Memorandum
City of Lawrence
Planning and Development Services
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TO: |
David L. Corliss, City Manager
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FROM: |
Planning Staff
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CC: |
Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager |
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DATE: |
March 30, 2012
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RE: |
Development Regulations in the Downtown Commercial District
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The City Commission requested information on how development in the Downtown area is regulated per adopted city code. The public has recently requested that the Commission initiate a more specific planning effort for the downtown area and the neighborhoods adjacent to downtown. This memo provides information on the current development process for new development, including redevelopment, in Lawrence’s downtown area and reflects that downtown development is highly regulated as to use and design. Any additional planning effort would use the adopted regulations as assumptions.
Horizon 2020 identifies the Downtown Commercial Center as
“the historic core of governmental, commercial, institutional, social and cultural activity. Transitions to adjacent neighborhoods are traditionally provided through alleyways or landscaping improvements rather than a change in use or density. The Downtown Commercial Center is restricted to the historic commercial core of Lawrence. The boundaries of Downtown Lawrence correspond with the boundaries outlined in the “Comprehensive Downtown Plan”, and are described as: starting at the Kansas River, south along Kentucky Street to just south of Vermont Towers, then east to Vermont Street, south along Vermont Street to North Park Street, east along North Park Street to Rhode Island Street, north along Rhode Island Street to 11th Street, west along 11th Street to the alley east of New Hampshire Street, north along the New Hampshire Street alley to 9th Street, east on 9th Street to Rhode Island Street, then north on Rhode Island Street to the Kansas River.” (See attached map.)
Development Reviews Required for Downtown
Development in the Downtown Area is regulated by the Land Development Code (use, height, setback, etc.), the Downtown Design Guidelines (height, mass, signage, design, lighting, pedestrian scale, etc.), State Preservation Law Review (Historic Review relative to context of historic significance), and in some instances local historic review. Major developments are typically processed through a public process and administrative process, but both processes have appeal avenues to the City Commission. More specifically:
Zoning – Density and Dimensional Standards Article 6 outline requirements for development in the CD-Downtown Commercial District. Limitations include minimum and maximum site and lot areas, setbacks, height, lot coverage, etc. (See 20-601(b)).
Land uses are also prescribed in Chapter 20-403. Both the density and dimensional standards and proposed land uses are reviewed as part of the site plan review process. (The CD District is shown on the attached map.)
Site Plan Review is required for development as outlined in 20-1305 of the Land Development Code. This review includes review of the proposed project by a number of City departments including Utilities, Public Works, Stormwater, Parks and Recreation, Police and Fire. In addition to City Staff, outside agencies like Westar and Black Hills review the site plan per their development criteria. While the site plan review process is an administrative process, the determination of the Planning Director may be appealed to the City Commission per 20-1305(k) and (l).
Downtown Conservation Overlay District with Downtown Design Guidelines
Section 20-308(h) identifies the Downtown Conservation Overlay District with 20-208(i) establishing the Downtown Design Guidelines for development within the overlay district (see attached map). The Downtown Design Guidelines incorporates the General Urban Design Concepts that are established in the Downtown Urban Design Concept Plan. The Downtown Design Guidelines document has over 70 pages of design guidelines divided by category to address development in the Overlay District. It is not the intent of the guidelines to prescribe what a building will look like, but rather to give guidance using design standards to create compatible development within the district. The guidelines address building form, height, signs, pedestrian elements, etc. It is intended to allow creative projects within the context of agreed upon urban design principals.
Several properties in the Downtown area, including the majority of properties facing Massachusetts Street, are listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the Register of Historic Kansas Places and require review under the Kansas Preservation Law – K.S.A. 75-2724, as amended, for alterations or actions that require a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement from the City. (See attached map.) The review of these projects is conducted by the Historic Resources Commission on behalf of the State Historic Preservation Officer. The HRC must use the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to review projects located on listed properties.
The State Preservation Law also requires review of projects that require a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement from the City for properties that are located within 500 feet of a property listed in the National Register of Historic Places and/or the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The entire downtown area is covered by this review type. (See attached map.) The review of these projects is conducted by the Historic Resources Commission on behalf of the State Historic Preservation Officer. The HRC must use the Standards and Guidelines for Evaluating the Effect of Projects on Environs to review projects on properties that are located in the “environs” of listed properties.
There are properties listed in the Lawrence Register of Historic Places in the Downtown Area. These properties require a Certificate of Appropriateness under the guidelines established in Chapter 22 – The Conservation of Historic Resources Code. (See attached map for properties listed in the Lawrence Register.) Similar to the State Preservation Law, Chapter 22 requires review of projects within the environs – 250 feet of a property listed in the Lawrence Register. (See attached map for Lawrence environs.)
City Owned Parking Lots in the Downtown Area
The city supplies surface and structure parking for consumers and merchants downtown. Larger surface lots in the 700 and 900 blocks of New Hampshire and the 800, 900, and 1000 blocks of Vermont may provide opportunity for development. The city owns these lots. Any development proposal using these city owned parking lots would need substantial review, as noted above, and approval by the City Commission as the land owner. Because parking lots downtown serve large areas of use and parking demand is generally high, any development proposal would need to maintain or even enhance the amount of public parking at the project location. This could be accomplished by constructing parking structures on the property, but key to any proposal would be the maintenance of an appropriate amount of public parking for the benefit of downtown.
Action Request. No action is required. This memo is for informational purposes.