Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM:

CC:

Sheila M. Stogsdill, Planning Administrator

Scott McCullough, PDS Director

Casey Toomey, Assistant City Manager

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

Cynthia Wagner, Special Projects Manager

DATE:

June 19, 2014

RE:

Lawrence Community Shelter – Request to allow increased occupancy during cold weather periods; 3655 E 25th Street

 

Background

A Special Use Permit, SUP-1-3-10, allows the Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS) to operate a Temporary Shelter located at 3655 E 25th Street.  The permit currently caps the shelter’s occupancy at 125 people.  The Director requested that the City Commission amend the SUP to permit a maximum of 160 guests when nighttime temperatures are 32 degrees or lower.  [This request was modified to increase the cap to 140 guests following a staff tour on-site.]  This request was referred to Staff for evaluation and processing at the May 13, 2014 meeting. 

 

Development Code Review

Section 20-1306(l)(1) provides the process to amend a Special Use Permit.  The City Commission is authorized to amend the SUP following a public hearing after newspaper, mailed and posted notice.  In addition to the typical mailed notice, letters regarding the public hearing were also sent to members of the LCS Good Neighbor Committee and the Prairie Park Neighborhood Association.

 

Section 20-544(3) identifies standards for Temporary Shelters.  This includes the requirement that a minimum of 1 toilet per 15 beds be provided.  The shelter currently exceeds this standard by providing 1 toilet for every 8 beds based on the SUP cap of 125 occupants.  With approval of changes to the SUP conditions, the Development Code standards would allow additional guests to be accommodated.

 

Building & Fire Code Review

Occupancy is limited by square footage and plumbing fixtures in the fire rated parts of the building.  The Building Code and Fire Code require provision of a minimum of 1 lavatory and 1 water closet per 10 male/female occupants and 1 shower per 8 male/female occupants. The current number of showers in the facility is the most restrictive standard and is the limiting factor in this building.  There are currently 18 showers (9 men/9 women) in the finished portion of the building.  This limits the overall occupancy to 140 guests.

PDS & Fire/Medical staff toured the shelter facilities to evaluate the potential increase in overnight occupancy during the cold weather season.  The number of plumbing fixtures in the finished portions of the building supports an increase to 140 occupants. 

 

Overnight occupancy must be confined to the areas on the floor plan that are designated as sleeping rooms.  The SUP contains a specific note that states that “Temporary sleeping is prohibited in dayroom and cafeteria spaces.”  This condition is in place because those areas have not been constructed with the same fire-separation walls that were built for the sleeping areas.

 

Staff Recommendation

Staff is supportive of this amendment to the Special Use Permit [SUP-1-3-10] to increase the overnight occupancy to a total of 140 guests during cold weather defined as when nighttime temperatures are 32 degrees or lower.  If the request is approved, Ordinance No. 8500 will need to be amended at a future meeting.

 

Action

If appropriate, approve request to amend SUP-1-3-10 to increase the overnight occupancy to a total of 140 guests during cold weather defined as when nighttime temperatures are 32 degrees or lower and direct staff to draft a revised ordinance to replace Ordinance No. 8500 to reflect the increased occupancy during cold weather.