Burroughs Creek Area Plan Committee

John Hasse, Chair

Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission City Hall

6 East 6^thStreet

Lawrence, KS 66044

re: Item Z-05-35-33-05: for 22 June 2005 Public Hearing

Rezoning from M-1 to RO-2 of lots between 19^t& Homewood Streets just east of Bullene Ave. (*legal description below)

Applicant: Lawrence Habitat for Humanity, and various Hemphills owners of record

Dear Mr. Hasse and Commissioners:

The Burroughs Creek Area Plan Committee (BCAP) is in process of developing a corridor plan for the abandoned BNSF rail corridor from 11^th Street to 23^rd Street. While our work is in progress, the City Commission has issued a building permit moratorium for this corridor so that we may adequately evaluate possible changes in land use and zoning.

One of the three Major Goals in the scope of the BCAP Plan includes these objectives:

a) emphasizing new residential infill development instead of more industrial uses

b) examination of how to downzone selected open areas to residential zones, and

c) examination of how to downzone existing industrial/commercial uses to the least intensive

category that allows their existing use group.

This request is in the Brook Creek Neighborhood, and apparently the Neighborhood Association would prefer RS-2 or RS-1 zoning for these and similar lots. Recognizing that fact, the Burroughs Creek Area Plan Committee sees the RO-2 zoning request to be a step in the right direction.

Both the Brook Creek Neighborhood Association and BCAP find it favorable that Habitat for Humanity intends these lots for single-family ownership. The BCAP committee also appreciates landowners who are willing to voluntarily comply with our planning goals for the trail/park corridor, and we want to encourage more of the same.

You probably are aware that there presently exists RO zoning on the corner of 19`^h and Haskell Ave. To avoid spot zoning between the corner RO zoning and the current applicant's RO request, we think it is appropriate to rezone these interior lots from M-1 to a residential category as well.

Therefore, the Burroughs Creek Area Plan Committee recommends that you approve the rezoning of the applicant's M-1 lots to RO-2, and urge you to initiate the rezoning of the remaining interior M-1 lots to some residential category, preferably RS-2

Michael Almon BCAP

Representative

*Homewood Gardens, Block 6

Lot 12, Less N 1/2 and all Lot 17 (U10843 & 50 combined 1988)

N 1/2 Lots 12 & 13 and all Lot 14 (U10844, 10846 & 10847 combined 1988)

S 1/2 Lot 13 (div 1999 U10845A)

Lot 15

Lot 16 (div 1999 U10845A)

Lot 18

Brook Creek Neighborhood Association

Beth Anne Mansur, Vice-President
Mail Address: 1217 Prospect Ave. (66044)
Telephone: 785/ 843-0103
e-mail: brookcreek@msn.com; bamansur2@hotmail.com

June 6, 2005

John Hasse, Chair

Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission

In regards to Item Z-05-35-33-05, which is slated for a public hearing on June 22, 2005, concerning the rezoning of lots between 19^th& Homewood Streets just east of Bullene Ave.*

Dear Mr. Hasse and Commissioners,

It has been brought to our attention that the above-mentioned lots are in a position to be rezoned. The Brook Creek Neighborhood Association strongly urges you to downzone the above-mentioned lots to RS-2. As you may or may not know, our neighborhood has worked towards downzoning wherever and whenever possible to RS-2 to ensure continuity and integrity throughout our neighborhood. We are officially on record, in our Neighborhood Plan and in many public comments, as wanting RS-2 in this part of the neighborhood.

We are pleased that Habitat for Humanity is planning on using some of these lots for single-family dwellings. There are numerous Habitat and Tenants to Homeowners homes in our neighborhood and we like to support their efforts.

To ensure continuity and avoid spot zoning, we strongly request that the above lots be zoned RS-Thank you,