RFQ FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE

Importance of Public Participation
Project Calendar, Deadlines and Meeting Dates
Useful Information | Useful Websites
Questions & Answers | Firms Responding to the RFQ | Contact Information

Project Overview

The City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East Baton Rouge is accepting qualifications from professional consulting parties to assist in the preparation of an update to the Master Plan. The consultant and planning staff will work together to create a comprehensive plan and accompanying communication and interagency coordination plans to address the impact of growth and development in the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge. This scope of services details the tasks to be performed by the consultant.

The Mayor-President believes that this is the appropriate time to initiate an overall update to the existing Master Plan to provide direction in the areas of land use, infrastructure, community services, growth management, and quality of life for the community. The goals and objectives set forth in the new Master Plan will be implemented by modification to the Unified Development Code and other development-related ordinances where appropriate.

The City-Parish engaged the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to provide an Advisory Services Panel. This panel focused on strategies to identify the elements necessary to serve as the basis for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to update the existing Master Plan (Horizon Plan). The ULI Advisory Services Panel stated that the Planning Consultant responsible for updating the Master Plan should have the ability to create a Master Plan with a “strong vision which will provide the direction, clarity, and purpose Baton Rouge needs to become America’s Next Great City.”

The ULI Advisory Services Panel expressed the importance to acknowledge that “implementation holds the key to a successful plan.” The Panel identified the following keys to successful plan implementation:

extensive community involvement and education;
priority of action items, based on the Vision of the City-Parish;
constant and careful monitoring of the Plan as it is implemented;
periodic, cautious amendment of the Plan; and
appropriate and adequate resources provided to implement the plan goals.

The selected planning consultant must develop a Master Plan that incorporates all of these keys to successful implementation. Also, the Panel identified the need to focus on comprehensive transportation planning and interagency coordination. Presently, plan implementation is coordinated by the Planning Commission as the lead agency for the existing Master Plan. Additionally, the new Master Plan must be proactive, not reactive or “zoning driven.”

The panel stressed the importance of “crafting a clear vision and creating a simple, usable plan with clear implementation strategies. The plan should be both visionary and simple to understand and implement. The plan should clearly state a vision, prioritize implementation measures, andrecommend specific incentives to achieve the vision.”

Importance of Public Participation as a Component of this Master Plan

Public participation and outreach is critical to the Master Plan process. From the outset of the planning process, the citizenry must be thoroughly involved and educated about the process to encourage proactive plan development and implementation. The consultant will be responsible for developing a user-focused communication plan, conducting public meetings and disseminating information about updates during the comprehensive plan process. This includes preparing agendas and other materials required for the meetings, attending the meetings, and leading the discussion to ascertain the consensus of the group. The outcome of these meetings is to generate broad community engagement, foster ownership of plan among all stakeholders, and encourage public and private leadership to shape a bold and focused parish-wide vision.

Project Calendar, Deadlines and Meeting Dates

Useful Information

East Baton Rouge Parish/City of East Baton Rouge RFQ for Comprehensive Plan 
ULI Planning Advisory Services Panel Report 
Horizon Plan 2007 Five Year Update (Fifteen Year)

Useful Websites

Downtown Development District
Green Light Plan
Baton Rouge Loop
Plan Baton Rouge 1 and 2
Louisiana Speaks
Baton Rouge Park and Recreation Commission Capital Area Pathway Project
Capital Region Planning Commission Transportation Improvement Plan
Smart Growth Leadership Institute Audit Report
Baton Rouge Major Street Plan
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Center for Planning Excellence
LSU Master Plan
Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge Strategic Plan
Baton Rouge Community College Strategic Plan

Questions & Answers

RFQ Questions & Answers 

Firms Responding to the RFQ

Below are the ten (10) planning firms that responded to the Comprehensive Plan Update Request for Qualifications (RFQ). We would like to thank all the firms for their eagerness and willingness to assist the City-Parish in this important endeavor.

1. Wallace, Roberts, & Todd

a. Neel-Schaffer, Inc.
b. Economic Stewardship, Inc.

2. HNTB

a. Dr. Loren Scott (LSU)
b. SSA
c. GEC
d. Billingsley Associates

3. A. Nelessen Assoc., Inc

a. The Placemaking Studio
b. Economic Research Associates
c. Kubilins Transportation Group, Inc.
d. Bosse & Turner Associates, Inc.
e. Reich Associates
f. Providence Engineering

4. IBI Group

a. Strategic Planning Group, Inc.
b. PlaceMakers
c. Marcela Camblor & Associates

5. Glatting Jackson

a. ACP Visioning+Planning, Inc.
b. Charlier Associates, Inc.
c. Smart Mobility, Inc.
d. C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates, Inc.
e. Halcrow, Inc.
f. Neighborhood America
g. The Environmental Simulation Center, Ltd.
h. Remson/Haley/Herpin Architects

6. EDAW, Inc

a. AECOM Transportation
b. Economic Research Associates
c. The Kendig Keast Collaborative

7. Fregonese Associates

a. Brown & Danos Land Design, Inc
b. ABMB Engineering
c. GOTECH, Inc
d. Kimley-Horn and Associates
e. Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates
f. ECONorthwest
g. James A. Richardson
h. WHLC Architecture
i. Sienna Architecture Company
j. Trahan Architects
k. Marmillion/Gray
l. Franklin Industries
m. Urban Insight

8. Siemon & Larsen

a. Carras Community Investment
b. Bill Fountain
c. Tom Spradely

9. Alex Garvin & Associates

a. Cooper, Robertson & Partners
b. Kimley – Horn and Associates
c. Post Architects
d. The Gaia Institute
e. 4ward Planning
f. Powers Hill Design, LLC

10. Clarion Associates

a. Fernandez Plans, LLC
b. Alliance Transportation Group
 

Contact Information

All concerns and questions regarding the RFQ, the selection process, terms, conditions and technical specifications shall be directed in writing to:

Office of the Planning Commission
Attn: Troy L. Bunch, Planning Director
P.O. Box 1471
Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Or email at tbunch@brgov.com. All telephone inquiries should be made to (225) 389-3144.

Direct contact with the Mayor-President or Office of the Mayor-President, or Metropolitan Council member, or Planning Commission member or any Committee member is NOT allowed. Any attempts to establish contact with any of the aforementioned individuals will result in disqualification.