Project Information

Bid Title

City of Northport Land Use Impact Study and Zoning Updates

Issuing Agency

City of Northport

Location

Alabama

Published Date

Mar 11, 2026

Closing Date

Apr 2, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

26-07

Original Source

Join to Access Full Details

Bid Inquiries

Join to Access Full Details

Bid Documents

Join to Access Full Details

Project Description

Bid Number:	26-07
Bid Title:	City of Northport Land Use Impact Study and Zoning Updates
Category:	Planning & Inspections
Status:	Open

Description: The City of Northport is seeking the services of a consultant firm/team with city planning experience. Respondents should have broad experience in conditions assessment, planning, land use plans, zoning, urban design, infrastructure, transportation, citizen and stakeholder involvement, and implementation. Publication Date/Time: 3/10/2026 9:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 4/2/2026 5:00 PM Special Requirements: Proposals are due by close of business (5:00 PM CST) April 2, 2026. Mandatory label required on outside of envelope: "Request for Proposals for City of Northport Land Use Impact Study and Zoning Updates". Related Documents: Northport Land Use Impact Study RFP 2026 (PDF)

Attachment Preview

CITY OF NORTHPORT

STATE OF ALABAMA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

TO:

Qualified Firms

FROM:

The City of Northport, Alabama

RE:

Request for Proposals for City of Northport Land Use Impact Study

and Zoning Updates

DATE:

March 2, 2026

Proposals are due by close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) April 2, 2026.

Mandatory label required on outside of envelope: “Request for

Proposals for City of Northport Land Use Impact Study and Zoning

Updates”

Section 1. Introduction.

The City of Northport is seeking the services of a consultant firm/team with city

planning experience. Respondents should have broad experience in conditions

assessment, planning, land use plans, zoning, urban design, infrastructure,

transportation, citizen and stakeholder involvement, and implementation.

This is a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) containing information concerning the

above-referenced matter, an abbreviated scope of work, and evaluation items. Firms

expressing interest should be fully capable of providing the end results requested.

This is a procurement of professional services as more particularly described

herein. This procurement will be conducted in a manner providing full and open

competition consistent with the standards of Code of Alabama § 41-16-51. To wit:

a. Each firm’s experience and qualifications will be evaluated primarily as they

relate to the firm’s ability to provide professional services for the

evaluation of auto repair and carwash land uses and adoption of an

updated city-wide zoning map and use regulations.

b. The City will make awards only to responsible firms possessing the ability

to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of the procurement.

Consideration will be given to such matters as firm integrity, compliance with

public policy, record of past performance, competitive pricing, and financial

and technical resources. The City will require firms to execute a “Disbarment

and Suspension Statement” certifying / verifying that the firm is not

1

suspended or disbarred. This is a qualifications based procurement of

professional consulting services whereby competitors’ qualifications will be

evaluated, and the most qualified firm will be selected, subject to negotiation

of fair and reasonable compensation.

c. Written proposals will be reviewed and rated by a panel of qualified City

employees. The rating system will consist of a numerical grading system, as

set forth in Section 3. The City may or may not elect to interview any of the

responding firms.

d. The City has exclusive and sole discretion to determine the firm whose

services will be most advantageous to the City and reserves the right to reject

all firms.

The purpose of this inquiry is to determine the interest or non-interest and the

qualifications of firms in providing the professional services required. A number of firms

may be asked to express their interest in regard to these services in the form of a

Proposal. Following the receipt of Proposals, a certain firm or firms may be selected for

further consideration.

Section 2. General Scope of Services

The City of Northport seeks the services of a professional consulting firm which

has the knowledge, experience, and expertise to perform the services as requested.

The project of interest is as follows:

The City of Northport’s Land Use Impact Study and Zoning Updates will be a city-wide

evaluation and zoning update. It will study existing land uses and zoning classifications,

development regulations, market needs, and zoning conflicts. This report will include

recommendations for updates to the zoning ordinance and municipal code related to Auto

Repair and Carwash uses, as well as an updated city-wide zoning map proposal to

minimize conflicts with the existing comprehensive plan. This project will include public

involvement meetings to allow citizen input on current issues and proposed solutions.

Scope of Work:

The consultant shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1.0. Existing Conditions Assessment

The consultant shall conduct a spatial and operational assessment of existing auto

repair and car wash uses. Assessment should include:

• Inventory of Active Uses: Location and density mapping of all existing

automotive service facilities within the city limits and its police jurisdiction.

• Operational Characteristics: Identification of "Full-Service" vs. "Self-Service"

car washes and "Minor Repair" vs. "Major Repair" auto body uses.

• Site Compliance Audit: Assessment of existing sites regarding outdoor storage

2

of vehicles, perimeter screening, and current buffering from residential districts.

Task 2.0. Auto Repair and Carwash Land Use Nexus & Impact Study

The consultant shall conduct a thorough analysis of the primary and secondary

effects of automotive-related uses. Areas of study shall include:

• Infrastructure & Utility Load: Analysis of peak-hour water consumption and

wastewater discharge for high-volume tunnel car washes; assessment of

oil/grease trap efficacy and impact on municipal lift stations.

• Traffic, Safety, & Stacking: Measurement of vehicle "stacking" lengths at

automated facilities; evaluation of vehicle/pedestrian conflict points on public

streets.

• Environmental Impacts: Analysis of chemical runoff containment, pollution

risks from repair bays, and the impact of hazardous fluid disposal (antifreeze, oil,

solvents).

• Noise & Aesthetic Pollution: Technical analysis of decibel levels from car

wash blowers/vacuum, evaluation of light trespass, and the impact on

preserving community character.

• Economic & Saturation Analysis: A "clustering" analysis to determine the

impact of high-density automotive uses on commercial property values and the

availability of land for diverse commercial uses.

• Best Practices Peer Review: Comparison of spacing and performance

standards in similarly sized municipalities.

Task 3.0. City-Wide Rezoning Process & Public Involvement

The consultant shall lead a city-wide process to align the official Zoning Map with

the recommendations of the existing Comprehensive Plan, reducing conflicts with

zoning districts and the Future Land Use plan.

Task 3.1. Public Involvement Sessions

The consultant shall conduct a minimum of four (4) public involvement sessions

(information sessions or workshops) specifically designed to:

• Present findings from the Task 2.0 Impact Study to the public.

• Collect community feedback on proposed changes to automotive use

regulations and the new City-Wide Zoning Map.

Task 3.2 Technical Performance Standards & Adoption

Draft specific "Text Amendments" for the Zoning Ordinance, including:

• Performance Standards Recommendation: Based on results of the study, the

consultant shall recommend specific, measurable standards for Auto Repair and

Car Wash uses.

• Land Use Control Strategies: The consultant shall evaluate and recommend

the most effective methods for managing use density and proximity. This should

include an assessment of whether to utilize distance separation requirements,

enhanced special exception/conditional use criteria, or other methods.

• Draft Ordinance Language: The consultant shall provide "ready-to-adopt" text

3

amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that incorporate the recommended

standards into the City’s legal code.

• Adoption: The consultant will present zoning ordinance recommendations for

adoption at Planning Commission and City Council Meetings.

Task 3.3 Draft Zoning Map Development

• Create a new, digital City-Wide Zoning Map utilizing GIS, ensuring all parcels

are assigned to a district that prevents incompatible use saturation and

preserves character, while resolving conflicts with the comprehensive plan.

• Adoption: The consultant will present a zoning map recommendation for

adoption at Planning Commission and City Council Meetings.

The order of the Task Order Directives above does not necessarily indicate the order

in which they must be completed, but they shall be completed as part of the project.

Section 3. Firm Qualification and Proposal Requirements

Firms interested in performing the work will be considered based on a proposal

containing information submitted in response to this request, in a form limited to thirty (30)

pages. The proposal should be limited to thirty (30) pages in 12-point font or larger of

either Times New Roman or Arial. Front and back shall be considered 2 pages.

Proposals are due by close of business (5:00 p.m. CST) April 2, 2026.

Mandatory label required on outside of envelope: “Request for Proposals for City of

Northport Land Use Impact Study and Zoning Updates”.

Consultants responding to this RFP should mail or deliver ten (10) hard copies of

the submission and an electronic copy of the submission (flash drive) to the following

address:

Julie Ramm, Director of Planning & Inspections

City of Northport

PO Box 569

3500 McFarland Boulevard

Northport, AL 35476

(205) 339-7000

The firm must comply with all applicable state, local, and federal regulations related to

the services provided to the city. The city reserves the right, subject to negotiation and

agreement, in writing, with the selected firm, to either expand or limit the scope of services

as needed.

The selected firm will be required to have sufficient personnel to complete the tasks

required by this scope of services. The selected firm will complete the required tasks in a

timely and efficient manner. The selected firm would be expected to enter into a contract

for services based upon the firm’s hourly rates and an agreed upon not to exceed amount,

separated by task number, as listed in the scope of services for this project.

4

The selected firm or firms must be experienced and qualified to provide the required

scope of services. The firm or firms selected must have expertise related to the general

Scope of Services set forth in Section 2.

The following information must be submitted with the proposal on the date indicated

above and in the order indicated below:

a. Recently Completed Projects. Evidence of satisfactory performance of at

least three (3) completed projects of the type indicated above, done within

the last three years. Provide these completed project documents on a flash

drive. (20 points possible)

b. Experience and Qualifications. A statement of the firm’s qualifications to

perform the work and years in business. The statement should include the

following:

1. The general experience of the firm. Preference will be given to firms

based in or with extensive experience in the Southeast. Please give

the location of your firm office, number of years in business and

experience with similar projects completed in the Southeast region.

(20 points possible)

2. The specific experience of the proposed personnel in the fields that

the proposed services are requested, their qualifications, years of

experience, professional certifications, and availability to perform the

work and services to be provided. (5 points possible)

3. A statement of experience and work of similar nature that all the

proposed personnel have performed, including references for each

project. (5 points possible)

4. A statement as to whether the firm or any subcontractors area minority

or woman owned business enterprise. (5 points possible)

5. A statement as to professional standing including any pending

controversies outstanding. If none exists, such a statement should be

made. (5 points possible)

6. A list of qualified persons in other disciplines required for the proposed

services to be acquired from outside sources, if applicable.(5 points

possible)

c. Discuss the proposed approach to completing the needed services, how your

firm will coordinate the project, and a proposed timeline for competition of the

project. (10 points possible)

5

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541330Engineering Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541620Environmental Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541720Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities

* Disclaimer: Government BidHub provides information on bids, RFPs (Requests for Proposals), and RFQs (Requests for Qualifications) solely for convenience and informational purposes. This site is not an official public notice board. For official details, responses, or inquiries, please contact the relevant government agency directly.