photo by: Matt Resnick/Journal-World

Douglas County commissioners take part in a work session that provided additional details on the county's potential Open Space Plan on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, at the Douglas County Courthouse.

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will receive a look at the final draft of the county’s Open Space Plan, as the deadline for public comments on the plan is later this month.

The open space plan maps out the county’s approach for safeguarding and managing natural and undeveloped lands in Douglas County. Items in the plan include protecting natural landscapes, promoting recreational activities, preserving community history, improving floodwater management and other similar issues.

Time is also running out for the public to weigh in on the plan. The county plans to host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Douglas County Zoning and Codes Building, 3755 E. 25th St. According to information provided by the county, the open house-style meeting includes an overview of the draft plan. Online feedback on the plan can be submitted at plan.konveio.com/douglas-county-open-space-plan through Feb. 25.

Creating some uncertainty, a possible tax increase has loomed over discussions. In October, an analyst from consulting firm Logan Simpson told commissioners that the county might need to think about raising taxes, specifically citing tax-related ballot questions among the main funding sources. Examples mentioned by the consulting firm included a mill levy increase of five mills or a quarter-cent sales tax.

The consultants also informed commissioners last year that the county was “about a decade behind everyone else” when it comes to open space, which also includes the protection of trails, native prairies, wetlands, wildlife habitats, agricultural lands and heritage sites.

According to a memo from Kim Criner Ritchie, the county’s sustainability manager, the plan would provide the county with a “tool” to “intentionally work with public, private, and community partners on shared priorities around land use.” In October, Criner Ritchie told commissioners that it was imperative to find “creative solutions” in order to bring the open space plan to fruition.

“There is a sense of urgency,” she said at the time. “There is incredible pressure on our land.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, Criner Ritchie, consultants and other county officials plan to emphasize the “criteria for proactive conservation of open spaces, a phased implementation approach, and priority project areas where the county can lead in the short-term,” according to the memo in the agenda packet.

In other business, commissioners will:

• Consider appointing candidates for membership in an advisory group for the Treatment and Recovery Center of Douglas County. As the Journal-World reported, the group would ideally be composed of 10 to 15 members, representing physician/clinical expertise; community advocates; lived experience or expertise; first responders or justice system representatives; and organizational management, human services or legal representatives. Areas of lived experience include mental illness, substance use disorders and housing insecurity or homelessness.

The application period opened on Dec. 15, and has since included a review process conducted by the county and representatives of Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, which operates the TRC. According to a memo from Bob Tryanski, the county’s director of behavioral health projects, the candidates for the group are Jim Carpenter, Paula Dupigny-Leigh, Bev Hyde, Julia Ireland, Irving Kuo, Bonnie Lowe, Kelly McCauley, Amber Rhoden, Amber Sellers, Dustin Stumblingbear, R.J. Torrey, Robert Trepinski, Sherri Vaughn and Ronald Zahorik.

Appointment terms for the group are staggered. The group’s structure consists of one-third of the members serving a one-year term, one-third serving a two-year term and one-third serving a three-year term. At the conclusion of those terms, a member’s appointment could be extended for an additional three years with a one-time renewal.

• Consider approving tax incentives for the rehabilitation of the historic Turnhalle building. At the Feb. 6 Lawrence City Commission meeting, commissioners voted 4-0 to preliminarily approve three types of development incentives for the project involving the stone structure at 900 Rhode Island St. near downtown Lawrence, which was built in 1869. As the Journal-World reported in January, the city’s Public Incentives Review Committee unanimously approved an incentives package that would aid Turnhalle LLC — owned by Lawrence residents Zarif and Mamie Haque — in revitalizing the stone structure. Specifically, the PIRC approved three types of incentives: a 15-year, 70% Neighborhood Revitalization Area rebate; a 20-year, 2% additional sales tax via a Community Improvement District; and Industrial Revenue Bonds providing a sales tax exemption on construction materials and labor.

The Neighborhood Revitalization Area is part of a property tax rebate program applying only to the value of new improvements made to a property and not its base property value. In this case, the city, county and school district would each continue to receive 100% of the property taxes generated by the property, with the 70% rebate applying only to elements such as an approximately 835-square-foot addition slated for the back of the building to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If county commissioners approve the property tax rebate program, it would still need approval from the Lawrence school board before it can return to the City Commission for final approval.

The commission’s meeting begins at 4 p.m. with the work session relating to the county’s Open Space Plan; it’s being held for informational purposes only, and no action will be taken. The work session will be followed by the regular business meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the County Courthouse at 11th and Massachusetts streets. The meeting can be viewed via Zoom.