City of Lawrence

Cultural District Task Force

August 13, 2013 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Commissioner Bob Schumm, Grace Peterson, Mike Logan, Susan Tate, Jacki Becker, Cindy Maude,  Mandy Enfield, Brenda Nunez

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

KT Walsh

 

STAFF PRESENT:

Diane Stoddard, Tommy Bohler

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Several citizens

 

Commissioner Schumm called the meeting to order. 

 

With regard to the minutes from the July 30 meeting, there was additional discussion clarifying the group was not making any recommendations regarding zoning.  A motion was made by Ms. Maude and seconded by Ms. Tate to approve the minutes.  Motion was approved unanimously. 

 

There was discussion about the draft outline.  Several changes and suggestions were made.  It was discussed to compile a list of stakeholders and bring the stakeholder group together to gather feedback.  Ms. Tate commented that the composition of the task force provides representation.  There was a discussion to include feedback from the CVB and the Chamber of Commerce.  

 

Ms. Maude, Ms. Tate and Ms. Becker volunteered to synthesize sections of the document for review by the larger group at the next meeting. 

 

Leslie Soden was present to comment about the meeting with the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association.  East Lawrence Neighborhood Association did not discuss the task force at its last meeting and instead scheduled a special meeting on August 18 to discuss this further.  Ms. Becker suggested that she, Ms. Nunez, Ms. Peterson and Ms. Walsh could get together after the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association meeting on August 18 to write up something related to the neighborhood’s recommendation. Ms. Maude stated that her understanding of the question for the East Lawrence neighborhood was related to preference to the corridor area and if there was a preference on 9th Street, or other areas. 

 

Ms. Soden also relayed her comments about the draft outline of the report.  She stated that that there is a desire to return the alleys to brick.  Commissioner Schumm asked about the priority and cost of that relative to other recommendations.  She stated that she would like to see development of the overall cultural plan should be a top recommendation.  She wanted to make sure that affordable housing was available to low-moderate income individuals.  She stated that she wanted recognition that there are several different components within the area and that she was referring to the 8th & Pennsylvania Neighborhood redevelopment zones identified in that planning document.   Commissioner Schumm reiterated that the group had mentioned keeping the existing plans in place and that there is a Downtown Plan and an East Lawrence area plan. 

 

Commissioner Schumm reported that Mike Treanor had contacted him regarding a vision that had been made for 9th Street and he indicated he wasn’t aware of a corridor plan and that he would check further with his staff. 

 

Commissioner Schumm asked if there were reports on ideas from other communities.  Ms. Tate stated that she had a list of cities that had created a cultural district, worked to preserve the neighborhoods, and had been funded through the city and a central arts organizations, with the exception of a few that were business improvement districts.  She stated that the cities also had in common focusing on a particular place, or intersection.  The list provided was:  Palmer, Alaska, Miami (Wynwood), St. Paul, MN (city artist in residence), Chattanooga, Syracuse, Cincinnati (Better Block Program), Cleveland, Ohio, Indianapolis (Swarn Street), Little Rock (South on Main), and Providence, Rhode Island.  Commissioner Schumm stated that the group needed to decide if they wished to recommend the establishment of a business improvement district.  He stated that the history of that issue was that the professional offices did not see a benefit when it was proposed and failed in the early 1980s.  There was a discussion about use of the guest tax and whether that could be a source of funding to jump start the effort. 

 

A citizen mentioned that addressing research and reporting as part of the report was important and could be used for future grant writers, etc.  Americans for the Arts has a lot of economic impact information.  Ms. Maude stated that the staff person could have as their job being the repository for this kind of information.

 

Ms. Peterson added Paducah, Kentucky and Crested Butte, Colorado regarding other arts district communities. 

 

The next meeting was scheduled for August 27 at 4 pm.   

 

The meeting adjourned at 5:10 pm.