To the editor:

On Aug. 23 the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission will hold a meeting. One of the agenda items is a request to annex and rezone a tract of 20.08 acres. This tract is a tree farm on Peterson Road just south of the Martin Park. The property includes mature long-needle pine trees. The plat proposal includes seven fourplexes, 14 duplexes and 43 single-family units yielding 99 units; a density of 4.9 units per acre.

The area would serve the community better as a park. A winding sidewalk through the trees would give us a park that would be unique to our area and wonderful “green space” for the new residents in the intensive developments to the northeast and south of this tract. Portions of these developments approach eight units per acre.

“A community without parks is not an appealing community,” according to a July 30 Journal-World story, “Communities flavored with park space.”

I live on an acre lot south of Martin Park, and the “green space” has brought my family much happiness.

Our city has a choice: Encourage a park in the middle of an area of intensive development or just fill it in with 99 units.

James Young,

Lawrence