Composting efforts to be consolidated
Lawrence city commissioners Tuesday approved a new, consolidated city composting facility. The new facility will be on city-owned land at 11th Street and Haskell Avenue, and will combine the functions of three separate locations that accepted brush, produced wood chips and composted.
Cost of the new facility will be $50,000.
Officials said the city composted 5,206 tons of grass and leaves in 2000, and produced 2,744 cubic yards of wood chips from disposed tree limbs during the same period. That saved landfill costs of $108,000 and woodchip purchasing costs of $30,000.
Traffic study delayed
A new study of traffic in northwest Lawrence was put on hold Tuesday by Lawrence city commissioners. City Engineer Terese Gorman said the Kansas Department of Transportation is ordering the study as it considers design of improvements along Sixth Street between Wakarusa Drive and Kansas Highway 10. The study would cost the city $13,855.
Jane Eldredge, an attorney representing landowners in the Sixth and Wakarusa neighborhood, said a review of another traffic study was completed last year at the same location. She asked that approval of the study be delayed for further explanations from KDOT. Commissioners agreed to defer action.
Rezoning OK'd despite opposition
Lawrence city commissioners decided to move ahead with annexation and rezoning for a North Lawrence housing development, despite opposition from residents.
The Bismarck Gardens No. 2 development would be located on 5.61 acres northeast of North Seventh and North Streets. Previous attempts at approval have been delayed while concerns about stormwater drainage were ironed out.
But several residents asked to delay approval again Tuesday, saying the development is in a floodplain that should be preserved as green space.
Jane Eldredge, an attorney representing developer John Chaney, countered that the lots are designed with ample drainage easements to avoid flooding.
Commissioners voted, 3-2, to place ordinances annexing the land and rezoning it from agricultural to single-family residence.
Commissioners David Dunfield and Mike Rundle were opposed to the rezoning proposal.
Spring break observed by city commission
The Lawrence City Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled for Kansas University's spring break.
The commission next will meet at 6:35 p.m. March 27 at Lawrence City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts.
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