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 15^th 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, 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 grant distance limitation waiver.

Adopt on first reading, 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.