Are there any other cities in Kansas these days facing serious economic challenges who would turn away the opportunity to attract a company that wants to build a 150,000-square-foot store, employ approximately 125 people, pay good salaries, pay approximately $500,000 in taxes, is a so-called clean industry and would attract more shoppers to the city?

It’s likely Lawrence is one of the very few cities, in Kansas or nationally, that would turn its back on this opportunity.

On the other hand, Lawrence has earned the reputation of being one of the state’s most difficult cities in which to build a new major retail facility.

When other cities are using most every incentive to attract new retailers, create new jobs, improve the economic climate of their communities, offer special tax breaks and attract shoppers from a wider area, Lawrence officials have turned thumbs down on one of the nation’s most successful retailers, Lowe’s.

Lowe’s officials have said they plan to slow down the rate of new stores they build, probably adding only about 20 stores in the next year or two.

The company is receiving many attractive overtures, far more than 20 cities, but Lowe’s officials have said they want to build a store in Lawrence — even though the city is not offering many of the incentives proposed by other cities. They want to build a facility in Lawrence. Chances are, it would be a handsome building, one that would be a fine, attractive facility, a major addition for the city.

Lowe’s officials want to build in the Bauer Farm development on the north side of West Sixth Street between Folks Road and Wakarusa Drive.

This particular development would have commercial, residential, office buildings and entertainment facilities. It’s architectural style will be distinctive and will complement current retail and business facilities on the south side of Sixth Street and existing stores to the west of the Sixth and Wakarusa intersection.

City and county planning commissioners, however, have turned down the request by Lowe’s, citing as their main reason the already outdated Horizon 2020 plan, which presents a blueprint for the city’s future growth and doesn’t allow for such a major retail development until the city reaches a certain size and a certain number of “rooftops” adjacent to the area where Lowe’s wants to build.

These far-seeing members of the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Department and those serving on the planning commission don’t seem to remember that, years ago, officials said Horizon 2020 was merely a guide, not a firm, carved-in-stone, never-to-be altered plan dictating how Lawrence will accommodate growth.

Economic and projected growth conditions at the time Horizon 2020 was created were far different than the economic conditions facing the city today. In fact, it is likely it will take 10 or more years for the city to have the housing called for by Horizon 2020 to qualify for a store such as Lowe’s to be built at this particular location.

The funny thing is, Lowe’s officials and Bauer Farm investors/developers are the ones who have the most to gain or lose on this development and they believe it is a wise, sound development. They aren’t going to favor any plan that will not be a smart business decision. Do city-county planners know more about business and the soundness of major investments than those who are putting money on the line?

Doesn’t it seem reasonable to consider a new look at Horizon 2020 to see whether a plan that was put together “X” number of years ago, when Lawrence was leading the state in growth, should be revised to offer a more realistic plan based on the significant slowdown in the city’s growth?

The front page of the May 5 Journal-World carried a headline that said, “City looking for direction to grow retail.” A new city-appointed nine-member task force had been created to develop a “roadmap” for the city’s retail growth by the end of this year. As one member said, “There are retail components the community just doesn’t have.” Some of the task force members said the city has an opportunity to become more of a regional shopping destination, especially attracting more shoppers from the north and south.

Considering current retail sales figures, which show a leakage of sales to the Legends development in Wyandotte County and the fact that this retail entertainment center is adding new attractions such as a large water park, a new soccer stadium, an additional NASCAR race and a large casino, it would seem Lawrence officials would be giving far more attention to how Lawrence plans to keep pace with nearby retail and entertainment facilities. How can Lawrence stop the loss of shoppers?

The actions of the planning officials and those serving on the planning commission offer an excellent example of why the city’s retail and industrial growth seems to be stalled and why the city justifies the title of the state’s most difficult city in which to build a new store or industry. It’s a bad, but well-deserved, reputation.