Project Information

Bid Title

Gunnison County Comprehensive Corridor Plan

Issuing Agency

Gunnison County

Location

Colorado

Published Date

Dec 16, 2025

Closing Date

Feb 15, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	Gunnison County Comprehensive Corridor Plan
Category:	Community and Economic Development
Status:	Open

Description: Gunnison County, in collaboration with regional stakeholders, seeks a consultant or consultant team to develop a Comprehensive Corridor Plan and regulatory amendments to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution for the Gunnison to Mt. Crested Butte corridor. This effort functions as a comprehensive plan for the Highway 135 corridor—the County’s primary population, economic, and service center—integrating land use, transportation, utilities, housing, recreation, schools, and environmental protection into a unified long-term vision. All related documents are linked in the RFP Publication Date/Time: 12/16/2025 12:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 2/15/2026 11:59 PM Related Documents: Corridor Plan Final RFP 121525

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Community and Economic Development

Gunnison County

Phone: (970) 641-0360

Email: planning@gunnisoncounty.org

Website: www.GunnisonCounty.org

Request for Proposals for the Gunnison to Mt. Crested Butte Comprehensive Corridor Plan

and Transportation Strategy

1. Project Summary

a. Gunnison County, in collaboration with regional stakeholders, seeks a consultant or

consultant team to develop a Comprehensive Corridor Plan and regulatory

amendments to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution for the Gunnison to Mt.

Crested Butte corridor. This effort functions as a comprehensive plan for the

Highway 135 corridor—the County’s primary population, economic, and service

center—integrating land use, transportation, utilities, housing, recreation, schools,

and environmental protection into a unified long-term vision.

The plan should create predictability and reduce development review timelines in

areas appropriate for responsible development and constrain development in areas

not appropriate for development. Appropriate areas for responsible development

are locations with actual or potential access to centralized water and sewer, transit

or multimodal connectivity, proximity to population centers and services, and

minimal conflicts with wildlife, flood, agricultural, or hazard resources. Gunnison

County has existing data identifying agricultural lands, critical wildlife habitat, and

natural hazards and does not expect the consultant team to develop new data sets.

2. Project Goals

a. Develop a land use vision and plan that aligns future development with community

priorities.

b. Building and sustain community. Implement thoughtful long-term planning and

design to support affordable housing choices, walkable streets, and thriving

neighborhoods.

c. Improve transportation, transit, and multi-modal connectivity along the corridor.

d. Identify infrastructure needs and constraints to support responsible

development.

e. Ensure environmental resilience by minimizing development impacts on natural

resources, wildlife, and agricultural lands and creating compact, connected

221 N. Wisconsin St. Suite D • Gunnison, Colorado 81230

communities. Take steps to protect environmental assets and adapt to the

unfolding impacts of a changing climate.

f. Support the continued operation of agricultural lands in Gunnison County and

reduce and/or mitigate impacts from development upon these operations.

g. Streamline regulatory processes in areas appropriate for responsible

development and constrain development in areas not appropriate for development

and increase predictability for community members, landowners, and

stakeholders regarding where and how development will occur.

h. Understand, identify, and recommend tools to mitigate development impacts.

These tools are expected to be high level recommendations and are not expected to

include fee-in-lieu or nexus studies as part of this scope of work.

i. Identify priority areas and how they integrate into an overall vision for housing,

infrastructure, commercial uses, schools, recreation, and land conservation.

j. Deepen regional coordination among jurisdictions and special districts to support

consistent land use and infrastructure decision-making.

k. Create a more equitable and inclusive region.

3. Project Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for producing the following key deliverables:

a. Updated community values and vision of the One Valley Prosperity Project.

b. Project Management Plan

i. Bi-weekly meetings with Gunnison County staff.

ii. Coordination with the project advisory committee on a monthly basis

iii. Two to three meetings with elected/appointed officials on process and

gathering input.

iv. Develop and maintain project schedule with meetings, review timelines,

deliverable deadlines.

v. Meeting summaries.

c. Stakeholder Engagement Plan

County staff and Advisory Committee will lead all broad community meetings and

pop-ups. Consultants are expected to lead structured meetings (scenario

workshops, joint elected official meetings, etc.). Consultant is expected to prepare

accessible materials for public-facing events but does not facilitate all of them.

Consultant will work with County staff to establish a communications protocol

distinguishing between (a) Advisory Committee guidance, (b) technical partner

input, and (c) elected official direction. Consultants may propose virtual options to

expand engagement. A successful stakeholder engagement plan will include the

following:

i. Monthly engagement with the Project Advisory Committee, including

Gunnison County (project lead), City of Gunnison, Town of Crested Butte,

Town of Mt. Crested Butte, RTA, Mountain Express, Gunnison Valley Regional

Housing Authority, and the CB South Property Owners Association

221 N. Wisconsin St. Suite D • Gunnison, Colorado 81230

ii. Stakeholder coordination including the following: Gunnison Watershed

School District RE1-J, Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA), Atmos,

Century Link, CDOT, Emergency Services, Gunnison County Metropolitan

Recreation District, Gunnison County Libraries, Upper Gunnison River Water

Conservation District (UGRWCD), agricultural landowners, CB Land Trust,

Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Vail Resorts, East River

Sanitation District, CB South Metro District, Mt. Crested Butte Water and

Sanitation District, S.H.I.T. Sanitation District, Western Colorado University,

Homeowner’s Associations

iii. Public outreach strategy including:

1. Consultant (in-person) facilitated joint meetings (2-3 total) for

elected officials and the Gunnison County Planning Commission

2. Outreach toolkit (not full branding) for use by Advisory Committee

3. 2-3 Scenario-type meetings for general public, consultant (in-

person) facilitated meetings. We’d like to see innovative ideas for

public engagement and modern best practices—this isn’t just a

check the box—we need to bring the community along and help

them identify their values, needs, and priorities.

4. Community pop up events (led by staff and advisory committee) at

numerous community events, with materials provided by consultant

team to inform, involve, and collaborate with community members

throughout the corridor.

5. Website with maps and interactive options.

6. Digital surveys (2-3)

7. Summary and quantitative analysis of public comments including

list of all engagement activities, dates, and participants

d. Baseline Analysis Report

A successful baseline report will include analysis and mapping of the following

elements that will be used to inform areas appropriate and inappropriate for

development:

i. Environmental hazards and resources, including but not limited to those

described in Gunnison County Land Use Resolution Article 11: Resource

Protection Standards. Analysis of environmental hazards and resources will

use existing reference data and does not require additional site-specific

analysis of these hazards or resources specifically:

1. Section 11-103: Flood Hazards

2. Section 11-104: Geologic Hazards

3. Section 11-106: Protection of Wildlife Habitat Areas

4. Section 11-107: Protection of Water Quality

5. Agricultural land and farmland of statewide importance as

determined by the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

221 N. Wisconsin St. Suite D • Gunnison, Colorado 81230

a. Emphasis on existing historic and large-scale agricultural

operations (not 35-acre developments)

6. Conserved lands

7. Adopted wildfire hazard maps

8. Gunnison County Wildlife Planning Tool

ii. Key community needs analysis using existing data (Gunnison County

Metropolitan Recreation District Master Plan; RE1-J School District

expansion plans; Town of CB Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Plan;

City of Gunnison Recreation Master Plan, Crested Butte Compass Plan, Mt.

Crested Butte Master Plan) related to schools, recreation, and general

community services.

iii. Demographics analysis using state demographer data, including:

1. Population, income, and demographic change projections.

2. Residential occupancy analysis, including rental vs.

homeownership, part time vs. full time residents, vacancy and

vacation rental rates (utilize data from 2024 Housing Needs

Assessment and the State Demographer), housing trend data.

e. High Level Utility Feasibility Assessment

i. High level utility feasibility assessment (using existing, available data). The

County will provide existing utility service maps, 201 studies, and capital

plans. Consultant will not perform hydraulic modeling, demand forecasting,

or engineered system design. Using existing data, identify where service is

generally feasible and where major constraints exist:

1. Current service areas

2. Current identified capacity limitations

3. Conduct a focus group of water/sewer providers in corridor to

understand opportunities and challenges for utility provision

4. Describe utility providers documented capacities based on available

district plans (including during peak season)

5. Describe possible major constraints

6. Synthesize capital plans for upcoming projects (0-5 years) for all

districts and how they align or conflict

ii. Identify high level recommendations for how utilities may need to be

expanded to accommodate future responsible development.

f. Scenario Planning Section (alternative growth scenarios with trade-offs and how

they do or don’t align with community values and priorities). How development can

respond to community values and evolving needs.

i. Scenario 1: Current trajectory based on current land use patterns and

development, traffic, and population projections.

221 N. Wisconsin St. Suite D • Gunnison, Colorado 81230

ii. Scenario 2: Recommended changes of compact development in

appropriate locations served by transit and central utilities and avoiding

environmental resources and hazard areas.

iii. Scenario 3: Consultant may propose one additional alternative scenario if it

adds value.

g. Transportation Strategy for Future Needs which builds upon work completed by

RTA in their “2024 Strategic Operating and Capital Plan” and Mountain Express in

their 5 Year Transit Plan (current demand). The consultant should synthesize these

plans and identify land use and transit integration. The Strategy shall include:

i. Evaluation of existing data sets to identify different mobility user types and

general mobility patterns. The consultant will conduct a stakeholder

engagement meeting to discuss challenges and opportunities to enhance

multimodal transportation connectivity throughout the corridor.

ii. High level recommendations for how the transportation network should be

improved to connect neighborhoods, communities, and businesses in a

sustainable and functional manner that reduces reliance on automobiles

and maintains Highway 135 as a two-lane rural highway. These specific

recommendations should not be aspirational goals or recommendations for

further study. These concrete recommendations will be tied to scenarios

identified in section f.

iii. Provide choice and flexibility for travel including transit-mass and micro;

multimodal; bike and pedestrian trails.

iv. Identify gaps in transit service that might result from adoption of a corridor

plan, alongside recommendations on how to address those gaps.

v. Illustrate how transit and land use changes affect congestion and VMT

vi. Alignment with land use and climate goals

vii. Identify recommendations for future transit investments and potential

funding partners including: Possible locations of future park and ride

facilities, bus stops, transit centers, other transit facilities.

h. Scope Boundaries and Depth of Analysis

i. High Level Tasks (Expected)

1. Synthesis of existing recreation and school plans

2. Utility feasibility zones

3. Policy + land use recommendations

4. Code strategy recommendations

5. Transit + multimodal framework

ii. Detailed Technical Tasks (NOT Expected)

1. Utility engineering or modeling

2. School capacity studies

3. Recreation needs facility design

4. Detailed nexus/impact fee studies

221 N. Wisconsin St. Suite D • Gunnison, Colorado 81230

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