Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning Department

TO:	Mike Wildgen, City Manager
FROM:	Dan Warner, Planning Staff
CC:	Linda M. Finger David Corliss Debbie Van Saun
Date:	November 22, 2005
RE:	November 29, 2005 Agenda Item

The Community Design Committee met on November 21^st and would like to make a request to the City Commission.  The request came about from a conversation Marguerite Ermeling had with Mayor Highberger.  Mayor Highberger asked the committee to make this request.

The request is that the City hires a consultant to assist in the evaluation of development projects that profess to employ New Urbanism concepts.  The consultant would help the Planning Department, Planning Commissioners, and City Commission evaluate such projects based on identifiable principles.  Using a consultant would smooth the transition period until the community adopts its own form-based codes as an optional vehicle for development.