Salcha-Badger Subarea Plan
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks, AK
Scope of Work:
The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants/contractors to work with the FNSB Community Planning staff to complete the tasks/deliverables identified below. The FNSB and any consultant/contractor operating under the terms of this proposal will comply with all Federal, State and local laws and regulations applicable to their activities. All procurement for contractual services will be in accordance with the applicable State and local laws and regulations, and applicable Federal laws and standards in accordance with the procurement standards outlined in 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Contractor selection will be included in any RFP that is issued and cost will be a factor in selection.
Tasks/Deliverable: Salcha/Badger Sub-area plan
Description:
The selected consultant will conduct research and data collection concurrently with an extensive public participation process to prepare a sub-area plan for the non-military land near Eielson Air Force Base. A Borough-wide Growth Management Plan and Gap Analysis are concurrently being developed will provide much of the needed data, analysis, and document review to produce an existing conditions report. This sub-area plan will serve as a resource and guide for the area to be developed safely, efficiently, and in a way that meets the immediate and future community needs while protecting the military's ability to accomplish their mission. It will also reflect and promote the intent of existing plans, including the North Pole Land Use Plan, the North Pole Strategic Plan, the FNSB Regional Comprehensive Plan (which includes the Comprehensive Road Plan and Trails Plan), Land Characteristics Index of the FNSB Analysis, and the Fairbanks Metropolitian Area Transportation System's (FMATS) Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The geographic scope of this plan will be much narrower than that of most of the existing plans, as it will focus on an area where increased growth in the next five years related to the arrival of F-35s is most likely to occur, generally identified as the area within a 20-minute commute of Eielson Air Force Base. The boundaries of this area will be refined as part of this process. It is possible that the existing North Pole Land Use Plan is adequate for the boundaries within the City of North Pole.
The Plan will consider but is not limited to the following factors:
- Physical land use development (including areas appropriate for residential, industrial, open space, retail and other commercial uses)
- Economic development
- Transportation and infrastructure
- Environment
- Community and Human Resources
- Cultural and Historic Resources
- Implementation, Monitoring and Revision
- Land Use Map (to be used to guide future development and/or zoning actions).
Specific tasks that must be completed include:
1. Public Involvement, Outreach, and Participation Strategy
a. Establish an advisory group that will meet at least monthly for the duration of the project. This advisory group should be composed of members of the real estate and construction trades, representatives of the FNSB Assembly and the North Pole City Council, relevant agencies, residents/businesses of the area, and other stakeholders.
b. In collaboration with the advisory group, and approximate boundary of the focus areas shall be identified.
c. The first meeting with the advisory group will constitute the project kick-off and should occur within two weeks of the contract award.
d. Outreach tools - website, interactive maps, social media, etc.
e. Two to three public open houses
2. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis & Plan Purpose
An analysis of existing conditions is necessary to guide decision-making in a way that optimizes the area's strengths and opportunities, and addresses and minimizes its weaknesses and threats. A pressing concern is the potential to increase incompatible land uses in the focus area. Identifying potential incompatibilities and planning for compatibility will lead to a stronger and more sustainable community.
a. The consultant will facilitate the advisory group in developing the initial SWOT analysis, vision and purpose statement. These will be reviewed and may be revised by the community through the public meetings.
b. With community and working group input, create a purpose statement for the plan.
3. Data Collection, Analysis, and Document Review. Timeline for completion of this task shall be within six months of contract award.
Relevant data will be available via the ongoing and separately funded Growth Management Plan and Gap Analysis as well as FEDCO's Housing Summit and Eielson AFB's Housing Requirements and Market Analysis study, among other resources. The subarea plan consultant will require available data, including the existing conditions report from the gap analysis, the FNSB Regional Comprehensive Plan and land use map, North Pole Land Use Plan and Strategic Plan, ordinances, existing zoning, and other information they deem necessary to address the tasks below. The consultant will be expected to review the existing conditions report produced in support of the concurrent Growth Management Plan (GMP) and add any data relevant to the Badger/North Pole/Salcha area necessary to produce a subarea plan. This data shall include but is not limited to land use, housing supply, historic sites, demographics and existing plans. The consultant will assess and collect data on existing conditions regarding land use, housing supply, utilities, lot sizes, etc. Information in the existing North Pole plans will be evaluated and incorporated or elaborated upon as necessary.
a. Collect and review existing relevant plans and insight into current area context.
b. Analyze patterns to model future conditions, population projections, demographics, housing demand, etc.
c. Conduct a survey (online, over the phone, in person, or a combination of these methods) to ascertain community needs in the Eielson subarea and provide input on the boundary and SWOT analysis.
d. Produce a refined existing conditions report based on the existing conditions report completed for the GMP and other information.
4. Needs analysis
Using the data available from the GMP and gap analysis, community survey and existing conditions report in Task 3, the consultant will develop a needs analysis for the defined area. The consultant will acquire the data produced by the GMP and gap analysis and will add to it if necessary. There will be no duplication of the data gathering or analysis conducted as part of the GMP and gap analysis. The consultant will produce a report that will include but not be limited to needs in the areas of housing; commercial and retail; transportation and public infrastructure; historic preservation; natural systems/hazards and green infrastructure; recreation and education. Timeline for completion of this task will be within five months of contract award.
5. Draft Goals and Strategies. The timeline for completion of this task shall be within eight months of the contract award.
The Joint Land Use Study emphasizes cooperative planning for civilian land use that is compatible with the military's mission and reduces the impacts of military bases on adjacent private property. The FNSB Regional Comprehensive Plan emphasizes the importance of maintaining private property rights. This subarea plan should align with these and other community values.
a. From information gathered and public input/survey, develop draft goals and strategies.
6. Draft Land use map and transportation policy element. Timeline for completion of this task shall be within 10 months of contract award.
a. Use the information gathered and public participation methods to draft a land use map.
b. The transportation policy element of this plan should complement the Fairbanks Metropolitan Area Transportation System's (FMATS) Metropolitan Transportation Plan, or make deviation recommendations as necessary. Specific capital project recommendations should be an aspect of this plan. Functional classification (including a recommended trails element) and a circulation network of arterial and collector roadways as well as multimodal connections should be recommended.
7. Final subarea plan, including the comprehensive subarea land-use map to be used to guide future development and zoning actions. Timeline for completion of this task shall be within 12 months of contract award.
a. The plan will include refined goals and strategies as well as specific implementation actions.
b. Another public meeting will be held at this point to share the final version with the community.
8. Adoption of the subarea plan as an element of the FNSB Regional Comprehensive Plan. Timeline for completion of this task shall be within 16 months of grant award.
The adoption process requires at least two meetings of the Planning Commission and at least two meetings of the FNSB Assembly. Although not required by code, a resolution of support from the North Pole City Council is an important component of adoption as well and would require at least one City Council meeting. This task will be completed by existing FNSB staff, but the consultant will be expected to provide support. This may include one or two on-site meetings.
For more information and full RFP for RFP No 18002, go to