Strategic Plan

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

STRONG, WELCOMING NEIGHBORHOODS

All people in Lawrence live in safe, functional, and aesthetically unique neighborhoods that provide opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles with access to safe and affordable housing and essential services that help them thrive.

Progress Indicators

To realize our Vision for Lawrence, we endeavor to achieve this outcome. As such, the City Commission has identified several Progress Indicators to track progress towards this outcome. The Progress Indicators are listed below.

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.

SWN-2: Percent of residential units within a half mile of City green space


Strategies:

  • Ensure equitable access and continue to improve parks, recreation opportunities, open spaces and trails within the community.

SWN-3: Percent of residential units within a half mile of a walking/biking trail


Strategies:

  • Ensure equitable access and continue to improve parks, recreation opportunities, open spaces and trails within the community.

SWN-4: Percent of residential units within a half mile of a school or library


Strategies:

  • Identify new and unused residential zoning areas for new housing units within one-half mile of schools or libraries.

SWN-5: Percent of households that are experiencing housing stress (spending more than 30% of their income on housing) - Rental


Strategies:

  • Create more ownership options for low- and moderate- income renters who want to become owners by increasing the supply of affordable housing options.

SWN-5: Percent of households that are experiencing housing stress (spending more than 30% of their income on housing) - Home Ownership


Strategies:

  • Create more ownership options for low- and moderate- income renters who want to become owners by increasing the supply of affordable housing options.

SWN-6: Point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness

Strategies:

  • Create lasting solutions to connect people to housing to make homelessness a rare, brief and one-time experience.

SWN-7: Affordable Housing Sales Tax dollars invested divided by unit investments


Strategies:

  • Increase affordable housing opportunities by investing in underutilized properties, developing innovative partnerships and identifying additional funding sources.

SWN-8: Infrastructure cost per new residential unit (Multi-Family)


Strategies:

  • Review and improve subdivision regulations and encourage larger developments to foster greater economies of scale.

SWN-8: Infrastructure cost per new residential unit (Single-Family)


Strategies:

  • Review and improve subdivision regulations and encourage larger developments to foster greater economies of scale.

SWN-9: Cost per capita of solid waste collected


Strategies:

  • Review and benchmark solid waste routes and service levels to improve system efficiencies.

SWN-10: Employee Engagement Index for Planning & Development Services

Strategies:

  • Improve the relationship of the Planning & Development Services department and the community at-large.
  • Develop, refine and promote activites related to employee career development and succession planning.
  • Provide safe environments and programs that promote and encourage the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of City employees.
  • Compensate and reward employees so they can focus on complex and long-term outcomes that serve our community.
  • Build trust throughout all levels of the organization by encouraging feedback and creating open, two-way communication.
  • Recognize our successes through open appreciation.
  • Create a welcoming environment with space for autonomy, innovation and continuous improvement where all members of the organization can discover their purpose.

SWN-11: Employee Engagement Index for Solid Waste

Strategies:

  • Develop, refine and promote activites related to employee career development and succession planning.
  • Provide safe environments and programs that promote and encourage the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of City employees.
  • Compensate and reward employees so they can focus on complex and long-term outcomes that serve our community.
  • Build trust throughout all levels of the organization by encouraging feedback and creating open, two-way communication.
  • Recognize our successes through open appreciation.
  • Create a welcoming environment with space for autonomy, innovation and continuous improvement where all members of the organization can discover their purpose.

SWN-12: Acres per resident of public land used for environmentally sustainable uses (examples include: food production, native landscaping, monarch waystations, green infrastructure, etc.)

Strategies:

  • Use public land following available best practices for food production, urban forestry, native landscaping and pollinator habitats.
  • Integrate green infrastructure best practices into public projects.

SWN-13: Connectivity of healthy food providers by transit, bike routes or sidewalks


Strategies:

  • Improve multimodal transportation options when traveling to priority destinations.

SWN-14: Percent of commercial units (all construction) above or at energy code

Strategies:

  • Identify energy efficiency opportunities for residential, industrial and commercial buildings.

SWN-14: Percent of industrial units (all construction) above or at energy code


Strategies:

  • Identify energy efficiency opportunities for residential, industrial and commercial buildings.

SWN-14: Percent of residential units (all construction) above or at energy code


Strategies:

  • Identify energy efficiency opportunities for residential, industrial and commercial buildings.