A.        Overview
The scope of work has five major phases:

  • Phase 1: Project Set-Up
  • Phase 2: Visioning (concurrent with Phase 3)
  • Phase 3: Existing Conditions and Trends
  • Phase 4: Drafting the Plan Policies
  • Phase 5: Adoption
Note: Allen County/City of Fort Wayne project staff are referred to "County/City staff" or "staff" throughout the Scope of Work, while ACP–Visioning & Planning, Ltd. and the team subconsultants will be referred to as the "consultant(s)."

B.        Assumptions
The approach is based upon the following assumptions:


County/City Staff Support:
County/City staff will actively participate in the project, including research and writing for specifically defined topics for the existing conditions phase. The staff will also provide to the consultants all existing data, plans and reports, GIS mapping, and will assist in the reproduction and distribution of materials including mailings, meeting set-up, and other logistical and administrative functions.

The staff will coordinate meeting logistics with the Comprehensive Plan Committee and the public and review draft documents for initial comment. Consultant and County/City staff will conduct bi-weekly project management meetings (via conference call) to address project management issues. During especially intense periods, these meetings may take place weekly. Consultant will produce monthly status reports prior to monthly meetings that will be attached to meeting agendas and monthly invoices. The staff will provide minutes of Comprehensive Plan Committee meetings.

Administrative Committee:
The staff will work closely with an Administrative Committee throughout the duration of the project. This four-person committee, selected from the members of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, will provide project management support for the comprehensive plan process. The major administrative tasks of this committee are to:  monitor the consultant's contract, provide guidance for addressing political issues, and recommend members for other supporting committees. The committee will meet as needed and the consultant will meet with them as requested by the staff.


Comprehensive Plan Committee:
This 16 member advisory committee will provide project leadership and guide the planning process. This group is intended to be a working group, with assistance provided by County/City staffs. The major tasks of the committee are to: analyze, prioritize and balance community issues. The Committee will react to concepts and draft documents from the consultant, develop alternative themes, select and refine preferred themes, act as a sounding board for the consultant and propose balance positions to resolve conflicting points of view. It is anticipated that the Committee will meet once a month over an 18-month period. Adoption of the plan will follow the process. The consultant will make a maximum of eleven trips.

Vision Work Group:
This large, diverse group would be made up of individuals representing Allen County/Fort Wayne's population. It could also include student participation. This group would meet three times during the visioning element of the plan, including the Goal Writing Workshops. This group will include the Comprehensive Plan Committee. Staff along with the Comprehensive Plan Committee will determine additional members.

Plan Element Work Groups:
These work groups would be more informal and would be structured and guided by the consultant but facilitated by County/City planning staffs. These groups would provide important input into the plan. Groups would represent varying community interests. These could include builders/developers, environmentalists, social service agencies, transportation planners, etc. Some of these meetings could provide information to the consultant team through teleconferencing or meeting summations provided by staff.

Roundtables:
Two stakeholder groups will be convened at critical times in the process. There is a series of two roundtables. The first roundtable would include an introduction to the planning process and gather input. The second meeting would focus on the initial direction of the comprehensive plan.
Elected Officials: These meetings would include all elected officials in Fort Wayne, Allen County, New Haven, Leo-Cedarville, Huntertown, Woodburn, Grabill, and Monroeville.
Community Representatives: Similar to the Elected Officials Roundtables, community representatives would include other agencies that would have important input into the plan. Staff along with the Comprehensive Plan Committee will determine the list of community officials included with these meetings. Representatives could include Citilink, school district administrations, airport administration, Chamber of Commerce, The Alliance, etc.

Adopting Bodies:
Staff would update the Plan Commissions on a monthly basis, but on at least three occasions joint Commission meetings would be held with the consultant. These meetings would follow roughly the same format as the Elected Officials and Community Officials Roundtables but with more direction provided from the consultant with the ultimate goal of plan adoption. It is anticipated the final official state law required public hearing would be held in a joint Plan Commission session with the potential of a joint recommendation to the legislative bodies involved with plan adoption. Non-quorum meetings will be held with City Council members and the Board of Commissioners at three intervals throughout the process. Staff will conduct the meetings with the consultant attending one round of the meetings.

Community Meetings:
These meetings would be facilitated by the consultant on the north, central, and south areas of Allen County/Fort Wayne. A series of three meetings would be held to discuss an introduction to the plan and process, input, and findings of the plan. It is anticipated the consultant will direct and attend all nine meetings. Meetings would also be held in Huntertown, Grabill, Woodburn, and Monroeville. The consultant would lead one meeting in each of these four incorporated areas during the visioning phase. County/City staff would meet in each of these four towns initially for an introduction to the plan and process and to present draft recommendations findings.

Process Duration:
The consultant is assuming a 18-month planning process plus two months for adoption. This will provide adequate time to complete all tasks, engage the public, and write and deliver a final plan.

Data:
To the greatest extent possible, the data gathered for this project will be based on existing information, reports, etc. There are a number of recent and ongoing initiatives that are relevant to the comprehensive planning process. These efforts will be integrated into the comprehensive plan.

Statutory Requirements:
The Comprehensive Plan will exceed the minimum Indiana State Statute requirements that include: a statement of objectives for future development; statement(s) of policy for land use development; and statements of policy for the development of public ways, public places, public lands, public structures and public utilities.

Reproduction:
The County/City staff will be responsible for reproducing and distributing all materials to the Comprehensive Plan Committee, except as otherwise noted below. The consultant will provide originals (hard copies and/or electronic files).


C.        Phase 1: Project Set-Up
The first phase of the project includes several administrative tasks.
Task 1.1 Contracting: The consultant and the County/City staff will finalize the Approach by preparing a Scope of Services, finalizing the fee and expenses, and executing the contract.
Task 1.2 Organization of Committees: The consultant and County/City staff will review the role of the various committees participating in the Joint Comprehensive Plan. The makeup of the committees is crucial to establishing a legitimate and open planning process, as well as gathering important information and insight
Task 1.3 Planning Area Tour: The County/City staff will lead a tour to orient the consultant to the County/City and its planning environment. The tour will be followed by a review, with the staff, of various sub-plans and their place in the larger planning effort.
Task 1.4 Comprehensive Plan Committee Meeting 1: The County/City staff and the consultant will facilitate a project kick-off workshop with the Comprehensive Plan Committee. This workshop will include a review of the scope and schedule; role and responsibilities of the committees, County/City staff and consultant; and a planning issues exercise to understand the various perspectives of individual committee members. The staff will also organize a bus tour of the planning area for the Comprehensive Plan Committee. This could take place following the Project Kick-off meeting. More than one tour opportunity may be needed.
Deliverables: Phase 1 deliverables include contract, Comprehensive Plan Committee and orientation materials, and summary of the issues exercise.
Staff Support: Staff will prepare Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting notification, mail materials prepared by consultant, provide existing reports/plans to the consultant, prepare project notebooks for the Committee, and conduct planning area tour for the consultant and Comprehensive Plan Committee.
Timeframe: Month 1 to 3
 
D.        Phase 2: Visioning
The second phase focuses on the early public involvement efforts and provides the foundation for the Comprehensive Plan recommendations. This phase concludes with the Goal Writing Workshop. Further public participation events are shown in subsequent phases.
Task 2.1 Comprehensive Plan Committee Meeting: The County/City's Comprehensive Plan Committee is organized for undertaking the plan and represents the first step in the visioning process. The consultant will provide an orientation on visioning and engage the Committee in a work session about key aspects of the public involvement program.
Task 2.2 Vision Work Group, Workshop 1: The consultant will facilitate an initial workshop with the Vision Work Group. This meeting will include: orientation on the planning process, brainstorming for the future of the community, and preparation for the first round of community meetings.
Task 2.3 Preparation of Publicity Material: The consultant will provide guidance on the preparation of publicity materials to support the planning process.   The County/City staff will be responsible for reproduction of these materials. A special Staff Publicity Committee will be established to support this task.
Task 2.4 Distribution of Publicity Materials: The Staff Publicity Committee will manage the distribution of publicity materials through networks identified by the Comprehensive Plan Committee and Vision Work Group (i.e. neighborhood distribution, elementary schools, churches, public buildings, local newspapers, cable television and radio, etc.).
Task 2.5 Community Meetings: The consultant will conduct seven idea gathering meetings: one each in the north, central, and south areas of Allen County/Fort Wayne, and one each in Huntertown, Grabill, Woodburn, and Monroeville. These meetings will take place over the course of two consecutive weeks. These meetings should be located at convenient public places with a general assembly space and breakout rooms, such as a high school, vocational school, college, or middle school. The consultant will provide training manuals for key aspects of the community meetings, including registration and small group facilitation. The consultant will design meeting activities in collaboration with County/City staff and the Comprehensive Plan Committee. The meetings will have two key parts: general assembly and small group work. The meetings open with a welcome from the Comprehensive Plan Committee, a review of the night's agenda, and an overview of the planning process. Working in small groups, participants will be engaged in one or several exercises by a volunteer facilitator trained by the consultant. In at least one exercise, participants are asked to generate ideas about the future of the community in a brainstorming exercise. These ideas are recorded and are placed into a database and used as input to the goal-writing workshop. The consultant has developed several visual and /or environmental design exercises that can be facilitated. The consultant will train volunteer facilitators for these meetings.
Task 2.6 Goal Writing Workshop: The Goal Writing Workshop occurs with the Vision Work Group. In the workshop, the consultant provides the ideas generated in the community meetings (categorized by plan element from the database), themes that summarize the overriding issues in the ideas, and a draft goal statement for each element as a starting point.
Task 2.7 Comprehensive Plan Committee Meeting 3: The consultant will facilitate a meeting with the meeting to discuss the draft goals produced at the Goal Writing Workshop. The group will discuss preparation for meetings with the Adopting Bodies and Joint Plan Commission, and the two roundtables. This meeting will also include presentation on key findings of the existing conditions analysis.
Task 2.8 Adopting Bodies Meeting 1: The consultant will lead a meeting of the Adopting Bodies that will focus on the status of the project, draft goals, and key findings.
Task 2.9 Elected Officials and Community Representatives Roundtable: The consultant will lead a roundtable meeting that will focus on the background, approach and status of the project; as well as a discussion of draft goals, key findings.
Task 2.10 Joint Plan Commission Meeting 1: The consultant will lead a roundtable meeting that will focus on the background, approach and status of the project; as well as a discussion of draft goals, key findings.
Task 2.11 Joint Planning/ED/RD: At the conclusion of this phase the staffs and consultant will conduct a status work session
Deliverables: Phase 2 deliverables include materials for Comprehensive Plan Committee workshop, goal writing workshop, roundtable meeting, Adopting Officials meeting, and Joint Plan Commission Meeting. For the Community Meetings, facilitation manuals will be provided, meeting handouts will be prepared and input from the meetings will be entered in to a database. A community meeting report will be prepared that summarizes all input. The consultant will serve as the key facilitator for community meetings in this phase.
Staff Support: Staff will prepare all meeting notifications, mail materials prepared by the consultant. Staff will assist with public meetings
Timeframe: Month 3 to 8
 
E.        Phase 3: Existing Conditions and Trends
The third phase of the project establishes a baseline of information on existing conditions, including identification of key issues, problems and long-range goals. The staff will work with Plan Element Work Groups to gathering all relevant data. The consultants responsibility will be to analyze the data and document the findings. This phase occurs simultaneously with Phase 2, and its results will merge with Phase 2 results in Phase 4.
Task 3.1 Existing Plans and Reports: The County/City staff will provide the consultant with a complete set of all existing plans, reports, aerials, and data that pertain to the Plan. The consultant will review these documents as background to undertaking this phase of the project.
Task 3.2 Base Mapping: The County/City staff will provide the consultant with digital base maps in ArcView, which will be used by the team to prepare major plan maps. A land use inventory by staff has been completed.
Task 3.3 Data Gathering: The County/City staff will inventory existing condition information. The staff and consultant will agree on data gathering needs, presentation structure and schedule. The staff will work with Plan Element Work Groups to gathering and present existing conditions data to the consultant. Some elements will require involvement of the selected consultant team members, e.g. fiscal, economic and urban design/community appearance.
Task 3.4 Data Analysis: The consultant will inventory and assess a host of existing conditions and trends as the baseline piece of the planning process.


Demographics
Regional Trends: The consultant will prepare an analysis of metropolitan and County growth trends that impact the City and County. These include population and development forecasts, development trends, and major infrastructure projects. This will serve as a basis for the economic analysis.


Land Use
Land Capability Analysis: The consultant will review the overall land composition of the planning area and address constraints for development, environmentally sensitive areas, and agricultural resources.
Existing Land Use and Development: The consultant will analyze existing land use for the planning area using the recent land use inventories and aerial photographs. (The inventory will be mapped, and quantified, and planning issues identified by staff).  Development trends will also be analyzed (annexations and building permit activity) for patterns and planning issues. This includes identification of the four distinct areas of urban, suburban, rural, city and town.
Urban Design: The consultant will work with the staff to inventory and identity major components of the community's built character, including architecture of commercial development, especially along the County/City's major road corridors. This inventory will include historic structures and districts, landmarks, and cultural facilities. The consultant will review and analyze County/City's development regulations that impact appearance and character of the built environment.


Transportation
Transportation: The consultant will review data, existing plans and studies from the Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council (NIRCC) Long Range Transportation Plan and three-year Transportation Improvement Program.   Existing traffic counts (City, NIRCC) traffic forecasts, selected arterials and significant corridors (street and right-of-way widths, bridges, etc.), and existing and proposed bikeways will also be reviewed.
The analysis will focus on area specific (urban, suburban, rural, small town) land use transportation policies.  Issues of connectivity will also be identified, along with recent solutions to mitigating noise along the areas major corridors. Fixed rail line and high-speed rail, air transportation issues, pedestrian an bike routes, transit issues and transportation sensitive development will be evaluated.

Public and Private Utilities
Public and Private Utilities: The County/City staff will provide information on existing conditions and utility planning efforts including both public and private (including septic) facilities. (NOTE: The focus is on public works (and not industrial discharges) as defined as "any system which serves several customers including municipal, subdivisions and mobile home parks facilities." The consultant will rely on information provided by the staff and local health department regarding inadequate individual septic system areas for evaluation of private residential systems.)


Community Facilities
Historical and Cultural Facilities: The consultant will analyze historical and cultural facilities. This inventory will be prepared by the staff and include historic structures and districts, landmarks and other cultural facilities throughout the community and within the downtown.
Public Safety: The staff will identify existing and proposed public safety facilities, including police and fire facilities. The consultant will analyze this data.
Schools: The staff will identify the location and extent of existing and proposed educational facilities. The consultant will analyze this data.
Parks and Recreation: The staff will inventory existing parks and recreation programs and facilities. This inventory will include a review of resource uses/conflicts, resource problems of particular concern and significant resources requiring preservation efforts. The consultant will analyze this data.


Housing/Neighborhoods
Housing: The consultant will prepare a summary of housing conditions and trends based on existing data from the 2000 and 1990 U.S. Census and other available sources and incorporate the results of the City's Comprehensive Housing Strategy (CHIS). Opportunities for suburban and urban infill will be identified, including existing grayfield and brownfield sites as potential redevelopment areas.


Economic Development
Economic Development Assessment: The consultant will review existing available analyses concerning the economic base of the City, County and surrounding region.  As appropriate, the consultant shall validate or challenge the findings of these existing analyses, and confirm and/or identify current business and economic conditions and future trends that could impact the plan.  It is the intent with this assessment to build upon all relevant earlier economic development plans, strategies and studies (e.g., cluster industry analysis) that can inform the comprehensive planning process.  Key local and external factors driving City and County economic changes will be identified and/or summarized from existing reports – to include the restructuring of the area's major established industries, new global business realities impacting the City and County's industry competitiveness, broader regional competition for economic development opportunities, the role of tourism and the communities three rivers, downtown revitalization, entrepreneurship, innovation and technology in stimulating local economic growth, and other key factors and trends.
Using existing studies, the economic development assessment will identify and analyze growth trends by major business and industry sector, employment and labor market dynamics, commercial and industrial real estate market trends, building and construction activities, and personal income trends.  Assets and resources in support of economic development, including available business sites, infrastructure and technology availability will be analyzed.  The recommendations of the previous economic development plans, strategies and studies will be assessed to ensure that resources and approaches are in alignment.
Working with staff, recommendations for future action will be documented – to include proposals for appropriate changes to the existing economic development system serving the community.  The consultant will also work to ensure that land use, infrastructure and other appropriate recommendations complement and support a vibrant economy.
Fiscal Analysis (Optional): See separate attachment.

Environmental Stewardship
Natural Resources: The consultant will utilize City and County natural resource data in order to assess important and unique natural resources, including clean air and water initiatives, wetlands, flood plains, prime agricultural land, and natural areas. The impacts of septic and private discharge systems on the areas natural resources will also be identified. The importance of the City's three rivers and their tributaries will also be examined.

Task 3.5 Findings: The findings of the previous tasks will be summarized in a series of memoranda. The findings will identify relevant planning issues, a summary of the findings, and policy implications for the Plan. The findings will be reviewed by the Work Groups.
Task 3.6 Comprehensive Plan Committee Workshops: The consultant will facilitate up to four workshops with the Committee to review the findings of this phase and to consider the implications on the next steps of the process. These meetings will take place on a two to three week cycle.
Task 3.7 Adopting Bodies Meeting: The staff will provide a project update and presentation of the exiting conditions and trend findings.
Task 3.8 Joint Planning/ED/RD Staffs Meeting: At the conclusion of this phase the staff and consultant will conduct a status work session
Deliverables: Phase 3 deliverables include reports for topics outlined above and other materials for Comprehensive Plan Committee workshops.
Staff Support: Staff will prepare Comprehensive Plan committee meeting notification and mail materials prepared by the consultant.

Timeframe: Month 1 to 10
 
F.        Phase 4: Drafting the Plan Policies
The fourth phase merges the policy foundation of Phase 2 and the baseline analysis of Phase 3 to create options for the future of land use and development. Public participation continues in this phase and consensus will be reached regarding a preferred scenario that serves as the basis for drafting the plan. The draft plan will be prepared by the end of this phase.
Task 4.1 Preliminary Scenario: The consultant will develop a preliminary scenario based upon the goals, selected visual and/or environmental exercises, and the technical findings of the existing conditions phase. This is a single proposed land use and development concept with minor variations. It depicts conceptual land use and development, major open space features, and major infrastructure facilities. An assessment of how the four distinct areas of urban, suburban, rural, city and town relate to the preliminary scenario will also be developed. Contemporary planning concepts including New Urbanism, Neo-traditional development, and Smart Growth will also be considered. The scenario is presented in a conceptual map form, with a narrative and it is quantified relative to population, development capacity, and fiscal benefit (optional).
Task 4.2 Comprehensive Plan Committee Meeting 7: The consultant and staff will present the preliminary scenario to the Committee. Plans will be finalized for the Community Choices Workshop.
Task 4.3 Community Choices Workshops: These workshops are comprised of several key steps: Community Summit, Stakeholder Meetings, revisions to the preliminary scenario, and Comprehensive Plan Committee workshop. The Community Choices Workshop occurs over a three-day period at a central location in the community that is open to the public. The consultant leads the workshop with support by staff and participation of the Committee.
Community Summits: The Summit format will be repeated three times in a two-day period of time. The Summits will be conducted in the first two days with two evening meetings and one day meeting. A Summit will be held in the north, central and south areas of the Allen County/Fort Wayne community. At this meeting the goals are presented, a summary of the existing conditions and trends affecting the community is presented, and the preliminary scenario is presented. Questions are then posed by the participants and answered by the Comprehensive Plan Committee, staff, and consultant.
Work Group Meetings: On the third day, the consultant presents the preliminary scenario to key stakeholder groups via the Plan Element Work Groups. These could be developers/builders, businesses, neighborhood associations, major landowners, special interest groups and major corporations.
Comprehensive Plan Committee Meeting: On the evening of the third day the revised preliminary scenario is presented to the Comprehensive Plan Committee for review, comment, and initial approval. This decision about the land use and development preferences will establish the direction for the Plan.

Task 4.4 Elected Officials Roundtables, 2: The land use concept will be shared through the roundtable structure to gain insight and acceptance. This is a critical check to coordinate the effort and ensure the land use direction of the Plan has the support of the community's leadership. The consultant will lead this meeting.
Task 4.5 Community Representatives Roundtable: The land use concept will be shared through the roundtable structure to gain insight and acceptance. This is a critical check to coordinate the effort and ensure the land use direction of the Plan has the support of the community's leadership. The consultant will lead this meeting.
Task 4.6 Adopting Bodies Meeting: The staff will provide an update to the Adopting Bodies on the progress of the plan and especially the land use concept.
Task 4.7: Drafting the Plan: The consultant will prepare the first draft of the plan in this task. The draft will be reviewed by the Comprehensive Plan Committee and the draft will be presented for public comment at a Community Meeting.
 
The following plan elements are anticipated:
    • Vision
    • Land Use
    • Transportation
    • Public and Private Facilities
    • Community Facilities
    • Housing/Neighborhood
    • Economic Development
    • Environmental Stewardship

Communities: An individual element (a single chapter) will be created for the communities of Grabill, Huntertown, Monroeville, and Woodburn.
Implementation: Recommendations will be made with respect to amending the Development Control Ordinance and various development incentives and inducements will be identified as part of the economic development policies and strategies. The implementation plan will identify responsibilities and time frames for carrying out strategies that can easily be incorporated into a capital improvement plan.

Task 4.8 Comprehensive Plan Committee Workshops: Chapters will be forwarded in clusters to the staff for review. The staff may choose to have the Plan Element Work Groups review draft material. Once the staff approves drafts, they will be forwarded to the Committee for review. The consultant will facilitate up to three workshops with the Committee to review the draft plan. Comments and agreed upon changes will be made by consultant in the document.
Task 4.9 Community Meeting: This is an evening event in a single location. A short presentation by consultant will summarize the key recommendations of the plan. The consultant will prepare a display summarizing the plan for presentation to the public at an open house. The Comprehensive Plan Committee, staff, and consultant are present to answer questions on a one-on-one basis. If appropriate, a questionnaire can be distributed to participants asking key questions about the draft plan. The staff will prepare and summarize results from the community meeting.
Task 4.10 Joint Plan Commission Meeting: The draft plan and results of the Community Meeting will be presented at a Joint Plan Commission meeting by the consultant, staff and Committee.
Task 4.11 Comprehensive Plan Committee Approval: Following review of the feedback and questionnaires from the Community Meeting and the Joint Plan Commission, the Comprehensive Plan Committee will consider any changes to the draft plan. This revised document will become the final recommended document, which will be used in the adoption process.

Deliverables: Phase 4 deliverables include preliminary scenario report, all materials for the Community Choices event, all materials for the Roundtable 3, and drafts of plan elements.
Staff Support: Staff will support the Community Meeting, Comprehensive Plan Committee Workshops, and Roundtables. Staff will prepare Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting notification and mail materials prepared by ACP.
Timeframe: Month 10 to 17
 
G.        Phase 5: Adoption
The final phase of the project includes formal adoption of the plan and its reproduction and delivery.
Task 5.1 Adopting Bodies Meeting: Comprehensive Plan Committee, County/City Staff and consultant will present the final draft plan to the Adopting Bodies.
Task 5.2 Planning Commission Action: The staff will circulate the final draft to their respective Planning Commissions. A Joint Plan Commission Meeting will be held with the potential of a joint recommendation to the legislative bodies involved with plan adoption. The Comprehensive Plan Committee, County/City staff and the consultant will present a summary of the Plan.
Task 5.3 County and City Adoption: The staff will be completely responsible for this task. The staff will circulate the Planning Commission's recommendation to their respective elected bodies. It is assumed that the County and City will each hold one public hearing for the adoption process. The Comprehensive Plan Committee and County/City staff present a summary of the Plan and manage the adoption process Staff will make final edits and prepare document for production.
Deliverables: Following adoption of the Plan, staff will prepare the final document.
Staff Support: Staff will support the meeting of the Adopting Bodies and Joint Plan Commission Meeting Staff will prepare edits following Planning Commission review and any modifications that result from the adoption process.
Timeframe: Month 18 plus (to deliver document to Planning Commissions)

 



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