Memorandum
City of Lawrence/Douglas County
Planning and Development Services
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TO: |
City Commission |
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FROM: |
Planning Staff |
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CC: |
Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager |
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DATE: |
For the September 15, 2015 Agenda |
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RE: |
Oread Design Guidelines: Timeline & Future Steps for Adoption |
History
The establishment of the Oread Design Guidelines was an action step of the Oread Neighborhood Plan, which was adopted by the City Commission in September 2010. In spring 2011, city staff applied for and received a Historic Preservation Fund grant to draft design guidelines for the overlay districts identified in the plan, which was accepted by the City Commission on June 7, 2011. Staff subsequently issued a request for proposals for a consultant for the project which resulted in the selection of Urban Development Services with Ann Benson McGlone.
Staff began working with the consultant in January 2012. The first visit by the consultants occurred in February 2012 where they met with staff, design professionals, The Oread Residents Association representatives, and Oread Neighborhood Association representatives.
The first round of public meetings occurred on April 13th and April 14th 2012. Over 400 letters were mailed to property owners, an email was sent to the Oread Neighborhood Plan email listserv, newspaper ads were published advertising the meetings, and information was posted on the City of Lawrence website. The April 13th meeting was held at the Lawrence Public Library where approximately 30 people attended where the consultants were introduced, the general concepts of design guidelines were discussed, and a community input activity was completed. This activity was used to identify preferences and what items/issues are important in the neighborhood. The information from this activity was later used as the goals of the guidelines. The April 14th workshop at the Carnegie Building was held for attendees to help identify development patterns within the neighborhood.
The next public meeting was held on May 3rd at the Lawrence Public Library where approximately 20 people attended. The consultants provided a summary and the findings of the April meetings, and showed pictures to understand what type of density and development the attendees would find acceptable in the neighborhood. Over 400 letters were mailed to property owners, an email was sent to the Oread Neighborhood Plan email listserv, and information was posted on the City of Lawrence website for this meeting.
The 4th public meeting was held on August 2nd, 2012 at the Lawrence Public Library where approximately 15 people attended. The consultants introduced details of the draft design guidelines, though the actual document was not provided.
In January 2013, a joint Planning Commission/Historic Resources Commission subcommittee was established to review the draft of the Oread Design Guidelines, in order to prepare them for public consumption and review. Each commission appointed two members to this subcommittee. The Subcommittee’s review process is scheduled to be completed in November 2015, after which a draft will be available for the public.
Future Steps
Staff provides the following tentative schedule to delineate the upcoming process for completing the Oread Design Guidelines:
1. Planning Commission/Historic Resources Commission Sub-Committee Review
November, 2015
2. Draft Guidelines Posted to Website and Available for Public Review at Planning Office
December, 2015
3. Neighborhood Meeting to Present Guidelines
January, 2016
4. Full Historic Resources Commission/Planning Commission Joint Review of Draft
February, 2016
5. Historic Resources Commission/Planning Commission Joint Public Hearing and Recommendation
March, 2016
6. Presentation and consideration of the Oread Design Guidelines by the City Commission
April, 2016