Lawrence City Commission to consider new comprehensive plan, including controversial new growth policy

City leaders will soon consider a new growth plan that prioritizes infill development and that some say will make Lawrence housing more expensive.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider the new comprehensive plan, Plan 2040, which lays out policies that will shape how the city grows for the next 20 years. Plan 2040 prioritizes development within the city’s boundaries and requires developers to meet several requirements to annex land to expand those boundaries.

Proponents of the plan maintain that the city cannot afford to grow in any and all directions, and that growth needs to be focused in certain areas to manage city infrastructure costs and costs to taxpayers.