Big-box stores not in plan for S. Iowa Street / LJWorld.com

Archive for Tuesday, September 25, 2007

September 25, 2007

More commercial development could end up on South Iowa Street

City and county planners try to determine how South Lawrence will look years down the road. Enlarge video

City commissioners are set to approve new building codes that will require fire sprinklers in all new apartment buildings and will put more emphasis on energy efficiency in construction of new homes.

Commissioners at their meeting tonight are scheduled to approve a variety of codes from the International Family of Codes. The new code would require fire sprinklers for all newly constructed multifamily living units of three units or more. It would not require existing apartment complexes to be retrofitted with sprinklers.

The residential portion of the code also would include specific requirements related to energy conservation. The code spells out specifics for types and quantity of insulation to be used and encourages builders to use 90 percent efficient furnaces. The code also requires new venting systems that are designed to help prevent radon problems.

Commissioners will consider the codes - which have been discussed by the city's various code advisory boards for more than a year - at their 6:35 p.m. meeting today at City Hall.

Multiple restaurants, several hotels, large car dealers and maybe even a truck stop are in the offing for portions of far South Iowa Street, according to a new plan being developed by City Hall.

But more big-box retailers aren't part of the picture.

City commissioners are set to decide tonight whether it is a picture that pleases them. Commissioners will host a public hearing on the Revised Southern Development Plan, an area plan that maps out the future for approximately 2,300 acres generally north of the Wakarusa River, south of 31st Street, west of Louisiana Street and east of Kasold Drive.

If approved, the plan would open up one new major commercial area along Iowa Street, just south of where it intersects with the South Lawrence Trafficway.

"It would be the type of commercial area meant to take advantage of vehicles coming off the highway," said Scott McCullough, the director of planning for the city and county.

The area is being designated as an "auto-oriented" commercial zone. That means businesses such as car dealers, car repair shops, hotels, restaurants, and perhaps even a truck stop would be allowed near the intersection.

But McCullough said the plan, as it is written, doesn't envision that area to become the next spot for big-box store development. In fact, the plan doesn't see any of the southern Lawrence area - which currently is home to the majority of the city's discount and department stores - adding significant amounts of big-box retailers.

McCullough said traffic issues and dealing with the large amount of flood plain that is in the area are issues that make additional large-scale retail development difficult.

Other issues addressed by the plan include:

¢ The area south of 31st Street near Ousdahl Road is planned to largely become a mix of apartments and offices. The plan lists the future use of the area as medium-density residential and office zoning. That designation is consistent with plans that already have been proposed by developers who are seeking to build apartments at the site. The designation would allow between seven and 15 living units per acre.

¢ The northwest corner of 31st and Louisiana streets would be a mix of medium-density and low-density residential. But Bruce Snodgrass, an owner of the property, is asking city commissioners to change the entire area to medium-density residential, which would allow apartments. Members of the Indian Hills Neighborhood Association have expressed concerns about that proposal, saying it could create additional traffic and flooding problems.

Snodgrass' attorney, though, has argued that the area has long been forecast to be medium-density residential, and that traffic issues can be addressed as part of a specific development plan.

¢ Multifamily development also would be allowed east and west of Lawrence Avenue, south of 31st Street, and on a large amount of property southwest of North 1250 Road.

Neighbors just north of 31st Street aren't sure they like the idea of so much new multifamily development in the future. Bonnie Johnson, president of the Indian Hills Neighborhood Association, said she didn't think the city did enough to seek input from neighbors who will be north of the proposed area. She said her neighborhood's longtime concern has been that Louisiana Street will become overwhelmed by traffic.

"I'm not sure this plan answers a lot of questions," Johnson said. "What we do know is we have a huge portion of the southern part of the city simply shown as medium-density residential. There's really not much saying what it should be like or what our standards should be. It seems like it is just saying 'have at it and do apartments.'"

City commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. tonight at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

Discussion

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25 September 2007
at 6:02 a.m.

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warthog (Anonymous) says…

A car dealership??? OMG!!! I am sooooo excited by that!

“Daddy? Can we stop and look at the pretty cars??? Puhhhhllllleeeeezzeeeee????”

And a truck stop? Dang… now you really got my attention. Somewhere to take the wife for a good home-cooked meal.

This is their plan for economic development?
25 September 2007
at 6:51 a.m.

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TheYetiSpeaks (Anonymous) says…

Cue the moaning and bitching.
25 September 2007
at 6:54 a.m.

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introversion (Anonymous) says…

“It would be the type of commercial area meant to take advantage of vehicles coming off the highway,”

Um, what highway? the one that abruptly runs into a field, or the one that already has all the above listed stuff on it?
25 September 2007
at 7:10 a.m.

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stuckinthemiddle (Anonymous) says…

introversion
Yeah… either that one… or the new and improved 59… that now the feds are saying there may not be any money for…

Ah yes… and big old truck stop… with no trucks…
25 September 2007
at 7:12 a.m.

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cowboy (Anonymous) says…

Yeah , the south lawrence car jump , heck what a tourist attraction
25 September 2007
at 7:12 a.m.

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stuckinthemiddle (Anonymous) says…

Kinda of like a big old outlet shopping mall… with out any shoppers…
25 September 2007
at 7:25 a.m.

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PeteJayhawk (Anonymous) says…

Don't forget all the new multifamily developments…because if there's one thing Lawrence needs more of (with its shrinking population), it's apartment complexes and duplexes. The only thing that could make it better is if they're Section 8.

25 September 2007
at 7:40 a.m.

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KsTwister (Anonymous) says…

Well, you have to admit all the “big box” stores are already on South Iowa except for maybe a Nordstom and Dilliards.
25 September 2007
at 8:14 a.m.

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cowboy (Anonymous) says…

The city / county ought to take all the ground from 31st to the river from iowa to haskell and put in a world class park with lakes , rec facililties , trails , picnic areas , nature centers , an outdoor music venue , and a cute little bypass !
25 September 2007
at 8:42 a.m.

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sourpuss (Anonymous) says…

Regardless, if some big box wants to go in there, the city will let them, regardless of the plan. That or the big box will muscle and threaten with lawsuits until we give in.
25 September 2007
at 9:07 a.m.

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biggunz (Anonymous) says…

get ready, get set, start b*tching!!!!! if you all hate lawrence so bad get the hell out of here, or stop your damn constant complaining. have you done one thing to make the things you complain about better??
25 September 2007
at 9:33 a.m.

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thebigspoon (Anonymous) says…

“Build it and they will come”
25 September 2007
at 9:45 a.m.

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Jaehde (Anonymous) says…

What a fun evening for the gang of four!
(Over)Development is their lifeblood. literally

I Love Lawrence! That's WHY I speak out. I vote and serve, therefore I may bitch!
25 September 2007
at 10:54 a.m.

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Thats_messed_up (Anonymous) says…

How about a *&%king gas station down by the highway to nowhere that is actually convenient to pull into unlike the stupid one next to Best Buy—make it a QT. Finish the damn SLT. Make the developers pay to widen 31st to 4 lanes since the city blew all of its money on the EmT and roundabouts and is not capable of planning traffic flow around this Liberal dump. Get rid of the 4 way stop at 31st and Louisiana-put in this weird thing called a traffic light. More duplexes for Lawrence will be awesome.

T
25 September 2007
at 2:40 p.m.

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ksdivakat (Anonymous) says…

Why wont they consider something for the kiddos and families, like a skating rink/ice rink, drive-in theatre, putt-putt, some family oriented or positive kid things, the paper said yesterday that violent crimes are on the rise in lawrence, well…..if there is no positive outlets for these kids then what do they expect??? Ive watched you all post on here about those silly condos downtown, ya'll say that they bulit them and that most of them stand empty, so what is the city really trying to do? Im not ignorant , just uninformed and im trying to become informed so that I can know what is going on when I vote! So any light on all this would be helpful! I know I should have been following all along, but im trying now….so thank you in advance for any input!

25 September 2007
at 3:32 p.m.

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doc1 (Anonymous) says…

Why don't they take out the trashy trailer court by Home Depot while they are at it. That's such an embarrising eyesore.
25 September 2007
at 4:14 p.m.

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merrill (Anonymous) says…

The boxes are forcing their way on 6th street…

http://www2.ljworld.com/polls/2007/au…

http://www2.ljworld.com/polls/2007/se…

The plans are coming from the same sources that now have Lawrence over built in retail and housing. We do need more of the same anywhere in Lawrence aka bad/incompetent planning.
25 September 2007
at 4:15 p.m.

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thebcman (Anonymous) says…

a miniature-golf course would be awesome .. is there even one anywhere remotely close by ??
25 September 2007
at 4:29 p.m.

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dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…

Oh goody. More retail. Wouldn't it be nice to bring in businesses where someone could earn some money, instead of spending it? And I mean real money, not 7 bucks an hour.
25 September 2007
at 5:06 p.m.

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del888 (Anonymous) says…

For you people who appearently haven't lived in Lawrence very long, there used to be a mini golf place on south Iowa - I think where Target is now. It also had batting cages. Across Iowa street was a theater and a roller skating rink - where Kohls is now.

Just though you might want to know that it has already been tried.

As far as the truck stop - it's a great idea. There is no place in Lawrence to park a semi overnight and there is only 1 place to buy diesel fuel that can be pumped into a semi. I know that there are some 'gas stations' that sell diesel, but you can't get a truck and a 53 ft. trailer in there - and those pumps are too slow to fill a semi tractor. The only place big enough for a truck is that big station by the school bus lot on east 23rd street. Lawrence is big enough to support a truck stop.
25 September 2007
at 5:31 p.m.

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lubyloo (Anonymous) says…

I hope that along with this new construction the city will put to use the buildings that we already have that are sitting empty, such as the giant empty Food 4 Less building on Iowa. The UNOs on South Iowa didn't make it and is another empty building as well. It doesn't seem to make sense to build more buildings for businesses that the city apparently can't support. Also, I can't really envision a truck stop on Iowa street. How about putting it in North Lawrence off of I-70 in some of the empty buildings that are already there?
25 September 2007
at 6:56 p.m.

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GretchenJP (Anonymous) says…

God I love Lawrence.
25 September 2007
at 7:40 p.m.

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waydownsouth (Anonymous) says…

I agree lubyloo put a truck stop where Tanger mall is. Thats an eyesore. I can see more cardealers out on Iowa. The Ford dealership on 23rd is a pain to get in and out of.

25 September 2007
at 9:09 p.m.

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LogicMan (Anonymous) says…

“there used to be a mini golf place on south Iowa - I think where Target is now”

On that corner — where Douglas County and Central National Banks are now.
25 September 2007
at 9:36 p.m.

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dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…

Actually, I think the putt putt was making money, the people who built the bank and the Steak and Shake just made an offer they couldn't refuse.
26 September 2007
at 12:39 a.m.

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RKLOG (Mark Andrew) says…

Where ever will I get my big boxes now?