CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Week ending July 20, 2012
New Hampshire Street Parking Garage usage increasing
Usage of the New Hampshire Street Parking Garage has been steadily increasing in recent years. Since 2006, on the average weekday the garage has increased from 40% full to 61% full. Since 2007, on the average Saturday the garage has increased from 33% full to 53% full. Please see the attached report for more details, including breakdowns of garage usage by time of day.
New Hampshire Street infill development history
During the June 26, 2012, meeting of the City Commission, a question arose regarding the process for infill development along New Hampshire Street, specifically Lawrence Arts Center, Hobbs Taylor Lofts, and Borders. Each of these projects was reviewed under the State Preservation Law and all three were found to “encroach upon, damage or destroy” the listed historic property. The attached table shows that a revised design was approved for Borders by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) but both the Lawrence Arts Center and Hobbs Taylor Lofts were appealed to the City Commission with a determination by the Commission that there was “no feasible and prudent alternative” to the project. The site plans for all three projects were approved by the City Commission (under the previous development code, all site plans were subject to review and approval by the City Commission).
Updated long-range planning work plan
The attached memo from the Planning Division provides a status updated on the 2012 long-range planning work program.
Former Farmland Site Cleanup Progress
In a continuing effort to make the former Farmland site more visually appealing and reflect positively as a gateway property to our community, Public Works Street Division employees undertook a major cleanup of the area. They mowed 75 acres at the site and hauled in 50 ten-cubic yard loads of dirt to grade out the area where the Farmland administration buildings were located. They re-used the rubble concrete found to fill foundations at the site. Please see the attached photos to view the cleanup’s progress.
Facilities and Structures Division update
The attached report from the Public Works Department outlines the activities of the Facilities and Structures Division, which is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 40 municipal buildings, downtown lighting, parking structures, and downtown parking lots, removal of graffiti from city owned facilities, and snow and ice removal at the two parking structures, around numerous buildings and on the runways, taxiways and other areas at Lawrence Municipal Airport. The division is responsible for mowing at the Lawrence/Douglas County Health Building and at the Lawrence Municipal airport. The report details a number of the division’s accomplishments so far this year.
Community Development staff honored at housing and redevelopment conference
Jessica Roberts, Project Specialist in the Community Development Division (CDD) of the Planning and Development Services Department, was recently honored at the Southwest National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) summer conference in Kansas City, MO. Jessica was recognized by both Southwest and Kansas NAHRO with an individual award of “Single Accomplishment by an Employee” for all of her efforts toward the recent “Take Charge Challenge” between Lawrence and Manhattan (see attached photo of award presentation). Additionally, the City of Lawrence and CDD staff were recognized by both entities and won an agency award for “Other Agency Publication - Small Community Development Agency” for the “Home Improvement Programs” brochure that was created by the CDD staff earlier this year.
Rain Barrel Workshop hosted by Stormwater Division
A rain barrel workshop was hosted by the Stormwater division on June 28, 2012. The workshops help the city meet the Public Education and Outreach and the Public Involvement requirements for the City’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. Please see the attached report for more information.