Bottom Line

City commissioners will consider revising a code meant to protect several types of environmentally sensitive lands from development.

Background

The revisions included relaxing the requirement to protect certain types of environmentally sensitive lands, including native prairie remnants and steep slopes. The changes also include a provision to allow developers to increase the density of their developments, if they protect environmentally sensitive lands in amounts greater than required by the code. The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission previously approved the changes on a 7-0-1 vote.

Other business

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from May 4, May 18 and May 24.

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions:

• 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) Award bid for one full-size van for the police department to Shawnee Mission Ford for $20,620.

b) Approve purchase of a truck mounted spray injection patcher and oil storage tank (Houston/Galveston Mid America Region contract) and chassis (Kansas City Metro contract) for the public works department, for $164,000.

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

a) Ordinance No. 8539, for the rezoning (Z-3-4-10) of 2.61 acres from PD-[Home Improvement Center- PCD-2 with use restrictions] to PD-[Home Improvements Center- PCD-2 with use restrictions amended to include office uses], at 2000 & 2040 W. 31st St.

b) Ordinance No. 8540, for the rezoning (Z-4-5-10) of 11.99 acres from PCD-1 (Planned Commercial Development) to CS (Strip Commercial), at 1025-1035 N. Third St.

• Adopt the following resolution(s):

a) Resolution No. 6894, declaring 4824 W. 24th St. environmentally blighted and ordering the property owner to abate the violations within 20 days of the passage of said resolution. Failure of the property owner to comply will result in the city contracting to have the blight removed with expenses being assessed against the property.

b) Resolution No. 6895, declaring 4700 Broadway Drive environmentally blighted and ordering the property owner to abate the violations within 20 days of the passage of said resolution. Failure of the property owner to comply will result in the city contracting to have the blight removed with expenses being assessed against the property.

• Approve a contract with PB Americas Inc. for on-call traffic modeling services needed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in their conduct of the regional transportation planning program. The funding for this contract is 100 percent federal planning funds programmed by the MPO.

• Authorize mayor to sign city/state agreement for participation in the reconstruction of the 23rd Street Bridge.

• Authorize the city manager to execute Supplemental Agreement No.1 to the existing Design Phase Engineering Services Agreement with Black & Veatch increasing the scope of services from the addition of a heat dryer to the rehabilitation of Digester No. 3, with no change to the existing fee, for services in conjunction with project WW0601 improvements to the Anaerobic Digester Process at the City of Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Plant.

• Approve the following items related to The Sandbar Birthday Party:

a) Approve a temporary use of right-of-way-permit for The Sandbar Birthday Party for the closure of Eighth Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street from noon on Saturday, Aug. 14, to 1 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15.

b) Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8545, allowing the possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor on specified city property on Eighth Street from noon on Saturday, Aug. 14, to 1 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15.

• Authorize the city manager to sign a facility use license between the City and Ad Astra Area Aquatics for use of the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center for competitive swim practice.

• Authorize the city manager to execute a notice of intent to redeem state revolving loan funds. The city will issue general obligation bonds for this debt to be retired with utility revenue at a lower cost to the city.

• Approve as “signs of community interest” a request from First Southern Baptist Church to place a sign in the right-of-way at 4300 W. Sixth St. promoting its church-wide/neighborhood carnival on Sunday, Aug. 15. The sign would be placed for two weeks, beginning July 31 and ending Aug. 15 after the event.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Receive report from county/city sustainability coordinator on work plan.

• Consider request from Lawrence 1714, LLC, Lawrence 23 Ousdahl, LLC, and Got-Mor, LLC for formation of a Community Improvement District (CID) near 23rd and Ousdahl Streets.

• Consider authorizing staff to approve a temporary use of right-of-way permit for the use of portions of the public right-of-way along Oread Avenue, 12th Street and Indiana Street on various dates in fall 2010 for the Oread Hotel block parties.

• Consider approving Text Amendment, TA-12-27-07, to various sections of the City of Lawrence Land Development Code, Chapter 20, to revise the Protection Standards for Environmentally Sensitive Areas, to provide more precise definitions, and to include incentives for protection of sensitive lands beyond that required by Code.