[Electronic-LAN] Fwd: Protect Lawrence Residents and Businesses from the KU 11th and Mississippi Project

[Gary Webber]

Forwarded by Gary Webber, LAN Secretary

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	Protect Lawrence Residents and Businesses from the KU 11th and 
Mississippi Project
Date: 	Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:03:32 -0500
From: 	Eric Kirkendall <kirkendall1 at gmail.com>
To: 	Lisa Larsen <llarsen at lawrenceks.org>, Brad Finkeldei 
<bfinkeldei at lawrenceks.org>, Courtney Shipley <shipleyco at gmail.com>, 
Bart Littlejohn <blittlejohn at lawrenceks.org>, Amber Sellers 
<asellers at lawrenceks.org>, Jeff Crick <jcrick at lawrenceks.org>, Craig 
Owens <craigowens at lawrenceks.org>, chancellor at ku.edu, kleeper at ku.edu, 
jnmurray at ku.efu



To: Mayor Lisa Larsen

Vice Mayor Bart Littlejohn

Commissioner Courtney Shipley

Commissioner Brad Finkeldei

Commissioner Amber Sellers

Craig Owens, City Manager

Jeff Crick, Planning and Development

Chancellor Doug Girod, University of  Kansas

Associate Vice Chancellor Julie Murray, University of Kansas

Vice Chancellor Karla leeper, University of Kansas


Cc:Lawrence Chamber of Commerce

Downtown Lawrence, Inc.

Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods

Lawrence Journal World

The Lawrence Times

Kansas Reflector


From:Eric Kirkendall


Subject: Protect Lawrence Residents and Businesses


As a Lawrence resident, I am deeply concerned about the potential 
impacts on Lawrence residents and businesses of KU’s proposed  “11th and 
Mississippi Project” to build a north gateway to KU,  which will include 
commercial businesses on State of Kansas property.


I ask that the City of Lawrence, Kansas and University of Kansas (KU) 
take responsibility for protecting Lawrence residents, neighborhoods, 
and businesses from possible negative impacts of this project, and 
propose specific actions to that end.


This project is unprecedented in the history of Lawrence. Never before 
has KU proposed to build a large commercial development immediately 
adjacent to Lawrence neighborhoods and so near downtown businesses. As 
a  KU representative said:

"This will be a transformative project, not just for the University,

but for the larger region and the community."


  "This project will affect the University as a whole, the city, and the 
region."


Possible negative impacts include unhealthy particulate matter and heavy 
diesel truck traffic from the demolition of the stadium stands and 
construction of new stands, a hotel, conference center, event space, 
outdoor concert venue, and more.


Once operations of the new businesses commence, negative impacts could, 
unless mitigated, include traffic, parking, noise and light pollution, 
damage to downtown and other existing businesses, and more.


As KU should have informed the City, its development plans violate 
set-back requirements of the KU - Lawrence Cooperation Agreement.


In order to protect nearby residents and neighborhoods, I ask that the 
City and KU enter into a new or amended Cooperation Agreement, as was 
done for the KU Central District in 2016. I ask that the agreement 
ensure the performance of a comprehensive impact analysis (as required 
by the current cooperation agreement),  participation in the planning 
process by Lawrence residents and businesses, and the inclusion of 
specific provisions to mitigate negative externalities.


The attached document, “Possible Negative Impacts from the KU 11th and 
Mississippi Projecta and Proposal for their Mitigation," provides more 
details concerning the potential negative impacts of this project and 
how the City and KU could protect Lawrence residents, neighborhoods, and 
businesses.
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