DEPARTMENT: Department of Planning & Community Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John Dugan, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Briefing and discussion regarding the scopes of work and schedule of deliverables for the Comprehensive Plan, the Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan, the Water Policy Study, and the Sustainability Plan.
SUMMARY:
A briefing on the scopes of work and schedule of deliverables for the four related growth plans: the Comprehensive Plan; the Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan; the Water Policy Study; and the Sustainability Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City Council has authorized the Department of Planning & Community Development, the Transportation and Capital Improvements Department, and the Office of Sustainability to complete these projects. While four distinct projects, the Comprehensive Plan, Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan, Water Policy Study, and Sustainability Plan are interconnected and contribute to the overarching Comprehensive Plan initiative.
ISSUE:
PlanSA, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Initiative
The Department of Planning & Community Development secured the services of Economic and Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) in September of 2013 to produce studies on: 1) Infill Development Capacity Analysis; 2) Future Jobs and Economic Opportunity inside the City Limits; and, 3) Alternative Scenarios and Fiscal Impact. DPCD has reviewed the first two of these three studies and anticipates completion of the third study by December 2014.
On October 9, DPCD executed a professional services agreement with Moore, Iacofano, Goltsman, Inc. (MIG) for consultant services pertaining to the Comprehensive Plan. The scope of work for this contract includes a current policy review, an existing conditions report, six policy papers, a public engagement framework, urban design illustrations, and a comprehensive plan document.
Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan
The City Council approved an ordinance on October 9, 2014 authorizing a professional services agreement with Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. for consultant services pertaining to the Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan.
The Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan for the City of San Antonio and its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) will help implement the regional transportation plan adopted by the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan will be a tool to help identify future transportation needs brought on by development and population growth. Finding solutions to help the transportation network evolve and handle the growth in San Antonio is critical. The Plan will consider various modes (walking, cycling, automobiles, public transit, etc.) and connections among modes. It will examine the relationships between modes including freight and rail.
The scope of work for the Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan for the City will articulate the City's transportation strategy and project prioritization method. The Plan will serve as a tool that can be utilized in subsequent years by San Antonio departments and policy makers to analyze annual transportation priorities to best meet overall community short-term and long-term goals.
The end product will be a document that will provide the analysis and recommendations for a Project Prioritization System, updates to the City's Major Thoroughfare Plan and updates to City Transportation Policy.
Water Policy Study
On October 9, the City Council approved an ordinance authorizing a professional services agreement with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, an agency of the State of Texas and an institution of the Texas A&M University system, on behalf of the Water Conservation and Technology Center of the Texas Water Resources Institute, to prepare a water policy study. This project will produce a comprehensive report that assesses San Antonio's and Bexar County's water security by reviewing existing data on city policies, regulations and initiatives involving the cost, quantity and quality of the water from the Edwards Aquifer and other sources. The City of Fair Oaks Ranch is participating in the study.
A portion of the study will be led by Department of Planning and Community Development staff to provide data on historic and projected population growth, a summary of governing entities and their authority, and city code provisions and planning strategies related to water.
Sustainability Plan
City Council approved funding of $200,000 in FY 2015 for the development of the Sustainability Plan. The purpose of the Sustainability Plan is a strategic action framework for both the community and municipal operations that establishes community driven priorities and key measurable indicators defining what it means for San Antonio to be a "sustainable community". The expected date to release a consultant RFP to assist in developing the plan is late October 2014. The Sustainability Plan will be coordinated and integrated within the Comprehensive Plan and provide a framework for parallel planning activities.
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the briefing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends continuing work on these projects.