AGENDA DATE: 2/3/2021
TITLE:
Title
Comprehensive Plan Update - Draft Scope of Work
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Work session on a draft scope of work for the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Filardo, McCulley, Rapp, Falkenstein
PRESENTER (S): Rachel Falkenstein, Planning Manager
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: At a March 4, 2020 Board of Supervisors work session, staff brought forward the 2020-2023 Community Development (CDD) Work Program, which proposed a Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) update and subsequent Zoning Ordinance update, with work beginning on the Comp Plan update in the fourth quarter of 2020. The Board shared their support for prioritizing the Comp Plan and Zoning Ordinance updates as part of the overall CDD work program.
As discussed during the March work session, the need for a Comp Plan update is prompted by the need to better align the Comp Plan with current County Values and Board Strategic Initiatives, including intentional incorporation of the topics of equity and inclusion, climate action planning, economic development, and infrastructure planning and investment. A desired outcome of the Comp Plan update is to produce a guiding document that provides a clearly articulated vision for Albemarle County, as well as a focused and prioritized approach towards realizing the vision. With significant community input, the Comp Plan update will identify the community’s priorities for the upcoming Zoning Ordinance update, setting the stage for this important implementation project.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Mission: to enhance the well-being and quality of life of all community members through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: Staff is presenting a draft conceptual scope of work for the Comp Plan update that outlines a planning process from visioning to adoption that will allow for a complete review and update of the current Comp Plan (Attachment A). This process is intended to provide an opportunity for the community to review the Comp Plan’s vision statement and goals and to identify if and how these should be updated. The scope estimates a three-year planning process broken into five phases of work. Each phase is intended to build upon the next phase with an increasing in level of detail and specificity. The draft scope includes an estimated timeline and budget for each of the five phases.
The first two phases of the project, beginning in the first quarter of 2021 and continuing through the second quarter of 2022, are dedicated to the “Pre-Planning” and “Big Questions & Community Goals”. Staff sees this time investment as critical work in ensuring that equity and inclusion are central to the both the engagement process and the content of the identified community goals. Planning staff will work closely with staff from the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) and Communications and Public Engagement (CAPE) to design an engagement process that seeks representation from a diverse group of stakeholders and community members. To this end, the team will work to set up a Project Advisory Group to guide the overall project, whose membership will be selected based on identified criteria and County-wide demographics.
Staffing for the Comp Plan update will rely heavily on current Neighborhood Planning staff with support from CDD leadership and leadership from across the organization. The draft scope identifies where external resources can be used to supplement staff’s work, especially in areas where additional expertise or capacity are needed. Use of external resources can also allow County staff to continue providing services outside of the Board's work program throughout the duration of the project. The scope includes budget estimates associated with each of the identified external resources.
The draft scope also identifies resource needs to support a broader and more inclusive community engagement approach aligned with the County’s new “Community” Core Value. These resource needs include stipends for Project Advisory Group members and collaborator/artist-led projects. Page 2 of Attachment A provides additional details about external resources and supplemental engagement funding.
BUDGET IMPACT: The total estimated budget for the Comp Plan update project is $470,550 and will be part of upcoming budget planning. A breakdown of budget estimate by phase is provided on page 1 of Attachment A.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board:
• Provide direction and feedback on the attached scope of work
• Direct staff to proceed with work on Phase 1 ”Pre-Planning“ and preparing for Phase 2 ”Big Questions and Community Goals”
ATTACHMENTS:
A - 2021 Comprehensive Plan Update - Conceptual Project Scope