Memorandum

City of Lawrence

TO:	City Manager Mike Wildgen
FROM:	David L. Corliss, Assistant City Manager & Director of Legal                                                    Services
CC:	Linda Finger, Director of Planning
Date:	May, 2005
RE:	Retention of Stephen Chinn for Legal Assistance in Finalization of Development Code

Earlier this year the Commission directed staff to prepare additional responses to concerns raised about the draft Development Code. Additional legal assistance from outside counsel was recommended by City staff.  Additional legal assistance was sought because of the needed expertise in this area and because of workload requirements on City staff.

City staff recommends to the City Commission the engagement of Stephen Chinn, partner with the law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker, to provide legal assistance to the Legal and Planning Departments in the review and finalization of a recommended Development Code.  Mr. Chinn has met with City staff to review concerns voiced by members of the community and City staff members concerning provisions of the draft Development Code in a Phase I of this project.

Mr. Chinn has proposed a Phase II of this review which will provide for public meetings to discuss proposed amendments to the draft code and for recommended language to revise the code. Additionally, as part of this engagement Mr. Chinn will work with Mr. Bob Lewis with Development Strategies which is the firm recommended for the market impact study. Part of Mr. Chinn’s review will be refinement of the market impact studies requirement.   Recommendations from Mr. Chinn’s work will be presented to the City Commission prior to initiation of the revised Development Code to the Planning Commission.  Staff recommends the retention of Mr. Chinn in the estimated amount of approximately $27,000.