Bottom line

City commissioners will consider an ordinance that would make it possible to prosecute first-time marijuana offenses in Municipal Court rather than in Douglas County District Court.

Background

Commissioners previously have agreed on the general concept but have disagreed on whether there should be a minimum fine attached to the first-time marijuana offense. Staff members have given commissioners two possible ordinances to choose from. Both would impose a minimum fine of $300 and would give the judge some ability to reduce the fine if there are “substantial and compelling” reasons to do so. The second ordinance, though, lists several factors that could lead to a reduction in the minimum fine. They include: financial status of the defendant; amount of controlled substance or contraband possessed; the lack of criminal history for the defendant; any voluntary drug treatment the defendant enters before trial; and the defendant’s level of cooperation with law enforcement.

Other business

Recognitions

¢ recognition of former Lawrence Mayor Jim Owens.

¢ recognition of city stormwater engineer Chad Voigt

¢ recognition of four Haskell Indian Nations University students for their actions during the Boardwalk Apartment fire.

Consent agenda

¢ approve city commission meeting minutes from Nov. 11 meeting.

¢ receive minutes from various boards and commissions.

¢ approve all claims.

¢ approve licenses as recommended by the Department of Administrative Services.

¢ approve appointments as recommended by the mayor.

¢ bid and purchase items:

a.) award bid for stainless steel mixing equipment for the Utilities Department to JCI Industries for $47,400.

b.) reject all bids for the Access Management System for the Utilities Department.

c.) award bid for elevator maintenance to ThyssenKrupp Elevator for $19,080.

d.) Award HOOT rehabilitation project for 805 Madeline Lane to the low bidder, Natural Breeze Construction Inc. for $15,197.

¢ approve unanimous recommendation from the Traffic Safety Commission for the following items:

a.) permit parking on the Clinton Parkway frontage road in front of 3705 Clinton Parkway on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

b.) recommend an adult guard and/or flashing beacons at the school crossing at 27th Street adjacent to Sunflower School.

c.) establish no parking along the east side of Silicon Avenue.

d.) denial of the request to establish no parking in front of Rieger Hall in the 1300 block of Ohio Street (Note: Kansas University, the applicant, has asked to withdraw this request and no longer pursue it.)

¢ adopt on first reading:

a.) an ordinance allowing parking along the south side of Clinton Parkway frontage road in front of 3705 Clinton Parkway on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

b.) ordinance establishing no parking along the east side of Silicon Avenue.

c.) ordinance to rezone 4.5 acres from PRD-2 Planned Residential to PID-1 Planned Industrial. The property is north of Bob Billings Parkway between Wakarusa Drive and Research Park Drive.

d.) ordinance to rezone 3.88 acres from PRD-2 to M-1 Research Industrial. The property is north of Bob Billings Parkway between Wakarusa Drive and Research Park Drive.

e.) ordinance to rezone 10.281 acres from A Agriculture to RS-2 Single Family at 515 Monterey Way.

¢ adopt on second and final reading:

a.) ordinance establishing new bus zones along the south side of 15th Street.

b.) ordinance establishing an all-way stop at Constant Avenue and Becker Drive.

¢ authorize the mayor to sign a release of mortgage for Genevieve Henry, 528 Walnut.

¢ accept dedication of easements and rights of way for:

a.) final plat of Hedges Subdivision, a 0.319-acre residential subdivision.

b.) final plat for South School addition for the Lawrence school district.

c.) final plat for West/Sunset Hill School addition for the Lawrence school district.

d.) final plat for Lawrence High School addition for the Lawrence school district.

¢ approve site plan for two building additions to the Free Methodist Church at 3001 Lawrence Ave.

¢ receive letter from Korb Maxwell of Polsinelli Shalton Welte Seulthaus PC regarding the redevelopment project at Eighth and Pennsylvania streets.

¢ receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

¢ receive presentation from Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department regarding avian flu.

¢ conduct public hearing on proposed vacation of platted turnaround at 800 Broadview.

¢ consider approving request to rezone 2.59 acres from PRD-2 to POD-1 Planned Office. The property is generally north of West Sixth Street between Wakarusa Drive and Folks Road.

¢ consider text amendments to the city’s zoning code and the city-county subdivision regulations that relate to nonconforming property and exceptions of building setbacks that are solely the result of a governmental taking.

¢ consider adoption of an ordinance that would allow misdemeanor marijuana offenses to be prosecuted in Municipal Court.

¢ receive Burroughs Creek Study.

¢ receive a request from Community Design Committee for consultant services that relate to New Urbanism developments.

¢ provide direction to staff concerning 2006 Kansas Legislative Policy Statement.