[E-updates] The Flame - City of Lawrence newsletter October 2006 edition

Tue Oct 17 08:18:23 CDT 2006

The Flame - "We Have Tomorrow - Bright Before Us, Like A Flame."
-Langston Hughes

City information is available on-line at lawrenceks.org and on cable
Channel 25. The FLAME is published by the City Manager's Office, City Of
Lawrence * P.O. Box 708 * Lawrence, Kansas 66044

October 2006

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In This Issue:

- History on Street Signs

- Development Code

- The Budget

- Providing City Services

- FAQ's

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A Word From Our Mayor

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I  want to use this edition of the newsletter to share information on a
couple 
of current topics in our community.

Myth:  The Internet is making public libraries obsolete.

Fact:  The Lawrence community is filled with avid users of our library.
Over the last eight years, the library has seen record setting numbers
for circulation and attendance.  In 2006, the library expects to have
more than one million items checked out from its collection.  We are
seeing growth in the use of our library.

The library also provides online access to the community.
Traditionally, the introduction of a new information technology
compliments the existing technology rather than replacing it.  For
example, in the 1950s, people speculated that TV would eliminate radio
and today both continue to grow.

The existing library building restrains the increase in programming that
can be offered.  The children's room, young readers' section and the
computer lab cannot be expanded in the existing structure.  In addition,
the opportunity to provide community meeting space is limited.

The expansion of the Lawrence Public Library in Downtown would also
continue to build the civic, government and cultural center 
of our community.

Myth:  The Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility will create flooding in
the area.

Fact:  The Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility will not influence
flooding in the area.  A benefit of selecting a site in the floodplain
is being able to serve a large area by gravity.  Because the facility
will be in the floodplain, when it is constructed, the city will follow
its floodplain requirements which are more stringent than FEMA's.  The
city's floodplain requirement states that the construction of the
facility cannot raise the elevation of the base flood.  These
requirements will mean the city will take steps to mitigate the
potential impact.  Possible examples of mitigation include land
purchased off-site and not developed, excavation of adjacent area,
replacement of lost area in floodplain, and channel improvements to the
river. The specific mitigation plan has not yet been determined because
the plant design is not far enough along to know the exact point of
discharge or definite site impacts.

Myth:  The Mayor's sales tax proposal would represent a significant tax
increase for Lawrence residents.

Fact:  When considering a sales tax, I want to use a portion of the
revenue to lower property tax rates, therefore shifting an individual's
tax responsibility from property tax to sales tax while capturing
revenue from users of city services that may not be currently
contributing to the city's revenue stream.

I asked the City Commission to discuss a sales tax as a way to begin the
exploration of revenue streams that move beyond the traditional property
tax model.  My idea should be a starting point for a discussion on ways
to fund city services while delivering those services at the standard
that our community expects.

Myth: The city raised my 2007 property taxes.

Fact: This city's 2007 operating and capital budget held the mill levy
at the 2006 rate (the 2006 mill levy was reduced from the 2005 mill levy
rate).  Four governments levy property tax: the school district, the
state, the county and the city.  For 2007, the city, county and state
have not increased their mill levy rates.

A factor that does impact property taxes is the assessed value increase
that property owners may experience. Most residential property owners
will see an average growth in their assessed valuation of 4.8 % for
2007. For the owner of a home in Lawrence with a market value of
$160,000 this assessed value increase means a city property tax increase
of $23.28 over 2006, or $1.94 a month.  

Myth: There is no parking Downtown.

Fact:  There are more than 1,500 parking spots available Downtown.  New
Hampshire and Vermont Streets provide parking lots with two hour free
parking and on street parking.  These lots are behind Massachusetts
Street and many stores have back entrances off these parking lots.  The
parking garages at Ninth and New Hampshire and at Sixth and New
Hampshire offer two hour free parking and long term parking.

People might perceive there is little parking Downtown because store
front parking is limited along Massachusetts Street.  However, when you
recognize the parking behind stores and in nearby parking garages, you
realize the large volume of parking available Downtown.

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Lawrence History on Display on Street Signs

Why do some Lawrence street signs have two street names?

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Streets in the original town site of Lawrence have two names; the old
and the current.  The change of street names from the original town site
of a city is unique.  That uniqueness inspired today's street signs in
neighborhoods of Old West Lawrence, Oread and East Lawrence to have
street signs with both names.

Old West Lawrence resident Angela Candela was reviewing a map of the
original town site and she learned that her current street was once
known as Berkley, a name thought to be a hero of Lawrence's founding
fathers.  The map of the original town site labels current numbered
streets with names.  Her interest in local history led her to an Old
West Lawrence Neighborhood Association meeting where she presented the
idea of street signs capturing a bit of history.

The neighborhood association approached the city for project support.
The city was the funding source and contributed the efforts of city
crews.  Once Candela completed her research using a 1870 map of Lawrence
at Watkins Museum and mapped the original and current street names, she
turned to design of the street signs. The color scheme was selected to
go with the historical theme of the signs.  Black and white street signs
would have been common in the past in Lawrence.

The city's traffic engineering division began custom design of the
historically themed street signs and spent time over the next year
manufacturing and installing them.  With city crews working as time away
from priority projects allowed within a 
year the signs were up in Old 
West Lawrence. 

Soon, the project expanded to the Oread Neighborhood and to East
Lawrence.  Candela's goal was to complete the area represented by the
original town site.  The next time you are in a neighborhood and see a
black and white street sign, take a closer look and learn a bit of 

Lawrence history.  Truly unique to Lawrence, the street signs include
the street names from the original town site. 

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New development code in place             

Presents additional options for affordable housing   

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On July 1, proposed developments began following a new zoning code. The
40-year-old code which indicates the types of activities that can occur
in locations and the physical layout of the property was updated in
April when the City Commission adopted the new development code.

The new code provides direction on topics such as pedestrian and vehicle
access, landscape standards and neighborhood notification. The code
offers a more streamlined process with administrative review,
flexibility with smaller lot districts and flexibility with housing
types. Although amended and revised numerous times, this is the first
complete revision to the 1966 code.

The new development code has a number of potentially helpful provisions
for affordable housing development. Two additional districts allow for
smaller lot areas. It will also allow for some property owners to build
an additional house on original town site lots that were previously
considered too small. The new code includes attached dwellings as
allowable housing options in some residential districts. The option will
be available as a special use in small lot districts that can allow for
row houses or some mixed housing types. 

The new code also provides an opportunity to develop an accessory
dwelling if one unit will be owner-occupied. To provide options for
creating more green space, the code allows for more mixed-uses and for
cluster housing as another option for subdivisions with five or more
detached dwellings. While the overall density would not increase in a
cluster development, homes could be arranged to minimize development
costs. 

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City Budget

Focus on Revenues

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The city's general fund, the principal fund that accounts for many of
the city services and programs, relies primarily on revenues from sales
tax, property tax, fees and fines.

City Sales and Use Taxes makes up 44% of the revenue that supports the
2006 General Fund. In 2005, that amounted to $12,765,697 and in 2006 it
is estimated to reach $12,800,000.

Property Taxes make up 20% of the General Fund and the city's 2006 mill
levy of 15.85 is expected to generate $11,500,000.

Franchise Fees are charged to utility companies - electric, cable, phone
and natural gas - for use of the public right-of-way. For 2006,
franchise fees are estimated to generate $3,847,000.

Fines and Forfeits are collected from traffic and other types of
violations. In 2005, $2,637,520 was generated and in 2006, they are
estimated to generate $2,175,000.

Interest on Investments is dependent upon the economy and as interest
rates rise and fall, so does the revenue from this category.  Interest
earned in 2005 totaled $1,087,618 however, only $400,000 was budgeted in
2006. 

Licenses, permits and inspections are generated mainly from building
permits and in 2005 amounted to $1,082,191. The 2006 Budget estimates
$820,000 for 2006.
For a more detailed look at the city budget, visit
http://www.lawrenceks.org/budget.shtml.

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Providing Excellent City Services                        

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*The following are e-mails and letters the city has recently received.

To: Dave Corliss

Dave, this is a note to commend the work of Sandra Day. I rarely become
involved in city matters and/or public meetings. As a resident of East
Lawrence I recently became involved in supporting the Krause rezoning
request which is before the Planning Commission. 

Sandra called my cell phone this morning to verify part of a letter I
faxed to the city on August 17 as my fax machine apparently cut off a
good part of the content. I've resent that memo at her request.

In a day when customer service and follow-up is sorely lacking in most
of the business world, how refreshing it is to observe someone doing
their job really well as Sandra displayed this a.m. In fact, my few
contacts have always been given the attention I expected, and better.

I suspect people in these positions, yours included, don't get enough
credit for the good work you do. Consider that today someone attempted
to correct that. Thank you both for your service to the City of
Lawrence.

Scott & Annie Tichenor

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I've lived all over the USA. I moved here in July. On a Monday in early
July I sent an e-mail about a bush on a corner that blocked the view of
oncoming traffic when you stopped at the "stop" line. I didn't work on
Tuesday. To my amazement on Wednesday as I came to the stop the bush was
trimmed back. 

My last job was with the City of Kansas City, Missouri. One of my
Department Divisions was the one responsible for cutting the bushes
blocking traffic view. We prided ourselves on getting to citizen's
requests / complaints within two weeks. Lawrence should be proud of how
quickly the public works responded and I want them to be congratulated.
Thanks.

Alan Welles

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Margene, Larry and Tony,

Thank you so much for meeting with me and sharing your information on
Lawrence's housing rehab program.  You were able to give me a lot of
really good information and gave me the "jump start" I needed in
designing our program. I really appreciate you all taking time out of
your schedules to meet with me and answer my questions. I look forward
to sharing a prospective program design with you soon!

Sincerely,

Leslee Fonseca

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Frequently Asked Questions                        

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1. How do I go about establishing a neighborhood association in my area?

Any neighborhood, or group of neighbors, may establish a neighborhood
association. While the city does not regulate or manage associations, we
do keep a registry of associations and contacts. The Planning Department
uses these contacts to notify residents about development occurring in
the neighborhood and other city departments use the list to contact
neighborhoods about upcoming projects or other issues. To find out if
there is already an association in your area, visit the city's
interactive map at www.lawrenceks.org and select City Map.

To register your new neighborhood association or to update contact
information for an existing association, visit the neighborhood
registration page at www.lawrenceplanning.org/index-NH-register.shtml .
To access a full listing of all neighborhood associations and their
contacts visit the neighborhood contacts page at
www.lawrenceneighres.org/neighborhoodcontacts.shtml . 

2. Does Lawrence have a ban on certain breeds of dogs?

The city does not have any type of breed ban and seeks to encourage
across-the-board responsible pet ownership. Pet owners are expected to
keep control of pets at all times - dogs should be on leashes and owners
should carry means for picking up excrement. Dogs designated as
'dangerous dogs' as per city code are required to be licensed and
confined in locked structures at least six feet tall. 

Penalties for allowing pets to roam the streets at-large range from $10
to $500 and may include jail time. To report a potentially dangerous dog
or to report a dog at-large, contact Animal Control at (785) 832-7650.
The full city code pertaining to animals can be found online at
www.lawrenceks.org and select City Code, chapter three.

3. What is the proper way to dispose of my grass clippings and leaves?

Yard trimmings are collected from curbs every Monday morning. Since
1993, our first year of collecting yard waste separately from trash, our
community composting program has diverted over 90,000 tons of organic
materials from the landfill. Cans, carts and compostable yard waste bags
are the appropriate containers for Monday yard trimmings collection.
Plastic bags are not allowed for containment of grass and leaves.

4. Who do I call about a problem I am having with my neighbor?

If you have approached your neighbors about a problem and they do not
respond to your requests to respect those around them, contact city
officials. For noise and parking complaints, contact the Lawrence Police
Department at (785) 832-7509. For trash, blight or occupancy complaints,
contact the Neighborhood Resources Department at (785) 832-7700.

Encouraging neighborly relations begins with being a good neighbor
yourself. Start by welcoming new neighbors with a friendly note or chat.
If problems arise later, invite them for a cup of coffee to discuss
them. Try throwing a house party once a year to socialize with
neighbors.

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======================

Our mission :  We are committed to providing excellent city services
that enhance the quality of life for the Lawrence community.

======================

City information is available on-line at lawrenceks.org and on cable
Channel 25. 

_____________________________

Lisa K. Patterson |Communications Manager

City of Lawrence

PO Box 708 | Lawrence, KS 66044

(785) 832-3406

fax (785) 832-3405

lpatterson at ci.lawrence.ks.us

www.lawrenceks.org

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