Bottom line

City commissioners will consider approving $500,000 in funding for an expansion of the Bioscience and Business Technology Center on Kansas University’s West Campus.

Background

The bioscience incubator on West Campus is fully leased with nine tenants that have generated 75 local jobs. Leaders of the center are now proposing an expansion that would roughly double the size of the facility. Douglas County commissioners recently committed $1 million to the project over a 10-year period. The city last year approved $500,000 in funding for the expansion. The city has budgeted to provide $500,000 in 2012. Tuesday’s action would allow the city to proceed with issuing $500,000 worth of debt this fall, which will allow the city to provide the funding to the center.

Recognition

• Proclaim the week of April 15-21 as A Celebration of Volunteering Week.

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from March 27 and April 3, 2012.

• 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 the base bid and alternate bids for the 2012 Concrete Rehabilitation Program, Project No. PW1205, to RD Johnson Excavating Co., Inc., for an amount of $490,656.

B) Award Bid No. B1227, Airport Glide Path Obstruction Tree Removal project, to Custom Tree Care, Inc., for $63,000 and authorize the City Manager to sign a contract.

C) Authorize the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 2 to the construction contract with Wildcat Construction Co. Inc. for priority group II of Project UT0919CS General Wastewater Pumping Station Improvements increasing the contract amount by $31,478 and extending the contract time by 32 calendar days.

D) Authorize the City Manager to execute a Construction Phase Engineering Services Agreement with Professional Engineering Consultants in the amount of $50,000 for Priority Group I of Project UT0919CS General Wastewater Pumping Station Improvements.

E) Approve payment to JCI Industries for $15,215 for the repair of Item 35 from 2011 Pump Rehab for Pump Station 32 located at 1723 E. 30th St.

• Adopt on second and final reading, Ordinance No. 8725, prohibiting the parking of large vehicles and recreational vehicles on Massachusetts Street, from 11th Street to South Park Street, South Park Street, from Vermont Street to New Hampshire Street, and Vermont Street, from South Park Street to 11th Street.

• Approve the following items for Yankee Tank/Lake Alvamar annexation:

A) Annexation, A-8-3-11, of approximately 17.4 acres for Yankee Tank, located south of Bob Billings Pkwy., north of Clinton Parkway, east of Villa Drive, and west of Burning Tree Drive. Submitted by North Tank LC and Burning Tree LLC, property owners of record.

B) Annexation, A-8-4-11, of approximately 109 acres for Yankee Tank (commonly known as Lake Alvamar), located north of Clinton Parkway, south & west of Lake Alvamar Drive, and east of East 920 Road.

C) Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8697, Ordinance No. 8698, Ordinance No. 8699, Ordinance No. 8700, and Ordinance No. 8701, for the annexation of approximately 126 acres for Yankee Tank/Lake Alvamar.

• Initiate Text Amendment, TA-4-2-12, to the Land Development Code to create a mental health care use within an appropriately determined existing zoning district.

• Authorize City Manager to execute an Additional Engineering Services Agreement with Bartlett & West for Design Services for additional lane on 15th Street east of Iowa and shared-use path from west project limits to Crestline Drive.

• Authorize City Manager to sign a request for Federal funding at the Lawrence Municipal Airport for an Environmental Assessment in an amount of $65,000.

• Authorize staff to submit FY 2015 Geometric Improvement Application for reconstruction of US 40, between K-10 and the future Recreational Center.

• Authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with 720, LLC regarding the Neighborhood Revitalization Project at 720 E. Ninth St.

• Receive draft 2011 Report: Tax Abatements and Economic Development Incentives and refer to the Public Incentives Review Committee.

• Approve request by Joy Rhea, Paul Werner Architects on behalf of the owner, JPM Properties, LLC, for a variance for 1219 E. 23rd St. from 19-214 (B) of the City Code which states that a private sanitary sewer service line shall not be located in a City public utility easement or City public right-of-way for a length of greater than fifteen (15) feet.

• Approve as signs of community interest, a request from the KU Endowment Association to place signs in the right-of-way at Bob Billings Parkway and Westbrook Drive on Saturday, April 21, 2012 to promote the 4th annual Hawk Mud Fest.

• Approve as signs of community interest, a request from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to place signs throughout the City from April 16 to April 28 to promote Walk MS Lawrence.

• Approve as signs of community interest, a request from the Lawrence Home Builders Association to place directional signs in various rights-of-way throughout the City from April 28 to May 6 for the Spring Parade of Homes, contingent on adjacent property owner approval.

• Receive letter from the University of Kansas regarding Community Program Advisory Committee for the Learnard Hall, Engineering Expansion Phase 2 project; authorize City Manager to designate City staff member for participation in committee.

• Authorize the Mayor to sign a Release of Mortgage for David and Tiffany Body, 912 Schwartz Road.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Receive request from the Bioscience and Technology Center (BTBC) requesting funding from the City of Lawrence for Phase II of the BTBC expansion project. The City has already issued $500,000 in 2011 for the project and plans to include the final $500,000 in the 2012 fall debt issuance.

• Receive staff update on status of proposed skate park improvements at Centennial Park and Deerfield Park. Consider authorizing staff to negotiate a contract and issue a purchase order for $30,000 to Whoskates for the design/build services to improve the Deerfield Skate Park.

• Consider approving a Text Amendment, TA-2-1-12, to the Land Development Code to revise the minimum amount of area of a structure needed to be eligible for a 0.5 parking space per bedroom standard from 3,500 square feet to 4,500 square feet. Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8726, for a Text Amendment (TA-2-1-12) to the Land Development Code to revise the minimum amount of area of a structure needed to be eligible for a 0.5 parking space per bedroom standard from 3,500 square feet to 4,500 square feet. Initiated by City Commission on Jan. 24, 2012.

• Consider a Text Amendment, TA-10-16-11, to Chapter 20 of the City Code, Land Development Code, to review the uses of the existing industrial districts, explore creating a new district that permits uses with intensities between the IL (Limited Industrial) district and IG (General Industrial) district, review the Gas and Fuel Sales use and create a Truck Stop use which could affect commercial and industrial zoned properties.

• Receive audit recommendation follow-up memo from the City Auditor.