NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEM:

 

ITEM NO. 15A:         ANNEXATION OF 29.7271 ACRES; NORTH OF           CLINTON PARKWAY AND EAST OF K-10 HIGHWAY (SLD) 

 

SUMMARY

 

A-12-15-03:  Annexation request for approximately 29.7261 acres of land, located north of Clinton Parkway and east 926’ from K-10 Highway (SLT).  Submitted by Peridian Group, Inc., for Yankee Tank Investors, Yankee Tank Investors, L.C., and Alvamar, Inc., property owners of record.

 

Current Zoning and Land Use:           B-3 (Limited Business) District; undeveloped property.

 

Surrounding Zoning and Land Use:      A-1 (Suburban Home Residential District) to the north and west. Existing residential homes to the west, platted but undeveloped lots to the north.

 

                                                  A (Agricultural District) on the south side of Clinton Parkway; undeveloped.

 

                                                  PRD-1 (Planned Residential District) to the east, proposed development known as the Ridge as Alvamar. 

 

 

Site Summary:

            Preliminary Plat a portion of Yankee Tank Subdivision 117.43 acres

            Proposed Annexation --                            29.7261 acres

            Proposed Zonings:                                               11.55 acres to C-5 (Z-12-48-03)

                                                                        19.93 acres to RM-2 (Z-12-49-03)

                                                                        20.16 acres to RM-1 (Z-12-50-03) 

 

STAFF REVIEW

 

Annexation Procedure and General Location:

The site is generally located along the north side of Clinton Parkway and east of K-10 highway (SLT).  Kansas Law [K.S.A. 12-510 et. seq.] provides for annexation by ordinance of the City Commission. Lawrence City policy requires the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission review all annexation requests for parcels of land over ten acres. Upon annexation, the property is required to be rezoned to a compatible city classification.  Several related rezoning requests have also been submitted for consideration and are summarized above. 

Site Characteristics:                                                       

The subject property is adjacent to the existing city limits on the east side. The site is undeveloped, but has previously been platted and rezoned for county commercial development.   This area has been included in the preliminary plat of Yankee Tank Subdivision. Steep slopes and significant vegetation characterize this area; however the subject property includes the flattest portion of topography compared to the surrounding area to the north and east. The property is currently used in crop production.

 

Infrastructure and Utility Extension:

City Water: City water lines are located along Clinton Parkway and extend as far west as Sport-2-Sport. The Municipal Utility Department provided the following comment: “If the water line is extended to the west by the developers to serve The Sanctuary at Alvamar, The Ridge at Alvamar and the Lake Pointe Addition, then water lines could be extended along Lake Pointe Drive to serve Breithaupt Drive (E. 920 Road/Lake Estates Subdivision). The goal the Utility Department is striving to attain is to eventually connect the 12” line that ends at Sport-2-Sport to the 12” line at the end of W. 15th Street.”  The proposed annexation is consistent with the City’s desire to provide a looped water system in this area. 

 

The City’s Fire Department has expressed concerns about the lack of water supply and fire hydrants in the proposed annexation area. Concerns have also been expressed about the western portion of the proposed annexation area being “located 2.16 miles beyond of the ISO (Insurance Services Organization) 1.5 mile station travel distances”. The 1995 Public Safety Plan outlines facility improvements that will result in new station alignments that will potentially improve overall service delivery, however, the western portion of the proposed area will still result in areas located ˝ mile outside of the ISO 1.5 mile boundary of the proposed relocation of Station #4 (21st and Wakarusa). This annexation proposal will potentially impact the City’s current ISO rating and additional annexations may further negatively impact this rating. Long term issues need to be addressed such as facility/staffing planning and minimum code requirements to maintain an acceptable insurance rating for the community. Reduction in this rating impacts the commercial fire insurance rates. Long term service delivery issues will need to be addressed as the balance of the Lake Estates area (between 15th Street and Clinton Parkway east of K-10 highway) is annexed into the City.

 

The proposed station addition - Station #5 (19th & Iowa), as outlined in the 1995 Public Safety Plan, is currently under consideration by the City Commission.  The proposed design would be completed in 2004 with construction beginning in 2004 and open in the 2nd quarter of 2005. 

 

Sewer: The subject property is part of the Yankee Tank Sewer Benefit District. This property will be served by public sewer.

 

Private Utilities: Telephone, cable, electric and gas service can normally be extended to serve the subject property.  

 

Public Right-of- Way: The subject property is adjacent to Clinton Parkway, which has controlled access. Access to the property will be addressed as part of the plat and development review process.

 

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:

The subject property is located within Service Area 1 of the Urban Growth Area as shown in Figure 9 of Horizon 2020.  This area is anticipated for development in the near future coincident with the extension of improvements and construction of major utilities and streets. Horizon 2020 indicates that this area is suitable for development. One key point in the plan states, “The plan promotes development in the urban growth area through an adopted annexation policy which anticipates well-planned development of fringe areas.” Annexation Policy #1 states that the “City of Lawrence will actively seek voluntary annexation of land within the urban growth area as development is proposed”. 

 

SUMMARY OF LAND USE AND REQUEST:

The subject property is located within the area anticipated for annexation and commercial development.  Horizon 2020 supports a definitive approach that utility services and major street improvements should be in place prior to the development. Municipal utilities can be extended to serve this area.  The Comprehensive Plan indicates that expansion of the city limits in this area is anticipated and expected. A more detailed discussion of the appropriate land use is included in the rezoning reports.

 

Long term development issues will be the need to address phasing of annexation of the remaining Lake Estates area and the ability to provide the area with municipal utilities. In addition to annexation, the incorporation of existing lots and parcels and redevelopment of lots into an urban land use pattern will also be a significant concern that must be assessed with the availability to provide municipal services.

 

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested annexation of approximately 29.7261 acres generally located north of Clinton Parkway and west of Lake Alvamar and forwarding it to the City Commission with a recommendation for approval.

 

 

Note:  Staff is working with the Director of Legal Services regarding wording for a condition related to an annexation agreement pertaining to the provision of public services. Staff will provide an update to the Planning Commission regarding the addition of any conditions to the annexation recommendation.