. Funding for the UDO is anticipated to spread over multiple fiscal years with an anticipated start date of Summer 2025. The work will be performed on a fixed price basis with a specific amount and payment program to be determined through contract negotiations with chosen consultant and will be based upon major milestones and/or identified tasks and subtasks. The expected project budget is $100,000.

Submission Requirements

Proposals must not exceed 30 pages (double-sided) and must include the following information:

• Cover letter (1 page maximum)
• Table of contents
• List of available services
• Project team, including roles and responsibilities (include subcontractors)
• Examples of comparable projects the firm has completed in similar sized communities
• Detailed project approach, reflecting the Scope of Work outlined above
• Project schedule showing milestones and deliverables
• Service quote disclosing all costs and fees
• Any other relevant information deemed necessary (e.g., resumes; , professional references)

Selection Criteria

The Town of Matthews will evaluate each proposal on the following criteria:

• Experience and Qualifications. The submission should illustrate the experience and skills of the primary consulting firm, subcontractors (if any), and project team.
• Style and Design. An attractive, user-friendly ordinance is desired. The submission should include design samples from similar projects that illustrate the firm's graphic design skills.
• Quality of Submission. The submission should be complete, organized, and concise. It should demonstrate the consulting firm's understanding of the project subject and scope.
• Logic. The proposal should be reasonable, evidence-based, and achievable in the allotted timeframe.

Selection Schedule

The following is the anticipated schedule that is subject to change by the Town.

EVENT DATES

RFP Issued — March 7, 2025

Questions pertaining to RFP Due — March 28, 2025, by 3:00 PM

Responses to questions issued via addendum — March 31, 2025, by 5:00 PM

RFP Proposal Due Date — April 21, 2025, by 3:00 PM

Evaluation Committee Review — April 28 – May 2, 2025

Present Top Candidates to Board of Commissioners — May 12, 2025

Sign Contract and Schedule Project Kickoff Meeting — May 30, 2025

Disclaimers

Town Obligation: There is no expressed or implied obligation for the Town to reimburse firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

Late Submissions: Any proposals received after the deadline will not be accepted or considered.

Right of Rejection: The town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this document or in any addendums to this document, unless the provision refers specifically to this provision, the town reserves the right to:

• Negotiate changes of any nature with any firm proposing to do the work with respect to any term, condition, or provision in this document and/or in any proposals, whether something is stated to be mandatory and whether it is said that a proposal will be rejected if certain information or documentation is not submitted with it; and
• Enter into an agreement for the work with one or more firms that do not submit proposals.

Withdrawal of Proposal: Respondents may withdraw all or any portion of a proposal at any time during and after the review and award process, up to the ratification of an agreement between the Town and the designated firm.

Withdrawal of Request for Proposal: The Town retains the right to cancel or withdraw this RFP at any time, to refuse to accept a proposal from any respondent, and to modify or amend any portion of this RFP. Notification will be provided to all consultants involved in the RFP process.

Applicable Laws Shall Apply: The contract awarded shall be governed in all respects by the laws of North Carolina, and the consultant awarded the contract shall comply with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Town Contact Information

Direct Inquiries to: Jay Camp, AICP Planning Director; 704-708-1226; jcamp@matthewsnc.gov

Email submissions to: jcamp@matthewsnc.gov