Memorandum                 

City of Lawrence

Department of Administrative Services

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Frank S. Reeb, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
CC:	Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager Brian Jimenez, Codes Enforcement Manager Julie Wyatt, Codes Enforcement Officer
Date:	December 30, 2008
RE:	Update on Use of ROW Adjacent to 642 and 824 Louisiana Street

Applications for temporary use of right of way permits requesting the use of the city right of way for the sidewalk and street immediately adjacent to the properties at 642 and 824 Louisiana by Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC, were initially on the December 16^th Consent Agenda.  During the December 16^th City Commission meeting, based on a neighbor complaint as expressed in the December 11^th staff memo, the Commission deferred consideration of the applications in order to allow Codes Enforcement staff an opportunity to visit the 824 Louisiana site to determine whether the temporary use of the right of way was still needed and, if so, whether it was possible to move the two storage trailers, in the street in front of 824 Louisiana, to address potential safety concerns raised by a neighbor.

On December 24^th, Codes Enforcement staff visited the 824 Louisiana site but did not speak to Dan Riedemann of Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC.  Staff understands Mr. Riedemann is unavailable until January 5, 2009.  As shown in the attached photos, it appears the smaller of the two trailers (the pull behind) has been moved into the front yard.  As for the larger trailer, storing the trailer in the rear yard is not an option because there is a retaining wall adjacent to the alley and the yard has large mounds of dirt.  There is a garage/driveway accessed from the alley, however it appears too small for the storage trailer.  Another possibility mentioned would be to move the trailer a few feet south of its present location on Louisiana Street but still adjacent to 824 Louisiana.  While that is a possibility, and it might help to alleviate the sight problems for the property immediately to the north, it may just shift the sight problem of seeing oncoming traffic to the property to the south. 

Action:  Staff recommends approval of the use of right of way adjacent to 642 and 824 Louisiana for one month, January 6, 2009 through February 6, 2009 with any extensions to be considered as needed, provided that any future extension requests must be applied for prior to the expiration of the then current temporary use of right of way permit.