The city’s march toward the northwest slowed Tuesday night.

City commissioners on Tuesday tabled a proposal for a 92-acre residential and commercial development on the southeast corner of Sixth Street and the South Lawrence Trafficway.

Mayor Sue Hack noted the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission had recommended approval but also had asked city planners to come up with an “area plan” to guide growth at the intersection’s other three corners.

“I am concerned about approving a portion of an area but saying we need the rest of it to have a plan,” she said. “It seems to me that’s a backwards way of doing it.”

The development was planned by Diamond Head LLC.

Brian Kubota, Diamond Head’s representative, rebuked commissioners for their action.

“If we wait and delay the project, the whole project could become unfeasible,” Kubota said.

“This whole project is in compliance with Horizon 2020, it’s in compliance with the zoning ordinance,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right.”

Although the entire project was tabled, it was the 32-acre commercial portion that proved critical. The intersection has been designated a “community commercial center,” in which a maximum of 30 acres of commercial zoning is allowed.

Opponents said the area plan would allow the city to see how the commercial zoning could best be apportioned at the intersection. Others, including representatives of Downtown Lawrence Inc., expressed concern Lawrence already has more retail space than it can support.

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“Downtown Lawrence is not anti-growth, anti-competitive,” said Maria Martin, co-director of the organization. “What we’re concerned about is overinvesting in commercialization that exceeds our needs at this time.”

Kirk McClure, a Kansas University professor, said retail space in Lawrence had grown at six times the rate of consumer spending in recent years.

“If that stays on for a long period of time, that’s how Topeka looks like Topeka,” he said.

Kubota said approval was needed quickly so he could begin working with the Kansas Department of Transportation to ensure the planned widening of Sixth Street took his project into account.

“This is so we can do some planning,” he said.

Commissioners said they wanted to take a bigger-picture approach to planning the intersection.

“The planning is critical now,” Commissioner David Dunfield said. “We cannot afford to wait and do the planning after the (zoning) approvals.”

Hack and Dunfield were joined by Mike Rundle and Jim Henry in voting to table the proposal until planners complete the area plan, which is expected in April. Commissioner Marty Kennedy was the lone opponent.