Bottom Line

City commissioners will consider increasing the amount of tax increment financing that can be used on a proposed hotel project at Ninth and New Hampshire streets in downtown Lawrence.

Background

The hotel — which is slated to be built by a development group led by Lawrence businessman Doug Compton — wants to increase the cap on Tax Increment Financing for the project to $4 million, up from $3.5 million. But it is being proposed that the additional TIF money come from another project the development group is working on — a multistory apartment/office building on the northeast corner of the intersection. The development group has said it needs the additional TIF money to improve the financial feasibility of the hotel project.

• Proclaim the week of May 12 – 18 as Police Week and Wednesday, May 15, as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day.

• Proclaim the week of May 18 – 20 as Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Fill the Boot Days for MDA.

• Proclaim the week of May 19 – 25 as Public Works Week.

• Proclaim the month of May as Mental Health Month.

Consent agenda

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions:

• Approve all claims.  

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

• Bid and purchase items:

a.) Award bid for two pickups for the Parks and Recreation Department to Laird Noller Automotive for $35,392.  

b.) Award bid for a hybrid sedan for the Public Works Department Solid Waste Division to the low bidder, Crown Toyota, for $24,163.  

c.) Authorize the City Manager to sign an agreement with Manpower for an amount not to exceed $50,272 and approve the rental of equipment from Pavement Maintenance Supply Inc., in the amount of $8,400, for the in-house pavement marking and garage maintenance program.  

d.) Authorize the City Manager to approve a change order for Bid No. B1313, project UT1211 Clinton Filter Media Replacement, in the amount of an additional $99,700 and increase the engineering contract by $12,316 due to a change in scope.  

• Adopt on second and final reading Ordinance No. 8860 to rezone (Z-13-00057) approximately 2.54 acres from CS (Commercial Strip) District and RS7 (Single-Dwelling Residential) District to CS (Commercial Strip), located at 750 N. 3rd Street. (PC Item 1; approved 10-0 on 4/22/13)

• Approve a Special Event request, SE-13-00167, for a fundraiser BBQ cook-off at 1803 W 6th Street.  Submitted by Mount Oread Aerie #309 FOE, Inc., property owner of record.  

• Authorize staff to negotiate an Engineering Services Agreement with TREKK Design Group, LLC for Project UT1305 – Rapid Inflow and Infiltration Reduction.  

• Authorize City Manager to bind coverage for Public Official Liability and LawEnforcement Liability Insurance Coverage with AIG.  

• Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit allowing the closure of a portion of the 900 block of New Hampshire Street for the Arts Center Final Friday event and Art Tougeau Parade decorating event from noon, Friday, May 31 until 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 1; approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the Lawrence Art Guild allowing the closure of the 100 block of E 10th Street from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 for the Art Tougeau Parade after party event.  

• Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the Lawrence Busker Fest for the use of the sidewalk and 10 parking stalls in front of 900 Massachusetts Street, and the closure of the 100 block of E 7th Street and the 100 block of E 8th Street, on August 23-25; adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 8866, allowing the possession and consumption of alcohol on the public right of way on the 100 block of E 7th Street and the 100 block of E 8th Street during the event.  

• Authorize the City Manager to execute a license for the use of city property for agricultural use for Michael Morley, on behalf of the Pearl Clark Community Garden in Old West Lawrence, at 639 Illinois Street.  

• Approve free parking on Massachusetts Street from 6th Street to 11th Street and on the 100 blocks of East and West 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th streets on Tuesday, June 11, for a Lawrence GiveBack event.    

• Approve a sign permit for a mural installation on the rear of the building occupied by the Burger Stand at 803 Massachusetts Street.

• Authorize the Mayor to sign a Subordination Agreement for Jill E. Jevens, 1301 Prospect Avenue.  

• Receive request from Wicked Broadband for economic development funds; refer to staff for a report.

• Approve request from Douglas County Historical Society for $20,000 (guest tax reserve funds) for the new permanent exhibit on Quantrill’s raid/Lawrence’s history during the Bleeding Kansas period.

• Approve as signs of community interest, a request from the K-State Research & Extension Master Gardener to place signs in various rights-of-way to advertise the Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners’ 2013 garden tour from May 31 through June 2.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Conduct public hearing regarding the sale, possession and consumption of alcohol at the Arts Center Street Final Friday/Art Tougeau Parade decorating event, the Art Tougeau Parade After Party event, the Tour of Lawrence, and the Bike MS event, in downtown Lawrence at various dates in 2013.  

• Receive request from the developers of 9th & New Hampshire to amend the South Redevelopment Plan to increase the tax increment reimbursement cap from $3.5 million to $4 million; conduct a public hearing and consider adopting on first reading Ordinance No. 8865, approving a revised South Area Redevelopment Project Plan for the Ninth and New Hampshire Redevelopment District, authorizing corresponding changes in the redevelopment agreement, and authorizing consent to the assignment of the redevelopment agreement.  

• Consider authorizing the Mayor to sign a letter to the Kansas Attorney General and the Lawrence Police Department exempting all City buildings from the provisions of Senate Substitute for House Bill 2052 regarding firearms until January 1, 2014.  

• Consider authorizing the Mayor to sign a letter to the city’s Congressional delegation in support of the Marketplace Fairness Act, regarding sales tax on internet purchases.