To the editor:

In reference to the May 22 planning commission meeting and the preceding “study session” on May 20, there was no “study” of the issues surrounding this inappropriate development. Only a few of the commissioners even bothered to ask questions. Some commissioners weren’t even present. The remainder sat stone-faced apparently unhappy that they had to be subjected to yet another interested neighborhood concerned about its surroundings.

At the planning meeting, one commissioner had the audacity to say, “It is too late for an area plan, we can’t hold up the developer that long.” This is the planning commission what else are they supposed to do? Apparently, they believe that they are in the business of insuring the profitability of a speculating developer!

The chairman of the planning commission asked, “What did we (those in the neighborhood stupid enough to purchase houses with undeveloped land behind our homes) expect?” Fortunately, Commissioner Burress responded that we as citizens had every right to expect the city follow its master plan (Horizon 2020) for that area which calls for SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING on the very piece of land at issue.

This really is a no-brainer. We are reasonable people; it is reasonable to expect the city to follow Kansas law and its own master plan. But to invade on three established single-family neighborhoods is simply not reasonable.

If you don’t live in the area why should you care? If it can happen in our neighborhood, it can also happen in yours!

Dan Pennington,

Lawrence