Group proposes park to halt shelter plan
The Brook Creek Neighborhood Assn. tried an end-run Wednesday around a Salvation Army proposal to build its new homeless shelter at 15th Street and Haskell Avenue.
Kirsten Roussel, the association president, appeared before the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission to ask that the city buy the property and turn it into a park.
The request came during time set aside to hear project requests from the public.
"It's to block the shelter, but it's a long-term solution to prevent anybody else from developing there," Roussel told the Journal-World.
Neighborhood residents, opposed to the shelter, say the area has problems with flooding. A park space, they say, could alleviate the condition.
Commissioners did not comment on the request. Written applications for projects can be submitted until March 12.
Proposal approved to protect hospital
The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission approved a request to modify Horizon 2020, the county's long-range planning guide, to protect Lawrence Memorial Hospital from private competition.
The modification would force planners to consider "the continued economic viability" of LMH when considering development requests from private hospitals. The city and county commissions also must approve the amendment.
Columbia HCA tried during the mid-1990s to build a hospital in Lawrence. City officials rebuffed the attempt and an accompanying lawsuit, but said the policy change would make it easier to do so in the future.
Downtown guidelines OK'd
Proposed Downtown Design Guidelines are a step closer to final approval.
With little comment, planning commissioners unanimously approved the guidelines Wednesday. The Lawrence City Commission must approve the guidelines before they become law.
The guidelines form a downtown "overlay" district generally bounded by Sixth Street on the north, Rhode Island Street on the east, Vermont Street on the west and North Park Street on the south in which new construction and renovation would have to meet special guidelines to preserve the "look" of downtown.
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