Bottom line

City commissioners will consider a change to the sidewalk dining and hospitality ordinance to allow Louise’s Downtown, 1009 Mass., to have a sidewalk seating area.

Background

Louise’s currently doesn’t qualify for a sidewalk seating and drinking area on the Massachusetts Street sidewalk because it has a back deck available for patrons. City regulations only allow bars to have the sidewalk areas if they have no other option for providing an outdoor seating area. City staff members say the City Commission could change the ordinance to allow Louise’s request, but the change essentially would allow every bar downtown to have a sidewalk seating section.

Other business

Joint city/county meeting

• City and county officials will meet at 5 p.m. with KDOT officials to discuss a recently released Amtrak study.

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from April 6.

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions.

• Approve claims.

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

• Adopt these ordinances on second and final reading:

a. Ordinance No. 8524, allowing the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on public property on June 26 for a wedding ceremony at South Park gazebo.

b. Ordinance No. 8521, for rezoning of approximately 22.63 acres, from PUD (Planned Unit Development) to OS (Open Space), at the southeast of 27th Street and Crossgate Drive.

c. Ordinance No. 8525, allowing sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor during designated times on June 25-26 on public property in South Park and the 1200 block of Vermont Street for the St. John Mexican Fiesta.

d. Ordinance No. 8522, updating the tax abatement criteria for additional incentives for high wages.

e. Ordinance No. 8523, updating the City’s Industrial Revenue Bond Policy.

f. Ordinance No. 8519, amending Article 16 of Chapter VI of the city code providing for licensing and operation of oversized pedicabs in the city.

• Receive request to establish a Community Improvement District (Ousdahl 23 Community Improvement District) near 23rd and Ousdahl streets from Lawrence 1714 LLC, Lawrence 23 Ousdahl LLC, and Got-Mor LLC.

• Receive final report and approve final change order in the amount of $40,297.61 to L.G. Barcus & Sons for the Bowersock Dam maintenance project.

• Approve these items related to the Lawrence Arts Center Street P’Arty:

a. A special event request for a street party for the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H. Submitted by Susan Tate, arts center executive director.

b. A temporary use of right-of-way permit allowing the closure of a portion of the 900 block of New Hampshire Street for the Arts Center Street P’Arty from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 12.

• Approve a temporary use of right-of-way permit for the Lawrence Public Library to close a portion of the 700 block of Vermont Street adjacent to the library from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 29 for the summer reading event kickoff festival.

• Declare an emergency and adopt on first and second reading Ordinance No. 8527, authorizing the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages at Clinton Park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. May 22.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Conduct public hearing for the dilapidated structures at 1313 Haskell Ave. Consider adopting a resolution that declares the structure unsafe and dangerous and ordering the property owner to repair or remove the structure within a specified period of time. Should the property owner fail to comply, the city would contract for the removal of structures.

• Receive staff report regarding a sidewalk dining and hospitality license for Louise’s downtown.