Strategic Land
Reserve Consulting
Professional consulting services to assist the Town with the creation and implementation of a strategic agricultural and forestry land reserve.
Comprehensive inventory of all underdeveloped parcels > 10 acres.
Identification of groundwater potential and high-yield recharge zones.
This project directly supports the Town's existing Master Plan for conservation.
Program Objectives
The Town of Barrington is soliciting proposals for consulting services to develop a strategy for its Strategic Land Reserve. This initiative focuses on the preservation of agricultural, forestry, and natural resource lands.
Once land is paved over for houses or stores, you can't get it back. The Town wants to identify the most valuable natural spots and save them now before prices go up or developers buy them.
The consultant will work primarily with the Town Administrator and the Select Board to create a program that ensures the long-term rural character and economic stability of the region.
Proposals will be evaluated based on these weighted factors.
-
Demonstrated expertise in municipal land conservation strategy and local law.
-
Ability to conduct GIS-based parcel mapping and economic feasibility studies.
-
Capacity to facilitate public engagement sessions and stakeholder meetings.
Detailed Scope of Work
- Digital Asset Mapping: The consultant must develop a comprehensive GIS inventory of all underdeveloped parcels within the Town's jurisdiction exceeding 10 acres in size.
- Agricultural Viability Analysis: Conduct a soil quality assessment utilizing USDA NRCS data to rank parcels based on their "Prime Farmland" status.
- Hydrological Sensitivity Review: Identify critical aquifer recharge zones and parcels with high-yield groundwater potential.
- Ecological Connectivity: Map "wildlife corridors" and "greenway linkages" to ensure the reserve is a connected network.
- Appraisal Methodology: Establish a standardized protocol for fair-market-value assessments and "Conservation Value" appraisals.
- Funding Stack Development: Identify and provide application roadmaps for federal and state grants (LCHIP, USDA ACEP).
- Tax Impact Modeling: Generate a 20-year projection of the fiscal impact of removing high-priority parcels from the tax rolls.
- Ordinance Drafting: Prepare draft language for a "Land Reserve Ordinance" to be presented at Town Meeting.
- Monitoring Protocol: Design an annual stewardship and monitoring program for all reserved lands.
- Final Action Roadmap: Deliver a prioritized 5-year acquisition schedule with specific parcel targets.
Milestone Schedule
-
01Inquiry Deadline Feb 22, 2021
-
02Submissions Due Mar 1, 2021
-
03Final Selection Mar 22, 2021