GIS Consultants: Through a Request for Proposals selection process during the Spring of 2007, the County selected DTM Consulting (Bozeman, MT) to assist the County in developing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Land Suitability Analysis. The GIS Land Suitability Analysis is a geographic based tool intended to summarize existing data that will help the County to identify areas that are more or less suitable for development. This analysis will create a new data layer for us to examine that summarizes data regarding existing infrastructure, surface water resources, working lands, open lands, wildlife habitat, and public health and safety factors such as steep slopes, wildland urban interface, septic suitability and emergency services. Information sources used to develop the model include goals and objectives in the Ravalli County Growth Policy, existing data, and experts such as agency personnel. The contract with DTM Consulting was originally executed in April 2007 and it was subsequently modified in October 2007 at which point the County also signed a small contract with Geum Environmental Consulting (Hamilton, MT) to assist in this project. Funding for the GIS consultant for this project has been provided by Ravalli County, a Montana Community Development Block Grant (planning grant) and the Comprehensive Planning Enhancement Project. (For more information about the GIS Land Suitability Analysis, visit the GIS/Mapping page.)
Planning Consultants: Request for Qualifications: Ravalli County accepted statements of qualifications from qualified planning consultants to assist in the development of comprehensive countywide zoning regulations and map. Please direct questions about the RFQ to Karen Hughes at the Ravalli County Planning Department.
Statements of Qualifications: Ravalli County received 8 statements of qualifications and from these submittals selected Clarion Associates (Denver, CO) in association with the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) from the University of Montana to assist the County in completing the Countywide zoning project. The selection process included screening of applications by a committee composed of Planning Department staff, a Planning Board member, two County Commissioners, a member of the Comprehensive Planning Enhancement Program Oversight Committee and community members representing a variety of interests. The Commissioners agreed with the screening committee and selected three firms for interviews: Applied Communications (Whitefish, MT), Logan Simpson Design (Salt Lake City, UT) and Clarion/PPRI. Following interviews and reference checks, the consulting team of Clarion Associates/PPRI was selected. Read the Clarion Associates/PPRI Statement of Qualifications
Contract: After completing negotiations between Clarion Associates/PPRI and staff, in consultation with the Planning Board and the County Commissioners and considering input from the screening committee members and other interested members of the public, the Commissioners signed a contract with Clarion Associates, who will provide professional, technical, public process and project management assistance to complete the Countywide zoning project. The contract was signed on December 10th and it includes a specific project schedule, which will serve to drive this project. Funding of the planning consultant for this project is to be provided, in a large part, through the Comprehensive Planning Enhancement Project.
Back to Countywide zoning project page