With the continuing march of development to the west, it was only a matter of time before Lawrence’s city limits outgrew the Lawrence school district boundaries.

Even though city and school officials shouldn’t be surprised by that trend, it raises some interesting questions not only for the school district but for city officials looking at how Lawrence will grow in the future.

Tonight, Lawrence city commissioners will consider and probably approve one of the first major residential developments that will cover property in both the Lawrence and Perry-Lecompton school districts. The 900-unit apartment complex, called The Links, is located just east of Rock Chalk Park, which lies just outside Lawrence school district boundaries. The area just north of Rock Chalk now is primed for additional residential development. The area is close to many Lawrence schools, and especially Free State High School, but it mostly lies in the Perry-Lecompton district.

That could be a plus for some residents who prefer a smaller district, but it may surprise many residents who assume their children will attend Lawrence schools. They may also be surprised that the Lawrence district is unwilling to grant many exceptions to the boundary rules.

The Perry-Lecompton district, which has experienced enrollment declines in recent years, is eager to have more students and the state per-pupil funding that will come with them. That district also will benefit from additional property taxes paid in the new developments.

If the Lawrence district allows students who live outside its boundaries to attend Lawrence schools, it would receive state funding for those students but none of the property tax benefits. State funding goes to pay operational costs such as teachers salaries, but property tax pays for new schools and other capital improvements.

That’s not a good deal for Lawrence, according to Supt. Rick Doll. Allowing students who live in areas that don’t provide property tax support for the Lawrence district is unfair to Lawrence taxpayers, he said. For example, the apartment complex on tonight’s commission agenda would have added at least another $35,000 a year to the Lawrence school district’s coffers.

The Lawrence city limits have a ways to go before they bump into other school district boundaries to the south and east, but with the completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway, it may not take long for growth in those areas to raise similar issues. It’s not necessarily a problem, but it may require some additional planning. Residential development and construction of schools, especially elementary schools, usually go together. Will the Perry-Lecompton or Eudora school district be called upon to build schools next to, or even inside, Lawrence city limits to serve students in their districts?

It’s happened in other places. There’s no reason it couldn’t happen here and work just fine, but it’s an interesting development for Lawrence.