The update of Washington’s comprehensive plan will be performed by Clarion Associates.

That decision was made by the City Council during its meeting Monday. The council awarded a $30,000 contract to the Chapel Hill-based firm. Clarion Associates, in its proposal to the city, said it could complete the update in 10 months rather than 12 months. Other companies that bid on the project indicated it would take them 12 months. Holland Consulting Planners submitted the low bid at $29,500, but it indicated it could not get the work done in 10 months.

Among the things a comprehensive plan addresses are land-use and zoning matters, along with other growth- and development-related issues, according to John Rodman, the city’s director of planning and community development. It also sets policies regarding those matters.

When the city first sought bids for the update, it received six bids, ranging from $39,000 to $90,000, Rodman said. Upon the council’s direction, the city rebid the project, with three bids coming in, Rodman said. Rodman said the time spent seeking the second round of bids put the project behind schedule.

“We looked at the total scope of services. They were very similar,” Rodman said of the second round of bids.

Mayor Pro Tempore Bobby Roberson asked Rodman if the main difference between the Clarion Associates bid and the Holland Consulting Planners bid is that Clarion Associates would do the work in 10 months instead of 12 months.

“That’s correct, and we’re sort of behind anyway because we were hoping to get this done at the beginning of the year, and with the new bid we are … behind schedule,” Rodman said. “So, that 10 months would certainly help.”

A comprehensive plan will indicate where the city’s at when it comes to managing growth, development and land-use matters, determine where the city wants to be regarding those matters in 20 to 30 years and how the city will get to where it wants to be, Rodman told the council last fall.

“The comprehensive plan is a guide,” said Rodman then, noting that land-use regulations and zoning regulations are derived from the policies and guidelines set forth in the comprehensive plan.

A comprehensive plan would outline what kinds of development are desired in the city and where those types of development should occur. It also would address the issue of preserving and protecting historical and cultural buildings, sites and landmarks in the city.

City officials use the comprehensive plan when reviewing requests for land to be rezoned to see if the requested rezoning would be in compliance with the comprehensive plan.

In other action, the council modified the policy regarding deposits for residential electric service. The changes take effect July 1.

Under the changes, any person applying for electric service to a residence will have his or her credit checked through the Online Utility Exchange service. That credit information, history of usage at the residence and the following schedules will be used to determine if a deposit will be charged and, if so, the amount:

• Owners without electric heat, $50;
• Owners with electric heat, $100;
• Tenants without electric heat, $100;
• Tenants with electric heat, $125.
• At the city’ discretion, two-twelfths average annual charges based on the utility billing history of the residence may be required as a deposit.
• After applying the afore-mentioned criteria, deposits will be capped as follows:
• Residential electric deposits will be capped at $200 if the customer provides his or her Social Security number;
• Residential electric deposits will be capped at $300 if the customer does not provide his or her Social Security number.

The changes allow the city to increase a deposit or require a new deposit, at the city’s discretion, after a customer’s third failure to pay a bill in a timely manner, having electric service terminated for nonpayment or having a check or draft returned because of insufficient funds or a closed account.

For additional coverage of the council’s meeting, see future editions of the Washington Daily News.