DEPARTMENT: Planning
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Consulting Services to update the City’s Annexation and Growth Policy
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a contract with Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) to update the City’s Annexation and Growth Policy for an amount not to exceed $140,000. Funding is available in the Planning Department’s FY 2019 General Fund Adopted Budget. The contract term would commence in February 2019 and terminate in February 2020.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2013, the City of San Antonio updated its 2002 Annexation Policy that provided guidelines and evaluation criteria for potential annexation areas and addressed issues in San Antonio’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). In 2016, the City adopted an amended Annexation Policy as a component of the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan. This updated Policy provided criteria for evaluating potential annexation areas including the Protection of Natural, Cultural, Historic, Military and Economic Assets; Service Delivery Needs; Public Health, Safety and Welfare; Intergovernmental Relations; Economic and Fiscal Considerations; Fiscal Impact Analysis; and Non-annexation Agreements.
In August of 2017, the State of Texas approved Senate Bill 6 (S. B. 6) that requires cities located in counties with more than 500,000 residents, referred to as Tier 2 municipalities, to obtain the consent of landowners by petition or through voter approval through an election process for proposed annexation areas. With S.B. 6 having been made effective December 1, 2017, San Antonio has a need to update its Annexation Policy.
Additionally, the City is also seeking to address new growth-related policies in its ETJ, including but not limited to Special Districts, Voluntary Annexation, Development Agreements, as well as Municipal Boundary Adjustment and Incorporation requests, so as to create policies that conform to the goals and policies of the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan.
On August 31, 2018, a Request for Qualification (RFQ 18-105; 6100010643) for the City’s Annexation & Growth Policy was issued with a submission deadline of September 28, 2018. The RFQ was advertised in the San Antonio Express-News, TVSA channel, San Antonio e-Procurement System, and the City’s Bidding and Contracting opportunities website. Email notifications were also sent to a list of potential Respondents identified by the Planning Department. One proposal, from Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS), was received and deemed eligible for review.
The response was reviewed by an Evaluation Committee which included representatives from the City’s Planning Department, Development Services Department, Government and Public Affairs - Office of Military Affairs, Bexar County Public Works Department and the Greater San Antonio Builder Association. Proposals were evaluated based on the published evaluation criteria in the RFP, which included: Experience, Background, Qualifications, Proposed Plan, Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program: Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Prime Contract Program, Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Prime Contract Program, the Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Subcontracting Program, the Local Preference Program and the Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program. By consensus vote after review and discussion, the Committee is recommending entering into a contract with EPS.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program. Economic & Planning Systems (EPS) has committed to satisfying the 18% Minority and/ or Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) subcontracting goal. There were no proposals submitted from local Respondents for this contract; therefore, the Local Preference Program was not applied. Finally, there were no proposals submitted from veteran-owned small business Respondents for this contract; therefore, the Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program was not applied.
ISSUE:
Award of this contract through approval of City Council will allow for the update of the City’s Annexation and Growth Policy. The updated Policy will be organized into seven policy areas, including the impact of S.B. 6 on City-initiated annexation through a potential election process, voluntary annexation, special districts, non-annexation and development agreements, municipal services, incorporation requests, and adjustments to the city boundaries or Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). The contract term would commence in February 2019 and terminate in February 2020.
The Policy document will be developed in two phases. In the first phase, EPS will develop a “White Paper” which will identify major issues and challenges for the seven policy areas mentioned above. In the second phase, EPS will develop recommendations and policies to address the priority issues. An implementation strategy will accompany the Policy document to provide direction on the next steps in addressing issues and opportunities in planning for growth around San Antonio’s boundaries.
During the development of the Policy document, an internal Working Group and an external Community Advisory Group will be engaged. The Working Group, to be comprised of City staff and major partner public entities, will be engaged during identification of the issues and then in the development of recommendations and policies. The Community Advisory Group, made up of external stakeholders, will provide input on annexation and related land use and fiscal policy issues during the second phase. The findings from the Community Advisory Group, elected officials and general public input will be brought to the Working Group to inform the recommendations and policies for the Policy Document.
The final Policy document will be presented to the Comprehensive Plan Committee, the Planning Commission and then to City Council for consideration and approval.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the City’s efforts to provide recommendations and implementation strategies related to annexation, growth and development issues that comply with State and local legal requirements will be hindered.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a contract with Economic & Planning Systems (EPS) to update the City’s Annexation and Growth Policy for an amount not to exceed $140,000. Funding is available in the Planning Department’s FY 2019 General Fund Adopted Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this contract with EPS to provide consulting services to upgrade the City’s annexation policies and growth-related policies in the City’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.
This contract is procured by means of Request for Proposals and Contract Disclosure Forms are attached.