Title
Approving a professional services agreement with Clarion Associates, LLC for an assessment of the Unified Development Code in an amount not to exceed $89,220 for Fiscal Year 2024, and authorizing the City Manager to execute the same.
Summary
The City of Pflugerville first adopted a Unified Development Code (UDC) in 2009, and an update to that UDC was done again in 2015. Prior to the UDC, the City’s adopted development standards were adopted through a separate zoning and subdivision ordinance. While the UDC has had some amendments since it’s original adoption, a major update to development standards has not been done in almost a decade.
Clarion and Associates was selected through the Request for Qualifications process. Their Statement of Qualifications is attached separately. This proposed Professional Services Agreement (PSA) for the code assessment is the first step in the process to determine the path forward to update the overall UDC. Through this assessment, staff will receive a report which will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission, Parks Commission (as applicable) and City Council. The report will identify deficiencies in the UDC, including inconsistencies, and an approach on how to implement the Aspire Pflugerville 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The report will also make recommendations based on current land use development standards and will also make recommendations on how to amend the adopted UDC. In addition to the technical details of this process, the consultant will also conduct at least two public engagement events, one of which will be in person. They will also create the branding for this project, which will carry this project from the assessment phase through the amendments to the UDC in the second phase of this project.
The City of Pflugerville adopted the Aspire Pflugerville 2040 Comprehensive Plan in April of 2022. One of the first goals adopted in this plan is to consider amendments to the UDC as part of implementing the goals and principles in that plan. The guiding principles of that plan are to be diverse and equitable; fiscally responsible; environmentally sustainable; community oriented; safe and healthy; and to provide economic opportunities for all. In addition to those guiding principles, there were goals, policy statements and action items adopted as part of that plan which provided directives for future amendments to the Unified Development Code (UDC) to ensure that the code could deliver on the principles adopted through the that plan.
This PSA is supported by the Safety, Economic Development and Infrastructure pillars adopted through the Strategic Plan.
This PSA is also supported by the following goals in the Aspire Pflugerville 2040 Comprehensive Plan:
Land Use, Development and Growth:
1. Diversify the housing supply, types, and locations to meet community needs through each phase of life;
2. Foster transit-ready development patterns and combinations of land use that support walkable access to goods, services, entertainment, opportunity, and quality of life while also providing appropriate transitions of intensity and scale between uses;
3. Develop community character and identify by recognizing and treating key corridors, activity centers, and unique districts to leverage economic opportunity, bolster equity throughout the City, and promote fiscally and environmentally sustainable outcomes, community identity, sense of place, and connectivity;
4. Support resilient development patters that encourage non-residential and residential developments to adapt and change with market needs and consumer preferences, avoiding future obsolesce;
5. Ensure all neighborhoods have access to parks, open space, amenities, and the trail system;
6. Create a land development ecosystem supportive of diverse employment opportunities ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations to increase the number of residents that work in Pflugerville and also elevate the community’s image; and
7. Promote environmental sustainability and encourage development and building practices that reduce negative environmental impacts.
Economic Development and Fiscal Resilience
1. Diversify the tax base to create a sustainable revenue stream to provide high-quality public sector services to residents and businesses.
Transportation and Mobility; and
1. Develop 10-minute neighborhoods.
Infrastructure
1. Encourage development patterns that recognize water as an asset and minimize the maintenance and cost of infrastructure systems; and
2. Promote efficient use and development/redevelopment of land.
Healthy Communities and Neighborhood Vitality
1. Focus on urban design improvements in nodes and major intersections;
2. Ensure that Pflugerville’s neighborhoods are welcoming and resilient; and
3. Facilitate growth and development of the districts, supporting the unique character of each area.
More details regarding these goals and suggestions to code amendments that were adopted through the comprehensive plan are attached separately for your review.
This code assessment is the first phase in the UDC amendment process, and staff anticipates taking the recommendations that are provided through that report to lead into the code amendments to the UDC. Should staff move forward with the next phase of this project, that will require that the PSA be renegotiated and will be brought back before City Council for approval.
Proposed Schedule:
April 15, 2024 - Project Kick-off
July 29, 2024 - First draft report to staff
August 15, 2024 - Second draft
September 16, 2024 - Public Draft due
October 2024 - Presentations to Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council regarding final report
Funding for this agreement was budgeted for in the FY24 budget.
Prior City Council Action
No prior City Council action.
Deadline for City Council Action
Action is requested on April 9, 2024.
Funding Expected: Revenue __ Expenditure _X_ N/A __
Budgeted Item: Yes _X_ No __ N/A __
Council approved funding for Unified Development Code assessment as part of the FY24 budget.
Amount: _$89,220_______
1295 Form Required? Yes _X_ No __
Legal Review Required: N/A __ Required _X_ Date Completed: March 21, 2024
Supporting documents attached:
Professional Services Agreement
Statement of Qualifications - Clarion
Chapter 9 - Aspire Pflugerville Implementation
Recommended Action
Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Clarion Associates, LLC. for an assessment of the Unified Development Code in an amount not to exceed $89,220 for Fiscal Year 2024, and authorizing the City Manager to execute the same.