A proposal to annex and eventually rezone 51 acres of property northwest of Lawrence as a new industrial site cleared another hurdle at City Hall.

City commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting unanimously agreed to ask Douglas County commissioners to approve of an annexation at the southwest corner of N. 1800 and E. 1000 Road. The county must approve of the annexation because it currently is not adjacent to the city limits.

The owners — Lawrence-based Venture Properties — wants to annex the land and have it rezoned for industrial uses. Several neighbors in the area objected, but commissioners were told that several city planning documents recommended the site eventually be used for industrial development.

Commissioners agreed to move forward, but Commissioner Aron Cromwell said he may ask the developer to consider a less-intensive industrial zoning category when the zoning issue comes back up for consideration later this year.