Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Manager’s Office
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TO: |
City Commissioners |
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CC: |
Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager |
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FROM: |
Porter Arneill, Director of Arts and Culture |
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DATE: |
October 14, 2015 |
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RE: |
East Ninth Street Project – Review of Complete Street Concept Plan |
Background
“Complete Streets” is a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation. “Complete Streets” allow for safe, multimodal travel by those walking, bicycling, driving automobiles, riding public transportation, or delivering goods.
The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) met on Wednesday, August 26 and viewed a presentation and overview by Josh Shelton of the Complete Street Concept Plan. The design team received some questions and concerns from the Citizen Advisory Committee members and members of the public during the meeting and used that information to enhance and further develop the Complete Street Concept Plan.
The East Ninth Complete Street Concept Plan was delivered by el dorado inc to the City on Thursday, September 3, 2015. This is the first “broad stroke” step in the design phase to begin conceptualizing and defining the physical design of the streetscape based on research and information gleaned since March, 2015 when the project was initiated―the project history and schedule can be found in the East Ninth Work Plan.
The Complete Street Concept Plan provides an opportunity to glean further information from a range of group and individual stakeholders, citizens and city staff.
Josh Shelton provided presentations and answered questions at the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association (ELNA) meeting on Tuesday, September 8 and the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission on Wednesday, September 9. Several city staff viewed the presentation and reviewed the Complete Street Concept Plan document on Thursday, September 10 and again on Thursday, October 8. Josh Shelton is also in communication with Lynn Zollner, AICP Historic Resources Administrator, and will present plans to the Historic Review Commission in the future.
Comments from these meetings are documented, have been relayed to the design team and are available for review here.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Commission receive the East Ninth Complete Street Concept Plan and provide guidance or comments as appropriate. Staff does not believe a formal motion on the item is needed.
The Citizen Advisory Committee is a broad-based representative group of stakeholders who serve as a sounding board for the project with the design team and city staff.
City Representative:
· Mike Amyx, City Commission, Citizen Advisory Committee Chair
East Lawrence Neighborhood (ELNA) Representatives:
· Phil Collison
· Dave Loewenstein
· John Sebelius
City-at-large Representatives:
· Burdett Loomis
· Reverend Verdell Taylor
· Margene Swarts
Downtown Lawrence, Inc. Representative:
· Emily Peterson
Warehouse Arts District Area Representative:
· Tom Larkin
Lawrence Arts Center Representatives:
· Tom Carmody
· Ben Ahlvers
Business Representatives:
· Marcia Hill
· Will Ogle
Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission Representative:
· Katherine Simmons
LiveWell Lawrence Healthy Built Environment Workgroup Representative:
· Tim Herndon
Design Team Contact:
· Josh Shelton
City Staff Contacts:
· Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
· David Cronin, City Engineer
· Chuck Soules, Director of Public Works
· Porter Arneill, Director of Arts and Culture