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6424 - Prof Planning Srvcs for Development of Sector One S Neighborhoods Small Area Plan & Implementation, 4.Drawings/ Plans SECTOR 1 SOUTH NEIGHBORHOODS SMALL AREA PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY I. Purpose The City of Denton invites qualified consultants to submit their qualifications to develop a small area plan, which will include a comprehensive land use plan and implementation strategies, for an area within the city boundaries that is referred to “Sector 1 South Neighborhoods.” The project will be managed by the City’s Development Services Department - Long Range Planning Division. Background The Denton Plan 2030, the City’s comprehensive plan, recommends the creation of a small area plan to guide the physical development of the neighborhoods surrounding the University of North Texas (UNT) campus. The Sector 1 South Neighborhoods Small Area Plan will build on the broad goals and policies in the Denton Plan 2030 to address site-specific planning issues of the study area, and provide policy guidance for future development and investment decisions. The Sector 1 South Neighborhoods Small Area Plan study area is approximately 1200 acres, and bounded on the north by Panhandle Street, on the east by Fort Worth/Carroll, and on the west and south by Bonnie Brae Street and IH-35E. A map is provided in Section VII of this document. The flagship campus of UNT, one of the largest universities in Texas and one of the most important public research institutions in the nation, is located in the study area. Current enrollment at the UNT campus in Denton is over 36,000 students, and is projected to increase to 45,000 by 2020. For the purposes of the Sector 1 South Neighborhoods Small Area Plan, the study area does not include the land area or facilities that are within the UNT campus boundaries. The Sector 1 South neighborhoods are comprised primarily of multi-family and single-family residential uses, with retail and commercial development along major roadways. The Oak Hickory and West Oak Historic Districts, the city’s most historically significant residential areas are contained in the study area. As a consequence of their proximity to the UNT campus, the single-family residential areas have been heavily impacted by traffic, parking overspills, the expansion of rental housing for students, and the university’s property acquisition for campus expansion. The goal of the planning process is the development of a comprehensive small area plan and a clear implementation action plan that is prioritized and sequenced for the greatest effectiveness. The objectives of the planning process include: To establish development standards that will provide appropriate transitions in scale, use, character and intensity between the established neighborhoods and the UNT campus To develop design standards for the street network that will enhance the public realm and pedestrian, bicycle, transit and vehicular circulation and connectivity To develop an urban design strategy to enhance the visual and physical connections between the established neighborhoods and the UNT campus To establish development standards and strategies to buffer and enhance the Oak Hickory and West Oak Historic Districts To develop design standards for parking structures and lots, and make recommendations for a parking solution that meets demand while maintaining the property values and character of the established neighborhoods that surround the UNT campus II. Scope of Services The Scope of Services summarizes the services and deliverables required to complete the project. Consultants should use the information in this section as the basis for preparing their approach to the work in Section III.A.5. The scope of the project involves four phases of work as follows: Phase 1: Inventory and Database Development Phase 2: Community Assessment/Analyses Phase 3: Development and Evaluation of Alternative Land Use Plans Phase 4: Development of Sector 1 South Neighborhoods Small Area Plan and Implementation Strategy Phase 1 Inventory and Database Development Database Development Review existing plans, including Denton Plan 2030, Planning Town-Gown Relations: An Ethnographic Study of Denton University Neighborhood District; City of Denton 2015 Mobility Plan, Update to Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkage Component of Denton Mobility Plan, UNT 2013 Campus Master Plan Update, UNT Transportation Plan, and Environmental Assessment of IH-35E. Assemble existing GIS data from the City in order to update/create the following data layers: land use, street network, street conditions, street widths, traffic counts, sidewalk network, sidewalk conditions, bicycle facilities, transit lines, transit amenities, zoning, housing conditions, real estate market trends, existing and planned private and public construction projects, and environmental analyses. Review data, identify gaps and areas that need updating, and focus data collection on those areas. Prepare demographic and economic profiles, including population projections and trends of socio-economic variables. Survey existing and planned public facilities and services to determine whether capacity problems exist and expansion is needed to accommodate growth. The following public facilities, utilities and services should be inventoried: transportation facilities, water service, sanitary sewers, storm drainage, parks and recreational facilities, police service, and fire protection. Identify opportunities for improvement or expansion for which the development potential would be constrained by public facilities and services at currently planned levels. Study Input Meet with Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of staff from various departments, and obtain input regarding the policy context of the project. Develop a summary report, including the delineation of key issues and land use objectives that are derived from review of past plans and meetings with City staff. Prepare and execute a community outreach plan for key stakeholder members. A series of public meetings shall be held to engage the community in the planning process. The plan should include community-wide workshops and on-line engagement tools. Phase 2 Community Assessment/Analyses Complete a comprehensive of key issues associated with land use, transportation, urban design, parking facilities, housing, policies and regulations, and financial resources. Record collected geographic data within a geodatabase containing GIS feature classes. Land Use Complete assessment and parcel-by-parcel inventory of properties. Evaluate the following data categories: existing land use; ownership; parcel size; vacant land; building and property condition; adjacent use impacts; recent development trends; building height; building area; and residential density. Transportation (General) Evaluate street conditions throughout the study area. Evaluate the functional classification of streets and street design standards in the City of Denton Mobility Plan. Determine the ability of street design standards to incorporate context sensitive solutions that enhance the public realm and improve mobility of all users. Assess sidewalk conditions throughout study area. Evaluate transit routes, including frequency of service, and transit amenities. Evaluate bike routes and pedestrian connections throughout study area. Evaluate transportation services as they relate to access for area residents, commuters, employers and customers. Analysis should include automobile, transit and non-motorized transportation options, as well as opportunities to use TSM/TDM and land use planning techniques to reduce trip generation. C. Public Realm (IH-35E, Arterial and Collector Streets) Conduct analysis of intersection treatments, pedestrian facilities, parking facilities, signage, street lights, traffic and building signage, and landscape condition. Evaluate condition of utilities to determine whether capacity problems exist and improvements are needed.