Lawrence City Commission

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

Bottomline

Commissioners will review another request from developers of properties at 23rd and Ousdahl streets to create a special taxing district to help finance public and private improvements at the intersection.

The request outlines a proposed agreement that would call for “bioswales” to be created in the area to help address existing drainage problems at the intersection.

Retailers included in such a district would charge an additional 1 percent sales tax to help finance improvements. The affected properties would be a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, a Yokohama sushi restaurant and a former Kwik Shop, which would be slated for demolition and replaced by a new retail building.

Developers also want to include Hobby Lobby, on the south side of 23rd, in the district.

Background

Commissioners first considered an earlier request in August and told Mission-based MD Management Inc. that they’d need more information about the plans — particularly a potential expansion of Hobby Lobby — before signing off.

Hobby Lobby officials “simply are not ready to proceed with detailed development of improvement plans until they complete their internal process, which could take a number of months,” said MD’s Jim Harpool, in a Nov. 29 letter to City Manager David Corliss.

While MD cannot “force” Hobby Lobby to make improvements, Harpool said, given the constraints in the company’s lease, he is confident that creation of an improvement district would be an incentive for officials to move forward with plans for drainage improvements along 23rd Street, other site and landscaping improvements, and “expansion and renovation” of the existing building.

Consent agenda

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions.

• Approve claims.

• Approve licenses recommended by the city clerk’s office.

• Approve appointments recommended by the mayor.

• Bid and purchase items:

1. Set a bid date of Jan. 25 for the north final electrical and Kaw well field electrical improvements.

2. Authorize the city manager to execute a one-year contract renewal with Marsh McBirney-Hach, beginning in January, for data delivery services associated with the wastewater collection system’s long-term flow and rainfall monitoring program in the amount of $52,800.

• Authorize acceptance of a grant under the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Act for the funding of a specialized detective position responsible for targeting and investigating violent crimes against women. The grant is in the amount of $53,613 and a local match of $17,871 is required.

• Accept additional dedication of easements for a preliminary plat for Riverside Business Park, a two-lot subdivision containing about 30.5 acres at 2030 Packer Court. Submitted by Bartlett and West for Riverside Development Inc. and Riverside Business Park LLC, property owners.

• Approve a request by Landplan Engineering, made on behalf of DC Holdings LC, the property owner of record for 3801 W. Sixth St., for a variance from the city code that requires that a private sanitary sewer service line not be located in city right of way for greater than 15 feet.

• Authorize the mayor to sign an amended Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant agreement accepting an additional $475,000 funding allotment for low- to moderate-income housing projects. There is no local match required for this grant funding.

Regular agenda

• Receive an update on the status of city code compliance efforts at 1313 Haskell Ave. and consider deferring the demolition order for the property for 60 days.

• Receive a revised request from MD Management Inc. concerning formation of a Community Improvement District at 23rd and Ousdahl Streets.