Minutes

 Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods
January 7, 2010
Capitol City Bank

PRESENT: Gwen Klingenberg, LAN President, West Lawrence Neighborhood Association; Steve Braswell, LAN Secretary, Pinckney Neighborhood Association; Tom Harper, LAN Treasurer, Centennial Neighborhood Association; Dan Dannenburg, Sunset Hills Neighborhood Association; Robert Lewis, West Hills Homeowners Association; Candy Davis, Oread Neighborhood Association; Deron Belt, East Lawrence Neighborhood Association; Dickie Heckler, Brook Creek Neighborhood Association; David Guyer, Indian Hills Neighborhood Association; Kirk McClure, Old West Lawrence Neighborhood Association; C.J. Brune, University Place Neighborhood Association; Michael Pomes, Park Hill Neighborhood Association; Dani Dresslar, City of Lawrence Planning And Development Services, Community Development Division; Mike Amyx, Lawrence City Commission

Meeting called to order 7:00 pm.

No minutes were available for December 2009.

Mike discussed the recent large snow.  He said he thought city crews are doing a good job clearing streets. He does not support giving tickets for unshoveled sidewalks and said the ordinance may need to be revisited.

Tom asked if Mike had ideas of how to keep schools from being closed. He suggested letters to the school board.  Someone could ask the city to help with setting school boundaries.

New York School was discussed.  CJ pointed out that students from other schools go to New York School for special programs.  Kirk said older schools are threatened in part due to residential housing growing faster than families.  Also, closing an elementary school lowers housing values 10%.CJ said that closing schools is terminal; they do not get reopened in better times.  It is an extreme measure to deal with an immediate problem.

It was moved (Brune/Braswell) that LAN supports keeping all schools open and not closing any local schools.

It was moved (Guyer/McClure) that LAN ask the City Commission to support all local schools.

NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES REPORT (Dani): Dani discussed the upcoming Housing Information Fair, January 20. Applications are being accepted by the City for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Loan Program, until March 1.

OLD BUSINESS: Steve said Gene Meyer, CEO of Lawrence Memorial Hospital will be at the next Pinckney Neighborhood Association meeting to discuss Woody Park.

Candy discussed appearing before the Planning Commission to discuss Oread neighborhood concerns with the city boarding house ordinances. A main request was to require one parking space per bedroom, not the currently allowed 1.5 parking spaces per 2 bedrooms. Oread is a fragile neighborhood and boarding houses do not attract long term family homeowners.  A boarding house may be a good use for some large, old houses, but not small houses that are doubled in size to get more tenants.

It was moved (Davis/Braswell) that LAN review the text amendment concerning adaptive reuse of this type property.

NEW BUSINESS: Kirk suggested that the next LAN breakfast guests be City Manager Dave Corliss and City Economic Coordinator, Roger Alneites.

Kirk discussed the possible Lab purchase by the City. He said that financing should not be general obligation bonds that the City is responsible for repaying but should be financed by revenue bonds and that the company using the building should be responsible for paying off the bond.

Tom asked if people were interested in setting up a LAN Face book and if people would use Twitter for LAN information.  There was little interest in Twitter.  It was thought a Face book page could be useful but until someone steps up and is willing to manage it, there is little interest in setting this up.

NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS:

Centennial (Tom): Will meet with the University Place Neighborhood Association to discuss common issues.

Old West Lawrence (Kirk): They support Oread Neighborhood in their efforts to get a fair adaptive reuse ordinance.

Oread (Candy): Not in favor of a lighted walkway from downtown, as now planned.

University Place (CJ): Association revived due to opposition to school closings

Meeting adjourned 9:00 p.m. 

Next LAN meeting at Capital City Bank, 8th and New Hampshire, 7:00 pm, Thursday February 4, 2010

REPS: If you can't attend a meeting, please send alternate representative so Neighborhood Associations are heard.

LINKS:
Lawrenceneighborhoods.org
http://lawrenceks.org/,
http://lawrenceneighres.org/

Submitted by:
Steve Braswell, LAN Secretary, February 4, 2010

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