The selected consultant will be responsible for leading a process that results in a final Master Plan for the Lancaster River Hills Conservation Area (LRHCA). The Master Plan will focus on the proper balance of both public use via passive recreation, and environmental stewardship through protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat. The end product shall be a detailed report including but not limited to an overall plan for holistically considering the eight (8) Preserves and three (3) Conservation Easements into a comprehensive Conservation Area Master Plan with individual Project Profiles including individual graphic plan(s), probability of costs, permitting considerations and estimated project completion timelines. While hands-on knowledge of the Preserves and Conservation Easements is important to properly perform analysis and planning services, Lancaster Conservancy internally updates Preserve project plans and will provide baseline documentation for consultant use. Additionally, the Conservancy will make available the pending Ecological Survey (with access to the consultant performing that work), current Preserve management plans, maps, and baseline documentation reports. Local and Regional Planning influences via current plans by the Lancaster County Planning Commission (Places 2040 Comprehensive Plan), Township Comprehensive and other Plans, and zoning shall be considered. Local and regional initiatives including the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape Integrated Land Management Plan (ILMP) and the influences of Local, State and Federal Parks, Trails and Heritage Areas shall also be incorporated into the data collected and synthesized into the analysis and planning process. The project shall receive guidance and direction from a Steering Committee composed of Conservancy Leadership, Stewardship Staff, and select Stewardship Committee members. The Consultant shall coordinate and collaborate with the Steering Committee, and we anticipate a minimum of four (4) documented meetings with the Steering Committee to help refine goals, review plan options and define project direction. One of the tenets of the master planning process is to strengthen the rapport between Lancaster Conservancy, its partners, and the community within which the project area resides, including municipalities, volunteer services, emergency services, neighbors, and user group stakeholders. We see the accomplishment of this through transparency, inclusiveness, and clearly defined expectations and roles. Stakeholders shall be identified by the Steering Committee in collaboration with the Consultant and the Stakeholders included in strategic individual and/or group interviews. We anticipate that there will be 15+ stakeholders and there will be a minimum of four (4) documented Stakeholder meetings with them. To further buttress the rapport within the community within which the Preserves reside, we anticipate a minimum of three (3) public meetings to present the current findings of the planning process and to gather public input/visioning regarding such.
