A rezoning proposal for a portion of the East Lawrence Neighborhood will be reviewed by the city’s Historic Resources Commission on March 16, before going to the Planning Commission on April 26. The proposal would decrease the density of most of the parcels in the area, pictured above.

At their meeting Tuesday, Lawrence city commissioners will decide whether to approve a rezoning request that proponents say would help preserve a portion of East Lawrence bordered on two sides by new development.

The East Lawrence Neighborhood Association initiated the rezoning proposal, which would downgrade high-density residential zoning in the approximately eight square blocks between downtown and the Warehouse Arts District.

The rezoning proposal would change the zoning for about 120 parcels, most of which are zoned for high-density, multi-dwelling residential (RM24) even though they are single-family homes. Specifically, the rezoning would downgrade 79 properties from RM24 to single-dwelling residential (RS5). Rental properties within the new single-family district would have three years to comply with the district’s limit of three unrelated occupants.

Twenty-one multi-dwelling properties would also be downgraded from high-density to medium density, going from RM24 to RM12D. The new zoning would allow only 12 units per acre instead of 24. The commercial and office zoning for several properties will also be updated to reflect current use.

Before the city adopted its current zoning codes in 2006, the area was zoned multi-family residential, defined as areas with single-family and two-family dwellings that are centrally located and appropriate for “ultimate multi-family development.” Neighborhood leaders have said that the rezoning proposal reflects what is currently built on the parcels and would protect the area from significant changes in use.

A protest petition has not been submitted against the rezoning proposal, and the Historic Resources Commission and the Planning Commission have both voted unanimously to recommend the proposal for approval. More information on the rezoning, as well as a locator map with the current and proposed zoning for each parcel, is available on the city’s website.

In other business, the commission will:

• Conduct a public hearing regarding the creation of two benefit districts — agreed to when the developments were platted — for improvements to Queens Road and the intersection of Sixth Street and Queens Road. Improvements to Queens Road are estimated to cost $4.85 million, and the adjacent benefit district will pay for all but about $350,000. The traffic signal at the intersection will cost $450,000 and will be paid for by the benefit district.

• Receive the 2016 Financial Audit report. The audit reviewed the city’s financial statements and found them to be accurate, but recommended the city improve some of its internal controls. The audit recommended new procedures for how the city records expenses related to federal grants, provides receipts for payments its receives and reconciles some accounts, among other issues.

• Receive the performance audit recommendation follow-up report. The report provides the status of recommendations made by the city auditor. Nine recommendations have been implemented, six recommendations have not, and seven are in progress.

The City Commission will convene at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.