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2019-181 Update to the Comprehensive PlanDate: October 18, 2019 Report No. 2019-181       INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Update to the Comprehensive Plan BACKGROUND: This is a follow up report to a summary included in the September 20, 2019 Friday Report regarding the Comprehensive Plan update. City Council approved a supplemental in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget to update the comprehensive plan. Staff has prepared a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Scope of Work for a consultant to assist staff in the update. Rather than hold a work session to discuss the Scope of Work, staff has prepared this informal staff report to provided City Council an opportunity to review and provide any feedback to staff. The proposed Scope of Work is attached for your review and feedback. DISCUSSION: The comprehensive plan sets goals, policies, and actions to manage growth, promote reinvestment, and improve the quality of life for Denton residents. The current comprehensive plan, Denton Plan 2030, was adopted in January 2015. Best practice is to update a comprehensive plan (which includes the Future Land Use Map) at least every 5 to 7 years to avoid becoming outdated and to accommodate changes in development or unforeseen circumstances. The update to our comprehensive plan will reflect current development conditions, ensure consistency with the Mobility Plan update, and incorporate unforeseen developments and circumstances that were not contemplated in the current comprehensive plan. The ongoing Mobility Plan update, as well as the Parks and Trails Master Plan update, will be used to inform the comprehensive plan update. Additionally, the update will incorporate significant changes such as the new Denton High School near Bonnie Brae and Loop 288, the widening of Mayhill Road and Bonnie Brae Street, and other physical, economic, and social changes. The comprehensive plan update will also provide an opportunity to update existing data and prepare an assessment of the implementation strategies, documenting the city’s progress toward implementation. The assessment will have a summary of key accomplishments, impediments encountered, and recommendations to further implement the comprehensive plan in terms of priorities, timing, and assigned responsibilities. The key components of the Scope of Work include:  Completing updates to prior assumptions regarding population growth, land area, recent development, public infrastructure, and mobility.  Evaluate major local issues and the long-term strategies to address these issues.  Review prior policies and actions in the Denton Plan 2030 to evaluate the status and provide recommendations for their efficacy. Date: October 18, 2019 Report No. 2019-181        Incorporate necessary changes as a result of recent efforts including the Downtown Implementation Plan, Downtown Master Plan, Historic Preservation Plan, Mobility Plan update, and the Parks and Trails Master Plan update. CONCLUSION: Staff is requesting that City Council review the proposed Scope of Work and provide any questions or suggested changes. Working with the Purchasing Department, staff is scheduled to publish the RFQ next week Thursday, October 24. The objective is to identify a consultant and bring forward a contract for Council consideration in the December/January timeframe with an estimated completion date of October 2020. STAFF CONTACT: Ron Menguita, AICP Principal Planner ron.menguita@cityofdenton.com (940) 349-8328 REQUESTOR: Staff Initiated PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS: Development Services and Purchasing Department STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: 16 hours ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Scope of Work     UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN  SCOPE OF WORK    BACKGROUND:  The City of Denton is seeking proposals from qualified Planning Consultants to conduct necessary  research  for  the  development  of  appropriate  documentation  for  a COMPREHENSIVE  PLAN  EVALUATION REPORT AND UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN to be accepted and adopted  by the City.    The purpose of Comprehensive Planning is to monitor and evaluate community characteristics  related  to  development,  provisions  of  services,  environmental  protection,  and  other  governmental activities.  The Comprehensive Plan sets goals, policies, and actions to manage  growth, promote reinvestment, and improve the quality of life for Denton residents.     Planning is a continuous and ongoing process. The City of Denton periodically reviews their  Comprehensive Plan to ensure that it appropriately reflects current and anticipated conditions,  embodies a community vision, targets major issues that the City must address in both the short‐  and long‐term, complies with state statutes and rules, and is consistent with state and regional  policy plans.    The current comprehensive plan, Denton Plan 2030, was adopted in January 2015.  Best practice  is to update a comprehensive plan (which includes the Future Land Use Map) at least every 5 to  7 years to avoid becoming outdated and to accommodate changes or unforeseen circumstances.      SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED:  The successful consultant shall be responsible for creating a complete Comprehensive Plan  Evaluation Report and update to the Comprehensive Plan by conducting, at a minimum, the  following work tasks:    Task 1  The update will reflect current development conditions, ensure consistency with recent and  ongoing updates, and incorporate unforeseen developments and circumstances that were not  contemplated in the current comprehensive plan.  Include a citywide assessment that addresses  changes in local conditions, including in the following areas:     Population growth   Changes in land area   Vacant and developable land   Location of development in relation to that anticipated in the Plan   Demands of growth on public infrastructure   Utility Service Areas   Joint Planning Areas Interlocal Agreements   Residential Subdivision Designs and Policies       Updates to the City’s Transportation Mobility Plan   Updates to the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan   Recent update to the City Development Code     Task 2  Evaluation  of  major  local  issues,  identified  through  a  public  participation  process  involving  residents,  interested  parties,  adjacent  local  governments,  state  and  regional  agencies,  City  Council, City Commissions, Committees, Boards and staff.  The update should include a public  outreach plan to give our citizen every opportunity to provide input and feedback during the  update process.   Each identified issue should be addressed separately and shall include analysis  and recommendations to address the issue.      Task 3  Assessment  of  successes  and  shortcomings  of  key  policies  and  actions  in  each  of  the  Comprehensive Plan Elements and how they relate to the issues identified in Task 2. Each  assessment should include a statement as to whether the objective  or  policy  has  been  implemented, its effectiveness, and whether it should be kept unchanged, revised, or should be  removed from the Plan.  The assessment should include a summary of key accomplishments,  impediments encountered, and recommendations to further implement the Comprehensive Plan  in terms of priorities, timing, and assigned responsibilities.    Note: This task should not be a comprehensive assessment of all goals, policies and actions in the  Plan, only those having a direct impact on one or more of the identified major local issues.   However, all Elements of the Comprehensive Plan should be assessed.    Task 4  Special Topics: The City of Denton completed a Downtown Implementation Plan (DTIP) in 2010  to help implement the Downtown Master Plan.  The Master Plan provides a framework to guide  growth in the Downtown area. Since the DTIP was completed, much progress has been made and  new challenges and opportunities have emerged. As part of the Comprehensive Plan Evaluation  Report, a Downtown Master Plan update should be undertaken to document progress achieved  by the City.    Expectations  To complete the work tasks, at a minimum, the following efforts should be included:     Confirm progress, update context and re‐assess the City’s Community Vision Statement   Engage and conduct stakeholders and community meetings   Provide community outreach to gather data and perspectives   Assess future opportunities and implementation strategies            Recommendations should include, at a minimum:     Changes in timeframes, data and analysis, definitions, format and style to be applied on  a universal basis throughout the Plan   Changes to the goals, policies and actions   Summary of recommended supplemental plans or studies to address the major local  issues and future growth    Other Requirements  The successful consultant will:     Be responsible for the professional quality and technical accuracy of all documents and  data used or produced and correct or revise any errors or deficiencies as appropriate   Coordinate with staff through regular communication for the duration of the project   Revise the draft Comprehensive Plan Evaluation Report and Comprehensive Plan update  with input from staff   Attend applicable Planning and Zoning Commission workshops, present the Evaluation  Report and Comprehensive Plan update to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City  Council, and prepare any revisions to the draft that may result from these meetings   Attend adoption public hearing(s) as may be held by the City    Provide a final deliverable in both reproducible electronic copy and paper copies    BUDGET:  The City Council has identified the update to the Comprehensive Plan as a priority and has  allocated a maximum budget of $95,000.00 for the update.    SCHEDULE:  The update to the Comprehensive Plan should take no longer than nine (9) months.