Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

Dave Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Mary Miller

 

CC:

Lawrence City Commission

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

Scott McCullough, Planning and Development Services Director 

 

Date:

January 24, 2008

 

RE:

Revised conditions for The Links at Lawrence Preliminary Development Plan

 

 

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Preliminary Development Plan for the Links at Lawrence with revised conditions of approval.  One condition was that a note must be added to the plan stating that the golf course will be developed and maintained according to the Audubon International Environmental Management Practices of Golf Courses.  Staff has worked to refine this condition so it would be possible to document compliance.  The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program is a certification program for golf courses which requires compliance with the Audubon International Environmental Management Practices. One of the first steps required for membership is for the property owner or golf course managment to take stock of environmental resources and potential liabilities, and then develop an environmental plan that fits the course’s unique setting, goals, staff, budget, and time. Staff recommends revising the condition as below (added text is shown in italics):

 

“A note must be added to the plan stating that the golf course will be developed and maintained according to the Audubon International Environmental Management Practices of Golf Courses. When the golf course has been constructed the property owner must apply for and maintain membership in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.  A copy of original site assessment and environmental plan must be provided to the Planning Office and the yearly report must be kept on file at the golf course office and made available to the public.”

 

The Planning Commission had suggested that a bus pull-out area be provided on the plan. The City Transit Administrator indicated that a bus pull-out area may not be required in this location, but did recommend that a portion of property near the road should be designated for a bus stop if in the future the City does decide to provide service in that area. This condition has been added to the attached revised conditions and is shown in italics.

 

The Staff Report mentioned that the timing of the development would need to be timed with the construction of roads in the area. The applicant met with City Staff and the following conditions were developed to clarify the timing of development:

 

 Building permits shall not be granted until the following have occurred:

1.               An all-weather road accessing the site shall be constructed that is acceptable to the Fire Marshal.

2.               An agreement or agreements designating responsibility for repairs to Links Drive that are caused by construction vehicles or activity related to the construction of the onsite infrastructure and buildings shall be provided to the Public Works Department.

3.               All other City Codes shall be met.

 

Occupancy permits shall not be granted until the following have occurred:

a.       Links Drive shall be constructed, including intersection improvements to Queens Road/Wakarusa Drive and George Williams Way, to City Standards and shall be accepted by Public Works staff.

b.       Funds shall be escrowed or a Benefit District formed for improvements to Queens Road adjacent to the east property line.

c.       All other City Codes shall be met.

 

 

In addition to the new conditions, the conditions for the required Agreements Not to Protest the Formation of a Benefit District were revised to clarify the improvements being included. These conditions have been added to the attached revised conditions and are shown in italics.

 

 

 

REVISED CONDITIONS FOR THE LINKS AT Lawrence, KS:

(revised wording shown in italics)

 

1.       Agreements not to protest the formation of a benefit district must be executed by the applicant and provided to the Planning Office before recording of the Final Development Plan for the following:

a.       Street and sidewalk improvements for Queens Road as determined by the City.

b.       Street and sidewalk improvements for George Williams Way extending north of Links Drive.

c.       Geometric intersection improvements (roundabout) for the intersection of Links Drive / Queens Road and / Wakarusa Drive.

d.       Intersection improvements, geometric and signalization, for Queens Road and W 6th Street.

e.       Intersection improvements, geometric and signalization, for the intersection of George Williams Way and Links Drive.

2.       Provision of a revised Preliminary Development Plan with the following changes:

a.       Note added to the General Notes on the Cover Sheet, Sheet CO.0 to indicate that ‘The density of the development is limited to 6 dwelling units per acre per condition of approval of the RM12 Zoning [Z-11-28A-07].’

b.       Remove waiver #2 on the Cover Sheet, Sheet CO.0, which requests a waiver from the 800 ft block length Code requirement. This requirement applies to local streets only.

c.       Dimensions must be noted for the 6’ sidewalk on the east side of the extension of George Williams Way and the 5’ sidewalk on the west side of Queens Road.

d.       Figures in the site summary table for bicycle parking must be revised to correct the bicycle parking requirement for the Clubhouse from ‘1 per 10 auto spaces’ to ‘5 or 1 per4 auto spaces, whichever is greater’, and the number of bicycle parking spaces required for the pool must be corrected to read ‘3’ rather than ‘4’.

e.       The pool requires 2 ADA compliant parking spaces and 2 are provided, but they must both be located as near the entrance to the pool as possible.

f.        The 46.11 acres which is being designated as Common Open Space must be delineated on the plan and noted in the legend. The legend should also indicate that the 31.32 acres containing the shaded golf areas and the pool area make up the open recreation area.

g.       A note must be placed on the Preliminary Development Plan stating that prior to any construction activity the perimeter of the wooded areas adjacent to the construction activity will be fenced at the drip line and signage erected stating that any construction activity, grading, trenching or storage is prohibited within the fenced area.

h.       Lot 1, Block Three must be designated as a tract rather than a lot.

i.         Additional landscaping must be shown on the plan to provide separation between the parking modules, per Section 90-913(j).

j.        Western parking area, parallel with George Williams Way, must be divided into modules of 72 parking spaces or less.

k.       Note added stating that the use of the club house and pool is restricted to members only or to residents of The Links at Lawrence and their guests.

l.       Note added stating that the temporary easement for the sanitary sewer interceptor will be 100’ during construction (30’ additional on each side of the easement shown), and permanent easement will be 40’, as shown. 

m.     The golf cart and pedestrian crossings shown across Links Drive subject to the City Traffic Engineer’s approval. Safety measures the City Traffic Engineer determines are necessary such as signage and pavement treatment, will be shown on the plan and implemented on site.

n.       Typical parking detail note on page CO.1 regarding typical curbing must be revised to read ‘typical curbing’ rather than ‘typical curb or sidewalk’.

o.       General note added stating that the horizontal separation between all sanitary sewer lines and water lines is 10’ or more.

p.       Note added to the plan stating that building permits can not be obtained until streets are installed which are a minimum of 20’ wide and have the first lift of asphalt.

q.       Any approved waivers or modifications must be noted on the face of the plan.

r.        Note 23 on Landscaping plan, (Sheet L1.2) must be revised to read ‘All parking areas are screened from street R.O.W. with a 10’ wide landscaping area containing shade or ornamental trees at the rate of 1 tree per 20 linear feet of parking area and coniferous shrubs (Seagreen junipers) as shown and berming. Such berming shall be a minimum of two feet in height. (new text is in bold print)

s.       The ADA parking spaces must be located as near the activity as possible. The 2 parking spaces required for the pool area must be located near the pool. One is currently located near the cart barn.

t.        Parking detail on page CO.1  must be revised to show dimensions for ADA accessible parking spaces as required in Section 20-913(e) of the Development Code. All van accessible parking spaces must have an 8’ access aisle abutting the passenger access side of the designated parking space.

u.     Access restrictions must be shown and noted on the Plan. The area on Links Drive between the westernmost driveway and George Williams Way must be marked with hatch marks to indicate ‘no access’ and Links Drive must be marked with hatch marks to indicate ‘no access’ for 300’ from the Wakarusa Drive / Queens Road intersection and a note added to the plan that no access is permitted in these areas.

v.      A General Note must be added stating that the City Engineer approved the reduced driveway spacing of 270’ rather than the 300’ feet required by Code at this location.

w.     Dimensions must be shown between the two driveways being provided on Links Drive, near George Williams Way. Per Code, these driveways must be spaced at least 250’ apart or a waiver must be obtained from the City Engineer.

x.       Note added to the plan that the golf course will be developed and maintained according to the Audubon International Environmental Management Practices of Golf courses. When the golf course has been constructed the property owner must apply for and maintain membership in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.  A copy of original site assessment and environmental plan must be provided to the Planning Office and the yearly report must be kept on file at the golf course office and made available to the public

y.       An area shall be designated on Links Drive for a future bus stop, per the approval of the City Transit Administrator.

z.       The following notes related to the timing of development must be added to the plan: “Building permits shall not be granted until the following have occurred:

1.             An all-weather road accessing the site shall be constructed that is acceptable to the Fire Marshal.

2.             An agreement or agreements designating responsibility for repairs to Links Drive that are caused by construction vehicles or activity related to the construction of the onsite infrastructure and buildings shall be provided to the Public Works Department.

3.             All other City Codes shall be met.”

 

“Occupancy permits shall not be granted until the following have occurred:

1.             Links Drive shall be constructed, including intersection improvements to Queens Road/Wakarusa Drive and George Williams Way, to City Standards and shall be accepted by Public Works staff.

2.             Funds shall be escrowed or a Benefit District formed for improvements to Queens Road adjacent to the east property line.

3.             All other City Codes shall be met.”