Memorandum
City of Lawrence
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TO: |
Mayor and City Commissioners |
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FROM: |
David L. Corliss, Interim City Manager Sheila Stogsdill, Acting Planning Director
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CC: |
Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager |
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Date: |
May 4 , 2006 |
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RE: |
Various Planning Items and Efforts |
The purpose of this memorandum is to advise the Commission on the status of a number of long range planning items. Additionally, the memorandum seeks to discuss the general framework for our long range planning, accountability and ownership for the implementation of the various plans that we have adopted, and efforts to improve the content of our plans. This discussion might be better facilitated in a study session environment, however, we want to keep these projects moving and we desire that our work reflect the direction of the Commission.
Plans and the Hierarchy of Plans
Attached is a summary of various planning documents, which includes both land use plans and general plans for specific City services. Staff continues to work on improved methods to ensure that these various planning documents remain relevant to operational decisions and that there is ownership by the impacted departments in the use and monitoring of these plans. It is not simply enough to adopt plans; we must also actively manage plans to ensure their long term integrity. The Planning Commission and Planning staff follows a process of periodic review of the chapters in the City’s comprehensive plan.
One of the methods to coordinate land use plans is the development of a consistent hierarchy of plans. The effort to develop a hierarchy of plans continues at the Planning Commission level. Staff anticipates the hierarchy to be placed on the June Planning Commission agenda for further discussion. Related to this work is the importance of assuring that adopted area plans, corridor plans or other “sub” plans are appropriately included in amendments to the comprehensive plan.
The recent enactment of the new Development Code will serve as an additional tool in the future creation and adoption of plans. The value of predictable zoning designations for property based on adopted plans can be enhanced by indicating recommended zoning designations or ranges of zoning designations for specific properties in area plans. This can avoid the reliance on “blob” maps used in area plans and attempt to ensure consistent translation from the long range planning document to approved zoning categories and approved developments.
We also want to coordinate our current long range planning efforts with related efforts underway. This includes the possible consultant work and possible adoption of a parallel code to reflect community design interests and it also can reflect the work of the SDAT grant which will also move forward in coming months. We want our long range planning work to complement, not contradict, these developments in our planning goals.
Involvement of the Planning Commission and their appropriate committees in all of these items will also occur.
Status of Area Plans and Other Planning Items
Southeast Area Plan
The City Commission has requested that a consultant be retained to assist in developing an adoptable consensus Southeast Area Plan. Attached is a scope of services for a consultant which can be authorized for dissemination to the consultant community. It is staff’s understanding that the role of the consultant is not create a separate plan for this area, but to engage the stakeholders interested in the southeast area and rigorously explore options to achieve the goals and desired outcomes expressed by the stakeholders. Through this process, a consensus plan would emerge for consideration by both the City and County Commission bodies. The Commission will also soon receive a report on the 31st Street issue as well.
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Timeline |
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1997 |
Planning process began. All the relevant City plans were consulted and meeting with area landowners were held.
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1998 – 2004 |
Draft of the plan was created and presented to the Commissions but not adopted. Between 1998 and 2004, the land use portion of the plan was updated to address the area’s change in conditions.
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2005 |
In February 2005, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Southeast Area Plan and forwarded the draft to the City Commission and County Commission. In June 2005 the City Commission sent the draft back to Planning Commission for further discussion and the County Commission rejected the draft. In August 2005 the Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) met to review comments and redefined the study area to include the all lands east of the city limits to the city’s Urban Growth Area boundary, from the Wakarusa River on the south to the Kansas River on the north. The new plan was to be named the Eastern Area Plan.
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2006 |
In January 2006 the CPC wrote a letter to the City Commission regarding critical issues in the area. The CPC is awaiting guidance on the plan from the City Commission regarding the issues and a possible consultant.
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Northwest Area
Planning staff continues to work with the City Utilities Department and Black & Veatch in the development of updated land use concepts and population projections for the Northwest Area Update of the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan. This update is anticipated to be completed later this year.
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Timeline |
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1997 |
The Northwest Plan was adopted. This plan provided land use objectives for Sections 20, 21, 28 and 29. The area is north of 6th Street, west of Folks Road, south of the Farmer’s Turnpike and generally east of K-10.
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December 2003 |
The West 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive Area Plan was adopted. The purpose of this small area plan was to ensure appropriate and compatible development of the intersection of West 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive.
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November 2003 |
The West 6th and South Lawrence Trafficway Nodal Plan was adopted. This plan was created to encourage appropriate development of an area foreseen as a major gateway into the community.
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late 2005 |
The City began an effort to update the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan for the Northwest Area. This update encompasses all four sub-basins of the Baldwin Creek Drainage Basin. This is a larger area than what was covered in the Northwest Area Plan and stretches west of K-10. Planning Staff worked with Black & Veatch to provide a future land use concept for the area and full build-out population projections.
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Parallel Code Development
The Community Design Committee has requested an opportunity to make a presentation and request to the City Commission on May 16, 2006. The request will focus on possible retention of a consultant to assist in the development of new Code provisions, alternative Code provisions to reflect some of the work of the community design committee. It will be important to coordinate the work of the development of new Code provisions with some of the larger long term planning items. For example, as we look to plan the area west of K-10 or south of existing City boundaries/south of the Wakarusa, we have an excellent opportunity to plan larger areas far in advance of development requests and with new Code provisions that might be enacted.
Transportation Chapter of Horizon 2020
The Planning Commission has made a recommendation on amendments to the Planning Chapter of Horizon 2020. These amendments include the Planning Commission’s continued concern about an east-west arterial corridor/street in the northern part of the city – the extension of Peterson Road issue. We recommend that when this item is placed on a City Commission agenda that the City Commission also consider retaining an engineering design firm to provide the Commission with a concept plan for an east-west arterial corridor/street in this area, with the understanding that it not include the extension of Peterson Road immediately west of Folks Road. Planning for this east-west road is appropriate at this time.
West of K-10 Area Planning & South of Existing City Limits Area Planning
Planning for these areas will begin with data collection, infrastructure overview and requirements, and meetings with interested stakeholders. It will be important to coordinate directions from SDAT, parallel code, and other efforts to ensure that area planning efforts for these new areas is complementary.
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Timeline |
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Late 2005 |
City staff has met with various property owners west of K-10 to discuss possible annexation/land use/extension of City service issues in this area. The property owners indicated that a development proposal was not imminent in terms of months, but likely in the near future in terms of seeking the necessary approvals to be able to seek building permits later this decade. Staff identified a number of issues which will impact any development in this area, including but not limited to: extension of sanitary sewer services, extension of water service, proximity to fire/medical department services, the importance of the K-10/ Bob Billings Parkway interchange, the Commission and the community’s interest in a different type/style of residential subdivision design, parks and open space opportunities. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
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2006 |
The City Commission directed staff at their February 14th 2006 meeting to prepare an outline of the planning process for an area plan fro the area west of K-10. Staff has prepared a draft timeline for the project and proposed a study area. The proposed study area is broken into three smaller areas. This will allow staff to provide information in varying degrees. Area 1, the area closest to the city, will include the most detailed information, Area 2 will include broader detail, and Area 3 will have basic framework. By studying the entire area at varying degrees, it allows for timing to be identified for when the Area 2 and Area 3 should be planned in greater detail for development. Staff is awaiting direction.
The location for the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility along the Wakarusa River south of the city will require a similar planning effort. This will involve creation of more detailed land use, transportation, utility and community facilities plans for the property within the Urban Growth Area.
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North of North Street Area Plan
Staff is going to review the completed North Lawrence Drainage Study for appropriate incorporation into the pending North of North Street area plan. Planning for this area began in 2000 and has been on hold pending completion of the drainage study. The Eco2 Report is also anticipated to influence additional land use planning for this area.
Commissioners indicated a desire to have staff work on a 9th Street corridor plan, roughly between Maine and Tennessee Streets. In December 2005 the City Commission received a memo regarding information on the W. 9th Street Corridor. At the meeting, the Commission requested more information regarding the difference between an area plan and an overlay. Staff prepared a memo comparing the two. Both memos and the Commission minutes are attached. Long range planning staff will develop a study scope and timeframe for the Commission’s consideration on this project.