Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works Department

 

TO:

Charles F. Soules

 

FROM:

Mark Thiel

 

CC:

Tarik Khatib, Chief of Police

Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief

Ernie Shaw, Interim Parks and Recreation Director

Robert Nugent, Transit Administrator

 

DATE:

February 27, 2014

 

RE:

KU Relays 2014

 

 

The Lawrence Sports Corporation (LSC) has been working with Kansas Athletics on plans for the 2014 KU Relays, and would like to request city approval for holding the men’s open shot put event downtown on Friday, April 18-19, 2014. Please see attached permit application, which includes event description and images of the event areas. In summary, the proposed uses of downtown streets would be as follows:

 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Event:

Shot Put

Location:

100 block of E 8th St and the intersection of 8th St and New Hampshire St

Time of Event:

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Time of Street Closure:

6:00 a.m. Friday – 6:00 a.m. Saturday

 

The event would require city approval and various city services. Organizers request donation of city services in support of the event. The major services required are Public Works resources for building the shot put area. The Police Department reports that they do not generally need to dedicate resources toward this event.

 

Preparation and breakdown of event sites:

For the shot put event, a throw area would be created by trucking in crushed limestone filler material. The city’s Public Works Department has been involved in the planning of this site and would conduct the construction and cleanup of the site to ensure that the street surfaces are not damaged. The site would be cleaned up overnight and early morning after the event in order to get the street and intersection open as quickly as possible.

 

The Street Maintenance Division would provide barricades for closing the streets for the event. The event organizers are also requesting that Parks and Recreation provide six (6) additional trash barrels and standby medical support is available during the event.

 

Parking/traffic/bus route impacts:

The shot put event would require that parking on the 100 block of E. 8th Street be prohibited during the street closure times outlined above. Instead of using the city’s parking meter bags, the event organizers would post signs on the meters like they have done for events such as the Tour of Lawrence bike race. The signs would go up 24 hours before the closure notifying that parking will be prohibited during the day of the event.

 

The street closures will require some transit bus reroutes. Event organizers will work with Transit to plan the street closures and reroutes to be the least disruptive as possible.

 

Support from adjacent properties:

The city has sent out an event notice, which details the event and date (attached notice). Event organizers will personally notify properties adjacent to the street closures of their plans and solicit their support. The city has coordinated with Downtown Lawrence, Inc. for distribution to their membership list.

 

Alcohol:

Event organizers request that the City Commission adopt an ordinance allowing the temporary possession and consumption of alcohol on the block of E. 8th Street during the event on those blocks. Staff has drafted for the City Commission’s consideration, Ordinance No. 8968, authorizing the possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor on the 100 block of E. 8th Street and the intersection of 8th Street and New Hampshire Street from 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on April 18, 2014.

 

Action Requested:

Approve a Temporary Use of Public Right-of-Way Permit for the closure of the 100 block of E. 8th Street and the intersection of 8th Street and New Hampshire Street from 6:00 a.m., April 18, 2014  to 6:00 a.m. April 19, 2014.

 

Adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 8968, authorizing the possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor on the 100 block of E. 8th Street and the intersection of 8th Street and New Hampshire Street from 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on April 18, 2014.