Improving the rental property inspection process and controlling growth were among the main concerns Lawrence City Commission candidates discussed Monday night with local landlords.

Virtually all of the candidates agreed the registration and inspection of rental homes should be conducted in a more orderly fashion. There should be no surprise visits and landlords should be given fair advance notice, they said.

“Friends have told me some inspectors lack manners,” Zachary Bassin told about 25 people attending the Landlords of Lawrence meeting at the Brookwood Mobile Home Community Center, 1908 E. 19th St.

“Maybe we should look at these inspections as being based on probable cause,” Lee Gerhard said.

Ken McRae, an attorney, said similar inspection and registration ordinances had been struck down by court systems in places such as Cleveland. Dennis “Boog” Highberger, also an attorney, said he thought the ordinance was unconstitutional.

Lynn Goodell, who retired two years ago as the city’s director of Housing and Neighborhood Development, said he thought the ordinance should be restudied.

Some candidates expressed concern about whether Lawrence was growing too fast and in locations that would be detrimental to quality of life.

Attorney David Schauner was critical of proposals to develop the Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive area. He called those proposals classic examples of no planning.

“That entire intersection will be a place where we will not want to be,” said Schauner, who opposed a plan to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter at the site.

Bassin said he opposed turning Lawrence into another Johnson County with crowded thoroughfares and strip malls.

G. Wayne Parks said officials weren’t controlling growth or considering how decisions affect the school district.

“We’re getting to the point where we are overbuilding and going into debt to do it,” he said.

Gregory DiVilbiss said he wanted to see the city’s long-range planning guide, called Horizon 2020, continue to be followed. Development proposals should be considered on a case-by-case basis without blatantly disregarding the guide, he said.