1. 0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction

The purpose of this document is to provide interested, qualified parties with the information to enable them to prepare and submit a proposal for a consulting services contract. The selected consultant will complete and coordinate services related to the City of Appleton's Comprehensive Plan Update and Subarea Planning. The City of Appleton is utilizing funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to complete this project.

1.2 Background

The City of Appleton is located in the Fox River Valley of northeastern Wisconsin and has a population of approximately 76,000. Appleton is located at the crossroads of Interstate 41 and U.S. Highway 10 and is 90 miles north of Milwaukee and 30 miles southwest of Green Bay. More information about the City is available on our website at: www.appleton.org.

The City of Appleton Comprehensive Plan 2010-2030 was originally adopted in 2010. In 2017, a 5-year update was adopted which included updates to the Parks & Recreation Master Plan (Chapter 18), full re-write of the Downtown Plan (Chapter 14), various text updates within Chapters 1-12, and future land use map amendments for specific properties. A copy of the City of Appleton's Comprehensive Plan can be viewed at the City website: http://www.envisionappleton.org/documents as well as subsequent planning documents: http://www.envisionappleton.org/

Since the completion of the Comprehensive Plan Update in 2017, the City has implemented several of the recommended policies that supported an additional $3 billion in tax increment with the development of over 900 new residential units and various industrial and commercial projects. The City executed recommendations in the housing and land use chapter by allowing accessory dwelling units, permitting zero lot line duplex, reducing the minimum dwelling square footage per unit, adding ground floor residential as a permitted use in the Central Business District except along College Avenue, and creating a mixed use zoning district, C-1 Neighborhood Mixed Use District. The City recently created Tax Increment District #13 and approved the expansion of Southpoint Commerce Park to provide ready to build lots to retain and attract business and industry uses in the City. In addition, several new mixed-use spaces have opened nearby downtown such as Appleton Park Central, 320 East College LLC, RiverHeath, and Urbane 115. Several major projects currently in progress will impact the City in general, as they will influence future mobility, attraction of conventions and visitors and residential density. These include, but are not limited to: a rehabilitation of the library, the continued redevelopment of numerous downtown sites, West College Avenue Corridor Planning, and Complete Streets Study. Appleton overall continues to see increasing demand for new housing units and a solid commercial and industrial base. A copy of the City's Annual Growth Reports can be found at the City website:

https://www.appleton.org/government/community-and-economic-development/publications

The updates to the Comprehensive Plan should account for progress made over the past five years, incorporate current data and trends, introduce new recommendations, as needed with an emphasis within land use and housing elements, build upon the misalignment of vision and planning identified in Housing Development Policy Guide, utilize housing demand and affordability identified in College North Neighborhood Plan, and restructure to user friendly and web-friendly dashboard or infographic style format in compliance with Wis. Stats. 66.1001.

The subarea planning will incorporate the newly created vision and goals of the Comprehensive Plan, and build upon the Wisconsin Avenue (Chapter 15), Richmond Street (Chapter 16), and South Oneida Street (Chapter 17) Corridor Plans in Comprehensive Plan 2010-2030. The subarea planning will expand the geographical scope of the existing corridor plans, identify and respond to current conditions and issues, provide an analysis, identify transformative sites with illustration of specific site recommendations, implementation plans and strategies to deliberately shape and stimulate development near Wisconsin Avenue, Northland Avenue and Richmond Street area, and S. Onedia Street. The plan will be used as a guide by the City and other stakeholders to promote future development that facilitates connections to the City, adjacent neighborhoods, and existing businesses.

1.3 Funding

This project is being supported, by federal award number 21.027 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery (CSLFRF), which has been granted to the Community and Economic Development Department by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act must be expended by the end of 2026. Firms should demonstrate their ability to comply with relevant ARPA requirements and to carry out and complete this project by June 30, 2026. Section 4.2 provides information and documents necessary to remain in compliance with federal requirements related to ARPA funding (see attachment).

1.4 Scope

The City is seeking to work with a firm to (A) Update the Comprehensive Plan and (B) Engage in Subarea Planning.

A. Update to the Comprehensive Plan Scope of Work must include:

1. Analysis of the City's existing comprehensive plan and other relevant long range plans for the City.
2. Compile current demographic, economic, and forecasting data for the following
   1. Issues and opportunities (Chapter 4)
   2. Housing and neighborhoods (Chapter 5)
   3. Land use (Chapter 10)
3. Compile applicable data that may be relevant for other chapters.
4. Creation of public participation plan that will assist in identifying issues and opportunities to create a vision for the City. Utilize East Central Wisconsin Regional Plan Commission Equitable Engagement Toolkit to create the public participation plan for more meaningful and purposeful engagement ensuring the representation of all populations.
5. Incorporate the vision into innovative goals, objectives and policies, and subsequent sections of the Comprehensive Plan.
6. Restructure the plan and document to user friendly and web-friendly dashboard or infographic style format.
7. Final Deliverables:
   1. Written report,
   2. Executive summary / overview presentation of findings.
   3. All documents to be provided to City in original, editable format (e.g. .docx, .ppt, .gpx, .skp, .ai, .shp, .gdb, etc.) in addition to .pdf format.

B. Subarea Planning Scope of Work must include:

1. Planning Areas. The City has delineated the focus areas for each of the three subareas below. The planning for subareas is not constrained strictly to the boundaries outline on the maps, they can be expanded based on research and best practices. The maps are located in the full RFP.
   1. Wisconsin Avenue
   2. Northland Avenue and Richmond Street
   3. S. Oneida Street
2. Analysis of the City's existing comprehensive plan and other relevant long-range plans for the City relevant to the planning areas.
3. Compile current demographic, economic, land use, housing, commercial business market, and forecasting data within the planning area.
4. Creation of a public participation plan that will further refine and support the vision of the City by creating a shared vision and goals for the planning area.
5. Conduct a redevelopment feasibility analysis within the planning area to identify transformative sites. Create illustration of specific site recommendations.
6. Development of implementation plan with measurable benchmarks and party responsible for implementing.
7. Structure the plan to be user-friendly and web-friendly dashboard or infographic style format.
8. Final Deliverables:
   1. Written report,
   2. Executive summary / overview presentation of findings,
   3. All documents to be provided to City in original, editable format (e.g. .docx, .ppt, .gpx, .skp, .ai, .shp, .gdb, etc.) in addition to .pdf format.

The firm may propose additional tasks and/or a revised scope based on experience with similar projects in similar cities. Sub-tasks, such as conference calls, draft reviews, etc. shall be considered part of the proposed scope but will not be detailed in this RFP. City staff will assist with supplying project information, stakeholder contacts, relevant policies, public engagement efforts, and providing other City-specific information related to the project.

The full RFP can be found on the City of Appleton's website at the following link: https://www.appleton.org/business/request-for-proposal-1787.