Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM:

Planning & Development Services Staff

CC:

 

Charles Soules, P.E., Director of Public Works; Mark Thiel, Assistant Director of Public Works; David Cronin, P.E., City Engineer; Mark Bradford, Fire Chief; Barry Walthall, Building Official; Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager; Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager

Date:

July 16, 2014

RE:

Request for temporary certificate of occupancy for Kansas Athletics facilities at Rock Chalk Park

 

 

Please place on the July 22, 2014 City Commission Consent Agenda the following:

 

Consider authorization of a 90-day temporary certificate of occupancy, if appropriate, to allow occupancy and use of the Kansas Athletics facilities at Rock Chalk Park, conditioned on final completion and City approval of various site plan requirements, public infrastructure improvements and minor building and fire code elements.

  

Background

In late May 2014, City staff was informed that Kansas Athletics, through its general contractor Gene Fritzel Construction Co., would be requesting a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) for public occupancy and use of Rock Chalk Park (RCP) Kansas Athletics building facilities on or before August 1, 2014 (excludes the Recreation Center, much of the large north parking lot that will primarily serve the Recreation Center, and the multi-use trails).  Specifically, the request is for occupancy of all Kansas Athletics buildings and facilities by staff, athletes and the public beginning no later than August 1, 2014, and for KU soccer games beginning August 15, 2014.

 

The intent of the TCO is to allow reasonable use and public occupancy of buildings for which construction is substantially complete, and for which all appropriate building and fire code requirements, public improvements (sewer, water, streets, storm sewer) and other project site elements have been completed to ensure building occupant life safety, and appropriate building and site access and egress.  The TCO for the Kansas Athletics facilities will be issued for a period not to exceed 90 days to allow for completion of remaining building and/or fire code, public infrastructure and SUP site plan requirements.  Issuance of the TCO is separate and exclusive of the Public Works Department’s inspection approvals and/or final acceptance of RCP public capital and infrastructure improvements.

 

Staff Analysis

In late May 2014, staff prepared a list of Kansas Athletics facilities temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) items needing resolution and completion. This list has been used during routine, frequent meetings among staff, the general contractor and members of the design team, and has been updated several times.  The Public Works Department has also been providing routine updates on infrastructure punch list items.  On-site inspections and communications with the contractor are ongoing. 

 

Items requiring completion and City approval prior to issuance of a TCO for public use and occupancy of the RCP Kansas Athletics facilities, as of July 16, 2014, include:

 

Building Codes:

·         Installation of appropriate barricades and/or controls to prevent unauthorized public access from Kansas Athletics facilities site onto the Recreation Center construction site (see attached TCO Diagrams indicating access controlled areas).

·         Removal of any obstructions from access roads and driveways, fire lanes and interior/exterior access and egress paths serving the Kansas Athletics facilities and cleaning of same to be free of dirt, mud or other debris.

·         Installation of required guardrails for seating along top of softball field dugouts, and of handrails on stairwells abutting dugouts.

·         Labeling of electrical panel boxes in softball electrical room, west track stadium bleachers and storage building.

·         Final TCO inspection of indoor softball practice facility (not accessible on 7/14/14 due to ongoing indoor turf installation).

·         Completion of other minor items/finish work outlined on punch-list provided to contractor on 7/14/14. 

 

Fire Codes: 

·         Final fire alarm system corrections must be completed and approved.

·         Final fire sprinkler system corrections must be completed and approved.

·         Temporary or permanent address identification to be posted.

·         Installation of required fire lane signage must be completed and approved.

·         Fire access roads to be unobstructed 20’ minimum.  On 7/15/14, piles of gravel were partially blocking Rock Chalk Drive (two piles), main access drive (one pile), south private access road (one pile) and area north of track/soccer building (one pile).

·         Knox padlocks must be installed on gates near ticket booth.

·         All egress paths from building must be unobstructed.

 

SUP site plan elements:

·         Review and approval of site plan (submitted July 15, 2014) showing redesign for parking lot at northwest end of track/soccer building.

·         Striping of northwest parking lot per the approved design.

·         Striping of southeast parking lot needs to be completed (8-10 single parking row areas).

·         Striping of the parking lot south of the soccer field needs to be completed.

·         Completion of chip-sealing of 902 Road, per City specifications.

·         Completion of general site cleanup on parking lots and drives to ensure safe travel path.

Infrastructure improvements (streets, sanitary sewers, water utilities, storm sewers, detention ponds):

·         Completion of chip-sealing of 902 Road, per City specifications.

 

NOTE: Issuance of the TCO is separate and exclusive of the Public Works Department’s inspection approvals and/or final acceptance of RCP public capital and infrastructure improvements.

 

Significant items that must be completed and inspected by the City prior to issuance of a final Certificate of Occupancy (within 90 days after issuance of TCO) include:

·         Completion of required landscaping, including trees, shrubs and ground cover per approved SUP site plan.

·         Completion of final grading and proper seeding/grass cover for the overflow parking area as shown on the approved SUP site plan.

·         Public Works Department approvals of public infrastructure/capital improvements (see attached Public Works Final Inspection & Punch List).

 

Staff recommendation

The Kansas Athletic facilities will be inspected and safe for temporary use and occupancy prior to issuance of a TCO, pending satisfactory completion of the above-noted TCO requirements. The TCO will be issued for a period of up to 90 days from the date of issuance.  

 

Staff recommends that the City Commission authorize staff to issue a TCO for use and occupancy of the RCP Kansas Athletics facilities for a period of 90 days to allow completion and final inspection of remaining building, fire, site plan and Public Works items.

 

Requested Action

Authorize issuance of a 90-day temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO), if appropriate, to allow occupancy and use of the Kansas Athletics facilities at Rock Chalk Park, conditioned on final completion and City approval of various site plan requirements, public infrastructure improvements and minor non-life safety building and fire code elements.