Lawrence City Commission candidate David Schauner on Tuesday announced the “smart growth” plan he intends to pursue if elected.

Schauner was joined by Commissioner Mike Rundle, a colleague on the Progressive Lawrence Campaign slate, during a press conference at Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive. The corner is the site of a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter that Schauner says is a “classic example” of bad planning.

But Schauner took pains to make the case that his seven-point plan is “pro-business while being pro-neighborhood.”

“The Progressive candidates have been labeled ‘anti-growth,'” Schauner said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

His rivals for the City Commission said Schauner’s ideas were nothing new.

“No one’s against that,” candidate Lynn Goodell said after examining the proposal. “Some of these are old things — they’re just re-digging them up.”

The points in Schauner’s proposal:

l Creation of a sidewalk master plan for the city. While no plan exists, city planner Brian Pedrotti said Tuesday that the city’s sidewalk requirements made it easy to look at the city’s comprehensive road plans and tell where the sidewalks would go.

l Putting “pedestrian friendly” crossings at major intersections.

l Using floodplain land to create connecting paths between city parks and open spaces.

l Assisting developers in measuring the effects that projects have on surrounding streets. Pedrotti said planners required major projects to furnish traffic-impact studies.

l Requiring that commercial and residential developments be designed “to make them complement the character of Lawrence.” There are no such requirements, except in the Downtown Design Guidelines that govern development on and around Massachusetts Street.

l Recruiting developers to build affordable housing.

l Devising plans for areas where development is expected to occur. The city has been hit-or-miss on this front, but it recently required such a plan for proposed development at Sixth Street and the South Lawrence Trafficway before approving any building there.

Candidates Dennis “Boog” Highberger and Greg DiVilbiss said that they were in general agreement with the principles.

“I’m really pleased that the other side is moving toward our position,” candidate Lee Gerhard said. “That’s what I called ‘intelligent growth’ at the Downtown Lawrence forum.”

Also Tuesday, school board candidate Michael Pomes criticized DiVilbiss’ stance on eliminating roommate limits in single-family zoned areas of the city.

Pomes said the limits were to encourage owner-occupancy of those homes and thus to bring families into older neighborhoods. Those families would supply children to schools that could close, he said.

“DiVilbiss should direct his attention to ways he can strengthen neighborhoods, rather than tearing them apart,” Pomes said.

DiVilbiss said roommate limits haven’t helped schools.

“There’s so many kids who are living against the ordinance now,” he said. “I fully acknowledge that the movement from rental to owner-occupancy of single-family homes is good for neighborhoods. But the ordinance that exists now isn’t working.”