Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning Department

 

TO:

Lawrence City Commission

David L. Corliss, Interim City Manager

FROM:

Amy Miller, Long Range Planner

CC:

Sheila Stogsdill

Debbie Van Saun

Date:

July 11, 2006

RE:

July 18, 2006 Agenda Item

TA-03-02G-06; Retail Market Impact Analysis

 

 

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the July 18, 2006 meeting:

TA-03-02G-06: Text amendments to 20-1107 regarding standards for Market Impact Analysis as part of site plan or zoning process.

 

The Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission voted 7-3 to forward the above text amendment to the City Commission with a recommendation for approval at their April 19, 2006 meeting. The City Commission stated their intent to wait to consider this item until after they had the chance to study the item further. This item was discussed at the June 12th Mid-month meeting of the Planning Commission where the City Commission was invited to participate as well.

 

The Planning Commission also initiated a text amendment to the approved code language at their June 28, 2006 meeting. That amendment would change the last sentence of 20-1107 (c) (2) (iv) from:

 

“Pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan, the project shall not be approved if the market impact analysis indicates the commercial project or proposed phase cannot be absorbed into the community within three years from the date of its estimated completion, or that it would result in a community-wide retail vacancy rate of greater than 8 percent.”

to:

“Pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan, the project may not be approved if the market impact analysis indicates the commercial project or proposed phase cannot be absorbed into the community within three years from the date of its estimated completion, or that it would result in a community-wide retail vacancy rate of greater than 8 percent.”

 

The Planning Commission also initiated a text amendment that would change that same language in Chapter 6 of Horizon 2020. Those text amendments will be placed on the August 2006 Planning Commission agenda for public hearing.

 

Planning Department staff requests that the above text amendment be considered for approval.