Bottom line

During their meeting Tuesday evening, Lawrence city commissioners will discuss the city’s enforcement of occupancy limits: No more than three unrelated people may live in a home in a single-family zoning district, and no more than four unrelated people may live in a single residence in a multidwelling zoning district. City staffers suggest two ways to “improve the compliance rate,” if deemed necessary: include “disincentives for being a repeat offender” in the city code; and have landlords sign a form requiring them to comply with the limits, acknowledging that violations would “result in expulsion” from the city’s rental registration program.

Background

The city started the rental registration program to address complaints about single-family homes being rented to large numbers of tenants, particularly in neighborhoods near Kansas University. Violations are investigated on a complaint basis. From 2005 through 2010, the city investigated 151 such cases, and 19 addresses were investigated more than once. Of the 151 cases, 33 involved eight property owners, an indication of repeat offenders straining the city’s enforcement resources, the city says. Overall, the city says, only about 1 percent of single-family homes registered as rentals are deemed in violation of occupancy limits.

Consent agenda

• Approve minutes from boards and commissions.

• Approve claims.

• Bid and purchase items:

a. Approve a $28,094.29 change order for the Department of Public Works’ 2009 Sidewalk Gap Program — work to include a KU lighted pathway project that had not been included in the original project scope and budget developed in 2010..

b. Award a $1,423,333 bid to R.D. Johnson Excavating for watermain replacements: Kentucky Street, from 12th to 19th streets; and Ninth Street, from Tennessee to Vermont streets, including alternatives.

• Adopt ordinances on final reading to:

a. Amend Chapters 4 and 6 of the City Code regarding alcohol licenses, to incorporate state law changes requiring biennial licensing.

b. Amend the maximum amount of compensation that a Judge Pro Tempore for Municipal Court may receive, from $50 per day to $250 per day.

c. Repeal higher fines and court costs for seat belt violations, to comply with a change in state law.

d. Rezone 0.3 acres from IG (General Industrial) to RS5 (Single-Dwelling Residential) at 525 and 527 N. Seventh St.

e. Approve a text amendment for the City of Lawrence Land Development Code, to change “Detention” from a use permitted by right in the IG (General Industrial) District to one permitted with Special Use approval.

• Initiate a text amendment for various sections of the City of Lawrence Land Development Code to review parking standards related to “Congregate Living” and “Multi-Dwelling Structure” uses.

• Approve installation of speed cushions on 11th Street and West Campus Road, with the city for the work up front and then get reimbursed by Kansas University.

Regular agenda

• Receive a staff report regarding public harvesting of fruit trees on city property.

• Discuss items raised during a Downtown Listening Session conducted May 19: Retail vacancies and retail growth management; retail/bar mix; event coordination with Convention and Visitors Bureau and KU; and support for arts downtown.

• Receive a staff memo regarding occupancy for unrelated persons in single-family and multifamily residential districts.

• Receive a list of potential audit topics from the city auditor.