Burrows Street Land Use Plan BACKGROUND The West Oakland/Oak Hill Neighborhood Council and Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) are collaborating to complete a planning process for a vacant parcel of land on Burrows Street in West Oakland. The parcel is near the intersection of Burrows Street and Terrace Street, 15213. OPDC is scheduled to acquire the tax-delinquent properties in 2014 from the City of Pittsburgh Treasurer’s Sale. The groups will complete a land use and development plan in order to determine the preferred use of the properties -- that is also economically feasible and zoning-compliant -- after the Treasurer’s Sale is complete. PROJECT GOAL Through an inclusive and transparent process, create a feasible land use and development plan for 121 Burrows Street (lot/block 11-H-162, 11-H-165, and 11-H-166) that is consistent with The Oakland 2025 Master Plan. A feasible plan is defined as economically viable, both now and over time, and zoning compliant. OPDC seeks the services of a planner/design professional (consultant) to lead the process and develop the plan. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES Consultant will gather background materials pertinent to the property, such as zoning, topography, site access, etc. Consultant will also refer to The Oakland 2025 Master Plan: A Vision for Sustainable Living and Mobility and other relevant plans to become familiar with the site context. Consultant will present the background material at an initial community meeting and lead a brainstorming session with community members to generate ideas for the site. This may also include a discussion of opportunities and constraints related to the proposed ideas. Those who are unable to attend the meeting can submit ideas and input to the consultant through OPDC and the West Oakland/Oak Hill Neighborhood Council. To prepare for a second community meeting, consultant will determine feasibility of ideas generated at the initial meeting and present an analysis of each idea to the group for feedback and discussion. During the second meeting, the group will determine a preferred land use/development plan. Consultant will provide OPDC with a brief report containing background materials, meeting notes, and a land use/development plan for the site. The report would not contain detailed building schematics, but a site plan and program description, possibly a sketch.
QUALIFICATIONS We seek a candidate with the following skills:
Working knowledge of zoning and real estate development Land use planning / urban design experience Meeting facilitation skills Experience with projects in diverse urban neighborhoods Ability to synthesize information effectively in writing Ability to communicate effectively Commitment to inclusion and transparency
PROPOSAL PROCESS To apply, please submit a brief 1-2 page proposal summarizing your interest in the assignment, prior experience, your understanding of the project, and planned approach including number of hours for each activity. Attachments can include examples of relevant prior experience. The proposal should be in the form of one pdf document submitted electronically to Tara Sherry-Torres, OPDC’s Community Organizer, tarat@opdc.org by Friday, March7, 2014 at 5:00 PM. COMPENSATION OPDC has a budget of $1,850 for this project. Because of the limited funding, we have made every attempt to streamline the process and set a reasonable expectation for the final report deliverable. TIMEFRAME RFP release February 14, 2014 Applications due March 7, 2014, 5 PM Consultant selection/notice to proceed March 19, 2014 We hope to complete the scope of services by May 31, 2014.