Brattleboro_SOW_FINAL.docx

Statement of Work

I. TITLE: Design for Resilience in Brattleboro’s Whetstone Brook Corridor

II. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

III. BACKGROUND:

The Office of Sustainable Communities (OSC) and EPA Region 1 work with federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as nongovernmental and business organizations, to develop policies, standards, guidelines, models, tools, data, and technical assistance that support the Agency’s mission by fostering outcomes in the built environment that protect environmental quality and public health and avoid disproportionate harm to disadvantaged communities.

IV. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE:

The Town of Brattleboro, Vermont asked EPA for help under the agency’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program to develop designs and implementation strategies for climate-resilient redevelopment of a flood-prone part of the town. Many of Vermont’s historic downtowns, including part of Brattleboro’s, are located in flood hazard areas because they developed when waterways were sources of power, transportation routes, and conveyors of untreated waste. The challenge for Brattleboro is how to maintain an historic, mixed-use settlement pattern while improving flood resilience to ensure 21st century relevance.

The study area for this Smart Growth Implementation Assistance is that portion of the Whetstone Brook corridor in Brattleboro that stretches east 1 mile from the West Street Bridge to Main Street. The study area extends on both sides of the Brook to the upland edge of the parcel boundary or to the boundary of the Special Flood Hazard Area, whichever is greater. (See attached maps of the study area.) This area is referred to in this Statement of Work (SOW) as the Whetstone Brook corridor (or ‘corridor’). The western extreme of the corridor is dominated by an approximately eight (8)-acre parcel formerly used for water-powered mills and more recently for stockpiling of lumber and snow collected from town highways and parking lots. The central portion of the corridor combines residential and industrial uses. The most easterly segment is dominated by commercial uses with some infill development. All of the corridor is within walking distance of downtown. The low-lying structures and public infrastructure have been flooded in the past, most recently during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Climate change is projected to produce increasingly frequent and severe storms in the future. Many of the properties in the Whetstone corridor are located in the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This will likely serve as a barrier to future development and redevelopment as increasing flood insurance rates may affect market values of real estate and chill the market. In addition, water quality in the Whetstone Brook is impaired with bacteria and actions need to be taken locally and regionally to control high levels of bacteria in the Brook.

Brattleboro seeks this Smart Growth Implementation Assistance to enable it to incorporate resilience to flooding and climate change into local land use planning, zoning, decision-making, and implementation. They need assistance in visualizing the area as a resilient urban landscape with high amenity values, and in identifying innovative strategies that can help resolve conflicts between natural hazards and the built form in ways that improve resilience by reducing risk, strengthening the community bond with the stream, and providing multiple community benefits. The current regulatory framework for minimizing flood hazards (through the National Flood Insurance Program) has been mapped (Special Flood Hazard Areas) onto a pre-existing, historic built form. Re-conceptualizing the built form in light of climate change is required to shape future development.

EPA will be working on this project with key partners from the Town as well as Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other local, regional, state, and federal agencies. EPA anticipates that the final report from this project will benefit other communities in Vermont and beyond that are working to improve resilience to flood hazards and climate change.

EPA requires contractor assistance in support of the following tasks:

· Review information on past and present efforts undertaken by the Town and the State that has a relation to this project area. Materials are listed in Appendix A of the SOW.

· Develop a conceptual plan for the Whetstone Brook corridor that will reconceive the built form to:

1. Reduce the potential for damage from future flooding.

2. Protect water quality with green infrastructure to capture and filter stormwater.

3. Identify opportunities for infill development and redevelopment.

4. Connect residents and visitors to the Whetstone Brook through a series of open spaces that provide recreational opportunities.

· In addition to the conceptual plan for the overall study area, develop a more focused vision for the area roughly bounded by Frost Street, Frost Place, Flat Street, and Main Street. This geographic area is referred to in this SOW as the “focus area.” The vision for this focus area shall reconceive of this neighborhood as a resilient, mixed use area with natural amenity (the Whetstone Brook) adjacent to downtown.

· Through use of existing hydrologic studies and a site visit, identify typological segments of the corridor based on hydrologic conditions and the existing adjacent built form as well as on the built form envisioned in the conceptual plan (see above bullet). It is intended that this be only a cursory assessment of hydrologic conditions (i.e., observations and estimates of conditions and attributes made without the need for specific measurements or quantification).

· Create a “tool box” of various diagrammatic design options (“game pieces”) that protect water quality, reduce risk of flooding, and provide recreational opportunities. Show where these design options could fit in the Whetstone Corridor and focus area.

· Develop a list of potential strategies for implementing the design options, assuming that strategies for different segments may be implemented at different times.

V. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES:

The contractor shall develop all written deliverables using the OSC’s Style Guide (provided as an attachment to the solicitation) and technical assistance report guidance, which EPA will provide. Text deliverables shall be submitted as Microsoft Word documents or in another format, agreed to by the EPA Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) that can be easily edited by EPA. Deliverables shall be written in plain English, and all deliverables, including drafts, shall be proofread for errors before delivery to EPA. All deliverables must include appropriate citations with complete bibliographic information for all quotes, assertions, statistics, and other information that comes from a specific source. Any text that is a direct quote from another source must be in quotes and must be accurately cited. Any images used must have the image source and either written permission from the image owner for their use in the deliverable or, if they are in the public domain or under a free-use license, written proof that we are allowed to use the images without explicit permission.

Contractor personnel shall at all times identify themselves as contractor employees and shall not present themselves as EPA employees. Furthermore, they shall not represent the views of the U.S. Government, EPA, or its employees. In addition, the contractor shall not engage in inherently governmental activities, including but not limited to actual determination of EPA policy and preparation of documents on EPA letterhead.

Task 1: Conduct Project Area Assessment The purpose of this task is for the contractor to develop an understanding of current conditions of the built and natural environment in the Whetstone Brook corridor and to create the appropriate base maps for the project

The contractor shall review documents listed in Appendix A of the SOW, and at the start of the project, if there are any updated, relevant materials that the contractor should review in order to understand current conditions in the corridor, EPA and Brattleboro staff will provide the contractor with those materials. The contractor shall participate in a kick-off call with EPA, town officials, and other key partners to discuss the conditions in the corridor and focus area, as well as the flooding and development challenges the project seeks to address. Key partners who will participate in the kick-off call will be identified by EPA and Brattleboro town staff.

The contractor shall prepare base maps that illustrate the Whetstone Brook corridor and focus area as well as the surrounding context (e.g., connections to adjacent neighborhoods). All appropriate information for these base maps will be provided by town staff.

After preparation of the base maps, the contractor shall conduct a one (1) day site visit, including a tour of the corridor and focus area. During the site visit, the contractor shall meet with staff from the town, EPA, and other community stakeholders and key partners who will be identified by town staff and EPA.

Upon completion of the site visit, the contractor shall prepare existing conditions maps for the corridor and focus area that effectively illustrate pertinent site conditions.

Task 1 Deliverables and Timeline 1a. Participate in one (1) project kick-off call with EPA, town staff, and other key partners within two (2) weeks of execution of the contract.

1b. Deliver to EPA for review base maps of the corridor and focus area one (1) week prior to site visit.

1b. Conduct a one (1) day site visit within four (4) weeks of the kick-off call and meet with town staff, EPA, and other community stakeholders and key partners

1c. Deliver to EPA for review existing conditions maps of the corridor and focus area two (2) weeks after the site visit.

1d. If necessary, respond to EPA comments on the base maps and existing conditions maps within one (1) week of receiving comments.

Task 2. Develop Draft Conceptual Plans and Design Options The purpose of this task is to produce draft conceptual plans and a set of diagrammatic design options that address the community’s four interests (flood resilience, protecting water quality, infill development and redevelopment, and multi-functional open spaces). The purpose of developing these draft materials is to provide EPA and town staff with the contractor’s design intent prior to the charrette (Task 4 of SOW).

The contractor shall develop one (1) draft conceptual plan for the Whetstone Brook corridor and one (1) draft conceptual plan for the focus area that will reconceive the built form to:

1. Reduce the potential for damage from future flooding.

2. Protect water quality with green infrastructure to capture and filter stormwater.

3. Identify opportunities for infill development and redevelopment, and

4. Connect residents and visitors to the Whetstone Brook through a series of open spaces that provide recreational opportunities.

The contractor shall also create a diagram of the stream corridor that identifies typological segments that are determined by a cursory assessment of hydrologic conditions and adjacent existing land use as well as the land use envisioned in the draft conceptual plan for the corridor. It is assumed that the focus area will include at least one distinct typological segment.

After completion of the draft conceptual plans and typological stream diagram, the contractor shall develop a set (or “tool box”) of design options that reduce flood risk potential, clean runoff and provide recreational and development opportunities. Some design options developed shall be suitable for use in primarily residential neighborhoods, while other options shall be suitable for areas with mixed commercial, industrial, and residential uses.

Examples of design options that reduce flood risk potential (and provide other benefits) could include, but not be limited to:

· Rain gardens and other green infrastructure features.

· Planted berms.

· Stepped berm with seating (i.e., amphitheater).

· Berm with walking/bike trail.

· Flood wall with seating or picnic shelters attached.

The design options shall be diagrammatic with the intention that they can be used as “game pieces” that could be mixed and matched along the Whetstone corridor to achieve the project goals. EPA intends to use these design options in other communities in the country that are dealing with issues related to their urban creeks and streams.

The contractor shall then refine the conceptual plan for the corridor and for the focus area to show where each of the design options (“game pieces”) could fit in the Whetstone corridor. The design options used in the conceptual plans shall take into account climate change projections of an increase in the likelihood of high stream flows (and associated flooding) in coming decades, particularly in the winter months as snow shifts to rain or freezing rain (see Vermont Climate Assessment, http://vtclimate.org/vts-changing-climate/).

Task 2 Deliverables and Timeline 2a. Develop draft conceptual plan of the corridor and of the focus area and deliver to EPA for review six (6) weeks prior to the charrette.

2b. Create a diagram of the stream corridor that identifies typological segments and deliver to EPA for review six (6) weeks prior to the charrette.

2c. Develop a set of diagrammatic design options and deliver to EPA for review five (5) weeks prior to the charrette.

2d. Refine the conceptual plans to show where the diagrammatic design options could fit within the corridor and focus area and deliver to EPA for review four (4) weeks prior to the charrette.

2e. EPA, in consultation with town staff, will provide feedback to the contractor on what aspects of the conceptual plans and design options should be further explored at the charrette and which should not. If necessary, the Contractor shall respond to EPA comments on the conceptual plans and design options within one (1) week of receiving comments.

2f. Participate in one (1) conference call, as needed with EPA, town staff, and key partners to discuss the conceptual plans and design options.

Task 3: Prepare for On-Site Charrette The purpose of this task is to develop a detailed schedule for a three (3) day on-site charrette to occur within 14 weeks following award of the contract. The Contractor shall identify the necessary mix of stakeholders for participation in the charrette. Town staff will assist in identifying specific individuals and groups and will be responsible for sending the invitations to the charrette. In addition, the contractor shall develop a charrette schedule that details the activities for the three (3) days. The charrette schedule shall include, but is not limited to:

· Kick-off and wrap-up sessions.

· Stakeholder meetings on specific topics no longer than two (2) hours in length each, with topics dependent upon project needs, such as flood prevention and resilience measures, green infrastructure practices, opportunities for infill and redevelopment, and open space opportunities. An agenda for each stakeholder meeting shall be developed that includes presentations that will be made.

· Discussion of potential implementation strategies facilitated in such a way to help the contractor prepare deliverable described in Task 6 of the SOW.

· Design team sketch sessions.

· Up to two (2) public open houses no longer than two (2) hours each.

EPA staff will provide the contractor with example charrette schedules. Town staff will be responsible for charrette logistics, including securing a venue, advertisement, invitations to stakeholder and public sessions, and catering, if pertinent.

The contractor shall also create a slide presentation (in Microsoft PowerPoint - MSPP) no longer than 20 minutes (approximately 20-30 slides) that defines the goals of the proposed design improvements, existing conditions, and initial design options and conceptual plans. The presentation is intended to be used at the charrette to frame the issues, present the project area analysis, and introduce preliminary design options and conceptual plans. All examples used must be regionally relevant and reflect similar environmental conditions to those of the community.

Task 3 Deliverables and Timeline 3a. Develop a draft charrette schedule five (5) weeks prior to the charrette with stakeholder meeting topics and stakeholder groups identified and deliver to EPA for review.

3b. Develop draft presentation (in MSPP) no longer than 20 minutes that defines the goals of the proposed design improvements, existing conditions, and initial design schematics four (4) weeks prior to the on-site charrette, and deliver to EPA for review.

3c. If necessary, respond to EPA within one (1) week of receiving comments on the draft charrette schedule and draft presentation and submit final versions to EPA.

3d. Participate in one (1) conference call with EPA, town officials, and other key partners to prepare for the charrette.

Task 4: Conduct On-site Design Charrette The purpose of this task is for the contractor to lead a three (3) day on-site charrette to occur within 14 weeks following award of the contract, and all associated activities. Throughout the charrette the contractor shall use stakeholder input to further develop the design options, and assemble the design options into a connected and coherent conceptual plan for the Whetstone corridor.

The contractor shall organize and facilitate the following meetings during the charrette: kick-off and wrap-up sessions, stakeholder meetings, discussion of potential implementation strategies, and up to two (2) public open house events that allow for community input on the goals of the projects and the design options developed, and educate participants on the topic of green infrastructure, flood resilience, and infill and redevelopment opportunities. At these events the contractor shall present the initial schematic designs created and be able to answer any questions or comments from the public.

Task 4 Deliverables and Timeline All deliverables in Task 4 will be delivered and completed on-site during the approximately three (3) day design charrette in Brattleboro.

3a. Present MSPP show created in Task 3 of SOW to town staff, selected stakeholders, and the general public during an introductory public meeting event.

3b. Further develop conceptual plans and design options created in Task 2 of SOW, using input gathered during the charrette. Design options will be presented in plans, sections, and ground-level in-situ perspectives.

3c. Participate in interactive meeting no longer than 90 minutes with town and EPA staff and selected stakeholders to discuss implementation strategies and policy implications of proposed design options. Selected stakeholders will be identified by town and EPA staff.

3d. Present refined conceptual plans and design options at final public meeting and gather public comment.

Task 5. Final Design Options and Conceptual Plans The purpose of this task is to create a set of design options and conceptual plans to be used in the Final Report (Task 7 of SOW). The design options also can be used by the Town of Brattleboro as they pursue implementation projects in the Whetstone Brook corridor and focus area.

Building on the work done during Task 1 of SOW and modified during the on-site charrette in Task 4 of SOW, the contractor shall refine the conceptual plans for the Whetstone Corridor and focus area. In addition to schematic design options, the contractor shall develop five (5) ground-level perspective drawings illustrating “before and after.”

Deliverables shall include a descriptive text and high-quality graphics, including but not limited to:

· Introductory text no longer than one (1) page.

· Visuals (ground-level perspective), with text annotation, to illustrate concepts at five (5) sites within the Whetstone corridor, of which at least two (2) sites shall be within the focus area. Viewpoints for these visuals shall be selected by EPA and town staff in consultation with the contractor.

· Conceptual plan for the corridor and for the focus area, both with text annotations.

· Two (2) to three (3) pertinent examples from other communities (in text box) that help to better illustrate design concepts shown in the schematic site plans.

Task 5 Deliverables and Timeline 5a. Draft deliverables (introductory text, visuals, conceptual plans, and examples, as described above) delivered to EPA for approval within four (4) weeks after conclusion of the charrette.

5b. Deliver final plans and design options two (2) weeks following receipt of comments from EPA. To meet EPA requirements for final plans and design options, more than one revision may be necessary.

Task 6: Identify Potential Strategies for Implementation The contractor shall use the final design concepts to develop a list of 10-15 strategies that can be undertaken to implement the designs. Strategies should include a range of actions, including but not limited to: changes to local plans, regulations, and building codes; protection or creation of natural systems; and structural, non-structural, and infrastructural projects.

The list of strategies should be presented as a table or simple organized format that might include column headings such as:

1. Name of strategy

2. Role of strategy in supporting community goals, as described in this SOW (i.e., flood resilience, green infrastructure, infill and redevelopment, and multi-functional open spaces)

3. Implementation options, which may be built into existing processes or policies, including, but not limited to:

a. Local hazard mitigation plans

b. Local land use plans and policies

c. Local codes and ordinances

d. Capital improvement plans and planned infrastructure investments

e. Local utility plans

f. Regional land use plans (e.g., Windham Regional Plan)

g. Regional conservation or resource use plans and efforts

h. Potential for partnerships with nonprofits and philanthropies

4. Potential funding mechanisms to support strategy implementation, including public, private, and nonprofit funding sources.

5. Key stakeholders and actors for implementation from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors (local, regional, statewide, and federal).

Task 6 Deliverables and Timeline 6a. The contractor shall deliver a draft of the strategies to EPA within four (4) weeks after the charrette.

6b. Final strategies shall be delivered to EPA two (2) weeks following receipt of comments from EPA.

Task 7: Final Report The purpose of this task is to provide the Town of Brattleboro with a set of design concepts and implementation strategies for use in advancing flood resilience in the corridor and focus area. In addition, the report will be posted on the website of EPA Region 1, and the Executive Summary will be posted on the website of the OSC and should be written for a general audience.

EPA has provided the contractor with the OSC Style Guide as an attachment to the solicitation and EPA will provide the contractor any other report guidance that the contractor needs to follow in developing the report.

The contractor shall prepare and submit a final report that describes the project, the process, the design concepts, and the potential implementation strategies. At a minimum the report shall include the following sections:

A. An executive summary of the report contents.

B. Introduction – a brief description of the corridor and focus area, the design problem, the design process, community concerns, and how the design options address those concerns.

C. Charrette description – a short summary of the stakeholder engagement process, including priority issues and goals for the corridor and focus area that the participants identified and that were used to develop design concept.

D. Design Options and Conceptual Plans (as finalized in Task 5 of SOW).

E. Potential implementation strategies (as developed in Task 6 of SOW).

F. Appendix – this section shall include any pertinent information that supports the body of the report.

Task 7 Deliverables and Timeline 7a. The contractor shall deliver to EPA the first draft of the Final Report within two (2) weeks of EPA approval of final design options and conceptual plans (Task 5).

7b. The contractor shall deliver to EPA the second draft of the Final Report within two (2) weeks following receipt of EPA comments on first draft.

7c. The contractor shall deliver to EPA the final version of the report of a screen resolution pdf within two (2) weeks following receipt of comments from EPA on the second draft.

7d. The contractor shall provide to EPA a CD (or other means of data transfer) with the source files used in the production of the Final Report.

Appendix A

Several recent or ongoing projects in Brattleboro are related to the work of this task order. Where relevant information is available, these related projects should be used to inform work under this task order.

A. Local Initiatives

· Brattleboro Town Plan. This 2013 update of the Town Plan describes the town’s goals and is the foundation for proposed zoning that are will be considered for adoption in fall 2015. http://www.brattleboro.org/vertical/sites/%7BFABA8FB3-EBD9-4E2C-91F9-C74DE6CECDFD%7D/uploads/Brattleboro_Town_Plan_2013.pdf

· 2014 Brattleboro All Hazard Mitigation Plan (as submitted to FEMA) http://www.brattleboro.org/vertical/sites/%7BFABA8FB3-EBD9-4E2C-91F9-C74DE6CECDFD%7D/uploads/Bratt_2014_HMP_SB_as_signed_9.3.2014(1).pdf

B. State Initiatives

· Vermont Economic Resiliency Initiative. With funding from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, working with the Agencies of Natural Resources and Transportation and the Regional Planning Commissions, launched the Vermont Economic Resiliency Initiative (VERI) to help ensure Vermont remains open for business when disaster strikes. http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities/planning/resiliency/VERI One of the communities that participated in this effort was Brattleboro, and materials from this project, including a draft report, are posted at http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities/planning/resiliency/VERI/Brattleboro

· Vermont Downtown Action Team, Brattleboro Report. Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). 2013. In response to Tropical Storm Irene, DHCD used HUD Federal Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to assemble the Vermont Downtown Action Team (V-DAT) to speed the economic recovery of eight communities, including Brattleboro. http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities/revitalization/vdat

· Whetstone Brook Stream Geomorphologic Assessment and River Corridor Plan. This 2008 assessment provides information about the geologic condition and on-going physical processes in the watershed, and the plan identifies management and land use strategies as well as potential conservation and restoration projects that will help avoid and resolve conflicts in the watershed. Note that this plan includes areas beyond the study area for this Work Assignment. http://accd.vermont.gov/sites/accd/files/Documents/strongcommunities/cpr/Whetstone%20Brook%20Watershed%20Stream%20Geomorphic%20Assessment%20and%20River%20Corridor%20Plan_2008.pdf

· Tactical Basin Plan: Deerfield River and Southern CT River Tributaries of Vermont. VT Department of Environmental Conservation. This 2014 watershed management plan describes impairments in the Whetstone Book and other waterbodies and presents actions to protect or improve water quality. http://www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/mapp/docs/mapp_deerfieldtacticalplan.pdf

· Connecticut River Basin Stormwater Mapping Project: St. Johnsbury, Springfield and Brattleboro, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Division, Stormwater Section. August 2010 http://www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/erp/news/CONNECTICUT-RIVER-BASIN-FINAL.pdf

· Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination in Brattleboro. Final Report, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. January 2012. http://www.vtwaterquality.org/mapp/docs/mapp_BrattleboroIDDEReportfinal.pdf

· Vermont Climate Assessment. http://vtclimate.org/vts-changing-climate