Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

David Corliss, City Manager

CC:

Diane Stoddard, Casey Toomey, Toni Wheeler, Randy Larkin, Chuck Soules, Mark Thiel

FROM:

Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager

DATE:

August 20, 2014

RE:

Parking for Lawrence Bank in support of redevelopment project at 9th and New Hampshire North Project

 

Background

The downtown branch of Lawrence Bank is currently located at 100 East 9th Street, which is part of the 9th and New Hampshire North Redevelopment Project.  Due to the upcoming start of construction at the North Project site, Lawrence Bank will not be able to operate its downtown branch at the current location and needs to temporarily relocate.  The bank is relocating at 800 Massachusetts Street with plans to open at the beginning of September and operate at that location for 18 to 24 months.  Upon completion of the 9th and New Hampshire North Redevelopment Project, Lawrence Bank plans to return to 9th and New Hampshire.

 

To facilitate the bank’s temporary relocation to 800 Massachusetts, it requested exclusive use of two public parking spaces.  The request will enable the bank to maintain drive-thru banking services which are offered at its current downtown branch.  The two parking spaces requested for the bank’s use are located on the south side of 8th Street, immediately east of Massachusetts Street.  The bank offered to pay $192 per year per space, the equivalent price of the City’s 10 hour parking pass.  Additionally, the bank requested permission to construct a temporary canopy which will cover the two parking spaces.  Upon completion of the redevelopment project and the bank’s return to 9th and New Hampshire, the canopy will be removed by the bank and the parking spaces will return to their original public use. Please refer to the attached letter for an illustration of the request.

 

To accommodate the bank’s request for parking, the handicap accessible space located immediately east of Massachusetts Street will need to be temporarily relocated.  The bank suggests designating the parking space immediately west of the alley as an accessible space during the bank’s occupancy of 800 Massachusetts.  An existing ADA ramp connects the sidewalk to the alley.  Please refer to the attached map for an illustration of the requested temporary relocation of the handicap accessible space.  

 

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends granting Lawrence Bank’s request to lease two parking spaces for up to 24 months and to authorize the bank to construct a temporary canopy to cover the spaces.  The bank’s exclusive use of the two parking spaces should be limited to its business hours which are 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday – Friday and 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Saturday.  The agreement should be contingent on the developer proceeding with the 9th and New Hampshire North Redevelopment Project.  To accommodate the request, staff recommends temporarily relocating the existing handicap accessible parking space by designating the parking space immediately west of the alley as handicap accessible.

 

Notice of the request and this hearing was mailed on Friday, August 22nd to adjacent properties. 

 

Action

If appropriate, direct the City Manager to enter a right of way license agreement with Lawrence Bank and adopt Ordinance No.9035, amending the City’s schedule of no parking zones.