City of Lawrence

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DIVISION

MEMORANDUM

TO:              Chuck Soules, Director of Public Works

FROM:         David Woosley, Transportation/Traffic Engineer

DATE:           14 June 2004

SUBJECT:     500 Block Wisconsin Street            

At the 25 May 2004 City Commission Meeting, the Commission approved on first reading an ordinance prohibiting parking along the east side of Wisconsin Street between 5^th Street and 6^th Street, but requested that staff review the possibility of allowing parking in the area adjacent to the Yacht Club where the owner had filled-in the ditch and placed landscaping rock.

The latest site plan for the Yacht Club was approved 9 June 2003, but did not show filling-in the ditch and the placement of landscape rock.  In order to make changes to the public right-of-way the city code requires a permit from the city, however, it does not appear that a permit was requested or issued for this work.  In addition, the way the work was constructed has caused the ditch to begin silting-in and erosion to occur along the edge of the roadway.

Parking could be allowed in this area, however, the area needs to be paved to city standards a minimum of 10 feet wide in order to insure that the Fire Department has sufficient room to operate within the street, drainage needs to be provided so that the ditch will drain and the shoulder does not erode, and since this is public property, plans for these improvements need to be provided to the city engineer for approval.

Note:  At the May 25 City Commission meeting, area residents said no one gets ticketed for illegally parking on the west side of the street.  A report from Municipal Court shows 7 citations in the 500 Block of Wisconsin Street during the period 1 January 2002 through 14 June 2004.  The reports shows:  Improper Stopping/Parking-2; Parked within 30ft of Stop Sign-3; Parked within 15ft of Fire Hydrant-1; Parked on right-of-way-1.

If additional information is needed, please let me know.