Land now occupied by the mothballed Farmland Industries fertilizer plant just east of Lawrence should be reserved for industrial development and open space, Douglas County and Lawrence City commissioners were told Wednesday.

Commissioners met Wednesday with members of the ECO2 task force to discuss the possible purchase of the Farmland plant and the task force’s future.

ECO2 (pronounced eco-squared) was formed in 2000 by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce to plan for future industrial development and open-space areas.

“We recommend that none of this land (at Farmland) be used for residential purposes. This land is industrial and if industrial space is in short supply there is no reason to convert it,” said Jim Roberts, a leader of the task force. “We feel it ought to be strictly a business park.”

Farmland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2002. Although many of the agricultural giant’s properties have been sold, the Lawrence plant continues to be on the market. Among the interested parties are Lawrence and Douglas County.

ECO2 officials presented a plan that would keep the 467 acres whole instead of being sold or bought in pieces. City and county commissioners agreed purchasing the land would benefit the community.

“It’s an opportunity to create a showcase,” Roberts said. “We’ve talked about the gateway to Lawrence. This should stand out as a symbol of a great place.”

Most of the property, according to the ECO2 plan, would be earmarked for an industrial park. But one corner would be preserved as open space. ECO2 members suggested the open area be used for hiking or horseback riding trails connecting to the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds.

“One thing that interested us was the possibility to expand the fairgrounds,” said County Commissioner Bob Johnson.

The task force will continue to discuss whether the city or the county should buy the property, how much should be bid and where to get the money to purchase the site.

“We need to show the public this is a good investment,” Johnson said.

Lawrence City Manager Mike Wildgen and city staff are working on a resolution that would attempt to assure the land is sold and purchased as a whole, although the land is not within city limits and would need to be annexed prior to purchase.

ECO2 members said they hoped the resolution would send a clear signal to prospective buyers that the city and county are seriously considering buying the land.

They also decided there needed to be more collaboration among all the groups dealing with economic development in the county.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re all on the same page,” City Commissioner Mike Rundle said.

The chamber of commerce is working on a list of all such agencies and is tentatively planing a summit for the agencies to decide on a common vision.

“We need a better vision of our goals,” said City Commissioner David Schauner. “That may mean refining our goals to make us more aggressive.”

County Commission Chairman Charles Jones agreed. “We want ECO2 to continue to as an active organization.”