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Rocky Mount staff outline Imagine Rocky Mount 2050 process, timeline and draft vision
Summary
Joseph Bowcook, director of Development Services for the City of Rocky Mount, told a city retreat that staff will issue a request for proposals and continue public engagement as part of Imagine Rocky Mount 2050, presenting a draft vision and five goal areas after outreach that reached more than 1,200 people.
Joseph Bowcook, director of Development Services for the City of Rocky Mount, told a city retreat that the administration has restarted the city’s comprehensive-plan update, branded Imagine Rocky Mount 2050, and outlined a public-engagement summary, a draft vision statement and next steps for hiring a consultant.
Bowcook said the update grew out of a recognition that “change is necessary,” citing demographic and economic shifts and state requirements that local governments keep land-development plans current. He described the comprehensive plan as “more than just a document” and said it will guide zoning, capital investments and implementation priorities across the city.
The presentation traced Rocky Mount’s planning history, noting an early plan adopted roughly 60 years ago and subsequent efforts in 1975 and 1993. Bowcook said the plan currently in force, Together Tomorrow, was adopted in 2003 and has since been supplemented by corridor studies, housing initiatives and hazard-mitigation work. He described public engagement for the current effort as a series of pop-up meetings, citywide workshops and online surveys that reached “more than 1,200 people.”
Bowcook presented a draft vision statement developed from that outreach: “Rocky Mount is a unified city where individuals, families, and businesses are supported, connected with one another, and empowered to grow. Equitable growth across Edgecombe and Nash counties has elevated the city as a regional hub of economic prosperity, where neighborhoods are safe and affordable, and convenient access for all residents to jobs, transportation, education, healthcare, and community amenities.” He said the draft vision was paired with five goal areas: a thriving economy; neighborhoods for everyone; a healthy environment; community building; and equitable investment.
Bowcook acknowledged a recent setback — the termination of the initial consultant contract — and laid out a revised procurement approach. He said staff plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) “at the end of the month” (as stated at the retreat), hold a pre-proposal conference about a week later, accept proposals through mid-April, and notify the selected consultant in early May. He described the desired deliverables as including an interactive web platform with 3-D visualization and scenario analytics, rigorous land-use scenario planning and a clear implementation strategy.
During the question-and-answer period, Councilmember Jason Seth asked about council approval of the contract and suggested the total consultant cost “may exceed $90,000.” Bowcook said the council could participate in selection and that staff would summarize responses and invite representatives from a recommended firm to meet the council before awarding a contract. Multiple council members asked that the steering committee be reconsidered; Bowcook and other staff asked council members to think about potential appointees and noted that council would be able to appoint members.
Bowcook asked retreat participants for input on the steering committee’s composition and on the level of council involvement in consultant selection. A staff member described the anticipated selection process: staff will summarize proposals, make a recommendation, and arrange for the recommended firm to meet the council prior to award.
No formal votes or contract awards were taken at the retreat. Staff described the RFP timeline and requested council feedback on steering-committee appointments and selection participation. Next steps, as described by staff, are issuing the RFP, evaluating proposals, and returning to council to introduce the recommended consultant team before a contract is executed.
Notes and open items from the retreat that staff recorded included: clarifying the exact RFP release date (staff stated “end of the month” at the meeting), confirming the expected contract amount and final council role in consultant selection, and council members preparing nominee names for steering-committee seats.
Bowcook closed by reiterating that the comprehensive plan will serve as a long-range blueprint to align zoning, capital investments and policy decisions with the city’s shared vision.
