Borough of State College Zoning Code Economic Feasibility Assessment
Proposals Due August 23, 2021
INTRODUCTION
The Borough of State College is seeking the services of a qualified consultant to provide professional planning services toward evaluating the economic feasibility of proposed zoning ordinance changes. This will involve a collaborative process with the community stakeholders including State College Borough Council, Planning Commission, Zoning Revision Advisory Committee, as well as Borough Planning Department staff. The chosen consultant will utilize input from all four groups collected as part of the Borough’s current zoning ordinance revision process to gauge the market feasibility of certain development types within a limited number of zoning districts.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Information about the Borough of State College, State College Downtown Master Plan, State College Neighborhood Plan, and the Planning Department is available on the Borough website at https://www.statecollegepa.us/160/Planning-Zoning.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The current zoning ordinance was adopted in 1959 and has been amended periodically (over 220 times since 1959) to reflect current planning concepts and to be more compatible with the current development trends of the Borough. The Borough began a comprehensive revision process in 2017 resulting in preferences for land use characteristics which now must be tested within the real estate market to determine whether there is market interest to develop under the proposed standards.
SPECIFIC SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
The Borough of State College is looking for a qualified consulting firm that has the skills to evaluate proposed land use regulations in terms of market feasibility for development. Skill and experience in developing example proformas for various land use types and evaluating the market demand for the various types is critical. Skill at providing suggestions for changes in zoning regulations to better calibrate the zoning to the market demand while preserving development form and community character is also necessary. Experience in understanding the complexities and characteristics of State College as a university community, along with familiarity of Pennsylvania/East Coast/Mid-Atlantic communities is preferable.
