RESOLUTION NO.

                                    A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY ESTABLISHING  

                                    GOALS FOR COORDINATION OF CERTAIN

                                    LONG-RANGE PLANNING EFFORTS IN THE

                                    CITY’S GROWTH AREAS

WHEREAS,     the City’s comprehensive plan, Horizon 2020, establishes the City’s and the County’s goals and policies for the future growth of our community; and

WHEREAS,     the Lawrence City Commission desires to enhance the City’s planning efforts to ensure the highest quality growth, development and re-development of the community, with particular emphasis on the values of sustainability, timely and cost-effective installation of public infrastructure prior or concurrent with development, appropriate allocation of cost between development and public resources, and design which enhances our community values; and

WHEREAS, the City is currently undertaking a number of studies, initiatives, and programs seeking to guide and plan the future growth of the community, including:

► The retention of the Placemaker’s consulting firm to conduct extensive public meetings in early 2007 to develop a new traditional neighborhood design development code which will have application to both new development and redevelopment opportunities in the community.

► The City has received a preliminary report, and will receive a final report in the coming weeks, from the American Institute of Architect’s Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT), which will provide final recommendations on enhancing the economic, social and built-environment sustainability of the community.

► The Lawrence – Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization is updating the community’s transportation master plan, Transportation 2030.

► The City has received a Cost of Growth Study indicating the public cost burden of residential development exceeds the public economic benefit of residential growth; highlighting the need to increase the community’s non-residential tax base and examine the appropriate cost allocation of public and private costs for public infrastructure.  The Cost of Growth Study continues to provide additional analysis on possible growth scenarios in potential growth areas of the community. 

► The City seeks to enhance affordable housing opportunities for all Lawrence residents, and is studying policy and program opportunities to improve efforts toward this goal.

► The City is implementing numerous master plan capital projects for the improvement of the City water and wastewater utility, including the planned construction of a water reclamation facility along the Wakarusa River.

► The City, along with its partners, the Chamber of Commerce and Douglas County, is seeking to enhance the economic vitality of our community, including the creation of additional opportunities for employment and the location of employment centers in Lawrence.  This effort includes fidelity to the ECO2 goals of concurrently growing appropriate industrial space along with open space opportunities in Lawrence and Douglas County.

► The City Commission has also expressed interest in modifying the City’s annexation policies to expand City boundaries prior to development requests to improve the extension of City services and reduce future City costs from inheriting rural standard infrastructure.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:

Section 1.   The Lawrence City Commission hereby directs, in coordination with the efforts of the Lawrence- Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission, the preparation of area plans for identified unincorporated areas to the west of K-10 and to the south of the Wakarusa River.  The area plans will reflect the adopted work and effort of the various planning items stated in the above recitals, and will be accomplished in a diligent manner to ensure their thorough and timely consideration and adoption.  Review of development requests for property located in these planned areas should reflect adherence to these adopted area plans.

Adopted this _____________ day of ___________________, 2007.

                                                                                    ________________________

                                                                                    Mike Amyx, Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________

Frank S. Reeb, City Clerk