Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Ordinance Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Board recommends Halsey Levine to City Commission for zoning ordinance update
Summary
After interviewing four finalists, staff recommended Halsey Levine and the Planning Board voted to recommend that the City Commission select the firm to perform a comprehensive zoning ordinance update; the final hiring decision rests with the Commission.
The Birmingham City Planning Board voted on Dec. 10 to recommend that the City Commission select Halsey Levine to perform the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance update.
City planning staff summarized a competitive RFP process that produced six proposals and four interview finalists. Staff and multiple internal reviewers recommended Halsey Levine for their GIS and story‑map approach and their ability to deliver ordinance materials in formats the city uses. "We felt as though Halsey Levine would be best suited for this project," a staff member said, citing high‑quality graphics and a tailored interview presentation.
Board members discussed tradeoffs. Some favored Kendig/East (also called Kendig/Kendek in the record) for its Encode/Oncode platform and practical ordinance examples; others preferred Halsey Levine for its public‑engagement approach and GIS integration. One member raised concerns about the daily workload of a particular Kendig/East staffer who is on multiple projects.
After discussion, a board member moved that the Planning Board recommend Halsey Levine to the City Commission; the motion was seconded and the board adopted the recommendation by roll‑call vote. The chair reiterated that the City Commission makes the final selection and staff said they would seek Commission action as early as the Jan. 12 meeting if the Commission concurs.
The board also discussed how the consultant would engage the public: Halsey Levine proposed producing a "story map" to document the process and outcomes and suggested advisory committees (staff called one optional). Members asked staff to limit unnecessary steering committees and to use Planning Board expertise where appropriate.
Next steps: staff will present the board’s recommendation to the City Commission and, if the Commission approves, the consultant would begin initial onboarding and public‑engagement tasks in January.
