Oread Neighborhood Association
Thursday, August 20, 2009 @ 7:00 PM - Plymouth Congregational Church
Minutes

Board Members Attending:  Candy Davis, James Dunn, Marci Francisco, Linda Haskins, Christy Kennedy, Ellie LeCompte, Kyle Thompson, and Carol von Tersch

Guest:  Aaron Paden (University of Kansas Student Housing Association)

Neighborhood Plan Discussion
Review Outline of Proposed Long-Range Objectives

Neighborhood support of the proposed objectives needs to be received by Planning and Development Services before 10:00 AM on Monday, August 24th.  The following additions / changes were recommended: 

Cover Letter
Change the last sentence as follows:  Attached is a list of proposed objectives to form the framework for the New Neighborhood Plan.

Objective 2:  Preserve Historic Structures within the Oread Neighborhood
Revise objective 2c as follows:  Accommodate redevelopment of larger (4,000 sq. ft. and larger) historic structures; particularly encourage non-profit cooperatives.

Objective 3:  Maintain Historic Patterns and Context for the Neighborhood
Add the following objective:  Maintain the mix of single family and higher density units within historic houses. 

Objective 4:  Encourage Owner Occupancy in the Oread Neighborhood
Add the following objective:  Accommodate the existing non-profit cooperatives who have been considered to be owner occupants and good neighbors. 

Objective 5:  Allow for Revitalizatyion of the Oread Neighborhood
Revise objective 5b as follows:  Promote environmentally-friendly appropriately scaled architecture as infill development.

MOTION:	The objectives for the neighborhood plan have been discussed and changes / additions will be made as described above.  The revised objectives will be submitted to the Planning office with a cover letter signed by the ONA President.  
VOTE:	Approved unanimously

August Planning Commission Meetings
Monday, August 24th Agenda (6:30-10:30 PM @ City Hall)
Text Amendments

Boarding House Text Amendment
Oread neighbors favored Proposed Language Option 1 which reads, “Delete the Boarding House use from the Land Development Code and rely on other multi-family types of uses to meet the demand for high-density, student housing.”
1	If this use is continued, every house in the Oread neighborhood could potentially become a boarding house.  Why are more unrelated people allowed to live together in the Oread neighborhood than anywhere else in the city?  
2	The original intent of a boarding house was to have an adult living in the home that would be cooking meals and providing supervision.  
3	The only difference between household and group living use is the number of people who are living in the properties.  The only difference between the two is the designated use category.  Why is boarding house usage given such privilege?  Why was the change made to limit household occupancy to four unrelated persons in multi-dwelling residential districts?  The point of a boarding house is not to let more people live in a standard, single-family house.
4	If boarding house language is to remain in the code, 
o	This use category should be limited to existing, large structures that are 4,000 square feet or more.  This is a sustainability factor for the neighborhood.  Existing large structures should be allowed to have a higher density.  This would prohibit the expansion of existing structures and would help to preserve historic properties in the neighborhood. The boarding house use category should be related to the size of existing structures.  
o	A boarding house should be defined as group living where food is served.  Student housing cooperatives serve meals and are a good fit for the boarding house designation.  Cooperatives differ from other boarding houses in the neighborhood because of their organizational structure.  There is a governing board made up of community members and house members.  This creates accountability and supervision with a one-member, one-vote, and member owned non-profit system.  There are three cooperatives located in the Oread Neighborhood; Sunflower House, Ad Astra House, and the Olive House.

The following comments were offered about items that were cited as problematic:
5	Permitting stacked parking via the variance procedure.
o	This has not been a problem in the Oread neighborhood.
6	The code does not require trash enclosures for every site.
o	Oread’s concern is not about requiring trash enclosures for every site.  The neighborhood’s concern has to do with the lack of provision for permanent trash collection on all properties.  Boarding houses should not be allowed to use dumpsters located at another address.  
At a minimum, a designated area on each property needs to be identified to accommodate trash collection.  
o	Boarding houses should be required to pay more for trash collection even though there is only one kitchen.  

The following comments were offered about parking standards:
7	City code requires 1.5 parking spaces per two lawful occupants.  An 8-room boarding house would require six parking spaces.  Neighbors would like for the parking requirement to be changed to one parking space for each occupant.  
8	Trash collection sites should be referenced rather than trash storage sites throughout the document.  

Adaptive Reuse of Designated Historic Properties
This text amendment is relevant to the use a historic property at 601 Tennessee as a Bed and Breakfast.

Parking Standards
This addresses parking standards for commercial properties.  There may be mixed use zoning in the neighborhood at some point in the future; Alabama and Indiana Streets.  This amendment was brought to the neighbor’s attention because of that.  

Wednesday, August 26th Agenda (6:30-10:30 PM @ City Hall)
Joint Work Session on Oread Neighborhood Plan

ITEM NO. 14 PC & HRC JOINT WORK SESSION ON OREAD NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN:  Conduct Planning Commission/Historic Resources Commission joint work session on the Oread Neighborhood Plan.
1	There will be a joint HRC/PC meeting on August 26th.  This will be a work session format with presentations by staff and discussion by the two commissions. The public is invited to attend but public comment will be taken at the discretion of the members that chair those commissions.  
2	It will be important to ensure that the PC and HRC receive the objectives that were discussed earlier.  
3	Maps depicting neighborhood zoning will be revised to indicate additional RM12D zoning.  This will replace higher density zoning east of District 1.  
o	It is anticipated that a text amendment will be presented to the Planning Commission in two months to propose changing lot size code requirements for duplex development.  Oread neighbors would like to ensure that duplex development is allowed only on lots that are 7,000 square feet or larger.  They would not be in favor of a text amendment that would allow duplexes on smaller lots.  Duplex development would be appropriate in RM12D zoned areas only if lots are large enough to accommodate this.  Currently, because of many of the lot sizes, duplex development in RM12D zoned areas would not be allowed.  
o	A special use permit would be required for single-family homes in RM12D zoned areas.  Implementation of overlay districts should help to facilitate the presence of single-family homes in RM12D zoned areas.

Coordinator’s Report

Board of Zoning Appeals and Historic Resources Commission – Oread Properties
Board of Zoning Appeals  
o	No meeting in August 
o	September 03, 2009 Meeting:  No Oread properties included on the September agenda.

Historic Resources Commission, August 20th Agenda  
o	1005 Massachusetts Street (Encore Café):  Storefront Remodel / Enlarge Existing Restaurant
Oread administrative reviews:
o	1212 Ohio Street: Boarding House site plan review.  No exterior alterations are proposed for this structure at this time.
o	1205 Kentucky Street:  Rear porch removal, roof repairs, and installation of parking pad.
o	944 Kentucky (Lawrence Community Shelter):  The applicant is requesting to install an egress window and well to the structure.

Blight Report
1043 Indiana
1	This property was sold by auction on Saturday, August 1st.  The property sold for $375,000.
 
1232 Louisiana
2	This property will be considered by the City Commission in early September 2009.  The City plans to document the structure and will bill the property owners for this expense.  This is in keeping with Resolution No. 6791 approved by the City Commission on August 12, 2008.

Walking Blight Survey
3	This project is close to completion.  Survey data will be evaluated to identify blight concerns that need to be reported to the city.  

1043 Indiana Inquiry
Hello, I am interested in talking with a representative of the Oread Neighborhood Association to find out their views on the property located at 1043 Indiana St.  Specifically, what the association would like to happen to the property and what uses the association would fight. Thanks.  Keith 

Keith S Romero, Aul & Hatfield Appraisals, LC, 543 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66049 
785-843-8540 x26, 785-843-3856 fax, www.aulhatfield.com
4	As a general rule, the Oread Neighborhood Association does not favor demolition of historically significant structures. However, neighbors do not want to support nor oppose demolition of 1043 Indiana at this time. Specifics relevant to proposed plans for this area need to be considered before the neighborhood can make an informed decision. Those details are pending at this time.

Miscellaneous Reports

Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods
Woody Park in the Pinckney Neighborhood was discussed.  The hospital would like to expand their parking and a proposal has been made to use the Woody Park area for this purpose.  

Community Development Advisory Committee (formerly NRAC):  Recess until September 2009

Human Relations Committee
There will be an event on Saturday, August 29th, beginning at 10:00 AM.  The purpose of this City Commission meeting is to help people understand gender identity.  

FYI and Reminders

Lawrence Community Shelter Block Party:  The block party will be held on Wednesday, September 16th.  ONA will donate hot dogs and hot dog buns.  Side dishes are welcome.

Neighborhood Newsletter:  The newsletter will be completed on Sunday, August 30th, and will arricw in mailboxes during the first week of September.

City of Lawrence 2009 Employee Appreciation Picnic:  The city has scheduled this annual event for Saturday, August 29th from 5:00 – 8:00 PM; Location:  Broken Arrow Park.  A ‘Welcome to the Oread Neighborhood’ sign will be delivered with treats.  

ONA Financials:
·	Treasurer Account:  $6,424.10 + $437.65 (Pending CDBG July) = $6,861.75
·	Coordinator Account:  $419.22 
·	ONA Membership Income (August 08’ thru July 09’):  $476 (Prior Budget Year:  $450)
·	CDBG Budget Year 2008:  Grant overspent by $271.57
·	CDBG Budget Year 2009 Allocation:  $10,520 (Neighborhood Expenses) + $1,260 (Capital Improvement Project) = Total Allocation $11,780  

Meeting Minutes:  Meeting minutes are reviewed via e-mail to allow board members additional time to review the information, this eliminates the need to devote time to this process at monthly meetings, and also conserves funding and resources by eliminating the need for copying.  This also helps to keep absent board members involved with the activities of the neighborhood.  A one-week timeline is identified for board member review of the minutes.  Responses are collated and kept on file to serve as confirmation of review.  

Capital Improvement Project – CDBG Budget Year 2009:  The City of Lawrence has been contacted about installation of a water meter for the Lawrence Community Garden located at 921 Mississippi.  The Service Application will be completed and faxed on or before Friday, August 28th. 

Duplex Variances in Oread:  
1	August 2009:  A note from Scott McCullough read, “Due to work on the several other text amendments you listed in another email I just responded to I have not begun the work on the duplex amendment. I anticipate that this will be considered by the PC within a few months. thanks..”
2	July 2009:  A note from Scott McCullough read, “I will be working on that amendment and can not say for sure when the PC will review it - likely in 2-3 months. The city is enforcing the code as it is written by requiring owners to seek a variance, though we are of the position that the code adopted in 2006 included a conflict in that it sets out standards that can not be met in the RM12D districts in older portions of the city. We believe this was an oversight and needs to be corrected.  Please let me know of additional questions. Thanks.”

Historic Survey – District 1
1	August 2009:  A note from Lynne Zollner read, “No. I have had to adjust this schedule to allow for current workload and lack of an intern. I anticipate that the RFQ will be published the second week of September. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thanks. Lynne”

Boarding Houses:  Moratorium on permit approvals
2	July 2009:  A note from Scott McCullough read, “Jodi, The topic has been added to the City Commission's Future Agendas Memo under TBD - see link below to get to the memo. We will know soon whether the request will be considered by the City Commission directly or submitted to the PC for a recommendation.  http://www.lawrenceks.org/web_based_agendas/2009/07-21-09/07-21-09h/cmo_future_agenda_items_memo.html.”  
3	05/19/09:  The City Commission directed Planning staff to provide a report on this issue.  It is to be added to their work program for a future City Commission agenda item.
4	07/16/09 Memo from David Corliss to the Mayor and City Commission stated, “Consider a request from the Oread Neighborhood Association to enact a moratorium that would prohibit permitting Boarding Houses in the City of Lawrence while a text amendment to the Land Development Code to revise standards pertaining to Boarding Houses is processed. “

KU-City Agreement:  Five Year Review
1	August 2009:  A note from Dave Corliss read, “Jodi - we will likely plan something for early this fall; it is on the list of things to take up after the budget is finalized; thanks, dave”

1232 Louisiana:  Demolition approved by the City Commission on 08/12/08 with conditions that included: 
2	Neighborhood Plan:  This will need to be updated prior to building a replacement structure.
3	Parking:  Following demolition, the property cannot be used as a parking lot.

Expansion of Rental Licensing and Inspection Program  
1	Note from Brian Jimenez dated 04/23/09 read:  “Sorry for the delay, it's been one those weeks so far. As far as I know, the City Commissioners, new and old have stated they do not wish to proceed at this point in time and David Corliss will not be recommending going forward at this point. As you know, this topic has been hot and cold for the last several years therefore I imagine 
something could change but I do not foresee that happening. I do think some sort of expansion will eventually occur. The big question right now, is when that would happen.  I hope that helps.”

Demolition Permits:  None received since the July neighborhood meeting.

Graffiti Removal:  Check out http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief38.htm