New southeast area plan to be considered

Supporters of a plan to use a 1,200-acre tract of agricultural land southeast of Lawrence primarily for new housing, rather than as a business park, won a small victory Tuesday.

City and county commissioners at a joint study session agreed to examine a new proposal for the area south and east of 23rd Street and O’Connell Road that would allow for more housing than Lawrence-Douglas County planning commissioners previously had approved.

“As far as I’m concerned, it is definitely a move in the right direction,” said Bill Vervynck, who is among a group of residents in the area concerned about the prospect of large amounts of industrial development.

The plan was developed by the Lawrence-based engineering firm Peridian Group at the request of an unidentified client who is interested in developing the area. The plan includes a mix of industrial and housing development, along with parkland, a neighborhood retail center and a site for a future school.

Bill Leek, an engineer with the firm, said the area would include about 300 to 400 acres for industrial development, which is significantly less than the 680 acres of industrial property included in an area plan approved by the Planning Commission in February. The Peridian Group’s plans would replace the lost industrial land largely with a mix of single-family and multifamily housing.

“There are some good reasons for that,” Leek said. “Mainly there is a need for affordable housing in this community, and this is one way to approach that goal.”

City and county commissioners weren’t ready to commit to the plan just yet. All commissioners said they wanted to see more details, such as how many houses the area could accommodate.

But City Commissioners Mike Amyx and Sue Hack agreed to meet with County Commissioner Charles Jones and a member of the Planning Commission to study the plan in more detail and report back to both commissions in the next 30 days.

Previously, city and county commissioners have disagreed on whether the area should be used primarily for industrial or housing uses. Because the area currently is outside the city, both the city and county commissions need to agree on the plans for the area.

City advances project to expand library

A plan to study ways to expand the Lawrence Public Library and build a parking garage at its current location in the 700 block of Vermont Street won unanimous approval from city commissioners Tuesday night.

Commissioners agreed to award a contract to Lawrence-based architects Gould Evans Associates to come up with different expansion scenarios for the library. Commissioners agreed with the recommendation from the library’s New Direction Task Force that the study should focus on the library’s existing site rather than other locations downtown.

Gould Evans was chosen by a city selection committee after the firm responded to a request for qualifications put out by the city’s library board. The selection committee interviewed three companies for the project.

The study, which will include a public forum, is expected to cost $50,000 and is scheduled to be completed by July 15.

New area plan approved for neighborhoods

City commissioners approved a new area plan for the Hillcrest, Old West Lawrence and Pinckney neighborhoods.

The new plan makes several recommendations, including design guidelines to protect the neighborhood’s eclectic and historical character, creation of a task force to work with property owners to rezone their properties to reflect their actual use, developing strategies to promote the area as a medical entryway to the hospital and working to extend the historical influence of downtown into the area to make the area a gateway to downtown.

Commissioners also directed staff to work on creating an ordinance that would re-establish a building permit moratorium in certain sections of the neighborhood while yet-to-be-appointed task forces finalize the implementation of the plan. The previous building permit moratorium for the area expired April 25.