Lawrence City Commission approves new comprehensive plan that includes controversial growth policy

Lawrence city commissioners approved the city’s new comprehensive plan on Tuesday without making substantial changes, despite the fact that several members had voiced support for loosening the plan’s requirements for annexing new land into the city.

At its meeting, the commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Matthew Herbert opposing, to approve Plan 2040, which covers Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The plan has a new growth policy that prioritizes infill development and adds requirements for developers who want to expand the city’s boundaries. One requirement is that developers must provide some kind of community benefit if they want to annex land to expand the city. That idea has been controversial with some members of the local business community, who say it will increase the cost of housing.