AGENDA DATE: 2/7/2018
TITLE:
Title
Development Services Advisor - Pre-Marketing Proposal Approval
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Board Action Item to review and approve the Development Services Advisor’s (Stantec) proposal for the Pre-Marketing phase of work, to include scope, schedule, cost and source of funding.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Letteri, Henry
PRESENTER (S): Doug Walker, Trevor Henry
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Albemarle County has been engaged for some time in a thorough analysis and assessment of the County’s future court needs and the best way to meet those needs along with an investigation of the potential to which this project could promote its highest strategic priorities of development, redevelopment and revitalization in the County’s urban areas. This work directly supports two strategic plan initiatives: Redevelop Rio/Route 29 Intersection Area; and By June 2019, establish direction, complete design, and be under construction for the project to expand the General District Court.
At the December 14, 2016 Board meeting, staff presented a proposed process for moving forward with the exploration of a P3 to relocate the courts and/or County administration to a site in Albemarle County. Stantec Consulting Services was contracted in June 2017 and provided a final report with findings and conclusions to the Board at its Dec 13, 2017 work session. Stantec consultants presented an initial report on the costs, fiscal impacts, cost benefit analysis and any updates to the previously submitted Program Analysis Documents and Adjacency Study report, along with overall recommendations and a proposal on next steps. The Board received Public comment and feedback on the analysis at a Public Hearing on December 18, 2017 and provided direction to staff at a special meeting on December 20, 2017, specifically:
1. The County will impose a moratorium on further discussions of the courts potential relocation from downtown from today until March 2 in response to the letter from the Mayor of the City of Charlottesville.
2. The Board is directing Stantec to continue to explore the development of, and facilities in Albemarle County, such as the County Office Building, a performing arts center, and a convention center.
3. The County Executive and the County Attorney will resume negotiations on the Board’s behalf with the City of Charlottesville, on the County’s ownership and the County’s control of the 7th and Market Street parking lot and other related issues and terms.
4. Land-use valuation should be recognized in the revenue-sharing formula between the County of Albemarle and the City of Charlottesville.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment: Prioritize, plan, and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs. Thriving Development Areas: Attract quality employment, commercial, and high density residential uses into development areas by providing services and infrastructure that encourage redevelopment and private investment while protecting the quality of neighborhoods.
DISCUSSION: Following Board direction to continue to explore the development of, and facilities in Albemarle County, please see attachment A that details the Stantec Proposal for the next phase of work (Pre-marketing), along with Attachment B, the proposed schedule for the work. A summary of the proposal is as follows:
The goal of this scope of work will be testing the market to identify the answers to three key questions:
1. Are there appropriate parcels to accommodate the desired mixed use form of development in Albemarle with a focus on the identified target area of the Rio/Route 29 intersection area, and what are the property owners’ willingness to develop/redevelop their property or partner with a developer, if the County were to participate in some manner?
2. What type of County participation would be most attractive? Would the owners likely respond to a solicitation for expressions of interest?
3. What is the development community’s appetite for the Albemarle market with a County tenancy? Would the developer(s) be interested in responding to a solicitation for expressions of interest?
Task 1: Information Gathering and Prep - 1 Month, Stantec/Staff coordination
Task 2: Outreach & Pre-Marketing - 3 months
The Consultants will schedule and conduct in-person meetings with the identified key stakeholders and target developers, but might conduct phone outreach to regional players in order to expedite findings. As part of this effort, the Consultants will have more detailed discussions with the Rio/29 landowners with whom they met previously.
We will seek to gather the following information from the pre-marketing process:
• Interested property owner(s)
• Interested developer(s)
• For each of the above an understanding of (as applicable):
1. general pros/cons of a target location;
2. existing zoning and key zoning issues;
3. comprehensive plan conformity, as relevant;
4. the developer’s need to acquire a site or partner with an owner;
5. the need for or desirability of site assemblage;
6. a preliminary assessment of site readiness; and
7. the need for certain improvements/commitments by County.
The deliverable will be presented by Stantec to the Board this summer, and will include the information above and solicitation strategy and process such as a Request for Expressions of Interest or Request for Qualifications/Proposals.
BUDGET IMPACT: The proposal from Stantec includes a cost not to exceed of $50,000 Fee + and estimated $5,550 in reimbursable costs for a total cost of approximately $56,000. The recommended source of funding is the Economic Development Fund and there is sufficient funding to cover this expense.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
The direction provided for the Rio/Route 29 small area plan is foundational to the work outlined in the attached proposed scope of work. Staff recommends the Board authorize the change order to Stantec for the Pre-development services contingent on action taken on the Rio/Route 29 small area plan at the joint Planning Commission/Board of Supervisors meeting on January 30, 2018.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Stantec Pre-Marketing Phase Proposal
Attachment B: Stantec proposed Pre-Marketing Schedule