CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Week ending February 11, 2017
Planning & Development Services Monthly Project Report
Attached is the Planning & Development Services monthly project report for January, 2017.
December 2016 Monthly Building Permit Report
The Building Safety Division issued 183 building permits in December, with total construction for the month valued at $10,314,001. Total permit fees assessed for the month were $66,934. Permits were issued for six (6) new residential projects, including four (4) single-family dwellings and two (2) duplexes. Staff Memo December Report Year-to-Date Summary
2017 Wage Floor
Pursuant to the City’s Tax Abatement Policy, Section 3.6 Property Tax Abatement Wage Floor, the wage floor may be met by paying a wage equal to one hundred thirty percent (130%) of the federal poverty threshold for a family of three persons, as established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The wage floor shall be adjusted annually and the City shall notify, in writing, those businesses that are affected by any change to the wage floor. The amount of the wage floor for the current year shall be available to those requesting it from the Office of the City Manager.
The City of Lawrence’s wage floor increased from $12.60 in 2016 to $12.76 in 2017, based on an average wage equal to one hundred thirty percent of the federal poverty threshold for a family of three. The poverty level for a family of three, as established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, was $20,420 for 2017. Additional information and a summary of the wage floor amounts since 2003 can be found in the attached memo.
2016 Residential Lot Inventory
This report is an update on the status of available lots for new, single-family, residential construction as of December 31, 2016. Information is provided on supply, market demand, and inventory of residential lots. 2016 saw a 15% drop in demand for single family housing compared to the banner 2015 year, when demand for single family building permits was the highest since before the recession. Given reduced market demand in 2016, total annual inventory of single family lots increased 6% compared to the previous year, rising from 6.8 years in 2015 to 7.2 years in 2016.
Apartments took a substantial jump in demand compared to the previous year. In 2016, 74 permits were issued for 1,205 apartment units as compared to seven permits pulled in 2015 for 467 apartment units.
City of Lawrence Testimony on Legislative Issues
The City is posting ongoing testimony it provides on various legislative issues on the City’s website. As of January 31, the City has provided testimony in support of Senate Bill 53 and House Bill 2074 which would allow municipalities to determine if conceal and carry is appropriate in municipal buildings. Additionally, the City provided testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 76 which would reduce local control of occupational licensing. Also posted on the City’s website is the annually adopted Legislative Priority Statement, highlighting the major issues of concern to the City Commission on legislative matters. All written testimony and the Legislative Priority Statement can be found at: http://lawrenceks.org/legislative-priorities
Update on Requests for Additional Protections for Marginalized Groups
The City Commission previously received a request for additional protections for marginalized groups from a group of Lawrence High School students. Staff has met with representatives of the group and is developing a set of recommendations for the City Commission to consider in the next few weeks. The City also received a Resolution passed by the University of Kansas Student Senate making similar requests. Staff has met with representatives of that body and will work to incorporate those discussions into the aforementioned recommendations.
Parks & Recreation Programs Update
The Parks & Recreation Department held free fitness demo classes of new classes that will be offered in 2017. See attached for more information.
Department of Water and Wastewater Utilities Capital Projects Bid Status Update
The attached Water and Wastewater Utility projects are scheduled to be advertised for bid and awarded during February and March. The first three (3) projects were included in the adopted 2017 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The third and fourth projects were not included in the CIP but are recommended by the Department and are feasible within the 2017 Adopted Budget and current utility rate plan. The third and fourth projects will require an amendment to the adopted CIP, which will be requested at the time the bids are presented to the City Commission for approval.
Under the previous Purchasing Policy, the Commission established bid dates for projects and equipment expected to exceed $15,000 in cost. Pursuant to the revised Purchasing Policy, staff will solicit competitive bids for these projects and request the Commission’s acceptance of the recommended bid. This serves as an advisory to the Commission in advance of staff’s initiation of the bidding process. Following the bidding process, each item will be separately presented to the Commission with requests for approval of the recommended bids.
Lawrence Sports Corporation’s Junior Olympic January Update
Attached, please find the January update from Lawrence Sports Corporation on the Junior Olympics.
Body Worn Camera System Grant Application Update (Added 02/03/17)
The Lawrence Police Department has been exploring the potential implementation of Body Worn Camera Systems (BWCS) for more than a year. A recent Lawrence Listens survey on increasing oversight of the police department indicated ninety percent (90%) of respondents favor implementation of a BWCS.
Local costs of a BWCS project could potentially be offset by use of federal funds earmarked for implementation of such programs. The police department therefore is in the process of applying for such funds through a U.S. Department of Justice grant which closes February 16, 2017. If awarded the grant, federal money would pay for fifty percent (50%) of most costs associated with the project.
Preliminary estimates to purchase equipment for 154 sworn members of the police department, as well as the information technology upgrades to support transfer and storage of data, are projected to be $462,000. Therefore if the City was awarded the grant and chose to accept it, the City would be required to provide the fifty percent (50%) matching funds - currently estimated at $231,000. Additionally, the application requires the City to identify the specific funding source of this local match, which staff is currently examining.
Future Agenda Items
Attached, please find a summary of future agenda items.
Future Work Session Items
Attached (updated 02/03/17), please find a summary of future work session items.