Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Date: CC:	February 4, 2013 Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
RE:	Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission recommendation to designate a cultural district and create a task force to make recommendations related to the cultural district

Please place the following item on the February 12, 2013 City Commission agenda:

Consider the establishment of a cultural district in Lawrence (generally bound by 15^th Street on the south, the Burroughs Creek Trail on the east, the Kansas River on the north and Vermont Street on the west) and establish a task force to make recommendations related to the cultural district, as recommended by the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.

Background:

The Lawrence Arts Center has been working with various groups since last summer to discuss the possible designation of a cultural district in the downtown and east Lawrence area.  The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission has had several discussions at recent meetings on this issue.  For its retreat held on February 3, 2013, the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission received a letter submitted by the Lawrence Arts Center and other stakeholders in support of the creation of a cultural district. While there appears to be support for the establishment of such a district, there are also some concerns about what happens next and what will happen as a result of current and planned activity within the district and its impacts on residents, property values and the socio-economic mix within the area.  The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission voted to support the immediate designation of a cultural district by the City Commission, along with the establishment of a task force to consider various issues with the district and discuss the start of a broader community wide cultural plan.  The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission voted unanimously to support this recommendation to the City Commission:  

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC) requests that the city designate the area defined by the Kansas River, Vermont Street, 15th Street and the northern terminus of the Burroughs Creek Trail as a cultural district. In order to maintain the value of the area, the district should have improved pedestrian access and safety, maintain the current unique cultural and social-economic mixture currently represented, and be a destination for visitors to Lawrence. In order to develop a plan to meet these goals, we ask the City Commission to create a seven-member Task Force charged with identifying three models that combine private, public and grant funds to support improvements to the district and the start of a broader community wide cultural arts plan. The Task Force will be appointed by the City Commission with membership recommendations from the LCAC, East Lawrence Neighborhood Association, Lawrence Arts Center, and Downtown Lawrence, Inc. The seven members of the Task Force should include two from the LCAC, two from the East Lawrence Neighborhood, one from the Lawrence Arts Center, one from Downtown Lawrence, Inc., and one at large. We further request that the Task Force be appointed by March 1 and present its recommendations to the City Commission in October.

Next Steps/Recommended Action:

The City Commission should receive the recommendation from the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission and consider establishment of a cultural district task force, if appropriate.