HORIZON 2020

 

The Comprehensive Plan

for Lawrence and

Unincorporated Douglas County

 

 

 

August 21, 2006

Planning Commission Recommended Version

Draft Text Amendment to Chapter 4

 

CHAPTER FOUR - GROWTH MANAGEMENT

 

Growth management is a fundamental tool for ensuring timely and orderly growth of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County.  The recommended growth management policies do not seek to limit the amount of land for future development.  Rather, the Plan directs development to growth areas and suggests that development occur where necessary infrastructure is in place or planned to serve proposed uses, subject to the policies of the Plan.

 

The growth management policies seek to ensure that adequate facilities and services are provided or assured in connection with development.  The policies also continue to require new development to bear its share of the costs for the extension and improvement of required facilities and services and to assure that the residents of Lawrence and unincorporated Douglas County are not unreasonably burdened by these costs.

 

 

STRATEGIES:  GROWTH MANAGEMENT

 

The principal strategies for guiding and serving future growth and development are:

 

•        Establish UGA’s for all Douglas County cities.  In the Lawrence UGA, ensure that staging, density and intensity of development corresponds with the availability of facilities and services.

 

•        For Lawrence, establish urban service areas where adequate facilities and services already exist.

 

•        For the Lawrence UGA, define conditions which development must meet to conform with the overall intent of the plan as identified in the Growth Management Element.

 

 

CITY OF LAWRENCE URBAN GROWTH AREA 

 

Land within the Lawrence UGA is encouraged for annexation and development, over the planning period, to be annexed into Lawrence prior to urban densities of development, subject to the goals and policies for Growth Management indicated above and the Plan in general.  Map 3-1, Lawrence Urban Growth Area - Service Areas & Future Land Use, identifies four service areas of the overall UGA which have specific recommendations for growth and development.  The Plan suggests establishing a range of development standards within these service areas.  The criteria required and the range of development standards necessary to support rural residential development are graphically illustrated on Map 4-1 and 4-2.  Map 4-1 identifies the  some land use attributes (regulatory floodplain, hydric soils, rural water district service areas, and parcel size) and the road classifications criteria that are to be used in the assessment of rural development requests within Service Areas 2, 3A, 3B, and 4 of the Lawrence Urban Growth Area (UGA).  Rural residential development is not a supportable land use within Service Area 1.  Development within Service Area 1 shall be preceded by annexation into Lawrence. 

Maps 4-1 & 4-2 illustrate graphically the different land use assessment criteria that are to be used in the evaluation of development requests for rural residential land divisions within the unincorporated areas of the County.  Map 4-1 illustrates these criteria within the Urban Growth Area of the City of Lawrence.  Prior to annexation, only development for agricultural purposes is permitted within Service Area 1.  Rural residential development and other non-agricultural types of uses within Service Area 1 shall not proceed until the property: is annexed into the city; has access to public utilities and services, is platted and [zoning zoned] to a city zoning category. 

 

Service Areas 2, 3 and 4 [within make up the remainder of] the Urban Growth Area (UGA) [are also] shown on Map 4-1.  Within these three Service Areas, some rural residential types of uses may be permitted if they meet the criteria for development established for land divisions within the unincorporated area of the County.  The land use assessment criteria presented on this map include both land use attributes and functional road classifications.  Criteria to be used for review of land divisions for rural residential uses shall include: minimum acreage requirements; availability of a rural water meter; access to a paved road; compliance with minimum road frontage and entrance spacing requirements; and the presence of developable area that is unencumbered by: regulatory floodways, hydric soils, steep slopes (greater than 15%), or historic landmarks or features.  The information shown on this map shall be used in the determination of when a specific parcel or tract of land meets the criteria established by the County Commission Subdivision Regulations for land divisions for rural residential purposes.  {moved from page 4-6}

 

Map 4-2 covers the entire County and identifies the some land use attributes (regulatory floodplain, hydric soils, rural water district service areas, and parcel size) and the road classifications criteria that are to be used in the assessment of rural development requests in the Rural Area.  Standards related to road and utility requirements are more restrictive within the UGA  service areas because urban services are more readily available there. served by urban services.  Less restrictive standards would should be established for development within Service Areas outside the UGA where urban development is not anticipated within  the near term  the planning period.  The timing of development and any conditions necessary prior to development in each of the service areas is described below.

 

§                   Service Area 1.  This area includes lands which are proximate to the existing city limits and can be readily served by community facilities and services.  Future land uses for property within Service Area 1 are depicted in color on Map 3-1.  The city should actively seek annexation and development of these areas prior to the significant development of the remaining service areas.  Development within Service Area 1 shall be preceded by annexation and will be subject to the recommendations contained in the Comprehensive Plan.

§                   Service Area 2.  A portion of this area is located within Sections 28 & 29 in the Northwest Lawrence area which includes portions of the Baldwin Creek watershed drainage area.  This area is generally south of Peterson Road extended between E 1100 Road and the SLT/K10 Highway.   Other areas identified as a part of Service Area 2 include areas within  adjacent to North Lawrence which cannot currently be easily . The City’s 2003 Wastewater Master Plan anticipates development of a force main and pump station in 2010 to serve the airport but does not indicate when this collection system will be developed to serve other areas in North Lawrence. 

 

Urban development should not be allowed in the Northwest Lawrence area until the city adopts a policy that establishes a process to provide establishing a means to provide wastewater collection and treatment for the entire Baldwin Creek drainage basin or a phased approach for wastewater collection on a sub-basin approach portion of the for this area.  Presently, The entire area cannot be served with gravity flow sewers.  Should a system be designed to serve these areas, a plan for the entire Northwest Lawrence Area within the Baldwin Creek drainage basin will need to be developed and approved to identify specific land use policies for the area. 

 

Until these areas , which presently cannot be served are served by the extension of municipal services, are endorsed for urban development, residential lots shall be a minimum of five acres in area, and non-residential development will not be permitted.  An interim mechanism should be developed to provide for future right-of-way and easement dedications as development occurs beyond the city limits so that, as the city grows, planning occurs for future connection to city infrastructure residential urban densities of development or non-residential urban development will not be permitted.  Divisions of land for rural residential development shall be permitted only when the following criteria exist: access to paved roads, conformance with minimum road frontage requirements, and availability of rural water meters.  Development shall not be permitted on steep slopes (15% or greater), regulatory floodplains or other environmentally sensitive areas, and state or federally designated historic sites or landmarks.  The pattern and lot layout of rural residential developments shall provide, through early planning, dedications or reservations for the logical extension of public roads and infrastructure.

 

Development of these areas to urban densities should be allowed only after coordination with is also conditioned upon an overall increase the phasing of municipal services and public infrastructure improvements to serve these new urban densities of development.  

 

§                   Service Area 3.  Service Area 3 is planned primarily for residential development. It currently lays far west of the existing city limits.  Map 3-1 depicts this Service Area in two parts, 3A and 3B, this division based on a natural ridgeline within that divides the Service Area.  Sanitary sewer services have been planned and will be more readily available in Service Area 3A before they will be extended beyond the ridgeline to Service Area 3B.

 

Development of this area should be conditioned upon substantial development of comparable property (generally bounded by Wakarusa Drive on the east) located in Service Area 1 to ensure the proper extension of utilities and the efficient provision of other public services.  Developing Service Area 3 is not dependent upon the entire build out of [all] Service Areas 1 or 2. locations.  The Plan provides guidance in the development of comparable properties to reduce the likelihood of leapfrog development and premature utility extensions.  Additionally, the SLT/K-10 Highway separate divides this area from the remainder of Lawrence.  Ideally, Service Area 3 should be planned as a unified development based on watershed or sub-basin plans, with consideration given to the benefit of access derived from its proximity to the SLT/K-10 Highway. the Trafficway to minimize traffic congestion. 

 

Until this area is endorsed for urban development, residential lots shall be a minimum of 5 acres in area, and non-residential development will not be permitted.  An interim mechanism should be developed to provide for future right-of-way and easement dedications as development occurs beyond the city limits so that, as the city grows, planning occurs for future connection to city infrastructure.

 

Development of this area is also conditioned upon an overall increase in the wastewater treatment capacity of the city to permit service to the area.

 

Until this area, which presently cannot be served is served by the extension of municipal services, are endorsed for urban development, residential lots shall be a minimum of five acres in area, and non-residential development will not be permitted.  An interim mechanism should be developed to provide for future right-of-way and easement dedications as development occurs beyond the city limits so that, as the city grows, planning occurs for future connection to city infrastructure residential urban densities of development or non-residential urban development will not be permitted.  Divisions of land for rural residential development shall be permitted only when the following criteria exist: access to paved roads, conformance with minimum road frontage requirements, and availability of rural water meters.  Development shall not be permitted on steep slopes (15% or greater), regulatory floodplains or other environmentally sensitive areas, and state or federally designated historic sites or landmarks.  The pattern and lot layout of rural residential developments shall provide, through early planning, dedications or reservations for the logical extension of public roads and infrastructure.

 

Urban development in Service Areas 2, 3, and 4 is anticipated in the implementation plan of the City’s 2003 Wastewater Master Plan.

 

§                   Service Area 4.  The boundaries of Service Area 4 are those depicted in Map 3-1 - Lawrence Urban Growth Area, Service Areas & Future Land Use. 

 

Where the boundaries of Service Area 4 coincide with a street/road shown on the adopted Major Thoroughfares Maps for Lawrence and Douglas County, the UGA for Lawrence shall include the entire width of the road easement and any required yard setback (as established in the Zoning Regulations for Unincorporated Territory of Douglas County, Kansas) on both sides of the road.

 

-                      Reasonable Street/road access shall be provided based on the County’s adopted Access Management Standards and minimum frontage and entrance spacing requirements.  Arterial and collector roads should be extended across the Wakarusa River to serve the area to the south as illustrated in the adopted Major Thoroughfares Maps.

-                      Land that has been FEMA designated as regulatory floodplain should not be included in the buildable area of rural residential divisions.  FEMA designated 100-Year regulatory floodway fringe is not recommended for urban development  should not be residentially developed unless the development complies with the city’s floodplain freeboard requirements. regulations. Uses appropriate for floodplain areas are appropriate for agricultural uses, public or private open spaces, public or private utilities and for green space recreational uses such as bike/walking trails, recreational paths and field sports.

-         The land uses north of US-24/40 shall be primarily non-residential uses such as industrial, warehouse and office.

-         Urban development in Service Area 4 north of the Kansas River shall not occur until after an extensive drainage study for the area north of the Kansas River has been completed.

 

 

RURAL SERVICE AREA

 

The Rural Service Area is the land that lies outside the designated Urban Growth Areas of the incorporated cities.  Lands in the Rural Service Area are not expected to receive planned to develop or to support urban densities of develop­ment during the planning period.  Rural development shall be subject to the overall policies, recommendations and standards of the Comprehensive Plan.  There are a few locations, however, in the Rural Service Area which may be expected to receive some level of urban development consistent with the Plan.  These include commercial areas to serve county residents and, potentially, to provide conference and recreation facilities at Clinton Lake.  Otherwise, urban uses are not planned within the Rural Service Area.

 

Map 4-2  depicts the different criteria for development that are to be used in the land use assessment of requests for rural residential land divisions within the unincorporated areas of the County that lie beyond the Urban Growth Areas of the incorporated cities in the County.  The land use assessment criteria presented on this map include both land use attributes and functional road classifications. Criteria to be used for review of land divisions for rural residential uses shall include: minimum acreage requirements; access to rural water or a publicly treated water source; access to hard surfaced roads; compliance with minimum road frontage and entrance spacing requirements; and the presence of developable area that is unencumbered by: regulatory floodway, hydric soils, steep slopes (greater than 15%), or historic landmarks or features.  Map 4- 2 displays the entire County.  The information shown on this map shall be used in the determination of when a specific parcel or tract of land meets the criteria established by the County Commission Subdivision Regulations for land divisions for rural residential purposes. 

 

 

ANNEXATION POLICIES

 

The following policies apply to the annexation of lands to Lawrence:

 

1.       Lawrence will actively seek voluntary annexation of land within the UGA as urban densities of development are is proposed.

2.       Annexation shall be required to develop land which is contiguous to the corporate limits of the city prior to development in Service Area 1 of the Lawrence Urban Growth Area.

3.       Non-contiguous parcels of land may be developed subject to the policies of the Comprehensive Plan and upon agreement by the owner to annex at the time the parcel of land becomes contiguous to the city.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT GOALS AND POLICIES

 

 

Guidelines are needed to ensure that adequate facilities and services are provided, or are planned, in connection with development. 

 

GOAL 1:         Establish Urban Growth Areas

 

Urban Growth Areas are needed surrounding the cities of Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton to direct and guide new development.

 

Policy 1.1:    Establish Residential and Commercial/Industrial Development Standards for Growth within Urban Growth Areas [based on adopted development policies of each incorporated community in Douglas County other communities as well as Lawrence]

 

a.       Direct all development to the corporate limits of municipalities and avoid leapfrog development develop a process for the division of land for rural residences within the Urban Growth Area.

 

b.       Impact studies can be provided by the proponent to demonstrate the community benefit and associated community costs for development proposals within the UGA’s.

 

c.       Site layout and design of developments should shall be planned with attention: to natural topography and drainage, adjacent land uses, road classifications, minimum frontage and entrance spacing requirements, availability of rural water and other public services, and the future integration of the rural residential parcels within the urban subdivision patterns and design standards.

 

d.       Priority should be given to developments proposed in conformance with adopted Plans for infrastructure extensions.

 

e.       Placement of developments should comply with the intent of Locational Criteria Policies for residential and non-residential land uses as identified in the Plan. [Locational Criteria are found in Low-Density Residential Land Use, Goal 1; Commercial Land Use, Goal 3; and Industrial and Employment-Related Land Use, Goal 1]

 

Policy 1.2:    Evaluate Traffic Impact

 

An evaluation of the traffic impacts of a development on the surrounding area should consider the existing and projected traffic conditions and their impact on the existing transportation system.  This evaluation should be based on planned improvements identified in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the Comprehensive Plan, or the Long-Range Transportation Plan.  These documents shall be updated periodically to recognize changes in priorities and to add new projects with designated priorities.

 

Policy 1.3:    Limit Premature Development

 

a.       Encourage the gradual expansion of urbanization outward from corporate limits to avoid leapfrog development. Require annexation or agreements to annex for developments in the UGA which are not contiguous to the city limits.

 

b.       Require property contiguous to the city limits in Service Area 1 to annex prior to development.

 

Policy 1.3.1:            Residential Land Uses

 

a.       Identify land areas of adequate size to accommodate residential subdivisions in order to facilitate well-planned, orderly development (including phased development) with coordination of public services and facilities.

 

b.       Require developments within the UGA’s to have undergo an administrative review procedure or be platted.

 

c.       Prohibit on-site wastewater management [septic] systems within Service Area 1 of the UGA.

 

d.       Within Service Areas 2, 3 and 4 of the UGA, require agreements to hook into the public sewer system when property is within 1000' of existing sewer facilities.

 

e.       Within Service Areas 2, 3 and 4 of the UGA, require agreements to annex at time of municipal utility service provision.

 

f.        Environmentally sensitive areas within the UGA should be protected, conserved and incorporated within the design context of a proposed development.

 

g.       Within Service Areas Within Service Areas 2, 3 and 4 of the UGA, establish standards related to minimum road frontage and entrance spacing requirements for rural parcels based on road classifications, sidewalks, sewage disposal systems, water supply and other public improvements which have a range of development requirements.  

 

Policy 1.3.2:            Nonresidential Land Uses

 

a.       Require proponents of commercial and/or industrial development beyond the corporate limits to provide reasonable documentation to substantiate that similar competitive sites are not available within the municipalities.

 

b.       Non-residential developments should be developed in a planned manner with respect to adjacent uses, common access and integration of uses with the surrounding neighborhood.

 

c.       Location of non-residential uses should occur only at designated nodes of intersecting street/roads.

 

d.       Require developments within the UGA’s to be platted.

 

e.       Environmentally sensitive areas within the UGA should be protected, conserved and incorporated within the design context of a proposed development.

 

Policy 1.4:    Establish Utility Extension Policy for Newly Annexed Areas

 

a.       Develop a utilities extension policy for Lawrence which ensures phasing for connection of all development in its UGA to water and wastewater services as property is annexed into the city.

 

b.                  Proposed developments based on planned growth areas will be given priority over proposals inconsistent with utility plans.

 

Policy 1.5:    Encourage Annexation

 

a.       Adopt an overall annexation policy and plan.

 

b.       Require property in Service Area 1 contiguous to the city limits to annex prior to development.

 

c.       Require developers of property not contiguous to the city limits, but within the UGA, to execute agreements to annex (upon availability of city water and sewer services) to ensure the unencumbered extension of municipal services to properties within the UGA.

 

 

Guidelines are needed to protect and maintain the rural character of Douglas County and to ensure adequate facilities and services are provided or planned in connection with limited development.

 

GOAL 2:         Conserve the Rural Character of Douglas County

 

The pattern of rural residential development should be to cluster residences to minimize impacts on the rural character of Douglas County should be and to protect existing agricultural and natural uses in those areas beyond the UGA surrounding the cities of Lawrence, and the other incorporated cities of Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton.

 

Policy 2.1:    Limit Development Beyond the Planned Growth Areas

 

Direct rural residential development to group or cluster residential parcels only in or adjacent to existing subdivisions, growth centers and to be in near proximity to transportation corridors to consolidate and reduce the costs associated with the extension of public services.

 

Policy 2.2:    Rural Residential Development

 

Non-farm residential development should be directed to urban areas. Rural residential development should be encouraged large lot, suburban development to locate within the UGA’s Urban Growth Areas; and smaller lot, urban higher-density residential development should be directed to the municipalities.

 

Policy 2.3:    Rural Commercial Development

 

a.       Commercial development beyond the UGA’s shall be limited and carefully reviewed based on the intensity of use; impact on surrounding land uses; and impact on public services and transportation systems.

 

b.       Commercial development should be platted and shall comply with the intent of the Locational Criteria Policies for commercial land uses as identified in this Plan. [Locational Criteria are found in Commercial Land Use, Goal 3]

 

 

A proactive annexation plan is needed to ensure that adequate facilities and services are provided or planned in connection with development and that sufficient land is available for growth of the community.

 

GOAL 3:         Annexation Policy

 

To implement the goals of the Comprehensive Plan, to provide for the orderly development of the community and to provide areas of land which will receive municipal services that can accommodate the residential, commercial and industrial growth of the community, it will be necessary to annex additional land into the incorporated municipal boundaries of Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton.

 

Policy 3.1:    Areas Immediately Adjacent to the City Limits

 

a.       Areas immediately adjacent to municipalities (Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton) should be encouraged to annex voluntarily if utility services are available to them.

 

b.       Developments in need of the extension of city utilities or city services shall first be required to annex.

 

c.       Properties within the UGA’s should be encouraged to annex consistent with a service delivery plan.

 

Policy 3.2:    Proposed Annexation Areas

 

a.       Unilateral annexation should be initiated to include those areas which are needed to complete sewer or water line extensions for a closed (looped) system.

 

b.       To ensure stormwater quality control, to avoid increasing the incidence of flooding due to development, and to provide land needed for residential, commercial and industrial development, the long-range annexation program of Lawrence should cover entire watershed areas. [See Map 2-3]

 

c.       A broad mosaic for future land uses proposed for near-term annexation areas are set forth in the Plan’s land use maps. [See Map 3-1]

 

Policy 3.3:   Specific Annexation Policies

 

a.       Lawrence will proceed with annexation of 'unincorporated islands' which are completely surrounded by the city in the immediate future.

 

b.       Whenever an opportunity arises to annex portions of the immediate growth areas, such annexation should be executed by the City Commission.

 

c.       To encourage requests for annexation, Lawrence shall deny extensions of utility services (primarily sanitary sewers) beyond the incorporated limits of the city.

 

d.       Lawrence and Douglas County should cooperate in management of non-farm land uses and development within the identified annexation areas (UGA).  This cooperation should specifically address four planning concepts:

 

i.        The recognition that watershed basins are natural boundaries for defining and regulating future expansion(s) of Lawrence.

 

ii.        County approval of development in the UGA should not occur without a provision for central sewers, an interim treatment facility, or other on-site wastewater management systems on-site wastewater management systems, rural water service, hard surfaced roads, and the ability to develop the land without encroachment into floodways, steep slopes (15% or greater), other environmentally sensitive lands, or sites of historic landmarks or historic features.

 

iii.       Street/Road right-of-way widths for county subdivisions and for land divisions for rural residential purposes should be required to comply with appropriate the adopted Access Management Standards, that establish minimum frontage and entrance spacing requirements as land is subdivided within the UGA.

 

iv.       Subdivisions within the city or county should not be approved when lots front directly onto future arterial street/roads.  Access should be permitted only to dedicated street/roads which intersect arterial street/roads.