Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Manager’s Office
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TO:
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Mayor and City Commissioners
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FROM:
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City Manager David L. Corliss
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Date:
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June 9, 2009
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RE:
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Draft City Commission Goals
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At its May 26 Study Session, the City Commission held a
discussion of goals. This draft document seeks to recite the general consensus
achieved at the goal setting session concerning next steps in these goals.
Existing goals and current language descriptions are
maintained followed by next steps. It is anticipated that Commissioners will discuss
revisions and edits to the description at their June 16 City Commission
meeting.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Promoting the
economic development of Lawrence to provide varied work and business
opportunities.
Recent successes
- New Economic Development
policy
- In house cost benefit model
with analysis
- TIFF and TDD successes including
Oread and Bauer Farms
- Lawrence Douglas-County
Bioscience Authority development of incubator
Next steps
- Staff to provide Commission
with status briefing on former Farmland Industries property and city’s
efforts to facilitate industrial park development at the site; proceed
with annexation of property.
- Proceed with providing water/sewer infrastructure at
the Lawrence Municipal Airport and continue to promote the airport for
economic development opportunities.
- Proceed with improvements to the development process
to ensure adequate facilitation for quality development, including
incentives for infill development
- Schedule Commission discussion on governance structure for economic
development partnership
- In cooperation with our economic development partners,
the city should focus efforts to:
- make Lawrence among the most attractive for “green”
jobs
- enhance and market Lawrence as a retirement
destination;
- explore additional industrial park locations
- promote additional research fields at the University of Kansas with economic development benefits
- Provide staff report on economic development successes
in other communities and analysis of tools used.
PLANNED GROWTH: Encouraging growth
that protects our environment, neighborhoods, and cultural features while
benefiting all of our citizens.
Recent successes
- Planning and Development
Services, a merged department
- Adoption of International
Codes
- Enactment of Traditional
Neighborhood Design (TND) Code
- Adoption of sector plans
Next steps
° Continue
efforts to improve the responsiveness and outcomes of the development process,
including: participation with development stakeholders in recommending
Development Code amendments which reflect community values and needs,
appropriately encourage infill development, establish appropriate measurement
tools for the development process, and reflect scale and cost reasonableness.
- Continue city’s master
planning efforts, including a review of the Urban Growth Area boundaries.
- Complete water and waste water
master plans to ensure appropriate attention to maintenance, growth and
regulatory needs.
COMMUNITY BUILDING: Creating social capital and
celebrating our heritage.
Recent successes
- Formation and operation of
Destination Management, Inc.
- Freedom’s Frontier National
Heritage Area designation and efforts to include a focus on Lawrence
- 2008 Get Downtown event
- Community efforts driving work
to preserve Santa Fe Depot
Next steps
- Commission direction on
planned rehabilitation of the former Carnegie Library.
- Staff report on options for
increased cleaning efforts in Downtown areas.
- Review opportunities for
enhancements at the Lawrence Public Library.
- Commission discussion on
homeless shelter with focus on city’s role.
- Staff report on efforts to
enhance Lawrence community events, including review of efforts in other communities,
opportunities for city signature event and city coordination and promotion.
- Staff report on community
planning process to develop a recreation center located west of Kasold.
- Schedule Commission discussion
to consider charging a body with completing an inventory of historical
structures and recommended prioritization of the structures.
- Seek educational and publicity opportunities to encourage
recreational activities including walking and biking downtown.
ENVIRONMENT ISSUES: Integrating the environment
into our decisions as we work towards a sustainable city.
Recent successes
- Energy code adopted and first
year of implementation in 2008
- Voter support of transit system
- Mayor’s Task Force on Climate
Protection
- Selection of alternative fuels
for transit vehicles that included a community process for developing selection
strategy
- Implemented city wide vehicle idling
policy
Next steps
° Facilitate
public discussion and review of possible city sponsored curbside recycling
program, including explore feasibility of a pilot program and in-depth review
of possible program costs and benefits.
- Continue to use stimulus
funding to support transit system.
- Seek publicity opportunities to tell the city’s story
of green efforts including alternative fuel transit vehicles and energy
saving projects.
- Hire Sustainability Coordinator (possibly
in cooperation with the county) and task the position with raising the
sustainability message and substance for the community, including reducing
city energy consumption and costs, green business enhancement and other
sustainable initiatives.
- Schedule Commission receipt of
report from Peak Oil Taskforce.
- Staff report on status of
Chapter 16 (Environmental Chapter of Comprehensive Plan) including
timeline for report to City Commission.
- Schedule Commission discussion
of sensitive land
language in development code and farmland preservation issue.
- Staff report on existing tools
and possible enhanced tools that support infill development
NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY:
Improving
the livability of all Lawrence neighborhoods.
Recent successes
- Additional resources dedicated
to street maintenance program
- Sidewalk improvements in “gap”
areas
- Additional resources dedicated
to public safety with new fire trucks and full staffing in Police
Department
- Approved TND Code
Next steps
- Schedule Commission discussion
about approved and unfunded traffic calming plans to focus on funding
options and timeline expectations.
- Staff report on number of
school crossing locations that are absent crosswalks.
- Staff report on sidewalk gaps
in areas surrounding schools.
- Staff report on options for enhancing
City Code compliance regarding zoning (single-family residence), yard and
blight maintenance, including development of useful performance
measurements.
- Seek educational and publicity opportunities:
- To encourage proper yard maintenance including mowing
and trimming;
- For TND so neighbors are
informed about allowed and prohibited uses in infill development;
- On sidewalk maintenance
responsibilities including repair and clearing;
- To highlight street equity
issues and demonstrate that all neighborhoods are receiving street
maintenance including the analytical basis for decisions of street and
curb repairs.
TRANSPORTATION: Improving access
for all citizens.
Recent successes
- Coordination with KU transit
system
- Reconstituted the Metropolitan
Planning Organization
- Delivered report on
Intelligent Transportation System
- Working with federal legislators
for requests for streets and road funding
Next steps
- Schedule Commission briefing
on South Lawrence Trafficway and US 59 highway from state and/or federal
transportation agency.
- Complete phase II of transit
planning effort to coordinate routes with improvements launching in
summer/fall 2010. Consider additional opportunities for KU coordination
and other improvements to increase ridership.
- Staff report and briefing on
past and current efforts to extend 31st Street east of Haskell Avenue.
- Staff report on existing tools
that facilitate development supporting other modes of transportation.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT:
Protecting
the integrity of downtown while maintaining it as a unique community resource.
Suggested re-wording:
Enhance the vitality of downtown while maintaining it as a unique community
treasure.
Recent successes
- Resources dedicated to downtown
infrastructure
- Community events focused on
downtown
Next steps
- Staff report on options to
increase foot patrol and cleanliness efforts in the downtown area.
- Engage merchants to help
identify strategies to garner support for hosting events in downtown.
- Staff report on opportunities
to encourage additional re-development in the downtown area, including
newly enacted legislation for community improvement districts.
- Staff report on parking fees
and fines for downtown parking system.
- Staff report on other
communities’ activities to be proactive with downtown development.
- Carnegie rehabilitation and
active use
- Library improvements
SERVICE DELIVERY: Provide excellent city
services consistent with resources available.
Recent successes
- Public safety successes with
new fire trucks and full staffing in the Police Department
- Infrastructure investments
- Majority of city employees’
time is spent on critically important activities included in service
delivery
Next steps
° Staff
report on improvements to performance measurement system, including engagement
of citizens and stakeholders in selected metrics and measurements that better
define “success” in city services.
- Staff report on employee cross
training efforts.
- Staff report on quality
assurance standards used when working with vendors.
- Conduct citizen survey in 2010.
- Staff report on current and past eGov initiatives
including efforts with electronic utility bills and online payments.
Suggested Next Steps:
The City Commission should provide staff with revisions to
the goals and next steps.