Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works Department

 

TO:

Charles F. Soules, P.E. Public Works Director

FROM:

Mark Thiel, Assistant Public Works Director

CC:

Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police

Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief

Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation

DATE:

July 24, 2015

RE:

2015 Bike MS – September 18 – 20, 2015

 

In September of 2011 the Bike MS event came to Lawrence for the first time. eXplore Lawrence (formerly known as The Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau) is working with the Mid-America Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to have Lawrence host, for the fifth year in a row, the overnight stay for its 2015 Bike MS event on Saturday September 19, 2015. Bike MS is the Mid America Chapter’s largest fund raising event, with more than 2,000 riders participating. On Saturday September 19, 2015 the ride will start at Garmin International’s parking lot in Johnson County, and the riders will travel west to Lawrence, ending at South Park for the day (see attached route). Bike participants will resume their ride early Sunday morning, September 20, 2015, by retracing their route back to Garmin.

 

The Mid America Chapter requests a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for 6:00 a.m. Saturday September 19, 2015 through 10:00 a.m. Sunday September 20, 2015 allowing the closure of Massachusetts Street between North Park Street and South Park Street and North Park Street between Massachusetts Street and Vermont Street. The Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit would also not allow parking on the south side of South Park Street but would allow parking on the north side of South Park Street between Massachusetts and Vermont Streets from 5:00 p.m. Friday September 18, 2015 through 10:00 a.m. Sunday September 20, 2015. The Community Building parking lot would also be closed from 5:00 p.m. Friday September 18, 2015 until Sunday 10:00 a.m. September 20, 2015 and there will be no parking on North Park Street from 6:00 a.m. Thursday September 17, 2015 to 5:00 p.m. on Monday September 21, 2015. The Mid America Chapter has negotiated an agreement with the Parks and Recreation Department for the use of South Park, and the Community Building for an overnight “Cycle Village” for many of the riders to spend the night on Saturday (see attached map). 

 

The proposed ride route into Lawrence will be west on N 1400 Road from Eudora, north on Noria Road, west on 15th Street, and north on Massachusetts Street to South Park. Because this is a ride, not a race, riders will be trickling into Lawrence throughout the day on Saturday and will be able to obey regular traffic signals and stops, thus not requiring major law enforcement support. On Sunday September 20, 2015 morning at 7:00 a.m. riders will begin leaving together in waves.

 

The applicant has also requested an ordinance to allow the possession of alcohol within the public right of way.

 

The request to sell, possess and consume alcohol within the public right of way has been reviewed pursuant to City of Lawrence Code, Chapter IV, Article 1, Section 4-113 and the event was found to be within 400 feet of a church or school. Pursuant to code requirements, staff has notified churches that a public hearing regarding this request will be held on August 25, 2015 at the City Commission Meeting (see attached letter).

 

Possession and consumption of alcohol on the right-of-way is generally prohibited, unless the City Commission adopts an ordinance exempting an area from that prohibition. The attached Ordinance No. 9133 would temporarily allow the possession and consumption of alcohol on Massachusetts Street from South Park Street to North Park Street and North Park Street (Massachusetts to Vermont) on Saturday September 19, 2015 at 5:00 a.m. to Saturday September 19, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. during this event.

 

Notice of this event and commission agenda item was sent out to affected properties in the area of South Park (see attached notice). This application has been reviewed by Public Works, Police, Fire / Medical, Parks & Recreation, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., and Lawrence Transit without any comments or issues.

 

ACTIONS

Conduct a public hearing regarding distance limitation waiver request for the 2015 Bike MS Event to be held in South Park on Saturday September 19, 2015.

 

Find that the proximity of the temporary sale of alcoholic liquor for the event is not adverse to the public welfare or safety and a grant distance limitation waiver.

 

Adopt ordinance No. 9133, allowing the sale, possession and consumption of alcohol on Saturday September 19, 2015 at 5:00 a.m. to Saturday September 19, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. in South Park and on Massachusetts Street between North Park and South Park Street associated with the 2015 Bike MS Event; provided the sale, possession and consumption are pursuant to City of Lawrence and State of Kansas law

 

Approve a street event permit and closure of Massachusetts Street from South Park Street to North Park Street and North Park Street (Massachusetts to Vermont) on Saturday September 19, 2015 at 6:00 a.m. to Sunday September 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., and no parking on North Park Street from Massachusetts Street to Vermont Street on Thursday September 17, 2015 at 6:00 a.m. to Sunday September 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., and closure of the Community Center parking lot #7 on Friday September 18, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. to Sunday September 20, 2015 at 12:00 p.m., and no parking on W. South Park Street Friday September 18, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. to Sunday September 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. for the 2015 Bike MS Event.