Industrial park developers may be heard soon
The request to annex 159 acres of land near the Lecompton interchange of the Kansas Turpike is on the agenda for June 10's city commission meeting. Enlarge video
Plans to create a new industrial area near the Lecompton interchange of the Kansas Turnpike likely will be debated Tuesday by Lawrence city commissioners.
City Manager David Corliss said that a request to annex 159 acres into the Lawrence city limits was tentatively scheduled to be on the agenda for Tuesday night's commission meeting.
The request has drawn opposition from neighbors, who have said the area hasn't been properly planned for industrial development.
But the development group, which includes Lawrence businessmen Steve and Duane Schwada, has said that the area is ideally situated for industrial development.
The 159-acre parcel is just north of where Interstate 70 and the South Lawrence Trafficway intersect northwest of Lawrence.
Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.
Comments
Cottonwood 9 years, 10 months ago
I will be inheriting my old home of 50 or so acres at 1852 East 1450 and retiring there in the near future, I hope. That's next to Chestnut Charlies and the Schwadas. I've got some good memories there as does my dad and anyone who knows that land, knows it'd be a sin to cover up soil that good. Anyway, this plan needs to be looked at closely with the looming crisis of availability and costs of fossil fuels taken into account, as well as the true needs of the communtiy as a whole. Is this really what's best for Lawrence? Who will really benefit from this? Noria and the East 1750 area, site of the existing industrial park and next to rail, would be much better suited in the long run for this proposed development.
maxc 9 years, 10 months ago
I think the neighbors aren't as concerned about this 160 acres or so which is prime for development. It is the 4075 acres included in the overall plan. The I-70/K10 area is an obvious gateway to Lawrence. The part of the plan which pushes into watersheds, floodplain, native forests, and native prairie is more the issue. The affects of runoff and silting from development, let alone the loss of untouched native lands are a real concern. The plan can be made to preserve these sensitive areas and still allow for development at the I-70/K10 gateway. If you care to investigate, check out lawrenceplanning.org and click on the K-10/Farmers Turnpike plan. There is a lot more to it than the 160 mentioned in this article.
Rastaman 9 years, 10 months ago
What's there to debate about? I can't think of a better place to have an industrial park. Its right next to 70 on the outside of town. Of course there will be ticked off neighbors but you can't make everyone happy. This industrial park will hopefully boost lawrences sluggish economy. I haven't met the Schwada's but you can't blame them for trying to use their land for the industrial park. It seems like a win-win situation, more jobs for Lawrence and the Schwadas get to use their land for something other than watching the grass grow.
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