Lawrence’s great leap westward may get under way tonight.

The City Commission will consider rezoning for a nearly 100-acre proposed development at the southeast corner of Sixth Street and the South Lawrence Trafficway — an intersection expected to serve as a significant point of entry to the city.

“It’s a major gateway,” Commissioner David Dunfield said Monday. “It’s also (a development at) an intersection of two major highways, which isn’t something that happens inside city limits all that often.”

Tonight’s meeting comes more than a year after commissioners put the brakes on the project saying they wanted to plan the whole intersection, not just a piece at a time.

Developer Brian Kubota remains unhappy about the delay, noting that construction costs and interest rates were lower in November 2002, when he first sought the city’s permission, than they are now.

“It’s going to hurt us really bad,” Kubota said.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission gave its recommendation to approve the rezonings in October 2002, but city commissioners tabled the proposal the next month. They ordered creation of a “nodal plan” to apportion the amount of commercial, residential and housing appropriate for each corner of the intersection.

Planners said Monday that Kubota’s plan — which would set aside 32 acres for a new commercial shopping center, as well as room for 100 single-family homes and 65 townhouses — met the new nodal plan’s directives.

“There is consistency between Mr. Kubota’s plan and the nodal plan,” said Sandra Day, a city planner.

6News video: Commission to consider rezoning western intersection Progress 2004: Officials try to exercise control of city’s growthAudio clips:Was the wait worth it?: “No. No, it’s going to hurt us …” play (18 seconds, 288 k)But you’re still planning to go ahead: “Yeah, we’re still planning …” play (24 seconds, 380 k)

Kubota said he always planned to create a development that would reflect well on the city.

“They ought to worry about the other three sections instead of what we’re doing, because we’re doing a good job,” Kubota said.

Dunfield said the intersection deserved special planning scrutiny.

“We recognize it’s going to draw a lot of traffic, a lot of folks moving in and out of those intersections,” Dunfield said. “Planning to make them work appropriately is especially important.”

Kubota said if his plan was approved tonight, street and sewer construction could begin this fall, with the first new home sales slated for next spring. The commercial portion of the development would wait for the widening of Sixth Street between Wakarusa Drive and the trafficway; bidding for that city-state project is expected this month.

The commission meets at 6:45 p.m. in City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.