[Electronic-lan] LAN Recommendations for Opportunity Zones and the City of Lawrence response

[Richard Heckler]

 Some of the feds in congress seem to be setting up back door deregulation thus eliminating concerned taxpayers at every opportunity......... 

Are we the local taxpayers mandated to accept these questionable zones? If not and they interfere with planning can these applciations be rejected?
Dickie Heckler
    On Friday, May 17, 2019, 6:34:00 AM CDT, Eric Kirkendall via Electronic-lan <electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu> wrote:  
 
 As promised at this month's Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods (LAN) meeting, following are links to the LAN recommendations regarding Lawrence Opportunity Zones, the staff memo issued in response to the recommendations, in which they lay out how they will implement some but not all of the recommendations, and a memo from the National Development Council to the city.
If done appropriately, the outcome should be that the city will work with neighborhood groups and other stakeholders within the opportunity zones (Barker, Brookside, and East Lawrence in the eastside OZ) to develop a Lawrence Opportunity Zone (OZ) prospectus that defines the kinds of projects the city wants.  
Though the staff memo does not define 'stakeholders', the Mayor has made it clear that the neighborhood groups are important stakeholders, and suggested as an example of possible outcomes that the prospectus could say the city desires affordable housing projects in one or both Lawrence Opportunity Zones.  Of course, the prospectus could specify much more, including other desired objectives and constraints.
This process should ensure that the wishes of the neighborhoods are reflected in the prospectus, and that the city will make its best efforts to ensure that projects in the Opportunity Zones meet those requirements.
One problem that the city faces is that under current draft Department of Treasury regulations, cities are not required to be informed by developers when proposed projects are using OZ funds.  
The city has addressed that issue by issuing comments on the draft Department of Treasury regulations in which they ask that cities be notified of OZ projects, and that there be regular reporting on living wage jobs created, including number of jobs and average wage; number of dedicated affordable housing units created or preserved, and investments in minority/disadvantaged/ women-owned businesses.
Unless those regulatory changes are made, it will be difficult for the city to control or even be aware of OZ projects, but it is hoped that the City can use existing processes, including zoning, HRC reviews, and requests for city incentives to ensure OZ projects meet community needs.
Links
LAN memo to the city and attached Opportunity Zones in Lawrence, Kansas: Threats, Opportunities, and Recommendations
Staff memo in response to the LAN recommendations
National Development Council memo to the city on Opportunity Zone Program- City Capabilities and Constraints

Draft city comments to the Treasury Depthttps://assets.lawrenceks.org/assets/agendas/cc/2019/05-14-19/cmo-opportunity-zones-letter.pdf  
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