Details
08/03/2026
RFP Zoning Code Rewrite
City of Brookville
Overview
The City of Brookville, Ohio is accepting proposals from qualified consultants and firms for the updating and rewriting of the City of Brookville Zoning Ordinance (Code).
Consultants and firms must have experience and knowledge in the fields of municipal planning and zoning, including experience in the writing and updating of zoning, subdivision, and consolidated development code regulations. The city is looking for context sensitive applications in the development of the new regulations creating both design and infill standards for development in both the city’s existing developed areas as well as specific targeted greenfield growth areas as specified in the city’s updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which was adopted at the beginning of 2026. Key components of the revisions would place emphasis on connectivity, walkability, complete streets, mixed use commercial nodes that enhance quality of life in the city, and increased user friendliness, with a particular focus on illustrations and graphics.
Brookville adopted the latest Comprehensive Plan on March 17, 2026. The Comprehensive Plan and amendments thereto can be viewed at https://www.brookvilleohio.com/DocumentCenter/View/4850/Brookville-Comprehensive-Land-Use-Plan_04-17-2026
The last complete writing of the Zoning Code was in 1987. The Zoning Ordinance has been amended in a piecemeal fashion since that date. Because the Zoning Ordinance is dated and has been amended in a piecemeal fashion, it does not always reflect best contemporary zoning and planning practices. The City’s current Zoning Ordinance can be viewed at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/brookville/latest/brookville_oh/0-0-0-35695.
Scope of Work
With assistance from city staff, the selected consultant/firm will conduct a public process to develop a new Zoning Code. It is anticipated that the consultant will work with the community to develop a zoning ordinance which incorporates conventional zoning standards in established and newer, largely built out areas, keeping in mind many of these areas are under previously approved PUD requirements, and standards that support walkable, neighborhoods and commercial corridors in yet-to-be, but identified future development areas of the city.
The final work program will be developed in conjunction with city staff, but the scope of work shall at a minimum include the following:
- Current Zoning Code Diagnosis. The consultant will work closely with city staff in producing a diagnosis of the existing code.
- Review of Comprehensive Plan. The consultant will review and identify Plan Goals, Objectives and Recommendations to ensure the new code will be consistent with recent planning documents.
- Public Outreach. The consultant will develop a public outreach strategy designed to inform community stakeholders and the public on the benefits of an updated zoning code, as well as conduct meetings and web/social media interaction throughout the process.
- Public Meeting. The consultant will be expected to attend, present, and answer questions as needed at Council Workshops & Hearings.
- Evaluation of Existing Neighborhoods, Corridors and Districts. Brookville contains certain areas that will warrant context-sensitive regulations. Staff will work with the consultant to identify these areas.
- Drafting the Document. The consultant will prepare drafts of the zoning ordinance, including substantial graphics, for review by staff, culminating in a final version to be acted upon by the Planning Commission and the City Recommend changes to other sections of the Municipal Code/Ordinances as they relate to or are impacted by the new Zoning Code.
- Integration of the New Code into User-Friendly Formats. The consultant will work with city staff as well as American Legal Publishing Corporation to make the new code accessible and interactive with the public.
Project schedule shall be limited in duration to a time frame no longer than 12-24 months.
Contents of the Proposal
Proposals should include the following information:
- Cover letter
- Firm Information and Background Information
- Project Approach – discussion of the firm’s particular approach to the scope of work, with particular emphasis on public engagement plans and city officials
- Project Schedule
- Proposed Budget for Project
- Project Team with resumes
Firm Experience and Qualifications with List of Similar Projects
- List of References – minimum of three
Submission Guidelines
This Request for Proposals is being released on August 3, 2026.
Submission of all proposals (one unbound hard copy or an electronic copy on CD or thumb drive) must be received by August 28, 2026, in the City of Brookville Municipal Building, 301 Sycamore Street, Brookville, Ohio 45309
The outside of the envelope should be clearly marked: “Proposal for City of Brookville
Zoning Code Rewrite.”
Questions regarding this Request for Proposal should be directed to: Jack Kuntz, City Manager at (937) 833-2135 x 104 or jkuntz@brookvilleohio.com
Final service fees will be negotiated upon selection. However, to ensure the full anticipated costs are understood by the city and to ensure an accurate comparison between submissions, all proposing consultants must submit an estimated project cost. The total fee should be all inclusive and include all personnel, meetings, presentations, public hearings, and public outreach. All submissions shall provide a separate statement specifically summarizing the basis for any subsequent fees not estimated in the estimated project cost.
Selection Criteria
A committee comprised of the city manager, law director, elected officials and various zoning/planning boards will review the proposals based upon the following criteria:
- A demonstrated high level of professional competence and a proven track record in the preparation of zoning codes and the implementation of public participation programs.
- Design approach and
- Understanding of the city’s development trends and Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
- Ability to maintain a high level of direct interaction and communication with various elected and appointed officials.
- Public outreach and facilitation
- Review of references and prior work product, including prior user friendliness of work product and emphasis on illustrations.
- Proposed schedule.
- Estimated budget.
Final determination of the selected consultant shall be made by October 6, 2026. The zoning rewrite process is anticipated to begin by January 4, 2027.
Other Conditions
Legal Compliance: Work performed, and maps and ordinances produced shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws.
The city reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive informalities, if at its discretion, the interests of the city would be best served.
The city reserves the right to accept a proposal other than the low-cost proposal and to negotiate final terms and price once a specific proposal is selected.
Proposals must be valid for at least 90 days.
No payment will be made, or costs reimbursed for the preparation of the proposals.
