Request for Proposals (RFP) to compile new land

Request for Proposals (RFP)
to compile new land development regulations for
the Glynn Avenue Corridor
in the City of Brunswick, Georgia
Request for Proposals:
City of Brunswick Planning and Development Department
Project:
Project Manager:
Phone Number:
Email:
Date of Advertisement:
Proposal Due Date:
Glynn Avenue Corridor land development regulations
Arne Glaeser
912.267.5502
aglaeser@cityofbrunswick-ga.gov
May 1, 2015
July 15, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. EST
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Table of Contents
Contents
Section I: Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3
Section II: Project Background ...................................................................................................................... 3
Section III: Project Scope............................................................................................................................... 4
Section IV: Scope of Services ........................................................................................................................ 6
Section V: Qualification Submission Requirements ...................................................................................... 8
Section VI: Submission of Proposals ............................................................................................................. 9
Section VII: Questions ................................................................................................................................... 9
Section VIII: Evaluation Process .................................................................................................................... 9
Section IX: Evaluation Criteria ....................................................................................................................... 9
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Section I: Introduction
The City of Brunswick (City) invites firms to submit proposals for consulting services to obtain
public input and to compile regulations to guide redevelopment of the Glynn Avenue corridor.
The development regulations may be in the form of a) design guidelines, b) form based codes,
or c) other regulations that will improve the functional and aesthetic redevelopment of the
corridor. A qualified design and/or planning team will be selected based on proven excellence
in preparing regulations that encompass the following elements:
 Substantive community and stakeholder engagement
 Urban design and placemaking strategies
 Communication of technical issues to multiple audiences
 Cost estimating, implementation strategies
Consultant services will be required from the date of a fully executed contract through the end
of December 2015, or the date of successful completion of performing the tasks and work
products defined in this RFP.
Section II: Project Background
Character Area Description: The US Highway 17 Corridor, also known as Glynn Avenue, serves
not just as the gateway to the City of Brunswick, but also as the primary gateway to the Golden
Isles of Georgia. The northern portion of the US Highway 17 Corridor that is located within the
City of Brunswick is primarily comprised of low-density, highway-oriented commercial uses,
while the southern portion is characterized by views of open space and marshlands. Some of
the commercial areas along US Highway 17 are deteriorating and suffering from disinvestment.
It is a critical time for the City because there is a window of opportunity to shape the character
of future development along the corridor before it is re-developed. The City adopted an
overlay district in 2004 that was intended to help shape the appearance of new development
on US Highway 17, but community stakeholders believe more detailed design guidance is
needed to ensure an appropriate character for this area in the future.
The highway serves primarily as a commercial corridor with a mixture of retail, office, medical,
hospitality, residential, and brownfield uses existing along the corridor. A majority of the
buildings are more than 30 years old and there is a large amount of vacant and underutilized
property in the corridor. The average daily traffic count along the busier sections of Glynn
Avenue has remained relatively consistent over the past ten years and the busier sections now
average about 33,000 trips per day.
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Glynn Avenue AADT
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Glynn Avenue AADT
The portion of Glynn Avenue from SPUR 25 down to Gloucester Street was widened a decade
ago to three lanes in both directions and the configuration of this roadway is not expected to
change in the near future as this roadway is a State route controlled by the Georgia
Department of Transportation.
Glynn Avenue Corridor Transportation Characteristics
Total Corridor Length
Approx. 4.7 miles
Speed Limit
40 to 50 MPH
Pavement Maintained by
GDOT
Landscape Maintained by
City of Brunswick
Number of Street Intersections
25
Number of Signalized Intersections
5
Number of Driveways
Approx. 80
2013 AADT Volume (GDOT)
13,650 to 33,420 throughout corridor
Zoning of Corridor: Many of the parcels along Glynn Avenue are zoned Highway Commercial
while a smaller number are zoned planned development or industrial. This corridor also
borders marsh areas that are zoned conservation-preservation.
Section III: Project Scope
The project boundaries include all parcels with frontage along Glynn Avenue for its entire
length of Glynn Avenue that is located in the City of Brunswick. A map of the proposed study
area is provided on the following page and the corridor is referenced as the U.S. 17 Commercial
Corridor in the City of Brunswick Comprehensive Plan. The southern end of the study area is
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the Sidney Lanier Bridge and the northern end is the last property with frontage along Glynn
Avenue that is located in the City of Brunswick (just north of the intersection of Glynn Avenue
and SPUR 25). The length of the corridor is approximately 4.6 miles in length.
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The City of Brunswick is seeking the cooperation of Glynn County to join the effort to compile
and adopt development regulations along Glynn Avenue because a portion of the corridor is
located in the unincorporated portion of Glynn County especially along the northern portions of
the described corridor where the City/County boundary can be described as jagged or erratic.
Section IV: Scope of Services
PRIMARY WORK PRODUCT: This contract will result in a proposed set of development
regulations that may be either a) design guidelines, b) a form-based code, or c) another type of
regulation that significantly improves the functional and aesthetic redevelopment of the
corridor. The new regulations are meant to supersede (either entirely or in part) the present
zoning ordinance and other local land development regulations that apply to the Glynn Avenue
corridor.
1. Initial review and analysis:
a. Interviews. The Consultant will interview appropriate stakeholders involved with the
project. These interviews will include groups and individuals including elected officials,
nonprofit organization leaders, property owners, developers, business organizations,
and municipal staff.
b. Site Analysis. The Consultant will become familiar with the physical details of the Glynn
Avenue corridor and the historic patterns of urbanism and architecture in the
surrounding region.
c. Media coverage. The Consultant will participate in a press conference with local officials
and draft a press release to inform the local citizenry about the planning efforts to be
undertaken.
d. Website. The Consultant will provide information for City of Brunswick website. As
officials deem appropriate, the Consultant will provide materials including text,
photographs, maps, renderings, and other images for the web site. This material will
describe the Consultant’s credentials and help explain the project’s process.
2. Public design process
a. Generate necessary background maps. The City will provide all necessary base map
information as needed by the Consultant. These documents will be used to produce the
maps that will be used during the preparation of the new development regulations
(design guidelines or form-based code).
b. Public Workshop and/or Design Charrette. The Consultant will organize and lead design
workshops or a full planning charrette to engage the community, gather ideas and goals,
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and formulate implementation strategies. The Consultant will tailor the workshop or
charrette to obtain maximum community input so as to produce the best possible
development regulations. The workshop/charrette format will also take into
consideration the findings of the initial site analysis, input from staff, and information
obtained at previous meetings and interviews. While the end result will be new land
development regulations, the public process will include discussions of alternatives for
street design, street connectivity, and town planning strategies that create a vital
corridor. At the conclusion of the workshop(s)/charrette, the Consultant will present
the work generated to-date. Plans, renderings, and initial coding ideas that reflect ideas
articulated in the workshops will be publicly presented and further feedback solicited
from the community. It is essential that local government officials attend this
presentation along with citizens, stakeholders and technicians.
3. Product
The Consultant will submit the following information to the project manager:
a. An urban design framework encompassing the specified areas within the corridor and
which incorporates: urban design principles analysis (built form analysis, view analysis,
built form and public realm design options); design of public and private spaces,
including streetscapes; and other input toward incorporating this into an
implementation strategy.
b. A set of corridor design guidelines or a form based code for incorporating into the
Brunswick zoning ordinance which includes design principles and guidelines (public and
private spaces) for site development and new or renovated buildings located within the
Glynn Avenue corridor.
4. Approval Process
a. Public Hearing Presentations. The Consultant will make formal presentations to the
Brunswick City Commission.
b. Additional Revisions. The Consultant will be responsible for one round of revisions that
may become necessary after the first public hearing presentation. The Consultant will
be responsible for collecting comments, questions, and suggestions for these
refinements from various sources and consolidating them into a series of action items
for revision or responses.
5. Project Staffing: The Brunswick planning and development manager will serve as the project
manager and other City staff will provide project insight and design feedback as
necessary.
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Section V: Qualification Submission Requirements
Please submit a digital copy of the response document in an Adobe Portable Document Format
(PDF) in addition to 5 complete sets of the submittal. Complete responses to proposal
requirements shall be organized as follows:
A. Organization of Consultant Team
Provide a list of all firms and specific staff proposed for this project. Provide the
responsibilities to be fulfilled by each team member assigned to the project. The
consultant shall provide an e-Verify submission for all staff and subconsultant staff
involved with the project.
B. Project Personnel Qualifications
Provide detailed resumes for proposed staff.
C. Firm Experience
Summary of at least three (3) projects of similar scope for which the consultant was
primarily responsible within the last seven (7) years. Each of the project summaries
shall include the following:
a. Description of the project including size and scope.
b. Project schedule (initial schedule and actual/final schedule), including an explanation
of any delays.
c. Initial project budget and final project cost.
d. Description of services rendered by the consultant and degree of involvement
(primary consultant or subconsultant).
e. Associate firms involved and their assigned responsibilities. Project references
including current names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses.
g. Familiarity and relationship with the Georgia Department of Transportation
D. Project Approach and Schedule
a. Process for identification of base conditions, creation of design/engineering
alternatives, evaluation of alternatives.
b. Management tools, techniques, and procedures used to maintain project schedules.
c. Anticipated project schedule.
E. Experience with public involvement including conducting public meetings, social media,
online process, public facilitation techniques, and other innovative public process
involvement.
F. Billing Rate Structure.
The billing rate for all personnel who will work on the project. Compensation will be
negotiated with the selected consultant.
G. Legal Issues
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Listing of any pending or settled lawsuits in which the consultant was involved during
the past five (5) years.
Section VI: Submission of Proposals
One (1) electronic copy in a PDF format and five (5) copies of the entire submittal must be
received at the following address by July 15, 2015 prior to 4:00 p.m. EST:
Responses received after this time and date will not be considered.
Postal Service address
building address
City of Brunswick
City of Brunswick
Attn: Arne Glaeser
Attn: Arne Glaeser
PO Box 550
503 Mansfield Street
Brunswick, GA 31521
Brunswick, GA 31520
Section VII: Questions
All questions must be received in writing by 4:00 PM EST on June 17, 2015, after this date, no
further questions will be accepted. Requests for information and questions should be
submitted to aglaeser@cityofbrunswick-ga.gov.
All respondents will be provided access to or a copy of all received written inquiries and the City
of Brunswick’s written responses to those inquiries by 4:00 PM EST on June 24, 2015. Informal
verbal communications during site visit, by any person other than the meeting organizer, shall
be considered unofficial and the City shall have no responsibility to verify any information that
is not contained in this RFP or future addenda.
Section VIII: Evaluation Process
A committee composed of staff from the City of Brunswick and the possible addition of up to
two City Commissioners will review and score the proposals submitted based upon the
evaluation criteria noted below in Section IX of this document. Interviews may be conducted.
Depending upon the number and quality of responses, the City staff may request additional
information or schedule presentations from some or all respondents. Next steps will be
determined by City staff and the City Commission at the appropriate time. Final selection will
be determined by evaluation of offers which are determined by the City to be in its best
interests and a contract will be awarded by the City Commission.
Section IX: Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be the basis on which consultants will be selected for further
consideration (in no particular order):
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Team organization and structure
Project personnel qualifications
Demonstration of an understanding of the area and context of the project location
Specialized or appropriate expertise in the type of project
Past performance of the lead consulting firm, subconsultants, and members of the
project team on similar projects
6. Demonstrated experience in facilitating public meetings
7. Recent experience with successfully maintaining project schedules and budgets
8. Current workload and capacity
9. Proposed design approach for the project
10. Demonstration of a project record free of significant technical problems and
litigation resulting from errors or omission
11. Experience with GDOT
12. Other factors that may be relevant to the project.
All responses and supporting materials as well as correspondence relating to this RFP become
property of the City of Brunswick when received. Any proprietary information contained in the
response should be so indicated. However, a general indication that the entire content, or a
major portion of the proposal is proprietary will not be honored. The following terms and
conditions shall also apply:
A. All applicable Federal and State of Georgia laws, City of Brunswick and Glynn County
ordinances, licenses and regulations of all agencies having jurisdiction shall apply to the
respondents throughout and incorporated herein.
B. Professionals requiring special licenses must be licenses in the State of Georgia, and
shall be responsible for those portions of the work as may be required by law.
C. No Response shall be accepted from, and no contract will be awarded to, any person,
firm or corporation that (i) is in arrears to the City with respect to any debt, (ii) is in
default with respect to any obligation to the City, or (iii) is deemed irresponsible or
unreliable by the City.
D. The City shall be able to request of the respondents’ satisfactory evidence that they
have the necessary financial resources to accomplish the developments as
contemplated in the RFP.
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