Bottomline

City commissioners will consider approving a benefit district to fund approximately $9.5 million in infrastructure costs for the former Farmland Industries property, which the city is converting into a business park.

Background

The benefit district theoretically will allow the city to recoup some of its costs for infrastructure at the time the property is sold to future business park tenants. The benefit district will place a special assessments on the property tax bills of future property owners. But until the business park attracts any tenants, the city will pay the special assessments on the property. City officials also have said the city may offer to continue paying the special incentives in the future as an incentive to attract companies to the business park. The city has funds in its bond and interest fund to make the $9.5 million in bond payments for the infrastructure work, which is largely new streets and sewers for the property.

Recognition

• Proclaim March 10 – 17 as Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church 150th Anniversary Celebration Week.

• Proclaim Sunday, March 17 as the Twenty-Sixth Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Consent agenda

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions:

• Approve all claims.  

• Approve licenses as recommended by the City Clerk’s Office.    

• Approve appointments as recommended by the Mayor.

• Bid and purchase items:

a.) Set Bid Date of March 19, 2013 for City Bid No. B1315, Project PW1319 – 2013 Concrete Rehabilitation Program.  

b.) Set a bid date of March 26, 2013 for Bid No. B1313, Project UT1211 – Clinton Filter Media Replacement.  

c.) Authorize the City Manager to execute Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the existing Engineering Services Agreement with HNTB in the amount of $59,004 for Design, Bid and Construction Phase Engineering Services for Additional Watermain Scope for Project UT1205 South Lawrence Traffic Way Utility Relocations.  

• Adopt on first reading, the following ordinances related to Westar projects:  

a.) Ordinance No. 8848, providing for the dedication of public right-of-way on the east side of Park West Subdivision and Glenwood Addition No. 2, additions to the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas (along Eisenhower Drive on the Northwest side of City park property generally located at Wakarusa Drive and Overland Drive).

b.) Ordinance No. 8849, providing for the dedication of public right-of-way on the south side of Lot 3A, Lot Split of Lot 2 and Lot 3, University Corporate and Research Park Subdivision No. 1, an addition to the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas (along Bob Billings Parkway adjacent to the Investigation and Training Center).

c.) Ordinance No. 8850, providing for the dedication of public right-of-way on the south side of Tract A of the amended plat of Quail Run No. 2, an addition to the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas (along Bob Billings Parkway adjacent to the McGrew Nature Trail).

• Adopt on second and final reading, Ordinance No. 8815, removing street parking on the south side of 9th Street, between Tennessee and Kentucky Streets.

• Authorize Mayor to sign a Release of Mortgage for Diane Alison Roepe, 1627 Learnard Avenue.  

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Receive staff report regarding Farmers Market use of a privately owned parking lot on the northeast corner of 9th and Rhode Island. Consider directing staff to negotiate agreement(s) regarding the Farmers Market use of city property or private property.  

• Conduct public hearing regarding proposed benefit district at the former Farmland property and consider adopting Resolution No. 7015 (sanitary sewer) and Resolution No. 7016 (street infrastructure) setting out the findings of the Governing Body and directing the improvements to be made.  Consider authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Douglas County deferring special assessments for the benefit district, pending development or sale.  

• Conduct a public hearing and consider adopting Resolution No. 7014, authorizing issuance of up to $40 million in industrial revenue bonds and a 100% 10-year property tax abatement on the KU facility portion of the Rock Chalk Park project.    

• Consider adopting on second and final reading, Ordinance No. 8842, authorizing the development agreement and authorizing the reimbursement of city fees related to Rock Chalk Park and Ordinance No. 8844, a Main Trafficway Ordinance designating streets to be improved/constructed as main trafficways related to Rock Chalk Park.

• Receive staff report related to request to consider revising Section 903.2.7, Condition #4 of the 2009 International Fire Code that would remove the standard that requires buildings that contain upholstered furniture to have fire suppression sprinkler systems.  

• Consider Ordinance No. 8840 revising Chapter VI, Article 13, Rental of Dwelling Units, which would expand the rental licensing program to all rented structures within the city with certain exceptions as identified in Ordinance No. 8840.