June 9, 2005

To the City Commissioners of Lawrence, Kansas

     Dennis “Boog” Highberger, Mayor

     Mike Amyx

     Sue Hack

     Mike Rundle

     David Schauner

RE:  Proposed Southeast Area Plan Land Uses

We, the residents and landowners of property located on the south side of  N 1300 Road between E l600 Road and E 1750 Road, would appreciate your consideration and study of the following thoughts (concerns) that we have regarding the upcoming approval/denial of the Proposed Southeast Area Plan Land Uses as sent to you by the Planning Commission on a 6 to 4 vote.

1)  Plans for the “heavy industrial,” the neighborhood commercial, and mixed use along

K-10 seems appropriate.

2)  The “future park” area would seem better suited next to or within the “residential development.”

3)  A better balance of residential and “light industrial” east of Franklin Road Extended and north of N 1300 would allow inserting the “future park” in that area, with the
“light industrial” around the jail and near the “heavy industrial.”

4)  The Lawrence-Douglas County Economic Development Board agreed on Monday, May 23^rd,  that the city and county should pursue establishing new business parks at two locations:

         A.  The former Farmland Industries nitrogen fertilizer plant-- 467 acres along the                  

               north side of Kansas Highway 10 at the eastern edge of Lawrence

         B.  Near Lawrence Municipal Airport at the edge of North Lawrence--several sites,

               covering at least 300 acres and north of the Kansas Turnpike, would be in the

               running for a single project.

This indicates, to us, a lack of interest/need for the large area of  “industrial” zoning in the  proposed SE Area Land Plan use.

5)   There are ten homes located on the south side of  N 1300 Road in the area indicated above.  We are zoned “agricultural/residential” at this time.  This plan calls for our properties  to be rezoned “light industrial” down to the “flood plain,”  taking the best of our land.  We do NOT want any part of the properties on the south side of  N 1300 Road to be zoned “light industrial.”

       On Monday, March 7^th, 2005, at a “study session” with the City and County Commissioners, and School Board,  John Haase, Chair of the Lawrence/Douglas County Planning Commission, stated that, “Perhaps the properties on the south side of  N 1300 Road need NOT be included in the proposed SE Area Plan to be zoned industrial as forwarded on to the City Commission.”  He was asked after the meeting in a one to one conversation about that statement, and he repeated that he didn’t feel the properties on the south side of N 1300 Road should be rezoned to industrial as shown on the plan.  

6)  Future plans to make 31^st Street four lane with turning lanes has not be addressed in the SE Area Plan.  Eight of the ten homes mentioned above are built 90 feet from the center of  N 1300 Road (31^st Street extended).  We believe that planning for 31^st Street Extended within the SE Area Plan deems important consideration.  Having

N 1300 Road as an access road, with a buffer of existing trees to the north, and having 31^st Street Extended built to the north of  N 1300 Road, would allow the current homes to be undisturbed.  Whereas, if 31^st Street Extended were  built on N 1300 Road, it would bring the road to the  actual doorsteps of eight homes.

We respectfully request that you vote to DENY the adoption of the “Map XX - Proposed Southeast Area Plan Land Uses” as forwarded to you by the Planning Commission.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,

Carolyn/Steve Braden

 John/Vicki Burgraff

Scott Chamberlain

Alice Eisle

Madge Faulk

Karen Heeb

Diana Hird/Dennis McNish

Bill/Bernice Vervynck

Carolyn Williams