In the neighborhoods for 20 years / LJWorld.com

Archive for Thursday, January 25, 2007

While representing all parts of Lawrence, association brings organized focus to City Hall

January 25, 2007

Twenty years ago, Steve Lopes had an adjective he commonly used to describe the mood of Lawrence neighborhood associations: crabby.

"The neighborhoods were a lot less powerful than they are now," Lopes said. "They would come out for a single issue, and then they would just go away."

But then on Jan. 29, 1987 - Kansas Day - things began to change for Lawrence neighborhood groups. That's the day Lopes and other organizers credit as the beginning of the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods.

Now, Lopes thinks there's a much better adjective to describe Lawrence's approximately 35 neighborhood associations: organized.

"I tell people we've gone from crazy to credible," said Lopes, who served as the association's first president.

The organization will be celebrating it all as part of a 20th anniversary party from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Lawrence Visitor Center, 402 N. Second St. The event is open to the public.

Active participants

It's common today to find at least one representative of the association - or LAN, as it is known - at every City Commission meeting. Members spend a good deal of time reading everything from stormwater reports to traffic projections, so they can make comments to commissioners about developments that may affect their neighborhoods in terms of noise, parking or in other ways.

"LAN is one of Lawrence's most active groups that believes protecting the quality of life in Lawrence demands active participation," said Gwen Klingenberg, the association's president.

Price Banks, a Lawrence development attorney and a former Lawrence planning director, said the group's frequent participation has helped it grow into one of the city's more powerful community organizations.

"I think they have had tremendous influence in this community," Banks said.

Several members of the organization have gone on to serve on the City Commission or beyond. David Dunfield and state Sen. Marci Francisco are examples of past association presidents who have served as Lawrence mayor.

Lawrence Neighborhoods

Steve Lopes, a LAN founder, gives a guide to Lawrence neighborhoods. Enlarge video

Raising questions

Some members admit, though, that the group's frequent questioning of projects has made it less than universally loved.

"We're viewed by some as anti-growth, but we're really not," said David Geyer, who was the association's president in the mid-1990s. "I think it is because we raise questions about whether this is what the city needs. When you raise questions like that, you are questioning other people's ideas."

Lopes, who is not particularly active in the association anymore, said he always took the anti-growth label as a badge of honor.

"If someone is not angry at you, you're not doing your job," Lopes said. "We're not anti-anything. We are pro-neighborhood, pro-better living in Lawrence. I think the quality of living in Lawrence owes a lot to the 20 years of LAN.

"That's unapologetic. We step on toes, that's right. Now, developers have to think twice because they know someone will be asking the tough questions at the Planning Commission or the City Commission or wherever. That's our job."

Illustration by Karl Gehring

Eyes and ears

Banks has been on the losing side of some disagreements with the association, but he considers himself a fan of the organization.

"Their impact has been both good and bad, but I would say primarily good," Banks said. "It is an opportunity for folks to come together and collectively bargain with the power structure. I don't agree with all the directions they have gone, but I'm glad that they're active."

The group plays a pretty specific role for elected leaders, Mayor Mike Amyx said.

"There probably have been times where we've agreed and probably disagreed on how things have been done," Amyx said. "But the way I really look at LAN is that (they) are our eyes and ears in the neighborhood to recognize issues that we may not recognize otherwise. That's an important job."

Lopes thinks the group does help provide needed information to commissioners, but said its benefit had reached even wider.

"Democracy has improved because more people know what decisions are coming up and know how to get involved," Lopes said. "It's just a real player in the community."

Lawrence Association ofNeighborhoods

Discussion

LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

26 January 2007
at 7:34 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

swan_diver (Anonymous) says…

In fact — the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods was organized in late 1974, by a handful of residents of Pinkney, Old West Lawrence, and East Lawrence — to block construction of a new city maintenance facility at its then current site at 4th and Indiana. That effort was successful, forcing the project to 11th and Haskell. The group went on question and shadow Lawrence City Commission candidates at late winter elections in 1975, and later confronted the city's plan to dispense with the historic northern quarter of East Lawrence, with its ill-considered Haskell Loop, which was already tossing Mexican American widows out of their homes with Eminent Domain. The group and its core members went on to even greater things by the end of the decade, when they doggedly assaulted the Lawrence Chamber's plan to demolish downtown and it's surrounding Original Town Site with a regional shopping mall.

While I applaud the efforts of Steve Lopes and others in institutionalizing the function and influence of the association in 1987 — we should properly date its inception thirteen years earlier, to a time when our community's business and banking leaders were in the process of destroying what remained of this landmark 'national city' of Lawrence, Kansas.
26 January 2007
at 9:37 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…

“questioning every project to 'make sure it's best for everyone' is a poor excuse.”

A poor excuse? What would a good excuse be?
26 January 2007
at 10:21 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

WilburM (Anonymous) says…

LAN clearly dates from 1987 and the experience of a large coalition of neighborhood types working together to block the building of a Downtown Shopping Mall. Of course, LAN did pick up on many strains of neighborhood activism in Lawrence, as describe above re 1974 activities (as well as early 1960s plans to redevelop Old West Lawrence — that would have been “progress” for you).

In a city that values discussion (maybe too much, but that's the case), LAN has proven a most valuable institution. It helps balance pure development types, and yet it represents a variety of neighborhoods, which themselves harbor diverse interests. The result is a sometimes messy approach to politics and policy-making, and some delays. But that's democracy, and by and large, it's worked for all of Lawrence.

We'd be a poorer place without LAN and its chorus of voices.
26 January 2007
at 10:52 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

girly (Anonymous) says…

So do the newer neighborhoods have representatives, too, or is it just the older neighborhoods who don't want Lawrence to change from the way it was 50 years ago? Remember, these groups represent a small percentage of Lawrencians.
26 January 2007
at 11:04 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…

More likely, they just don't want the changes that you want to see, girly.
26 January 2007
at 12:13 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

emilyhadley (Emily Hadley) says…

It seems that examining developer's profit-driven plans with a thorough and more objective eye can only be good for the community.
In addition, it is protecting the success of the developer by bringing to light concerns that developers (especially those from outside the area) may have overlooked or tried to conceal.

I love Lawrence.
26 January 2007
at 12:54 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Sigmund (Anonymous) says…

Put down the banjo and and guitar and mow the yard.

26 January 2007
at 1:33 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

FredGarvin_MP (Anonymous) says…

When did 23rd Street/Clinton Parkway become Bob Billins Parkway? Did I miss something?
26 January 2007
at 1:42 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

ForgotAboutTodd (Anonymous) says…

“However Oread has been cursed with their 800 pound gorilla neighbor, the University of Kansas.”

“…constantly organized to defend and protect their neighborhood.”

These quotes from Mr. Lopes perfectly sum up the attitude of many of these neighborhood associations and it was exactly the same in the last university town where I resided. They like to think their world would be perfect if it wasn't for all of these students around. Well, without all of these students Lawrence would would pretty much be Eudora.

It's always “their” neighborhood and never “our” neighborhood as if the students don't have a right to be there.
26 January 2007
at 6:50 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

George_Braziller (Anonymous) says…

I lived on the east side of the 800 block of Tennessee for two years when I was in college. I knew the neighbors across the street and visited many of the houses. On a Sunday morning in, June of I think 1988, Douglas County Bank came in with bulldozers and completely wiped out the entire block between Tennessee and Kentucky from 8th Street to nearly 9th. No one was allowed to move the houses, no one was allowed to salvage anything. The argument was that it was needed for parking and that the houses were “dilapidated.” Those houses would now sell for $200,000+ and all that sits there now is an unused parking lot.

That's why we need the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods. Something like that should never happen again.
26 January 2007
at 6:56 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

George_Braziller (Anonymous) says…

Ooops. I meant west side.
26 January 2007
at 9:38 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

budwhysir (Anonymous) says…

All I know is when it comes to my home and the area I live in, I dont need anyone making decisions for me
26 January 2007
at 9:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

George_Braziller (Anonymous) says…

Neighborhoods are supposed to be placed where people live. You should be concerned about decisions that have an impact on you. Bulldoze a house next door and it has a domino effect on the entire neighborhood.