Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Department of Administrative Services

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Frank S. Reeb, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
CC:	Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager
Date:	November 15, 2007
RE:	Downtown Lawrence Inc. KU Football Watch Party on November 24th

The City Clerk’s Office has received a request from Downtown Lawrence, Inc., (“DLI”) to allow alcoholic beverages on the city owned portion of the vacant lot on the corner of 9^th Street and New Hampshire Street as part of the planned Kansas Missouri football game watch party on Saturday, November 24^th.  DLI staff is working with a licensed caterer to provide alcoholic beverages for the event.  The City Clerk’s office has also received a related request for the use of right of way for the city owned portion of the vacant lot.  DLI has also applied for a Temporary Special Event Permit with the Lawrence Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Office. 

The possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on City property is prohibited by City Code.  However, section 4-105(E) of the City Code allows the City Commission to exempt, by ordinance, specified City property from the prohibition of alcoholic beverages on public property.  Therefore, an ordinance allowing the temporary sale, possession and consumption is required.  I have attached a copy of Ordinance No. 8210 for the Commission’s consideration.  This ordinance authorizes the sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on November 24, 2007, on the city owned portion of the vacant lot on the southwest corner of 9^th & New Hampshire Streets East between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. 

Because the event is scheduled for November 24^th, and because the November 20^th City Commission meeting is the only meeting before that date, if the Commission intends to adopt the ordinance, both the first and second readings must occur on the November 20^th City Commission meeting.  On rare occasions, both readings of similar ordinances have occurred on the same meeting.  For example, during the May 3, 2005, City Commission meeting, the Commission declared an emergency and adopted on first and second reading, Ordinance No. 7878, authorizing the sale, consumption, and possession of alcoholic beverages at Eagle Bend Golf Course, May 6 through May 8, for the LPGA Futures Golf Tour event.  

Recommended Actions:  Approve the requested Application for Use of City Right of Way and declare an emergency and adopt, on first and second reading, Ordinance 8210 allowing the temporary sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic liquor on the city portion of the vacant lot on the southwest corner of 9^th & New Hampshire Street on November 24, 2007 between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. as part of the Downtown Lawrence, Incorporated, KU football game watch party.