Bottom line

The Lawrence City Commission will continue consideration of a proposed downtown office-commercial-condominium building.

Background

Plans call for a 100,000-square-foot building that would include 32 loft-style condominiums, retail stores, offices and a 52-space underground parking garage at the northeast corner of Eighth and New Hampshire streets.

The proposed building would be as much as 78 feet and five stories tall, higher than zoning code limits of 45 feet and four stories. By comparison, the Eldridge Hotel at Seventh and Massachusetts streets is 63 feet tall, while the US Bank building at Ninth and Massachusetts streets is 77 feet tall.

Other business

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes of July 1;
• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions: Planning Commission meeting of June 25 (DRAFT); Public Transit Advisory Committee meeting of June 19; Sesquicentennial Commission meeting of April 23; Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority meeting of May 27.
• Approve all claims.
• Approve appointments recommended by the mayor.
• Approve drinking establishment licenses for Cross Town Tavern, 1910 Haskell Ave., No. 6; Moon Bar, 821 Iowa.

Bid and purchase items:

• Set bid date of July 29 for Project No. 26-SI1-301(C), Sixth Street and Lawrence Avenue, geometric and traffic signal improvements.
• Set bid date of July 29 for Project No. 37-SR6-703(C) 2003 overlay and curb repair program, Phase 3.
• Award bid No. 0338 for a fuel management system for the Public Works department to The Topeka Pump Co. for $41,283 for the fuel lock system and $1,995 for the optional gate opening system, for a total of $43,278.

Adopt on second and final reading the following ordinances:

• Ordinance No. 7661, adopting the 2000 Uniform Plumbing Code.
• Ordinance No. 7664, rezoning 0.51 acres from RS-1 (single-family residence) district to RO-1A (residence-office) district for property located at 501 Rockledge Road.
• Ordinance No. 7665, rezoning 1.81 acres from RS-1 (single-family residence) district to RO-2 (residence-office) district for property located at 505 and 515 Rockledge Road.
• Charter Ordinance No. 35, allowing the sale of alcoholic liquor on Sundays and holidays, and allowing the City Commission to establish hours of Sunday sales and restrict certain holidays by ordinary ordinance. (Four affirmative votes are required for charter ordinances.)
• Ordinance No. 7666, allowing the sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic liquor on Sept. 6 at Burcham Park for the Lawrence Mountain Bike Club’s “Tour De Fat” fund-raiser.
• Ordinance No. 7667, establishing Sunday liquor sale hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and prohibiting retail liquor sales on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day, upon the effectiveness of Charter Ordinance No 35.
• Ordinance No. 7668, renaming West 15th Street from Iowa Street west to the city boundaries as Bob Billings Parkway. This ordinance will be effective on and after Aug. 1, 2004.
• Ordinance No. 7650, establishing requirements for traffic impact studies, as amended by the City Commission on July 8.
• Adopt Resolution No. 6479, authorizing additional general obligation bond authority in the amount of $500,000 for improvements at Sixth Street and Kasold Drive.

Approve the following Use Permitted upon Review requests:

• For a proposed early childhood center. The proposed center is generally described as being located at East Heights School, 1430 Haskell Ave. Submitted by BG Consultants Inc. for Unified School District No. 497, property owner of record.
• For Village Meadows, a proposed continuum retirement community. The proposed community proposes 194 total support areas in the continuing care retirement center and 109 independent living units. The property contains approximately 21.65 acres and is generally described as being located north of 24th Place between Crossgate Drive and Inverness Drive. Submitted by Paul Werner Architects LLC for Continuum Associates LTD, property owners of record.
• Approve temporary use permitted upon review for a Health and Wellness Expo at Therapy Works; 1112 W. Sixth St. from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday. Requested by Dena Johnston of Therapy Works P.A.
• Approve a request to rezone a tract of land containing approximately .827 acres from RS-1 (single-family residence) district to C-5 (limited commercial) district. The property is described as being located at 1918 E. 23rd St. Submitted by H-Z Investments L.L.C. for William O. Peters, property owner of record.
• Approve temporary placement of directional signs in city public right-of-way as signs of community interest pursuant to the sign code for the Dole Institute of Politics dedication events, July 18-July 22.
• Authorize the mayor to sign subordination agreements for: Kimberly Lynn Johnson, 2705 Trail Dust Court; Julee Smith, 2516 Crestline Court.
• City manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Hobbs-Taylor Lofts Development Proposal on the northeast corner of Eighth and New Hampshire streets.

a) Continue hearing of the appeal from the Historic Resources Commission finding that the development does “encroach upon, damage, or destroy” the Eldridge Hotel (Seventh and Massachusetts streets) and (old) Post Office (Seventh and New Hampshire streets), based on the Secretary of Interior standards and the guidelines adopted by the Historic Resources Commission to conduct reviews.

b) Continue appeal from the Downtown Design Guidelines ad hoc review committee’s determination that the proposed development is inconsistent with the Downtown Design Guidelines.

c) Consider approval of site plan subject to conditions.

d) Consider amendment to parking agreement governing city leased spaces on the eastern side of the 700 block of New Hampshire Street.

• Consider proposed study concerning median cut in planned improvements to West Sixth Street, at approximately 4800 block of West Sixth Street.
• Consider Planning Commission recommendations for annexation and rezoning for property generally located north of Peterson Road. Direct staff concerning proposed benefit districts, as appropriate.

a) A request to rezone a tract of land containing approximately 76.20 acres from R-1 (county single-family residential) district to RS-2 (single-family residence) district. The property is generally described as being located north of Peterson Road and east of Monterey Way (extended). Submitted by Landplan Engineering PA for North Stephens LC, property owners of record.

b) Annexation of the 76.20 acres.

c) A request to rezone a tract of land containing approximately 55.95 acres from R-1 (county single-family residential) district to RS-2 (single-family residence) district. The property is generally described as being located north of Peterson Road and west of Monterey Way (extended). Submitted by Landplan Engineering PA for Russell Tuckel, owner, and Michael D. Stultz, contract purchaser of record.

d) Annexation of the 55.95 acres.

e) Consider staff memorandum concerning proposed benefit districts for Monterey Way, Peterson Road, Kasold Drive, and the intersection of Kasold and Peterson.

• Conduct public hearing to consider the vacation of a portion of right-of-way of Terrace Lane, south of Oxford Road in Valley View Addition No. 3, a replat of Valley View Addition No. 2.
• Conduct public hearing to consider the vacation of a portion of the platted 15-foot utility easement located on Lot 1B, a lot split for Lot 1, Quail Crest Addition.