A set of newly proposed rural development and land use regulations doesn’t include the 5-acre exemption, but Douglas County commissioners don’t see a reason for people to get worked up about the potential change.

“My sense is what is being proposed takes away the 5-acre rule as it once was,” Commissioner Bob Johnson said Monday while reviewing the proposal. “But what has been done : gives the property owners the ability to say ‘I have ground and I want to sell.'”

The proposal prevents subdivisions from forming on 5 acres of land in rural parts of Douglas County – a practice that has irked commissioners. The 5-acre exemption has allowed residents in rural areas to build a home on five acres or more without going through the plotting or rezoning process. The current proposal before commissioners would require a minimum of 20 acres before a home could be built.

But denser rural development also would be possible on property of 40 acres or more.

Lawrence-Douglas County Planning director Linda Finger said a cluster of homes could be developed on 24 of any 40 acres of land.

“You could have eight lots, but that’s the maximum number,” she said.

Commissioner Jere McElhaney said he would like to review the possibility of a 10-acre exemption.

But commissioners said they were pleased the proposal was more clearly written than previous drafts.

“This document is pretty easy to figure out,” McElhaney said.

Commissioners previously had objected to the rural subdivision regulations proposed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission because they were complicated and called for too many changes to current regulations.

“I think we’re trying to accomplish the same goals but through a simplified manner,” Commission Chairman Charles Jones said.

Commissioners will continue reviewing the proposed regulations at 4 p.m. Wednesday.