Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Douglas County

Planning & Development Services

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Sheila M. Stogsdill, Assistant Director
CC:	Scott McCullough, Director Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Date:	March 25, 2009
RE:	Initiate rezoning of Lawrence Municipal Airport from GPI (General Public & Institutional) to IG (General Industrial)

Please place the following item on the City Commission’s March 31, 2009 consent agenda:

I.  Background

As part of the adoption of the 2006 Land Development Code, the GPI District, a new Special Purpose Base Zoning District, was created to accommodate Institutional Uses occupying significant land areas but not appropriate for development in either the H (Hospital) or U (University) Districts.  A number of properties owned by the City were specifically identified and zoned to the GPI District.  The Lawrence Municipal Airport was one of these properties. 

Staff has recently determined that while the GPI District allows the airport, it does not permit the aviation-related business activities that are located at the Municipal Airport and those types of businesses that are envisioned by the Lawrence Airport Master Plan.  Prior to the adoption of the Development Code in July 2006, the southern portion of the airport property had been zoned M-2 (General Industrial) and the northern portion had been zoned RS-1 (Single-Family Residential), a district that had often been used as a ‘holding zone’ following annexation.

Airports are considered Major Utilities in the Development Code and are permitted by right in the IG District and by Special Use Permit in the IL (Limited Industrial) District.  The IG District permits a variety of manufacturing, assembly, and storage uses that would be aviation-related.  Staff recommends that the rezoning of the Lawrence Municipal Airport property, which includes 320 acres as shown on the attached map, be initiated from GPI to IG as the first step to ready the airport for future aviation-related development.  Additional steps, such as planning for provision of utilities; preparation and approval of subdivision plats; and eventually, submission and approval of individual site plans for specific development proposals will be necessary before additional development occurs.

II.  Action Requested

Staff requests the City Commission initiate the rezoning of approximately 320 acres at the Lawrence Municipal Airport from GPI (General Public and Institutional) District to IG (General Industrial) District for future public hearing at the Planning Commission.