The following provides an outline of specific deliverables that are required to complete the Study.

Study Facilitation and Outreach (First Deliverable)

Provide assistance to facilitate planning and scheduling for community, intra/inter-governmental outreach and engagement; stakeholder relationship building; steering, stakeholder and public meetings; working group/task force meetings; public surveys; periodic reporting; and a project website.

Outreach and engagement should be complementary to previous and ongoing planning efforts as to not exacerbate planning and engagement fatigue in the community.

A. Community and Stakeholder Outreach

Provide a summary of proposed engagement efforts and outreach activities, including a statistically valid community survey. Explain how the results will inform the Study. Outreach should build upon, but not duplicate, the extensive community input gathered through STLCO 2050.

Include the perspectives from a broad range of community members. Community engagement and outreach efforts should supply information to residents, with attention provided to historically marginalized communities, including Black and immigrant households. Use demographic data to prioritize accessibility considering the needs of non-English speaking, differently abled, technologically isolated, and public transportation-dependent residents.

All materials, messaging, and facilitation structures through the entire planning process are subject to submission to the County for review and approval in advance.

Provide information on the creation and management of stakeholder coalitions through Executive and Steering Committees, Task Forces, Focus Groups, Working Groups, and include their input on all required deliverables. Include a summary of proposed post-adoption engagement and outreach efforts to garner public support and prepare stakeholders for implementation activities.

B. Public Meetings and Other Facilitation Methods

All public meetings and other oral facilitation methods should seek to include all demographics and geographies of the Study Area. Public input should inform the outcome of each deliverable. Examples of public meetings and other oral facilitation methods may include in person town halls, virtual town halls, open houses, neighborhood and subdivision meetings, focus groups, pop-up events, existing community events, stakeholder meetings, and similar events.

C. Written Facilitation Methods

All surveys and other written facilitation methods and tools must be readily accessible to all demographics and geographies of the Study Area. Examples of written facilitation methods may include surveys for each stakeholder group, task force, or working group; surveys to be used at town halls, community events, and other public meetings; social media outreach, etc.

D. Website

Provide an engaging, public-facing website to house the Small Area Study. The website should be updated throughout the Study to reflect the progress and outcomes of each deliverable. The Study website must build on the planning process established by the STLCO 2050 web presence. At the conclusion of the Study a static version of the Study Document must be produced for record keeping.

Land Use Report (Second Deliverable)

Deliver a report that includes a detailed analysis of the community and provides an implementation outline with strategies and process recommendations to prepare for potential funding and resource allocations. There should be flexible and adaptive recommendations and strategies that forecast the potential of the Study Area and help ensure a prosperous and enduring future.  

Prepare population studies and other demographic, market, and economic analyses of the community and prepare estimates, projections, and forecasts. The primary data source to be used will be U.S. Census Bureau information. More locally relevant estimates may be used to supplement the Census data and identify where immediate trends have shifted or accelerated. Projected trends, demographic analysis, and the market profile of the Study area must be considered in all reports and recommendations.

The Study should offer solutions for reimagining a built environment that was initially developed for single-family households and suburban commuters. Propose design solutions to transform the auto-oriented built environment into a more diverse, connected, and resilient community. Conduct spatial analysis of the economic, social and environmental conditions, trends, and possible outcomes for land use and infrastructure opportunities related to development, redevelopment, and revitalization in Spanish Lake. Describe, in mapped, visual, and written form, current development patterns, including the locations of major land-use classifications (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and public), residential densities, commercial and industrial corridors, green space, natural resources and waterways, productive agricultural areas, and existing infrastructure.

Identify and prioritize areas that are suitable for multiple types and scales of development, redevelopment and/or revitalization. This includes identifying and prioritizing areas and parcels where large-scale re/development should take place, areas where moderate re/development is appropriate, and areas that should be protected from development. Overall environmental quality, habitat preservation and biodiversity expansion, steep slope and karst protection and habitat preservation should be evaluated. Of particular importance are areas where the County and its residents contend with flooding, the urban heat island effect, and other localized natural disaster impacts. The Land Use Report should offer recommendations that align with STLCO 2050 and also address the following:

A. Housing

Assess the age, value, occupancy characteristics, and density of Spanish Lake's housing stock. Assess locations where infill development and adaptive reuse opportunities are feasible. In particular, identify policies and programs that promote the availability of land for the development or redevelopment of housing for all income levels. The County has experienced a prolonged period of population stagnation coupled with outward growth of a low-density, auto-dominated built environment. To stimulate population growth, changes are necessary to expand diverse housing options. Housing policy is crucial for stemming population losses, and the Study should include strategies for addressing this challenge.

B. Economic Development

Provide an analysis of economic trends and existing economic conditions in the Study area, identifying barriers to economic growth and mobility. Provide strategies to reduce or eliminate those barriers to create a sustainable economy. Of particular note is the upcoming demand for supportive development near WildCare Park, up to and including a full service hotel. Workforce development strategies must attract outside talent and facilitate social mobility for current residents. Propose strategies for leveraging economic assets while bolstering the strengths of emerging employment opportunities.

C. Public Health

Consider public health implications in land use, transportation, job development, and all other related elements. The built environment is intertwined with other factors such as economic status, community cohesion, educational attainment, food security, and healthcare access. The Study should provide strategies that seek to remediate current disparities in place-based resources for health and proactively build a community where every resident can thrive.

D. Eco-Tourism and Natural Farming Analysis

Explore the viability of an expanded eco-tourism industry that links assets in Spanish Lake such as WildCare Park, the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area, and Fort Bellefontaine Park. Consider regional assets such as Confluence Point State Park in St. Charles County and more natural tourism opportunities in Alton.

Explore methods to address general food access in the community, considering a small and medium scale farming node that is emerging. Further, provide strategies to support the node as an economic development tool to create wealth and jobs for residents.

E. Service Provision

In partnership with local service providers, review the existing service provision network in Spanish Lake, including police and fire services; parks and recreation facilities; land, building, and facilities owned by the County; community development services; and human and social services. Discuss the existing concentrations of service provision and identify areas of needed new or improved services. Identify funding opportunities, process and programming improvements, and implementation strategies for new or improved service provision.

Transportation Report (Third Deliverable)

Deliver a report that includes a detailed analysis of the transportation network in the Study area, an implementation outline of strategic infrastructure improvements, and recommendations for funding. The focus of the report is the intersection of land use and transportation to produce tangible mobility improvements for all members of the Spanish Lake community.

A. Transportation Network Planning

Provide plans and recommendations for improving the Spanish Lake transportation network. Recommendations should build upon recent planning efforts and coordinate with ongoing and upcoming projects. Include an evaluation of the transportation system and road network hierarchy. Recommendations should include all transportation infrastructure modifications and improvements necessary to meet development potential including lane number/width, sidewalk and multiuse path widths, and drainage considerations.

Consider accessibility for all residents, with special attention paid to vulnerable road users. Integrate transportation recommendations with land-use strategies. The transportation report must tie together with the St. Louis County Action Plan for Walking and Biking issued in 2021. Review the County's Complete Streets Ordinance and identify areas for walking, biking, and transit opportunities and offer strategies and policies that expand multi-modal transportation accessibility and introduce improved infrastructural resiliency.

The study and analysis should include cost estimates, whether additional property is required, and long-term maintenance considerations. Consider the funding needs and sustainability of local roads. Develop a funding plan which estimates the additional local funding needed to deliver and maintain the improvements and the potential taxation options to raise the funds.

2. Wayfinding Program Planning and Design

The Wayfinding Program is intended to guide pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists through Spanish Lake to the constellation of institutions and attractions in the community, including directional, contextual, and identification signage across a range of medium. Conduct an evaluation of the existing system and develop a wayfinding system plan including an existing and proposed signage location plan. Build on the recommendations for wayfinding from previous studies. Provide design specifications, installation ready guidelines, and maintenance plan.

Spanish Lake Digital Twin (Fourth Deliverable)

As part of STLCO 2050: An Equitable and Sustainable Comprehensive Plan, the Department developed an ArcUrban model of St. Louis County that projects development, social, economic, and environmental potential in the County. This tool enables scenario planning with three-dimensional modeling capability, a user-friendly dashboard, and built-in reporting function. Produce a digital twin of the Study area and scenarios compatible with the existing model.

Implementation Plan (Fifth Deliverable)

Outline and describe the recommended approach, strategies, process, budget, and funding required to implement the Study findings. Provide an implementation approach with recommendations with specific milestones derived from the Study process and reports. Tie implementation deliverables to the goals and targets outlined in STLCO 2050. Include accountable actions for governmental, private, institutional, and community stakeholders, overseen and administered by the Department of Planning. Provide recommended implementation approaches for the Study that include the following:

A. Implementation Strategies

Identify specific, achievable, measurable, realistic, and timely steps that will be taken to achieve the Study's stated outcomes, objectives, and target timelines. Implementation strategies will serve as a guide for County departments and the County Council in adopting ordinances, resolutions, programs and policies. Organize recommendations based on intensity of commitment (short vs. long-term goals) and category. Some recommendations may require policy changes while others focus on capital improvements. Integrate insights, critiques, and suggestions from different stakeholder community groups to ensure broad support. The content of the implementation deliverable may evolve throughout the process.

B. Implementation Outline

Describe the approach for implementing the Study. The County will assign responsibilities and projects to appropriate departmental personnel, setting expectations for timelines and goals. Assist the Department with identifying pragmatic strategies for maintaining partner responsiveness and accountability.

Study Adoption (Sixth Deliverable)

Work closely with the County through the adoption process. In addition, prepare presentations for local government stakeholders that may include the Department of Planning, Department of Transportation and Public Works, County department leadership, County Executive staff, and the County Council. Throughout the Study, Planning Commission members and Council members and their legislative assistants must be kept abreast of Study developments through regular reports which at minimum must be provided at the completion of each deliverable or during a major milestone. Facilitate as many meetings or events needed to garner support for the Study prior to the formal adoption process, as briefly outlined below.

Upon completion of the final draft, present an overview, a copy of the Study, and an executive summary to the Planning Commission at a Public Hearing for their consideration and recommendation of adoption to the County Council.

Adoption of the Spanish Lake Small Area Study requires a legislative process by the County Council. Upon recommendation by the Planning Commission of the final draft, present an overview and an executive summary to the County Council for their consideration.