Bottom line

City commissioners will consider approving a special taxing district for retail development near 23rd Street and Ousdahl Road.

Background

The special taxing district, called a Community Improvement District, would add a 1 percent sales tax to purchases made in the area. The special sales tax can be used for both public and private improvements on the site. The district includes the Hobby Lobby store, the former Kwik Shop, the Yokohama Sushi restaurant and a new Jimmy John’s restaurant.

Other business

Recognition

• Proclaim the last Friday of each month Final Fridays in downtown Lawrence.

• Proclaim the month of September 2010 to be National Preparedness Month.

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from June 15 and July 6.

• Approve all claims. The list of approved claims will be posted to the agenda the day after the City Commission meeting.

• Approve licenses as recommended by the City Clerk’s Office.

• Bid and purchase items:

a) Set bid date of Sept. 21 for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Projects at 1616 East Glenn Drive and 1315 E. 21st St.

b) Approve sale of surplus vehicles and equipment on Gov Deals.

c) Apply local purchasing preference policy and award bid for nine police cars for the Police Department to Laird Noller Automotive for $193,227.

d) Authorize staff to negotiate an Engineering Services Agreement with Professional Engineering Consultants for Design and Construction Phase Engineering Services for Priority Groups I and II of project UT0919CS, General Wastewater Pumping Station Improvements.

• Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8557, amending contractor licensing regulations found in Chapter 5, Articles 15 and 17 of the City Code.

• Adopt the following ordinance(s) on second and final reading:

a) Ordinance No. 8559, establishing a yield sign on Melrose Lane at 25th Street.

b) Ordinance No. 8558, adopting the 2010 Standard Traffic Ordinance and Other Kansas Traffic Law changes.

c) Ordinance No. 8561, allowing the jail fees assessed pursuant to Section 12-105 of the city code, to automatically be set at the levels actually charged the city by Douglas County.

• Approve Special Event, SE-08-24-10, for the location of a light truck and 40-foot-tall Verizon mobile cellular communication tower at 1101 Ind. (Berkeley Flats apartments) for the specific dates: Sept. 4; Sept. 11; Sept. 25; Oct. 14, Oct. 23; Nov. 6; and Nov. 20 home football games. Submitted by Selective Site Consultants. Berkeley Flats Apartments LLC, property owner of record.

• Authorize the mayor to sign State of Kansas Recovery Zone Bond Notice of Intent to Issue Forms related to the Berry Plastics and Bowersock Mills and Power Co.’s Projects.

• Approve selection of American General Life as city’s voluntary employee benefit vendor and authorize city manager to enter into contract negotiations with American General Life.

• Approve request by Cornerstone Architects, on behalf of the property owner of 821 Iowa, Xin Li Liu, for a waiver, with conditions, from 19-214B of the City Code which states that a private sanitary sewer service line shall not be located in a city public right of way for greater than 15 feet.

• Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the Rev It Up Half-Marathon on Oct. 2 to allow the use of various city streets including the closure of Louisiana Street from the Broken Arrow Park entrance south to 31st Street from approximately 7:45 a.m. to 8:05 a.m.

• Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit allowing the closure of Massachusetts Street from North Park Street to South Park Street on Sept. 12 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Fall Arts and Crafts Festival.

• Authorize the mayor to sign releases of mortgage for the following:

a) Joe and Minilee Bales, 1727 W. 21st St.;

b) Helena Boyle, 1211 Laura; and

c) James Moore, 2902 W. Seventh St.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Conduct bond and note sale.

• Conduct public hearing regarding a Community Improvement District (CID) at 23rd and Ousdahl streets and consider adopting on first reading, Ordinance No. 8565, establishing a Community Improvement District (CID) at 23rd and Ousdahl streets.

• Receive staff report regarding the Santa Fe Depot acquisition.

• Consider adopting on second and final reading, Ordinance No. 8560, pertaining to portable toilets, as amended by the City Commission on Aug. 17.

• Receive staff report regarding primary election for Office of City Commissioner and consider adopting on first reading Charter Ordinance No. 41, exempting the City of Lawrence from the nonuniform state statute on primary elections for the Office of City Commissioner and requiring a primary election if seven or more candidates file for office. Charter ordinances require a super-majority vote (four affirmative votes).

• Consider authorizing the city manager to enter into an engineering services agreement with Bartlett & West for surveying services in an amount of $33,575.00 for project PW1012, Street Reconstruction and Geometric Improvements for Iowa Street, Yale Road to Bob Billings Parkway.