It’s Spring! Get Outside and Enjoy Your City Parks
The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department oversees a park system which includes 52 neighborhood or community parks, greenways, nature preserves or trails. From small, neighborhood parks to large, expansive community parks, there are many options for residents to find time to play in the great outdoors. To find out about specific park amenities and a listing of all of our parks, visit www.lawrenceks.org/lprd/parks.
Visit a park today for fun and relaxation
- Buford Watson, Jr. Park: Located between 6th and 8th Streets between Kentucky and Louisiana Street.
- Burcham Park: Enter the park from 2nd and Indiana Street.
- Broken Arrow Park: Located at 31st and Louisiana Street.
- Centennial Park: Located between 6th and 9th Streets and Iowa Street and Rockledge Road.
- "Dad" Perry Park: Located east of Monterey Way, between Tiffany Drive and Harvard.
- South Park: Located between New Hampshire and Vermont between North Park Street and South Park Street.
- Prairie Park: This 72-acre nature preserve is located in southeast Lawrence at 2811 Kensington Road.
Dog Parks are Great Way to Spend Time Outdoors
As the weather starts to warm up, visiting a dog park is the perfect way to spend time outdoors while getting some exercise for yourself and your pooch. Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department maintains two off-leash dog parks, ideal atmospheres to bond with your dog and let your dog run free. The Off-Leash Dog Park in Riverfront Park is located at the intersection of N. 2nd Street and Highways 24 and 40. Another off-leash dog park, Mutt Run, is located at 330 E. 902 Road. The park includes rest rooms, a drinking fountain, water for dogs and a small parking lot. Dog parks create a more stimulating environment for pets and are extremely beneficial to a dog’s behavior. Your dog will also be able to socialize and interact with other animals, and you could meet other pet owners, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the most common code violations addressed by the city’s Code Enforcement Division?
A: The top violations received throughout the year are:
- Lawn Mowing – City code requires that grass cannot be taller than 12-inches.
- Vehicles – Vehicles must be operable, must display a current license plate, and must be parked on a legal driveway.
- Storage of Items – Yards need to be kept clear of storage including tires, tools, household furniture, appliances, etc.
- Trash and trash containers – Containers must be set at the curbside no earlier than 24 hours before the scheduled trash day. Containers and any spilled trash must be removed from the curb once trash service is received. If your trash pick up is in the alley, the containers must be secured so trash does not scatter throughout the alley.
- House numbers – House numbers should be attached to the structure and clearly visible from the street.
- Accumulation of brush and yard waste – Yards needs to be kept free of brush and yard waste. Tree limbs should be gathered into a pile ready for disposal.
- Damaged tree limbs – Damaged trees should be tended to by removing dead/damaged tree limbs so as not to create a safety hazard.
- Structural maintenance – Siding, trim boards and guttering should be checked regularly for signs of damage and repaired accordingly. Fences should be maintained, fixing damaged posts or panels when needed.
For more information on city code enforcement or to report a code violation, visit lawrenceks.org/pds/code_enforcement or call (785) 832-7700.
Utilities Department Offers Advice on Using Garbage Disposals Properly
Garbage disposals work well for getting rid of small amounts of food scraps, but can create problems in privately owned and city sewer lines. Heavier inert items (such as bones and egg shells) settle in the lines. This can occur in homeowners lines or in parts of the city’s system that may have lower flows. When settled out, the heavier solid particles create a dam or blockage, restricting flow through the lines and causing backups in the lines and into people’s homes. At the Wastewater Treatment Plant, solids are removed at the earliest stages of the treatment process. Because the treatment process cannot "treat" them with the rest of the organic materials entering the system, these items are taken to the landfill.
Frying pan grease, when sent down the garbage disposal, is another hazard to the sewer system. Even when flushed with hot water, eventually grease will cool in the line and turn solid. The grease coats the lines and causes restrictions to flow. If it cools quickly, it can restrict flow in the homeowner’s line, requiring a plumber to remove the grease at the homeowner’s expense. If it cools slower, it can cause restrictions in the main lines, which can eventually lead to sewer backups into homes. At the Wastewater Treatment Plant, grease will coat equipment and pumps and can cause a great deal of maintenance cost. Grease is best collected in a container with a lid, frozen until trash day, and put out for trash pick-up.
Want to Finally Own a Home?
Tenants to Homeowners can help
Are you tired of renting but unsure whether you can afford to buy a home? Even if you’ve never used a non-profit program before, you may want to consider Tenants to Homeowners, Inc., the city’s designated Community Housing Development Organization. As a CHDO, Tenants to Homeowners, Inc. partners with the City of Lawrence to access federal funds allocated by the city for affordable housing. You may be surprised by eligibility; a household of four could make up to $54,800 before taxes and still qualify for the program. Single individuals can make up to $38,350 and qualify to buy a house for approximately. $25,000-$50,000 less than fair market value if using the Lawrence Community Housing Trust Program.
With the program, a typical monthly mortgage payment ranges from $750-$850, depending on the size of the home and down payment. In exchange, homeowners agree to sell the home to another income-eligible buyer at a formula price that allows the homeowner to earn equity while keeping the home affordable to the next buyer.
Tenants to Homeowners builds Energy Star homes that would cost an estimated $100 per month or less in total utilities. They are currently constructing "The Greenest Affordable Home in Kansas"; a home with a goal of less than an estimated $50 per month in utilities. To view available homes from Tenants to Homeowners, Inc, call (785) 842-5494 or go to tenants-to-homeowners.org.
Make plans to attend the next Free First Time Homebuyer Workshop on Saturday, May 8 at the United Way Center from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Fair Housing Month April 2010
The City of Lawrence is committed to ensuring fair housing practices are upheld in Lawrence.
The city’s Human Relations Division handles complaints and inquiries regarding fair housing.
Discrimination can occur when renting an apartment or home. Fair practices must be upheld when buying, selling or negotiating the purchase of property.
Find out more online at lawrenceks.org/legal/whatisdiscrimination
The Lawrence Human Relations Division is now located at Municipal Court, 1006 New Hampshire. Call us at (785) 832-3310.