CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

 

Department:

Planning & Development Services

Commission Meeting Date:  September 20, 2016

Staff Contact:

Becky Pepper, Planner II

Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:

 

Initiate a Text Amendment, TA-16-00388, to the City of Lawrence Land Development Code, Articles 4, 5, & 17, regarding Funeral and Interment Services as defined in Section 20-1729.

 

Executive Summary:

A request for initiation of a text amendment to the Land Development Code has been submitted to the Planning Office by Corpus Christi Catholic Church. The intent of the request is to allow columbariums as Accessory Uses to established Religious Assembly Institutions.

 

Religious Assembly Institutions are permitted in all of the residential districts (depending on the size of the institution); however, Funeral and Interment Services are allowed only in limited residential districts (RSO and RMO – Residential/Office Districts). The types of Funeral and Interment Services as defined in the Code include cemeteries, cremating, interring (columbariums and mausoleums), and undertaking. This list includes both active services and passive land uses and does not provide an opportunity to recognize the differences in the types of land use activities.

 

The Code recognizes that Religious Assembly uses could have a variety of accessory uses located on their property as part of the institution’s mission. Historically, many churches had small parish cemeteries on the church grounds. In staff opinion, it may be reasonable to permit cemeteries, columbariums, and mausoleums as accessory uses with provisions to dimensional standards such as size and setbacks.

 

Specific sections of the Land Development Code anticipated to be modified through this text amendment include:

  • Article 4 Use Tables
  • Article 5 Use Regulations
  • Article 17 Terminology

 

The City Commission is not taking action to amend the Land Development Code with the initiation. If initiated, the request will be scheduled for a future Planning Commission hearing and their recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for a final decision.

Strategic Goal Area:

n/a

Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):

The item is not included in the budget or CIP because it is related to a request to amend the text of the Land Development Code.

Attachments:

n/a