[Electronic-lan] DRAFT June 2017 LAN minutes

Thu Jul 6 09:29:45 CDT 2017

The draft minutes for the June 2017 LAN meeting are attached and pasted
inline below.

Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods (LAN) Meeting Minutes - June 1, 2017 

LAN met at 7:00 p.m., June 1, 2017, in Meeting Room C of the Lawrence Public
Library, 707 Vermont Street with Co-Chair Courtney Shipley presiding.

The following attendees were present: Becky Pepper, City of Lawrence
Planning and Development Services; Bill Winkler, Barker Neighborhood
Association; Bonnie Uffman, Barker Neighborhood resident; Candice Davis,
Oread Residents Association; Charlie Bryan, Monterey; Cindy Suenram, East
Lawrence Neighborhood Association; Courtney Shipley, Dad Perry Park/Kasold;
David Mosher, Schwegler Neighborhood Association; Dustin Stumblingbear,
Pinckney Neighborhood Association; Gary Webber, Sunset Hill Neighborhood
Association; Jane Gibson, Barker Neighborhood Association; Jim Carpenter,
Planning Commission Member; Kirk McClure, Old West Lawrence Association;
Lisa Larsen, Lawrence City Commission; Matthew Herbert, Lawrence City
Commission; Melinda Henderson, Brook Creek Neighborhood Association; Pam
Burkhead, University Place Neighborhood Association; Rachel Sudlow; Rick
Lahm, West Hills Homes Association; Robert Lewis, West Hills Homes
Association; Steve Braswell, Pinckney Neighborhood Association; Ted Boyle,
North Lawrence Improvement Association.

Announcements. Melinda announced the death of Jon Josserand, a former
lobbyist for KU who was also a former member of the Planning Commission. Jon
was also very involved with Sister Cities. Jon was good for political gossip
- state and local. Jon will really be missed. Jon was very supportive of
Lawrence and LAN. 

May minutes. It was moved by Kirk McClure, seconded by Cindy Suenram, to
approve the May 2017 minutes. Motion approved by unanimous consent with no
abstentions. 

Treasurer's report. Cindy Suenram reported $2,355.11 is in the LAN bank
account. It was moved by Steve Braswell, seconded by Robert Lewis, to
approve use of $50 in LAN funds for a donation to a charity to be decided on
by Candi on behalf of Jon Josserand. Candi to inquire about possible
donation to Sister Cities. 

Update from City Planning and Development Services. The June 1, 2017
Neighborhood Update for LAN, available at
<https://lawrenceks.org/pds/neighborhood_information/>
https://lawrenceks.org/pds/neighborhood_information/, was reviewed by Becky
Pepper. The update was also sent out via the LAN listserv. Please note,
plans have once again been submitted for KTen Crossing, a major retail
development at the intersection of the South Lawrence Trafficway and south
Iowa Street; the preliminary development plan will be going to the Planning
Commission in July. Also, the next H2020 Steering Committee meeting on July
31; a draft plan will be reviewed at that time. Regarding a parking
regulation text amendment, Steve Braswell expressed concern by residents of
the Pinckney neighborhood that parking is not being considered for entire
area inclusive of both Lawrence Memorial Hospital and surrounding
medical-related offices.

Neighborhood reports.

*	Barker. Jane reported that Barker Neighborhood Association called a
meeting at Babcock Place to discussed the planned expansion of 19th at
O'Connell roads. Dave Cronin and Michael Almon were invited. Cronin reported
that there is no city plan to widen 19th from Harper to Naismith. Michael
expressed concern that widening 19th east of Harper would become a traffic
generator and that the current plan predates important changes, including
the extension of the South Lawrence Trafficway (K-10) and the City's control
over 23rd Street. Almon suggested that alternative access to Venture Park
could be created. Lisa Larsen also reported that she has attended several
neighborhood meetings along 19th. She has met with Chuck Soules and Brandon
McGuire to discuss the matter. The City has done a traffic study between
Harper and 19th Street. Lisa will ask that the traffic study be shared
publicly. Also, Lisa looked at traffic counts, including historical counts,
to see changes over the years. Also, KDOT is close to getting post K-10
traffic count data for 23rd. All traffic count data should be available by
the end of summer. Traffic calming on 19th could be requested. In other
matters, Jane also asked how other neighborhoods bring people together to
discuss and vote on issues, such as 19th Street. Please contact Jane with
any suggestions or to share information about neighborhood communications
strategies. 
*	Pinckney. Steve reported that Pinckney uses CDBG funds to mail a
newsletter as a means of neighborhood communications. Also, the annual
Pinckney Neighborhood Potluck Picnic is Saturday, June 3 in Clinton Park.
*	East Lawrence and Brook Creek. The East Lawrence Neighborhood
Association and the Brook Creek Neighborhood Association are holding the
East Side Yard Sale, a combined neighborhood garage sale, on Saturday June 3
from 8 a.m. to noon; the same day as the Intersection Repair 2.0 project
that involves painting a new community street mural on the East 14th Street
cul-de-sac, just east of the Burroughs Creek Rail Trail.
*	Sunset Hill. Gary reported about efforts to develop the Neighborhood
Watch program in Sunset Hill. The program requires that half of people on
the blocks of interest sign a petition requesting the program. The next step
involves being trained by Lawrence Police Department and then placing the
Neighborhood Watch signs. Neighborhood Resource Officer Drew Fennelly said
there are currently no more signs, as the signs used to be made by people in
prison and are not available any more. Matthew Herbert reported that the
City has its own sign shop that might be able to be used to create
Neighborhood Watch signs.
*	North Lawrence. Ted reported on Neighborhood Watch. North Lawrence
has 13-15 streets with Neighborhood Watch program. CDBG funds were used to
buy signs. Also, Ted reported that ICL donated $1500 to buy weather radios
for anyone that wanted them in North Lawrence; about 40-50 people have them
now. With leftover funds, about $400, NLIA is going to buy smoke detectors.
Finally, Ted reported NLIA is now working on a Quiet Zone.
*	University Place. Pam reported on Neighborhood Watch. Officer
Fennelly gave presentation on Neighborhood Watch. Also, Pam reported that
after having temporary traffic calming for 13-14 years, the City is now
installing permanent traffic calming in the University Place neighborhood.

Sidewalk update from Gary Webber, Lawrence Pedestrian Coalition (PedCo)
facilitator. Gary reported that efforts have been underway for several years
to change how the City addresses sidewalks. PedCo held a meeting on May 8 to
discuss development of a proposal for sidewalk maintenance funding. About 50
people were invited; about 20 attended. Initial thought was to use property
tax, but the attendees expressed concern that a property tax was politically
untenable because of recent and expected property tax increases (school
bond, city, county). The next option discussed was sales tax. The group
agreed on a plan to follow the recommendation of the Pedestrian and Bicycle
Issues Task Force to allocate 1/6 of the 0.3% infrastructure sales tax
(would be 0.05%) to fund sidewalk repair. This would generate about $1
million per year. Next step was to talk with all five city commissioners.
Larsen, Herbert and Boley have all been interviewed. Soden and Amyx haven't
yet responded. Kind of see point, but do not want to take funds from other
departments. Lisa clarified (interviewed by Dee Boeck) that she would use
0.05% for affordable housing. Gary further clarified that the 0.05% proposed
for affordable housing was coming from changing the special purpose of the
0.05% sales tax for transit operations. Herbert expressed concern that the
0.05% sales tax for sidewalk repair would not generate enough revenue to
address the problem. Adjusting for newer cost data, the sidewalk repair
estimate is closer to $12 million. Gary reported that PedCo will present a
formal proposal to the City Commission on June 13 and June 20. Ted mentioned
that voters have not yet approved renewal of the infrastructure sales tax.

Commission Herbert Q & A. Commissioner Herbert presented himself for an open
questions and discussion about topics of interest to LAN meeting attendees.
Steve Braswell asked about the budget for the police station, specifically
asking about the 2014 vote on the matter. Herbert explained that the
previous vote was regarding whether to have a sales tax increase to fund the
police station. The current proposal for funding a police station is to use
property taxes. Candi expressed concern that a transit hub would be very
expensive and perhaps not necessary. Herbert explained how the transit hub
study will help answer those concerns. The first transit hub study focused
on the question of where to locate a transit hub. The new study will address
the question of whether a transit hub is needed. Gary thanked Herbert (and
Larsen) for supporting improvement in multi-modal transportation
infrastructure.

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

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