Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning and Development Services

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
FROM:	Scott McCullough, Planning & Development Services Director
DATE:	September 24, 2015
RE:	Permitting and Inspecting USD 497 Bond Projects

Background

On May 6, 2014 USD 497 officials requested that the City waive permit fees associated with the District's bond projects. After discussion and District representation that they had authority under state statute to have their projects inspected outside of the City's normal permitting and inspection process, the Commission, by motion, waived the permit fees and directed Staff to not permit or conduct inspections on the bond projects, thus removing the City as the Authority Having Jurisdiction over the building projects.  The City has not permitted or inspected any of the District's bond projects to date.

Proposal

District and City officials recently met to discuss re-engaging the City’s permitting and inspection process and offer a proposal that includes the District submitting permit applications for the following elementary schools:

· Schwegler

· Deerfield

· Pinckney

· Sunflower

· Broken Arrow

· Prairie Park

The City would conduct building and fire code plan reviews, issue the permits, inspect the construction under the City's normal inspection protocols, and issue certificates of occupancy upon completion of each building project.  The officials discussed the District's request to waive a portion of the permit fees and agreed to propose that the District pay half the permitting fees for the remaining projects.

Action Requested

Direct staff to permit and inspect, under its normal practices, the remaining USD 497 bond projects noted in the body of this memo and waive permit fees in an amount equal to one half of the required calculated fee for each school project.