A couple of days ago, this space examined a couple of bad ideas that nonetheless were approved by the Lawrence City Commission. Another bad idea that could have even broader and longer-lasting impact on Lawrence will be discussed by commissioners tonight.

This issue involved required parking at a major apartment and retail development east of Kansas University’s Memorial Stadium. Many observers think the city’s first mistake was to approve an 85 percent, 10-year tax rebate for an apartment project. There is no shortage of people who want to build apartment complexes in Lawrence, and the abatement sets a precedent from other developers who may want the same kind of deal.

Now the city is being asked to reduce the number of parking spaces it will require HERE, LLC. to provide for its $75 million, seven-story project. The city usually requires one parking place per bedroom in apartment complexes, but under its new request, HERE would provide just 461 spaces for a planned 624 bedrooms. That almost certainly will push vehicles onto residential streets in Oread Neighborhood, which already has to contend with significant parking issues because of its proximity to KU.

Two neighborhood groups are opposing the parking change, but, surprisingly, the city’s planning staff is recommending approval. The staff cited a number of concerns about the parking reduction but then recommended approval, apparently based on data about parking permits purchased at Jayhawker Towers and Stouffer Place at Kansas University. KU reported that 64 percent of residents at Jayhawker Towers and 71 percent of residents at Stouffer Place had purchased parking permits.

From those figures, city planners concluded that the parking capacity proposed by HERE would be acceptable. There is every reason to think that measuring the two KU housing units against the upscale HERE development isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. How many students who can afford to live in four-bedroom apartments that rent for an estimated $2,800 per month will not have a car? How many of those four-bedroom apartments won’t have at least four occupants?

As was true of the issues discussed in Sunday’s editorial, city commissioners need to be concerned not only about the immediate impact their decision will have on parking in this area but also the long-term precedent they are setting for other apartment developers who might seek similar waivers from city parking requirements.

Again, it’s a bad idea. Some commissioners may have an arguably irrational desire to support this apartment project, but they need to say “no” to the parking change.