Memorandum
City of Lawrence
Planning Department
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TO: |
Mike Wildgen, City Manager |
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FROM: |
Planning Staff |
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Date: |
November 21, 2005 |
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RE: |
Burroughs Creek Corridor Plan Update |
Project History
In October of 2004, Brook Creek, Barker and East Lawrence Neighborhood Associations jointly submitted a letter to the City Commission requesting an area plan be developed for an area approximately 500’ in diameter around the abandoned BNSF railroad right-of-way that extends from W. 11th Street to W. 23rd Street. A temporary building moratorium was requested by the neighborhood associations at that same time as the corridor plan. At the October 26, 2004 City Commission meeting, planning staff was directed to proceed with development of a corridor plan for the rail corridor area and the Commission approved the drafting of a one year temporary building moratorium [re: Ordinance No. 7841] for the study area. The building moratorium ordinance was approved November 16, 2004 and took effect upon its publication date of November 24, 2004.
Planning staff has worked with an appointed committee of representatives over the past twelve months in the development of the Burroughs Creek Corridor Plan. Community representatives on this committee include representatives from: Brook Creek, Barker, and East Lawrence Neighborhood Associations; Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods, Bicycle Advisory Committee, Parks Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, industrial businesses along the corridor, and the Parks & Recreation Department. The Committee’s work began with establishing firm boundaries for the corridor’s study area. The Plan’s scope, as outlined in the initial letter from the neighborhood associations, includes the following elements: a recreational trail, linear park, residential infill development, and appropriate adaptive reuses of underutilized industrial and commercial sites. The committee met approximately every two weeks since January 5, 2005. They have held two public meetings for discussion of the corridor plan – one on July 25th and the second on November 10th. The first public meeting was held to present draft plan goals and to receive public comment on these or other general development issues along the corridor. The November public meeting was held to present the draft of the corridor plan and to receive public input on the plan and recommendations in it. Subsequent to the second public meeting, the committee met for a last time on November 14, 2005 to review the public input received, make additional minor changes, and approve and forward a final draft plan to the City Commission for public hearing and adoption.
Project Details
The final draft of the Burroughs Creek Corridor Plan is now complete and is posted on the planning department website [www.lawrenceplanning.org]. Different versions of the draft plan have been posted on the planning department’s website since October 21, 2005. The plan to be posted incorporates the revisions made by the Committee on November 14th and the plan now is ready for presentation to the City Commission. The Committee is not requesting the temporary building permit moratorium be extended. Staff and committee members would like to present the document to the City Commission at their next meeting on the 29th of November.
Actions Requested