Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Administrative Services Department

To:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
From:	Frank S. Reeb, Administrative Services Director
CC:	Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Toni Wheeler, Director of Legal Services Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager
Date:	March 26, 2009
Re:	2009 Tour of Lawrence

The Lawrence Convention & Visitor’s Bureau has requested a temporary permit in order to serve alcoholic beverages in designated downtown areas related to the 2009 Tour of Lawrence bicycle event.  Some portions of the area designated for the sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages will be within 400 feet of the Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont, and the Lawrence Life Fellowship, 911 Massachusetts, Suite B1b.  As a result, a waiver of the distance limitation in City Code section 4-113(A) prohibiting the sale and serving of alcoholic liquor within 400 feet of a school or church would be needed.  Pursuant to City Code section 4-113(C), the Governing Body may approve such a waiver only after public notice and hearing and a finding by the Governing Body that the proximity of the event is not adverse to the public welfare or safety.  This same Code provision also requires the City Clerk to give 30 days notice to all churches within 400 feet of where the temporary sale, possession, and consumption will occur.  Staff has tentatively scheduled the public hearing for May 12, 2009 and will be sending notices to the above-referenced churches and will have a Notice of Public Hearing published following the March 31^st City Commission meeting.

In addition, because this temporary event will occur on City property on which the sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is generally prohibited by City Code, pursuant to City Code section 4-105, an ordinance authorizing the temporary sale, possession and consumption is required.  In the event the distance restriction waiver is approved, staff would prepare an ordinance that, if adopted, would allow the temporary sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages during specific times and on specific city property related to this event.