Canton_POCD_RFP_072926.pdf

Town of Canton, Connecticut

Request for Proposals for Planning Consultant Services

Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Update

Issuing Agency Town of Canton, Connecticut

Project Update of the Town Plan of Conservation and Development under CGS § 8-23

Proposal Due 5 p.m. local time on September 3rd, 2026

Contact Neil S. Pade, AICP, Director of Planning and Community Development

The Town of Canton, Connecticut seeks proposals from qualified professional consultants to assist in the preparation of an update to the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) pursuant to

Connecticut General Statutes § 8-23.

1. Project Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this assignment is to assist the Town in updating its POCD through a collaborative process that:

reviews and builds from the Town’s existing strategic planning framework and prior planning work;

updates and presents current demographic, land use, housing, economic, environmental, infrastructure, mobility, and other relevant community planning data;

meaningfully engages the public and a broad range of stakeholders in examining community values, identifying concerns, and shaping goals, policies, and action steps;

translates community input and technical analysis into clear strategic themes and implementation measures;

prepares a working draft and final draft POCD Update suitable for municipal review and adoption;

and supports the Town in reforming and updating the process for continued monitoring and implementation of the updated plan.

2. Scope of Services

The Town anticipates that the consultant will assist with a phased planning process that generally includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks, with the sequencing of tasks to be subject to recommendations by the consultant and approval by the POCD Update Committee (Update Committee).

Task 1. Project Initiation and Review of Existing Plans and Information

The consultant shall initiate the project in coordination with Town staff and the Update Committee and shall review the existing POCD along with other relevant plans, studies, regulations, reports, and background materials.

This task shall include identifying major themes, evaluating prior recommendations and their implementation status and ongoing relevance, and highlighting issues that warrant further analysis as part of the update.

The consultant shall also prepare an updated profile of existing community conditions, including demographic information and other relevant data, incorporating the most current Census and other relevant information available.

Relevant materials to be reviewed may include, but are not limited to:

Current Town of Canton POCD (Rev. 2014 and amended 2018)

Relevant Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) transportation corridor and planning studies

CRCOG Regional Plan of Conservation and Development

CRCOG Regional Vision Zero Safe Streets for All Plan

CRCOG Regional Affordable Housing Plan

CRCOG Regional Housing Growth Plan

CRCOG Regional Transportation Improvement Plan

State Conservation and Development Policies Plan

Town housing, transportation, infrastructure, and economic development studies

Town of Canton Affordable Housing Plan

Town of Canton Safe Streets for All Vision Zero and Complete Streets Master Plan

Town of Canton Natural Resources Inventory

Town of Canton Zoning, and Subdivision Regulations

Town of Canton Water Pollution Control Authority Facilities Plan

Town of Canton Capital Improvement Plan

Upper Mill Pond Master Plan

Collinsville Scenic Corridor Study

Other plans, reports, studies, and information identified by the Town as relevant to the update

Task 2. Existing Conditions Analysis and Community Planning Data

The consultant shall prepare an updated profile of existing community conditions by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting the quantitative and spatial information necessary to evaluate the Town’s potential future conservation and development patterns, using the most current Census and other available data. Using the existing POCD framework as a guide, this work shall include, as appropriate, demographic, housing, economic, environmental, infrastructure, mobility (including multi-modal connectivity), recreation, land use, and municipal fiscal information; mapping and graphic presentation of existing conditions; and identification of trends, opportunities, constraints, and tradeoffs to inform the update process. This work will also include review of the most current version of the Town’s Affordable

Housing Plan, evaluation of housing affordability relative to regional and state benchmarks, including assessment of the Town’s current position under CGS § 8-30g, assessment of state, regional and local data related to Housing Growth under Public Act 25-1, including state and regional created developable land inventories, housing growth targets, and housing needs assessments, and trends affecting future compliance.

Such work may include, but not be limited to, analysis of demographic characteristics, population comparisons and projections, and age-cohort trends; economic and employment conditions, including labor force characteristics, employment sectors, educational attainment, unemployment, major employers, and jobs located in Canton; household and family characteristics, including household age, size, and income levels; housing characteristics, including tenure, sales prices, rental rates, age of housing stock, and affordability; and municipal fiscal characteristics, including grand list changes, grand list composition, and sources of revenue. This work shall also include the creation of a town specific developable land inventory and future build-out analysis.

Materials shall be prepared in a manner suitable for presentation to the Update Committee and the public.

Task 3. Initial Committee Consultation and Framework Development

The consultant shall work with the Update Committee through roundtable discussions or similar working sessions to review the existing strategic framework of the current plan, discuss updated data and planning context, and identify areas where the Town’s fundamental values, goals, and strategic direction should be addressed for possible affirmants, refinements, or reconsiderations.

Based on this work, the consultant shall assist the Update Committee in confirming or modifying the initial framework for the strategic elements of the updated POCD.

Task 4. Public Engagement on Community Values, Issues, Goals, and Strategies

The consultant shall design and facilitate a robust public engagement program that includes multiple in-person community meetings and supplemental outreach methods such as online surveys and other engagement tools.

The purpose of this phase shall be to:

Inform the Update Committee’s understanding of the public interest;

articulate the Town’s fundamental values, including determining whether existing values remain appropriate or should be revised;

gather community feedback on key planning topics and possible strategies;

identify issues and concerns of residents and other stakeholders; and confirm, refine, or expand goals and objectives for the updated plan.

The consultant should anticipate the need to engage residents, property owners, boards and commissions, institutions, businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders, including traditionally underrepresented groups, through a process that is well publicized, inclusive, accessible, understandable, and capable of building trust and useful dialogue. Development and use of high-quality visual examples, graphics and renderings to explain and collect feedback on a variety of planning, growth and conservation concepts is required.

Task 5. Transition from Strategic Direction to Implementation

Following the initial public engagement and framework development, the consultant shall assist the

Update Committee in transitioning from the broader strategic elements of the plan to more specific policy recommendations and implementation actions. This phase should be structured to ensure that the strategic direction established through data review and public input is clearly connected to realistic implementation measures.

Task 6. Listening Sessions on Policies and Action Steps

The consultant shall organize and facilitate a series of topic-specific listening sessions or working sessions focused on the plan’s implementation elements. These sessions should be structured with input from the

Update Committee and should assist the Update Committee in reviewing existing and potential policies and action items by considering whether they should be:

added as new items;

retained substantially as written;

modified to better reflect current priorities or conditions; or deleted as no longer appropriate.

The Town anticipates that these listening sessions may first involve boards, commissions, agencies, or organizations with subject matter jurisdiction or direct expertise, followed by additional discussion with interested stakeholders and members of the public.

Task 7. Coordination of Strategic and Implementation Elements

The consultant shall conduct working sessions with the Update Committee to coordinate the strategic and implementation elements of the plan, ensuring internal consistency between the Town’s values, goals, policies, and action steps. The consultant shall help the Update Committee identify priority actions, implementation responsibilities, and practical timeframes wherever feasible.

Task 8. Drafting of Updated Plan Elements

Based on data analysis, committee discussions, listening sessions, and public engagement, the consultant shall collect and synthesize all relevant input and commence drafting updated plan elements.

Drafting shall include the preparation of clear, concise, and well-organized narrative, policy language, maps, graphics, and related materials suitable for iterative committee review.

Task 9. Committee Review and Refinement of Draft Elements

The consultant shall present draft plan elements to the Update Committee for review and discussion and shall revise those elements in response to committee input. The process should allow for refinement of both the strategic and implementation portions of the plan as the work progresses.

Task 10. Public Review of Draft Plan Components

The consultant, with input from the Update Committee and Town staff, conduct community meetings or workshops to present draft plan components and receive public feedback. The consultant shall clearly explain the basis for recommendations, summarize key changes, and provide accessible opportunities for public review and comment.

Task 11. Preparation of Working Draft for Municipal Review

Following public review and additional refinement by the Update Committee, the consultant shall prepare a working draft POCD document for submission to the Board of Selectmen for review, consistent with the

Town’s desired process and in advance of, and in addition to, any formal review required under

Connecticut General Statutes § 8-23(h)(2). The consultant shall assist in organizing the document and supporting materials in a format suitable for municipal review and comment.

Task 12. Final Draft, Adoption Support, and Statutory Process Assistance

The consultant shall revise the working draft based on comments received and assist the Planning and

Zoning Commission in preparing the final draft for the statutory adoption process pursuant to Connecticut

General Statutes § 8-23. The consultant shall support the Town through final presentations, revisions, hearing materials, and other adoption-related assistance reasonably necessary to complete the process in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Task 13. Implementation and Monitoring Framework

As part of the final scope, the consultant shall assist the Town in developing a new, or reforming the current, ongoing plan implementation monitoring process, including recommendations regarding the reformation or restructure of a Plan Implementation Committee or similar mechanism. This component should be designed to assist the Town track progress, monitor implementation of priority actions, and maintain the POCD as a usable management tool after adoption.

3. Anticipated Deliverables

The consultant’s work program should include, as appropriate, the following deliverables:

project work program and schedule;

updated demographic, socio-economic, and community-planning data profiles, including the 8-

30g and Housing Growth Plan analysis referenced above;

written and graphic existing conditions analysis;

public engagement plan;

public workshop, listening session, and stakeholder meeting materials;

summaries of public input and committee discussions;

draft strategic framework and plan elements;

draft implementation policies, action steps, monitoring practices, and implementation matrix;

mapping and graphics for public meetings and final plan documents, consistent with the requirements of this scope, including but not limited to potential mixed use and opportunity sites mapping, future build-out analysis and high-quality visual examples, graphics and renderings to explain planned concepts for anticipated future growth and conservation;

working draft POCD for municipal review;

revised draft for public review and statutory adoption process; and final draft POCD.

All maps, graphics, and data prepared for the Town shall be provided in formats reasonably usable by the

Town, including electronic formats compatible with the Town’s GIS and document systems.

All work to be performed pursuant to this RFP shall occur within a timeline to be proposed by the consultant subject to approval by the Update Committee, calculated to produce a draft proposed POCD subject to the approval the Update Committee for referral to the Board of Selectman no later than February

2029.

4. Minimum Qualifications

A. Relevant POCD Experience

Substantial, recent experience preparing or updating municipal POCDs, with a clear understanding of CGS

§ 8-23, associated hearing and adoption practices, regional and state review criteria, and the relationship between the strategies of a POCD and their implementation. Preference may be given to firms that can show successful completion of comparable POCD projects for municipalities of similar size, character, and planning complexity. Direct experience with municipal planning, zoning, conservation, housing, infrastructure, growth-management issues, policy writing, and plan implementation should be highlighted.

The Town is seeking an action-oriented plan that prioritizes implementation over aspiration. Experience should emphasize the ability to develop and organize realistic goals, priority actions, responsible parties, timeframes, and implementation tools.

B. Public Engagement and Facilitation

A strong record of designing, facilitating, and documenting public input processes. Experience in creating public input sessions that meaningfully engage residents, property owners, boards and commissions, institutions, businesses, traditionally underrepresented groups, and other community stakeholders is a priority. Respondents must be able to: run workshops, listening sessions, focus groups, stakeholder interviews, pop-up events, surveys, and online engagement tools, among other mechanisms; present information clearly to both the Update Committee and the public; and build trust in a process that may involve competing viewpoints.

The ability to work in communities where there may be differing views on growth, housing, conservation, infrastructure, development, and community character, among other interests. Demonstrated experience in facilitating difficult conversations, which may involve balance and tradeoffs, while maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the process, should be highlighted.

C. Translation of Public Input into Planning Policy

The ability to organize, interpret, and synthesize public input into coherent findings, themes, goals, strategies, and implementation actions. This includes the ability to distinguish broad community values from isolated comments, identify common threads across outreach methods, and reduce large volumes of qualitative input into writing that captures the essence of public interests in a way that is clear, balanced, and actionable.

D. Communication and Presentation

The ability to prepare and present community planning data in a clear, visually effective, and accessible manner for varied audiences, including the Update Committee, the Board of Selectmen, stakeholder groups, and the public. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to identify and explain trends, alternatives, constraints, and tradeoffs without relying on jargon, and to present information at required public meetings and workshops in a manner that promotes informed discussion. Preference may be given to firms that can provide examples of public-facing presentation materials, workshop exhibits, dashboards, maps, infographics, and draft plan chapters that demonstrate clarity and professionalism.

Respondents shall also demonstrate exceptional professional writing, editing, and organizational skills, including the ability to prepare draft chapters, meeting memoranda, workshop summaries, committee discussion materials, and final plan language that is concise, readable, and suitable for local municipal use.

E. Technical Expertise

Broad and integrated expertise in substantive planning topics including land use, housing, economic development, transportation, infrastructure and public facilities, natural resources, open space, sustainability, resiliency, agriculture, community character, and conservation planning. Experience with

Connecticut affordable housing policy, including CGS § 8-30g, housing planning, and integration of housing strategies into POCDs is desirable.

F. Data, Mapping, and GIS

The ability to identify, collect, organize, map, analyze, and explain quantitative and spatial information relevant to the Town’s anticipated future conservation and development patterns over the next two decades. This includes demographic, housing, economic, environmental, infrastructure, mobility, and land use data; existing conditions mapping; build-out or opportunity analysis where appropriate; and production of high-quality maps and graphics suitable for public review and final adoption documents.

Strong GIS capability with the ability to generate and interpret relevant data is a priority.

G. Meeting and Process Management

Skill in structuring and managing a multi-step public planning process, including work programs, schedules, milestone deliverables, committee meetings, public workshops, draft review cycles, and final presentation/adoption support. Respondents must demonstrate the ability to keep projects on schedule, identify decision points early, coordinate with municipal staff, and provide clear agendas and follow-up materials.

H. Capacity and Availability to Perform

Respondents must demonstrate the ability to commit adequate staff time and attention to this project throughout its duration. Respondents shall identify the key personnel proposed for the assignment, describe their current workload and active project commitments. Respondents shall explain how they will avoid overextension of staff resources that could adversely affect the quality, responsiveness, or timely completion of the Town’s Project.

5. Proposal Submission Requirements

Interested consultants who wish to be considered for this work shall provide one printed copy and one digital copy (USB drive) of the following information to:

Neil S. Pade, AICP

Director, Planning and Community Development

Town of Canton Land Use Office

4 Market Street

P.O. Box 168

Collinsville, CT 06022-0168

Proposals must be received no later than 5 p.m. local time on September 3rd, 2026.

Each proposal shall include the following:

1. Letter of Introduction

2. Firm Information Package, including the firm’s legal name, address, office location(s), and a narrative description of the firm or consultant team

3. Project Understanding and Technical Approach, including the respondents’ understanding of the

Project and proposed approach to completing the Scope of Services

4. Detailed Fee Proposal, identified by task and assigned personnel, including a total cost and proposed schedule for completing the Scope of Services

5. Resumes of Personnel who will work on the Project

6. Project Management Approach, including recommendations for the management of the Project

7. Qualifications and Experience in Public Engagement, including conducting public workshops and soliciting public opinion

8. References for at least three ongoing or recently completed similar municipal planning projects, including contact person and telephone number

9. Detailed and Specific Examples of Similar Work Products

10. Certificates of Insurance evidencing the required coverage described in this RFP

11. Any Additional Information that will assist in evaluating the qualifications of the consultant

Alternative Scope/ Alternative Proposals

The Town reserves the right to modify or expand the Scope of Services in a manner that best serves the interests of the Town. Respondents may also submit responses to portions of this request for proposals or separately offer alternate proposals or additional services. Separate fees shall be provided for any alternate proposals and any scope of work or additional services not included in the base proposal.

Alternative proposals must provide a clear description of tasks to be completed, a detailed approach for how such tasks will be completed, and the proposed deliverables.

6. Questions and Addenda

Respondents with questions regarding the submission requirements may contact the following agent by email only. Telephone inquiries related to proposal requirements shall not receive a response:

Neil S. Pade, AICP

Director, Planning and Community Development

Town of Canton npade@townofcantonct.org

All questions or requests for clarification regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing via email no later than August 26th at 6 PM.

Questions received after the deadline may not be answered

An electronic copy of this Request for Proposals, along with any changes, will be posted on the Town’s website. It is the respondent’s obligation to visit the Town website frequently for any addenda.

7. Selection Process

A qualifications-based selection process will be applied. The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), in consultation with the Update Committee, shall designate a selection committee. The selection committee shall evaluate the responses and may, if desired, create a short list for the purpose of conducting interviews. The selection committee, subject to the direction of the Update Committee, shall recommend the retention of a consultant or consultants to the CAO, who shall select the consultant(s) based upon

Town administrative policy and procurement procedures.

The Town reserves the right to request interviews, clarifications, or supplemental information from any respondent as part of the review process.

All submissions shall be final and binding on the respondent for acceptance by the Town for 120 days from the proposal’s closing date and time.

8. Administrative Requirements

A respondent filing a proposal thereby certifies that no officer, agent, or employee of the Town who has a pecuniary interest in this request for proposals has participated or will participate in the contract negotiations on behalf of the Town; that the proposal is made in good faith without fraud, collusion, or connection of any kind with any other respondent to the same request for proposals; and that the respondent is competing solely on its own behalf without connection with or obligation to any undisclosed person or firm.

Respondents must fully disclose, in writing to the Town on or before the closing date of this request for proposals, the circumstances of any possible conflict of interest or what could be perceived as a possible conflict of interest if the respondent were to become a contracting party pursuant to this request for proposals. The Town shall review any such submission and may reject any proposal where, in the opinion of the Town, the respondent could be in a conflict of interest or could be perceived to be in a possible conflict of interest position if the respondent were to become a contracting party pursuant to this request for proposals.

Respondents shall make all investigations necessary to inform themselves regarding the services to be performed under this request for proposals.

Any act or acts of misrepresentation or collusion shall be a basis for disqualification of any proposal or proposals submitted by a person or firm guilty of such misrepresentation or collusion. In the event that the

Town enters into a contract with any respondent who is guilty of misrepresentation or collusion and such conduct is discovered after execution of the contract, the Town may cancel said contract without incurring liability, penalty, or damages.

9. Insurance Requirements

Selected respondent(s) shall carry Commercial General Liability Insurance (Bodily Injury, Property

Damage, Products and Completed Operations) in an amount of not less than One Million Dollars

($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate, combined single limits. Such coverage shall also include coverage for operations, completed operations, products, and contractual liability insurance. Such policy shall name the Town of Canton as an additional insured and shall be primary and noncontributory to any valid and collectible insurance carried by the Town.

Selected respondent(s) shall provide errors and omissions liability insurance in an amount of not less than

One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per wrongful act and One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) in the aggregate.

Certificates of insurance evidencing the following coverages shall be provided in amounts and under conditions acceptable to the Town: (i) commercial/general liability; (ii) automobile; (iii) workers’ compensation (Part A) and employers’ liability (Part B); (iv) professional liability; and (v) umbrella/excess.

10. General Provisions

Minority and Woman Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit qualifications for consideration. The

Town is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Town is issuing this request for proposals for the purpose of determining the benefits of retaining consultants as independent contractors to provide the services described in this Scope of Services. The

Town reserves the right to reject any or all responses, to accept or reject any and all proposals in whole or in part, to amend this Scope of Services in the process of selecting a consultant, to enter into a contracted service agreement with more than one consultant, to divide up services, and to include or not include portions thereof within any such service agreement as may be required to meet the specialized needs of the Town and the POCD Update Committee.

Upon execution of a contracted service agreement, the Town may take the proposed scope of work and responses to the legislative body for review and approval of funding. The selected consultant, at no cost to the Town, shall be responsible for attending any and all meetings, public or internal, necessary to secure funding for the contracted work program. Any contracted service agreement shall be contingent upon municipal approval of funding.

The individual or firm selected will be required to abide by the Town of Canton Municipal Code of Ethics.

All work products produced under this agreement shall remain subject to the ownership, access, and record retention requirements of the Town of Canton and applicable state law and regulations.

Dated at Canton, Connecticut this 29th day of July, 2026.

Mark Penney

Chief Administrative Officer