Strategic Plan

A look forward at the City's goals and plans to achieve them

Community Engagement: Listen, share, and engage with our community to drive action and build trust in City government.

We invite and welcome all community members to collaborate and innovate with us. Through strong and equitable engagement with our community, we share and receive information about important city services and community life.

Progess Indicators


The way in which we accomplish the work set out in this plan is as important as the outcomes. This is why our commitments are essential. With the six commitments to how we do our work, the City will ensure we're following through on our strategic plan in the right way and with excellence. The Progress Indicators associated with the Community Engagement commitment are listed below.

UI-1: Percent of residents who are satisfied or very satisfied with the Parks & Recreation system


Strategies:

  • Market Lawrence as a destination for parks and recreation as well as community and cultural events.
  • Enhance parks, park amenities and recreational opportunities to meet the needs of a growing city.
  • Invest in green infrastructure to provide attractive entrances to the City, a sustainable urban forest and an inviting downtown business district.

UI-2: Percent of residents who are satisfied or very satisfied with the amount of arts, diverse culture and events

Strategies:

  • Market Lawrence as a destination for parks and recreation as well as community and cultural events.

SWN-1: Percent of residents who perceive the City as a good or very good place to live


Strategies:

  • Improve the relationship of the Planning & Development Services department and the community at-large.

SaS-1: Percent of residents who perceive Lawrence as safe or very safe


Strategies:

  • Provide community education and engagement on support services before, during and after traumatic events.
  • Evaluate public safety processes for opportunities to enhance environmental management practices.

PES-1: Percent of businesses satisfied or very satisfied with Lawrence as a place to do business

Strategies:

  • Establish Lawrence as the most business friendly community in the region.
  • Make existing businesses a priority, providing robust support for business retention and expansion.
  • Provide resources and support for small and medium-sized businesses to grow and expand.
  • Create programs that recover, sustain and grow the arts and entertainment community.
  • Create new incentives that are targeted at businesses and industries that provide pathways to economic success for the employees, the company and the community.

PES-2: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with Lawrence as a place to work


Strategies:

  • Create programs that recover, sustain and grow the arts and entertainment community.
  • Enhance childcare options at all price levels.
  • Increase and focus resources to generate entrepreneurial and tech-related company growth.
  • Create new incentives that are targeted at businesses and industries that provide pathways to economic success for the employees, the company and the community.

CC-1: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with the condition of major city streets


Strategies:

  • Invest in multimodal infrastructure and services to improve mobility, safety and connectivity.

CC-2: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with their transportation experiences (driving)

Strategies:

  • Invest in multimodal infrastructure and services to improve mobility, safety and connectivity.
  • Prioritize and enhance timely, accurate, reliable, accessible and transparent information, processes and services to ensure a Connected City.
  • Improve multimodal connectivity with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle demand and transportation for disadvantaged populations.
  • Maximize ridership through Lawrence Transit route redesign and improved access, comfort and convenience for all riders.
  • Enhance transportation options and choices to minimize adverse social, economic and environmental impacts created by transportation.
  • Establish land use policies and codes that minimize the need to walk or bike more than 15 minutes for basic needs such as groceries, medicine, general merchandise, schools and transit.

CC-2: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with their transportation experiences (walking/wheeling)


Strategies:

  • Invest in multimodal infrastructure and services to improve mobility, safety and connectivity.
  • Prioritize and enhance timely, accurate, reliable, accessible and transparent information, processes and services to ensure a Connected City.
  • Improve multimodal connectivity with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle demand and transportation for disadvantaged populations.
  • Maximize ridership through Lawrence Transit route redesign and improved access, comfort and convenience for all riders.
  • Enhance transportation options and choices to minimize adverse social, economic and environmental impacts created by transportation.
  • Establish land use policies and codes that minimize the need to walk or bike more than 15 minutes for basic needs such as groceries, medicine, general merchandise, schools and transit.

CC-2: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with their transportation experiences (biking)


Strategies:

  • Invest in multimodal infrastructure and services to improve mobility, safety and connectivity.
  • Prioritize and enhance timely, accurate, reliable, accessible and transparent information, processes and services to ensure a Connected City.
  • Improve multimodal connectivity with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle demand and transportation for disadvantaged populations.
  • Maximize ridership through Lawrence Transit route redesign and improved access, comfort and convenience for all riders.
  • Enhance transportation options and choices to minimize adverse social, economic and environmental impacts created by transportation.
  • Establish land use policies and codes that minimize the need to walk or bike more than 15 minutes for basic needs such as groceries, medicine, general merchandise, schools and transit.

CC-2: Percent of residents satisfied or very satisfied with their transportation experiences (riding the bus)

Strategies:

  • Invest in multimodal infrastructure and services to improve mobility, safety and connectivity.
  • Prioritize and enhance timely, accurate, reliable, accessible and transparent information, processes and services to ensure a Connected City.
  • Improve multimodal connectivity with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle demand and transportation for disadvantaged populations.
  • Maximize ridership through Lawrence Transit route redesign and improved access, comfort and convenience for all riders.
  • Enhance transportation options and choices to minimize adverse social, economic and environmental impacts created by transportation.
  • Establish land use policies and codes that minimize the need to walk or bike more than 15 minutes for basic needs such as groceries, medicine, general merchandise, schools and transit.

CW-1: Percent of residents who are satisfied or very satisfied with the access, availability and timeliness of information



Strategies:

  • Create and implement a city-wide community engagement plan.

CW-2: Of residents who have engaged with a City department in the past year, the percent who were satisfied with the overall quality of service provided


Strategies:

  • Create and implement a city-wide community engagement plan.
  • Implement a city-wide customer relations management software system.

CW-3: Percent of residents who are satisfied or very satisfied with the level of public involvement in local decision-making