Project Overview

The City of Laconia, Department of Planning and Community Development ("City") invites qualified consulting firms ("Consultant") to submit proposals for the creation of a comprehensive Master Plan. This Master Plan will guide Laconia's growth and development through the year 2055, Laconia's bicentennial. The Consultant must have extensive experience in community engagement, land use planning, and master plan development. The selected Consultant will collaborate with the City to establish the scope of work, project timeline, public involvement strategies, and deliverables. The resulting contract will be "Not-to-Exceed" for the term of one (1) year from the date of the City Manager's signature. The contract term may be extended by two (2) additional terms of six (6) months each at the sole option of the City, subject to the parties' prior written agreement.

Project Background and Description of Agency

Laconia is a former mill town that has experienced stagnating population growth, declining school enrollment, and little to no major economic development from 1980 until 2020. However, several large residential developments were approved in recent years and a few large developments approved decades ago are finally being built out. Additionally, there is potential for redevelopment of the site of the former Laconia State School which could add more than 2,000 residential units and 375,000 square feet of commercial space within the City's borders.

The City is located in Belknap County, New Hampshire and is situated in the heart of the Lakes Region between Lakes Winnisquam and Winnipesaukee. US 3, NH 11, NH 106, and NH 107 connect the City with the surrounding communities and the rest of the State. Laconia currently has three distinct villages: Downtown, Lakeport, and Weirs Beach. A fourth village is likely to be developed at the site of the former Laconia State School on the corner of Meredith Center Road and NH 106. The Southern portion of the City provides higher density and mixed-use developments and includes the Lakeport and Down-town villages. US 3 also supports higher density and mixed-use developments, but these tend to be more seasonal in nature due to their proximity to Paugus Bay and Weirs Beach. The Northern portion of the City is low density and rural developments. Portions of White Oaks Road, Meredith Center Road, and NH 106 are currently protected by a special zone dedicated to maintaining its rural and scenic byway appeal.

The Laconia Department of Planning and Community Development strives to foster a sustainable and vibrant community by strategically guiding development through comprehensive planning, community engagement, and effective land use regulations, ensuring the long-term prosperity and quality of life for all residents. To accomplish this, the Planning Department develops long-range planning documents, proposes amendments to City ordinances, reviews all land use applications, and provides administrative support to more public bodies than any other department in the City. This support generally includes the drafting and posting of agendas, recording and posting of minutes, notification of the public and abutters, and providing knowledge of rules and regulations pertaining to the functions of the following boards:

• Planning Board
• Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Conservation Commission
• Technical Review Committee
• Special Events Review Committee
• Historic District Commission
• Capital Improvements Committee
• Master Plan Steering Committee
• Downtown Tax Increment Financing Advisory Board
• Weirs Tax Increment Financing Advisory Board
• Lakeport Tax Increment Financing Advisory Board
• Electric Aggregation Committee

Each of these committees participates in the comprehensive development and planning process for the City including the review of residential and commercial development, implementing improvement projects for the three tax increment financing districts, and the review and revision of the City's Master Plan. For this reason, the Planning Department is usually the first stop for all developers, business owners, and residents regarding previous, current, and future development within the City.

The current Master Plan was adopted in 2018 (Link to 2018 Master Plan) and is substantially less comprehensive than the previous 2007 Master Plan (Link to 2007 Master Plan). Additionally, the COVID-19 Pandemic had a profound impact on communities across the world, and Laconia was no different. Our current Master Plan does not adequately address the challenges the City is facing as it contends with the deficiency of affordable housing, stagnating economic development, and the lack of a clear vision and unified identity.

Scope of Work

The selected consultant will work closely with City leadership, stakeholders, and residents to produce a Master Plan that includes, but is not limited to, a vision, land use, transportation, economic development, housing, and implementation chapter.

Vision Chapter

• This chapter will direct the other chapters of the plan and must contain a set of statements which articulate the desires of the citizens affected by the master plan, not only for the City but for the region and the whole state. It must also contain a set of guiding principles and priorities to implement that vision.
• Deliverable: (1) Develop a community-driven vision statement for 2055 and (2) conduct stakeholder interviews, public workshops, and surveys.

Land Use Chapter

• This chapter will lay the foundation upon which all the following chapters must be based. This chapter must translate the vision statements into physical terms. Based on a study of population, economic activity, and natural, historic, and cultural resources, it must show existing conditions and the proposed location, extent, and intensity of future land use.
• Deliverable: (1) Perform a current conditions assessment and trend projections for population, employment, and economic development; (2) develop a future land use map and policy framework; (3) incorporate strategies for sustainable, balanced growth; and (4) identify targeted areas for preservation of historic and small-town New England elements.

Transportation Chapter

• This chapter must consider all pertinent modes of transportation and provide a framework for both adequate local needs and for coordination with regional and state transportation plans. Suggested items to be considered may include but are not limited to public transportation, park and ride facilities, and bicycle routes, or paths, or both.
• Deliverable: (1) Perform a current conditions assessment for multimodal transportation networks; (2) develop a future transportation map and policy framework to accommodate future growth; (3) and integrate sidewalks, bike paths, rail trails, and historic railroad elements where feasible.

Economic Development Chapter

• This chapter must propose actions to suit the City's economic goals, given its economic strengths and weaknesses in the region.
• Deliverable: (1) Perform a current conditions assessment that identifies the City's existing leading industries, employers, and gross domestic product (GDP); (2) develop strategies to support existing local businesses; and (3) develop strategies to attract investment and increase GDP.

Housing Chapter

• This chapter must assess local housing conditions and project future housing needs of residents of all levels of income and ages in the City and the region. A housing needs assessment for the City must be conducted which integrates the availability of human services with other planning undertaken by the City. The regional housing needs assessment performed by the Lakes Region Planning Commission in accordance with RSA 36:47, II (Link to RSA) must be used to identify the needs of the region.
• Deliverable: (1) Perform a housing needs assessment that identifies the City's existing housing stock, current needs, and projected needs; (2) develop strategies to support diverse housing options across the housing continuum; and (3) identify current and future opportunities to promote housing development across the housing continuum.

Implementation Chapter

• Arguably the most important chapter of the Master Plan, this chapter must include a long-range action program of specific actions, time frames, allocation of responsibility for actions, description of land development regulations to be adopted, and procedures which the City may use to monitor and measure the effectiveness of each chapter of the plan.
• Deliverable: (1) Identify key tasks needed to effectively implement each chapter; (2) develop a program that assigns the tasks to the responsible parties, identifies potential funding sources, and establishes a realistic timeline to accomplish said tasks.

Additional Chapters

• The City would like to have a comprehensive Master Plan that incorporates all chapters authorized by RSA 674:2 (Link to RSA). The consultant may recommend additional authorized chapters to incorporate in the Master Plan during this project. However, if no additional chapters are feasible at this time, the Master Plan must be designed in a way to easily add the chapters with a future project.

Project Deliverables

The following deliverables, in addition to those identified in the previous sections for each chapter, are required for successful completion of the project.

• Draft Master Plan and Executive Summary
• Final Master Plan (print and digital versions)
• Presentations to the Conservation Commission, Zoning Board, Planning Board, and City Council
• Public engagement materials including presentations, charettes, handouts, and online content

Project Timeline

The Master Plan must be completed and ready for acceptance in 12 months. Two additional six-month extensions are available to accommodate any unforeseen delays or revisions.

Submission Requirements

Submissions must be organized, clearly labeled, separated by tabs and presented professionally in the following order:

Tab 1 – Cover Letter (2 Pages Max)

1. Express interest in the project and summarize qualifications.
2. Identify key personnel, including a primary contact with phone/email.

Tab 2 – Firm/Team Background

1. Company name, office locations, and years in business.
2. Ownership structure and leadership team.
3. Organizational chart showing project manager and key personnel.

Tab 3 – Professional and Technical Qualifications

1. Description of relevant experience with master plan development.
2. Experience working with Laconia or similar communities in New England.
3. Resumes of key personnel, including those specializing in zoning, land use law, and municipal regulations.

Tab 4 – References

1. At least three examples of similar projects completed in the past five years.
2. At least three client references with contact details.

Tab 5 – Client Support

1. Availability of team members for meetings, site visits, collaboration, and community engagement.

Tab 6 - Additional Information (Optional, 5 Pages Max)

1. Supplemental information that may support your proposal including experience with municipal code and land use regulations updates.

Tab 7 – Cost Proposal

1. A proposed budget and timeline for the project including a schedule by task of direct labor hours, direct labor costs per class of labor, overhead rate, and fee for the project.
2. If the use of subconsultants is proposed, a separate schedule must be provided for each.
3. Total cost of the project to include all labor, materials, travel, and administrative fees.

Point of Contact

Tyler Carmichael
Assistant Planner
45 Beacon Street East
Laconia, NH 03246
(603) 527-1264
tcarmichael@laconianh.gov

CC: rmora@laconianh.gov

The entire RFP and its attachments can be found on the City's website at https://www.laconianh.gov/Bids.aspx.