As Kansas University has grown, Lawrence residents have pretty much depended on the good will and judgment of university officials who make decisions about the expansion and appearance of the KU campus.

Mostly, that has worked fine. Farsighted planning and land purchases by the KU Endowment Association have allowed the campus to grow in most cases with minimal effect on adjoining neighborhoods. Nonetheless, some recent expansions and the obvious potential impact of KU on the Lawrence landscape has led city officials to seek a more formal planning relationship with KU. A city-university zoning pact currently is being negotiated.

Both KU and the city appear to be approaching this issue with the right attitude. KU officials already have made major concessions, including agreeing to allow city zoning codes to be enforced on Endowment Association properties that aren’t adjacent to KU’s main or west campus. They’ve also agreed to lock in a planning agreement for five years rather than giving either the city or the university the opportunity to cancel the plan at any time with 180 days notice.

Lawrence city commissioners agreed Tuesday night to reopen negotiations with the university on the agreement. If an agreement isn’t reached within six months, they said, they will pursue planning authority over the entire KU campus. This would be a bad decision and would do much harm to the excellent town-gown relationship that is the envy of many other university cities. As City Commissioner Boog Highberger strongly urged, the city should try to avoid a court battle with KU over the matter.

Considering the controversial history of “planning” in Lawrence, it is frightening to consider the consequences of a city body having the authority to oversee all building projects on the campus. City officials shouldn’t threaten the university nor should KU leaders threaten city leaders.

KU and Lawrence have had an exemplary relationship over the years. Although KU officials have had final authority over construction projects on state property, they have shown good judgment in most cases. It is perhaps a sign of the times that local residents and city government no longer feel they can simply trust KU officials to “do the right thing” in all cases. Rather than duke it out over every campus project that may affect a neighborhood, it makes sense to hammer out a broader policy that will set some limits and guide future planning decisions.

KU and Lawrence have a positive, symbiotic relationship; what’s good for one is good for the other. Although a formal planning agreement may be a good move it’s important for everyone involved to remember that the most powerful planning tool that exists between the university and the city is a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect.