Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager Office

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager
Date:	November 23, 2009
RE:	Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War Marker and Mural Project

Please place the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at its meeting on December 1, 2009:

Consider Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War marker request and approve the movement of the monuments and minimal City participation of moving the monuments, if appropriate.

Project History. 

The sign permit application for this project was submitted to the Department of Planning and Development Services on August 25, 2009. The project is for a mural of a Union Civil War soldier to be built on the northern wall of the parking garage at 927 New Hampshire. Part of this project also includes two existing ground markers to be moved and placed above ground on the sidewalk adjacent to the parking garage. Mr. Bob Wandel, the contact for the group, has also recently requested City labor and materials to move the markers.

Project Status.

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC) reviewed the proposed mural by Mr. Bob Wandel and voted at its October 7, 2009 meeting to recommend that the City Commission approve the movement of the markers as submitted by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and defer the mural request to a later date.

The Lawrence Historic Resource Commission (HRC), at its meeting on October 14, 2009, approved with conditions. The mural aspect of the request did not get approved. There was concern about the lack of additional information with the installation of the mural. However, the HRC approved the movement of the markers.

Action Request.  The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission and the Historic Resources Commission recommend that the historic markers be moved as requested. The City would participate with modest assistance to move the markers, including labor and a small quantity of materials.  If the group wishes to pursue the mural portion of request, staff recommends that the group answers the questions and provide additional information requested by the LCAC and HRC. The group would then go back to the LCAC and the HRC for a recommendation of the mural.

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.

The larger circle indicates where the markers are currently located. The small circle indicates the proposed location for the markers.