An incredulous Charles Jones couldn't believe the 2-1 vote he just lost Monday, paving the way for a new residential development in rural Douglas County.
"To hell with Horizon 2020, let's bring on urban sprawl," Jones said sarcastically in response to the votes of his fellow Douglas County commissioners. "What does Horizon 2020 mean to you guys?"
The newly approved residential development west of the South Lawrence Trafficway subverts the city and county development guide and sets a bad precedent, said Jones, the lone vote on the commission against the proposal.
Commission Chairman Dean Nieder said the Horizon 2020 planning document was simply a guide.
"It's not the law," he countered.
The disputed development is an 81-acre parcel along E 900 Road just northwest of U.S. Highway 40 and the trafficway. Swan Management Co. plans to develop Ranch Estates, 13 residential properties, each served by septic systems.
The property is just outside the urban growth area, an area that is projected to be part of Lawrence relatively soon. Properties within the urban growth area carry more restrictions for developers.
Outside the urban growth area, property owners still can take advantage of regulations designed to allow farmers to break off 5-acre parcels of land for family members who plan to help with the farm.
But the regulations also can be used by developers. In this case, the 81 acres could be turned into five large properties all fronting on E 900 Road, an unattractive development scheme from a planning perspective.
Linda Finger, city-county planning director, said the 13-lot proposal was seen as a better alternative.
Jones said the development proposal would stretch city and county resources by allowing the development to "leapfrog" undeveloped land between it and Lawrence.
The area isn't expected to have sewer lines for 15 to 20 years, Finger said.
"That doesn't bother me a bit," Nieder said. "You've already got Pine-Ne-Wa out there. It's been successful for 25 years."
-- Kendrick Blackwood's phone message number is 832-7221. His e-mail address is kblackwood@ljworld.com.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.