Committee approves consultant hire and budget amendment to begin comprehensive zoning-code rewrite

The Portage County Planning and Zoning Committee voted to approve moving forward with a consultant contract and a budget amendment to fund an 18‑month comprehensive rewrite of the county’s zoning ordinance and subdivision code.

Staff told the committee they completed a formal request‑for‑proposals process and recommended hiring the selected consultant team to manage the comprehensive zoning-code rewrite; the committee voted to advance a resolution and contract to County Board for authorization and to amend the 2025 capital plan to fund the work.

Why it matters: the rewrite will replace and align the county’s general zoning code and subdivision ordinance, a major regulatory update that staff said must dovetail with local municipal plans and stakeholder needs, including housing and infrastructure priorities.

Planning staff described a competitive procurement process. The department received no bids on an earlier RFP due in part to timing around the holidays, staff said; after revising the solicitation and extending the timeline, three proposals were received and two finalists were identified. Staff said the recommended team offered responsive communication, local presence and experienced personnel the county expects to work with through the project.

Committee members asked about continuity of staffing on the consultant side, how the consultant will involve towns and professional stakeholders (surveyors, realtors, registered land surveyors), and how staff time will be balanced with day‑to‑day workload during the rewrite. Dan (project manager) said county staff will participate in meetings and language work sessions and acknowledged the project will require substantial staff involvement.

The committee also discussed whether the North Central Regional Planning Commission might contribute funds or staff; staff said the commission has limited capacity to take on the entire project but may provide assistance on a more limited basis. Committee members noted $25,000 in funding from the North Central Regional Planning Commission was earmarked in a capital plan worksheet for zoning work and asked staff to confirm.

A motion to approve the resolution authorizing the contract with the recommended consultant and a separate motion to approve the budget amendment to allocate 2025 capital funds were each moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. Staff said they will return with the formal contract and any related documents for County Board action.

The committee did not vote on final contract language or implementation milestones at the meeting; it authorized advancing the contract and budget amendment to the next steps.