Agenda highlights • 6:35 p.m. Tuesday • City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets • Sunflower Broadband Channel 25 • Meeting documents online at lawrenceks.org

Can chickens come home to roost?

Bottom line

City commissioners will take up the topic of whether people should be allowed to keep chickens inside the city limits.

Background

Earlier this year, leaders with the Lawrence Humane Society expressed concern about the keeping of live fowl in the city limits, primarily because chickens could potentially spread disease. But several residents who keep chickens for egg or meat production urged city commissioners to allow chickens to be kept. City staff members recently researched other cities’ policies. They found the majority of large cities in the state allow chickens to be kept in city limits, but many require the birds to be kept a certain distance away from neighboring properties. For example, Lenexa requires chicken owners to have a lot of at least one acre, while Topeka dictates that chickens can’t be kept within 50 feet of another person’s dwelling. Some cities, such as Wichita, also prohibit roosters due to noise concerns.

Other business

Recognition

• Recognition of 2008 Excellence in Commerce winners.

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from Nov. 11.

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions.

• Approve claims.

• Approve licenses as recommended by the Department of Administrative Services.

• Bid and purchase items:

a.) Set bid opening date of Dec. 16 for Bid B08091 Chemical Feed Pumps and associated equipment and Bid B08092 Chemical Storage Tanks and associated equipment for the Kaw WTP Disinfection Conversion Project.

b.) Award construction contract for Bid B08086, Kaw Water Treatment Plant Disinfection Conversion, to the low bidder, Midland Contractor’s Inc., for $237,200.

c.) Approve recommended bids for water treatment chemicals for 2009.

d.) Award contract for supplier of nonalcoholic beverages for both fountain operations and vending machines at all Lawrence Parks & Recreation Department locations for a five-year period to Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Inc.

e.) Approve purchase from Eagle Software Inc. of a Dell EqualLogic storage area network for in-car digital video storage for $48,150 ($16,000 City funds and $32,150 grant funding); pursuant to Sept. 2 City Commission authorization for police department in-car digital video system.

6. Adopt on first reading:

a.) Ordinance No. 8359, rezoning (Z-06-07-07) a tract of land 25.97 acres (approximately 31.296 acres with adjacent right-of-way) from PCD-2 (Planned Commercial Development) to PCD- with modifications in the restrictions. The property is at the northeast corner, Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive.

• Adopt these ordinances on second and final reading:

a.) Ordinance No. 8347, levying transit sales taxes.

b.) Ordinance No. 8348, levying infrastructure sales tax.

c.) Ordinance No. 8349, establishing a Sales Tax Audit Committee.

d.) Ordinance No. 8352, establishing the maximum assessments for improvements at 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive.

e.) Ordinance No. 8351, establishing the maximum assessments for improvements at Stoneridge Drive and Kelly Drive.

• Approve Special Use Permit, SUP-09-09-08, for Westside Plaza for addition of a healthcare office (oral surgery), at 4811 Bob Billings Parkway. Submitted by Adam Williams, for NEK Management LLC, property owner of record. Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8356, authorizing the Special Use Permit for Westside Plaza.

• Approve Comprehensive Plan, CPA-2008-3, amending Chapter 6-Commercial Land Use–Inner-Neighborhood Commercial Uses to correct inconsistencies between the description in the comprehensive plan and the Land Development Code including location and an update as to where existing neighborhood commercial centers are located. Adopt on first reading, joint City Ordinance No. 8357/County Resolution No. ____, amending Chapter 6-Commercial Land Use–Inner-Neighborhood Commercial Centers for Comprehensive Plan, CPA-2008-3.

• Approve Site Plan, SP-07-54-08, for outdoor dining at Teapouro, 712 Mass., and adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8353, allowing the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the sidewalk dining and hospitality portion of city right-of-way.

• Approve Site Plan, SP-08-76-08, for outdoor dining at Global Café, 820 Mass., and approve a sidewalk dining and hospitality license.

• Authorize staff to negotiate an Engineering Services Agreement with Bartlett & West for Design and Construction Phase Engineering Services for the benefit district projects for sanitary sewer and water improvements to Bauer Brook Estates, City project Nos. 08S013 and 08W008.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda items

• Consider authorizing staff to submit a new bid for former Farmland Nitrogen facility.

• Review items related to keeping of live fowl and domesticated hedgehogs.

• Consider changes to the sidewalk snow and ice removal ordinance.

• Consider approving Comprehensive Plan Amendment, CPA-2008-9, amending Horizon 2020, Chapter 14 Specific Plans, to add a reference to and incorporate the K-10 & Farmer’s Turnpike Plan and consider adopting on first reading, joint City Ordinance No. 8358/County Resolution No. ____, amending Horizon 2020, Chapter 14 Specific Plans by approving and incorporating by reference, CPA-2008-9.

• Consider approving Comprehensive Plan Amendment CPA-2008-6, amending Horizon 2020, Chapter 14 Specific Plans, to add a reference to and incorporate the West of K-10 Plan and consider adopting on first reading, Joint City Ordinance No. 8340/County Resolution No. ____, by approving and incorporating by reference, CPA-2008-6.

• Receive draft 2009 Legislative Policy Statement.

• Consider adopting on first reading, Ordinance No. 8337, enacting eligibility requirements and qualifications for members of the governing body.

• Receive preliminary staff report on primary election issue regarding the number of candidates needed to have a city election primary.