In this month’s issue…
- City Requiring Outdoor Furniture on Porches, Decks and Balconies
- Lunch & Learn Series – Basic ADA & Planning
- Holiday Trash Schedule
- City Offers Opportunities to Get Involved in Your Community
- Beware of the F-O-G
City Requiring Outdoor Furniture on Porches, Decks and Balconies
Fire Safety Concerns Prompt Change in City Code
In college towns, many memories have been made while sitting on front porches, balconies and decks with friends. Using furniture for outdoor use is a traditional staple of collegiate living – which is OK – but the city has a new ordinance that requires such furniture to be specifically made for outdoor use.
The city recently included language in the City Code which makes it unlawful to have upholstered furniture on porches, decks or balconies. This includes couches, upholstered chairs and mattresses.
There are a number of fire and safety factors that come into play with upholstered porch furniture. Upholstered furniture presents a significant safety problem because it often impedes or blocks exits and escape paths from a building. Upholstered furniture tends to burn quickly and creates very high heat patterns with rapid vertical extension. Smoking, discarded smoking material, burning candles and impairment due to alcohol consumption tend to be associated with these fires, according to national statistics. Here’s what you should know about Lawrence’s requirements:
- Outdoor furniture is acceptable. Outdoor furniture is sold specifically as weather-resistant furniture designed and manufactured for outdoor use.
- The enforcement of the ordinance will be based on complaints received, similar to other code enforcement violations. Property owners will receive the violation notice and have the responsibility of working with tenants to remove the items from the exterior of the property.
- Fines would be assessed only if the violation is not corrected within a given period of time and could be transferred to Municipal Court for action if needed. The fine is not less than $100, not more than $500, with possible jail time if not corrected.
- The city encourages landlords to add language to rental agreements that state that upholstered furniture cannot be placed on the exterior of the property to inform tenants of the restrictions when renting a property.
For more information on code enforcement or the upholstered furniture ordinance, please contact (785) 832-7700 or visit www.lawrenceks.org/pds/code_enforcement
Lunch & Learn Series – Basic ADA & Planning: Design, Construction and Parking
Join Planning & Development staff for our next Lunch & Learn that will focus on how you can become knowledgeable and compliant with The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This is a great chance to network with designers, contractors, bankers, realtors, small business professionals and PDS staff while getting the basics of the ADA code and enforcement process.
Wednesday, November 20
Noon – 1 p.m. | City Hall
Seating is limited, please RSVP by November 18 to (785) 832-3150.
Holiday Trash Schedule
Thursday, November 28th – Thanksgiving
Thursday residential customers living north of 23rd Street/Clinton Parkway will have their trash picked up on Tuesday, November 26th and those living south of 23rd Street/Clinton Parkway will have their trash picked up on Wednesday, November 27th.
Wednesday, December 25th – Christmas Day
Wednesday and Thursday residential trash routes delayed by one day.
Wednesday, January 1st – New Year’s Day
Wednesday and Thursday residential trash routes delayed by one day.
City Offers Opportunities to Get Involved in Your Community
Join the Green Business Leaders Class of 2014
The Green Business Leaders Program provides access to educational programs and tools that businesses can use to save energy and cut their operating costs. Join the Green Business Leaders Class of 2014 to learn how to slash your energy costs, make improvements that save energy and money, earn recognition as a Green Business Leader in the community, and help Lawrence become a cleaner, greener community! Classes begin early spring 2014. Learn more and sign up here: www.lawrenceks.org/green-business-leaders.
Common Ground Urban Gardening
The Common Ground Program is a community gardening and urban agriculture program created by the City of Lawrence to transform vacant or under-utilized city properties into vibrant sites of healthy food production for our citizens. Organizations and citizens can apply to lease vacant city properties and turn them into urban farms, community gardens, orchards, etc. You can apply to lease an entire site, or participate in one of our existing seven Common Ground projects. Learn more and sign up here: www.lawrenceks.org/common_ground.
Police Department’s Blue Santa Program
The Lawrence Police Blue Santa Program is a non-profit organization, established by the men and women of the Lawrence Police Department. This program is designed to assist those who are less fortunate living within the city limits of Lawrence. With the help of volunteers from the Lawrence Police Department and Lawrence citizens, this program is able to provide toys to children ages 17 and younger as well as food for their families, during the holiday season. Visit our website at: www.lawrencebluesanta.org for further information on the program, eligibility and volunteering.
Safe Winter Walkways Program Needing Volunteers
The Lawrence community depends on residents to remove snow from public sidewalks since our sidewalks remain in use in all weather conditions. During winter months, Lawrence residents must be able to safely use public sidewalks: children walking to neighborhood schools, students walking to both campuses, employees going to work and families enjoying the fresh air all require safe walkways free of snow.
Without volunteers, this program cannot provide this valuable service to the elderly and disabled in the community that simply cannot shovel their public sidewalks without help. Go to www.lawrenceks.org/safe_winter_walkways to volunteer to help. The program deadline for this year is November 29, 2013.
Beware of the F-O-G
What do bacon, ice cream and peanut butter all have in common? They are more than just tasty treats. They are also sources of fats, oils and grease, also known as FOG.
While fats, oil and grease add extra flavor to your food, pouring FOG down the drain can leave a real mess in the Lawrence sewer collection system and impact our streams. FOG creates clogs that can back up sewage into your street, yard or home and can even send it spilling into a neighborhood stream! Think of it this way – if it can clog arteries in the body, then it will probably clog the sewer pipe. Fortunately, cleaning up FOG is as easy as doing a few simple things around the kitchen.
DO…
- Use mesh drain strainers to catch solid food scraps for disposal in a trash can.
- Pour liquid food scraps, e.g. sauces, milkshakes, into a sealed container and place in the trash can.
- Scrape plates over the trash can or dry wipe with a paper towel.
- Pour used oil into a container with a lid (the original if available) so it can be reused, recycled or placed in the trash can for disposal if less than a quart.
- Recycle used and unused oil through the City of Lawrence/Douglas County Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Please call (785) 832-3030 to schedule a drop off appointment time.
- Pour cooled grease into a grease can or other sealed container for trash disposal and/or absorb with paper towels, kitty litter or newspaper.
DON’T…
- Wash food scraps (solid or liquid) down the drain, dump them in the toilet or grind them up in the garbage disposal.
- Wash contents of soaking pots and pans down the drain.
- Use water to “pre-wash” plates.
- Pour used oil down the drain.
- Pour hot grease (including poultry skimming) down the drain.
- Pour grease down the storm drain.