Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
FROM:	Scott McCullough, Director
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager
Date:	November 4, 2015
RE:	Monthly PDS Project Report

The following provides an update on several city of Lawrence projects in process in the Planning and Development Services Department.

Comprehensive Plan Update - On August 31, 2015 the Horizon 2020 Steering Committee approved the Issue Action Report which contains the Steering Committee’s findings regarding how to best strengthen the existing plan and ensure that the document reflects the community’s vision, while also setting a foundation for creating the inclusive and sustainable community we want Lawrence and Douglas County to be in the future. The Issue Action Report presents 19 major issues to address, based on community input and identified needs, and it outlines action steps to help address and resolve these issues.

The Issue Action Report was presented to the Planning Commission on September 21, 2015 and was unanimously approved. It was presented to the City Commission at their November 10, 2015 meeting and to the County Commission at their November 11, 2015 meeting and was unanimously approved by both governing bodies. Work on the plan itself will now commence. Jeff Crick is the Staff contact.

East Lawrence Neighborhood Rezoning – On August 18, 2015, after considering a Staff memo on the topic, the City Commission directed Staff to further research land use in the area north of 9^th Street in the East Lawrence Neighborhood and present the Commission with a follow up memo outlining appropriate zoning district(s) and a timeline of the rezoning process in order to consider rezoning much of the area from RM24 to an RS district. The research is underway on this initiative. Becky Pepper is the Staff contact.

North Lawrence RS5 Zoning Discussion – On August 18, 2015 the City Commission considered a Staff memo addressing a request from the North Lawrence Improvement Association to review RS5 zoning in North Lawrence. The Commission directed Staff to review comments made at the meeting and report back options to address the issues of potential increased storm water and impacts of RS5 zoning in the neighborhood. Staff has met with the Association’s president and is preparing a follow up memo for the Commission’s review. David Guntert is the Staff contact.

Urban Agriculture Text Amendment – A text amendment to create new Urban Agriculture uses in the Land Development Code was initiated by the City Commission on June 23, 2015. The Planning Office, in coordination with the Food Policy Council, drafted language and presented it to the Planning Commission at their October 19, 2015 meeting. The Planning Commission heard public comment and deferred the item for additional revisions. The item is tentatively scheduled to be considered again by the Planning Commission at their December meeting. Mary Miller is the Staff contact.

Event Center Text Amendment – A text amendment to create a new Event Center use in the Land Development Code was initiated by the Planning Commission on August 24, 2015. The Planning Office is drafting language to present to the Planning Commission at their November 16, 2015 meeting. Jeff Crick is the Staff contact.

Parking Regulations Text Amendment – Staff has been working with the Planning Commission for some time now on revising Article 9 of the Land Development Code related to parking standards. These revisions will address how parking is calculated, the design and location of parking, and standards related to the parking and storing of RVs, boats and trailers. The Planning Commission is scheduled to receive an update on the progress of this item at their November 16, 2015 meeting. Sheila Stogsdill is the Staff contact.

Salon Text Amendment - A text amendment to review the Personal Convenience Services and Personal Improvement Service uses and determine if amendments are necessary to permit salons as a use in the RSO (Single-Dwelling Residential-Office) zoning district was initiated by the City Commission on September 1, 2015 and is scheduled for the November 16, 2015 Planning Commission meeting.

Oread Design Guidelines – Staff presented a timeline to the City Commission on their September 8, 2015 agenda that identified the next steps that the Planning Commission, Historic Resources Commission and City Commission will take to consider the adoption of design guidelines for the Oread Neighborhood. A meeting of the subcommittee occurred on November 9, 2015 at which time the subcommittee directed staff to make a few revisions, post the final draft in December, and hold a neighborhood meeting in January to review the plan with owners and residents. Jeff Crick and Lynne Zollner are the Staff contacts.

Discussion of Applicability of the Property Maintenance Code – This item awaits placement on a City Commission agenda for discussion. A Staff memo on the topic has been placed on the City Commission’s Future Agendas Memo. This item will be rolled into the consideration of the 2015 ICC code adoption process planned to be considered by the City Commission in December. Brian Jimenez is the Staff contact.

Sign Code Amendments – On July 7, 2015 the City Commission, after receiving a Staff memo on the topic, initiated certain amendments to the sign code to address several issues to aid businesses in the use of signs; however, the Commission directed Staff to delay this project as the Commission considers the applicability of the Property Maintenance Code. Kurt Schroeder is the Staff contact.

Review of 2015 Building and Property Maintenance Codes – In conjunction with the 2015 fire code review being completed by the Fire Department, the Building Safety and Code Enforcement Divisions of PDS are working with the Building and Trade Code Boards to complete reviews of the 2015 International Code Council (ICC) family of building and property maintenance codes. Recommended ordinances for consideration by the City Commission are tentatively scheduled for December 2015. The city has typically adopted revised building and property maintenance codes on a 3-year cycle (City is currently using the 2012 editions of the codes). If adopted, the 2015 codes are planned to take effect on July 1, 2016. Barry Walthall is the Staff contact.

Retail Market Study – Staff completed a survey of commercial properties in order to complete the biennial Retail Market Study, which is actually one year overdue. A final report was received by the City Commission at their November 17, 2015 meeting. Amy Miller is the Staff contact.

Community Development Initiatives

Applications for CDBG and HOME federal funds were sent to interested parties on October 1, 2015 and are due back to Staff by December 1. The Community Development Advisory Committee has shown interest in neighborhood outreach to discuss best practices among neighborhoods to explore ways to use the CDBG money more efficiently and perhaps pool resources to reach common goals. Bradly Karr is the Staff contact.

Inspections on qualified homes to participate in the 2015 CDBG Weatherization Program were completed in September; twenty three homes were approved for the program, a considerable increase over the ten homes in the 2014 program year. The bid date for the weatherization work was October 20, 2015 with bids being awarded by the City Commission on November 3, 2015 for a total cost of $32,401.80. Tony Hoch is the Staff contact.

The 2016 homeless point-in-time count will be a shelter-only count and will occur in January of 2016. Planning has begun on the coordinated effort with the rest of the balance of state. Dani Dresslar is the Staff contact.

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Studies

The MPO is completing the Regional Pedestrian Plan but a date of completion has not been identified due to working with the Bike/Pedestrian Task Force and Safe Routes to Schools initiative, both of which are affecting certain elements of the Plan as it evolves.

The MPO was also just awarded a Competitive Consolidated Planning Grant from KDOT to complete two studies - a comprehensive transit operations analysis and a bike share feasibility study in the Lawrence community. The City Commission, on September 29, accepted the awarded funds and directed Staff to send out a Request for Proposals to begin the studies.

The Bicycle Advisory Committee submitted to the City Commission, on October 20, 2015, recommendations to increase bicycle parking downtown. The Commission directed staff to apply for a LiveWell Community Wellness Grant to install 74 additional bicycle parking spaces downtown: 30 spaces of on street bicycle parking spaces in bike corrals replacing 2 on street parking spaces and 44 spaces at inverted U racks on existing pavement on the perimeter of the sidewalk. The Commission also directed staff to apply for a LiveWell Community Wellness Grant to install four (4) bike repair stands at the Burroughs Creek Trail parking on 15^thStreet (near playground), the North Lawrence Levy Trail Head Parking Lot, Rotary Arboretum - Trail parking for SLT, and on the Library Plaza (near garage)

Jessica Mortinger is the Staff contact.

Historic Landmarks – On September 17, 2015 the Historic Resources Commission adopted resolutions to begin the Landmark process for the following city owned properties:

1. Resolution 2015-07 Union Pacific Depot

2. Resolution 2015-08 Carnegie Building

3. Resolution 2015-09 Fire Station #1

4. Resolution 2015-10 Oak Hill Cemetery

5. Resolution 2015-11 Clinton Park

Lynne Zollner is the Staff contact.

Small Business Initiatives

The Metropolitan Entrepreneurship Community Pilot (MECP)

NetWork Kansas announced that Lawrence was selected as a 2015 Metropolitan Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Pilot and has been awarded $125,000 in tax credits that will allow a revolving loan fund to be built for the City of Lawrence Urban Entrepreneur. This pilot will primarily focus on entrepreneurs located in the distressed areas of Lawrence as well as entrepreneurs of disadvantaged status. The Lawrence Metro E-Community joins a group of fifty-three communities and only one of two Metro Entrepreneurship Community Pilots.

Next PDS LNL: The fourth installment of the PDS quarterly Lunch-N-Learn Series will be held on November 20^th, from 12:00 to 1:00, where attendees will learn about the The Plan Review and Approval Process. This event is attended by designers, contractors, bankers, realtors, small business professionals, PDS and City Staff. This impactful hour is also eligible to Kansas Chapter of American Institute of Architects to include: 1 hour Health, Safety and Welfare Credit – (HSW) or 1 Hour Self Option Credit.

Next BizFuel 4^th Quarter Workshop: December 15^th (11 to 1)

Small businesses are invited to attend a free Affordable Care Act seminar.

Small business owners will hear how the healthcare law will impact their business and how they can benefit from the Kansas health insurance marketplace.