CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Week ending May 16, 2014
April 2014 Monthly Permit Reports
The Building Safety Division issued 181 building permits in April, with total construction for the month valued at $7,974,683. Total permit fees assessed for the month were $58,863. Permits were issued for 11 new residential projects, including 10 single-family dwellings and 1 duplex. Please see the attached memo - revised 05/20/14, report (corrected 05/20/14), and summary for more information. The March report has been revised to reflect the fees being refunded and reduction in project valuation for Hillcrest Elementary project and is attached.
Update on Implementation of Curbside Recycling Program
The Public Works Department has prepared an update on the curbside recycling program, with an assessment of progress in three key areas – operational readiness, processing readiness, and citizen readiness. The first collection of residential single-stream recycling will be October 21, 2014.
Hertz on Demand Car-Share Program Discontinued
Last year, the City partnered with Hertz to offer their Hertz On Demand self-service car sharing program in our free 2 hour lot at 8th and New Hampshire. However, due to technology issues and low participation, Hertz is discontinuing the Hertz On Demand Program, and will be removing their car from the City lot. These technology and participation challenges were system-wide throughout the Hertz program, not just specific to our Lawrence locations.
KU’s Big Event Assists With Landscaping Projects
The University of Kansas’ Big Event, which connects the KU campus with the Lawrence community and involves thousands of faculty, staff and student volunteers to work on hundreds of projects throughout the community during a day of service, assisted LPRD staff with several projects, including: mulching pesticide-free landscape beds at Buford Watson Jr. Park; planting 1,500 pansies in Downtown Lawrence and in South Park and planted six trees at the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum, as well as mulching xeriscape beds and other trees at the arboretum. Fifty-one volunteers from KU participated, assisting 10 LPRD staff from the Horticulture and Forestry Division. Pictures
Landscaping at East Lawrence Recreation Center; Erosion Control Completed
Parks and Recreation landscaping staff recently completed new entrance plantings at East Lawrence Recreation Center. They also planted Baldcypress trees along Brook Creek as a measure for erosion control. Pictures
Boy Scouts’ Good Turn Project Celebrates Arbor Day; Tree City Achievement
The City of Lawrence received recognition as a Tree City USA city for the 36-consecutive year by the National Arbor Day Foundation. To celebrate the occasion and also commemorate Arbor Day and Earth Day, LPRD teamed up with area Boy Scouts to plant shade, evergreen and ornamental trees in Oak Hill and Memorial Park cemeteries. The planting also served as the Boy Scouts’ Good Turn Project for 2014. Pictures