RFP for City of Mount Vernon, NY Comprehensive Update of Zoning Ordinance

The City of Mount Vernon is seeking a qualified consultant team to prepare a comprehensive update of its Zoning Ordinance. The update should align with the City's adopted Comprehensive Plan and provide a clear, modern, and legally sound zoning framework that supports the City's growth and development. The consultant team should include urban planners and attorneys to write the code in a simple, easy-to-understand document. The project involves reviewing existing ordinances, defining areas needing further study, and providing solutions, as well as conducting a public engagement process and drafting a comprehensive zoning ordinance. The City is looking for a team that can deliver a modern, clear, equitable, and effective zoning framework that will support Mount Vernon for decades to come. Some key aspects of the project include: • Review of existing zoning ordinances and related past studies and documents • Definition of areas needing further study and provision of solutions • Public engagement process, including citywide public meetings, update meetings with the City Council, and neighborhood-specific stakeholder meetings • Drafting of a comprehensive zoning ordinance that aligns with the Comprehensive Plan and incorporates public input and technical analysis • Conducting a citywide buildout analysis to measure development potential under proposed zoning • Completing an environmental review and documentation required under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) • Developing an impact fee or alternative value-capture framework to support infrastructure upgrades and other public improvements.