MASTER PLAN OVERVIEW

Horizon 2020 / Plan 2040 Comprehensive Plans

Origin of Plan

Horizon 2020 was created in the 1990s to replace the City’s then comprehensive Plan, Plan 95, and Douglas County’s comprehensive plan, Douglas County Guide Plan.  The Planning Commission initiated the comprehensive planning process in 1992 with the support of the Lawrence City Commission and the Douglas County Board of Commissioners by appointing a 15-member Horizon 2020 Steering Committee to oversee the process.  It was a citizen-based plan that was developed through extensive public participation. 

Early in the development process, it was determined that Horizon 2020 should be a policy guide for both the city and the unincorporated areas of the county.  The Planning Commission adopted the plan in 1996, the City Commission in 1997, and the Board of County Commissioners in 1998.  Horizon 2020 does not have a specified ending date, but it was envisioned to guide the community for 20 to 25 years, which would be through 2018 to 2023.

Expected outcomes from the plan

At the time of Horizon 2020’s creation, the community identified many preferred improvements and changes to be included into the development of new plans and codes.  Many of these more specific items were incorporated into the Land Development Code, which was adopted in 2006.  These improvements included establishing site plan and landscaping plan approval procedures and standards and establishing buffer yard between land uses.  The plan also called for the rezoning of land to achieve the adopted land uses as adopted and amended by specific plans.

In 2013, the City Commission and the Board of County Commissioners established a steering committee to oversee and guide the review and updating of Horizon 2020.  The steering committee has met for 4 ½ years to review Horizon 2020, including 18+ months of public input, to initially develop the Issue Action Report, which guided the creation of Plan 2040.  The Issue Action Report was adopted by the Planning Commission, City Commission, and Board of County Commissioners in 2015.

Funding

Not applicable.

Status Update

Since its adoption, there have been many key outcomes that have been completed.  One of the key items envisioned within Horizon 2020 was the creation and adoption of the Land Development Code.  During the comprehensive plan’s input process, it was noted that the public desired more codified site planning and landscape planning procedures and standards, establishing buffer yard requirements, and rezoning to achieve consistency with its land use plan.  To this end, Horizon 2020 envisioned the adoption of a single unified development code for the City of Lawrence.  It also called for an update to the Douglas County Zoning Code.

The plan also noted the desire to establish a sidewalk improvement policy, updating the property maintenance code, and creating and amending the joint Subdivision Regulations to apply to the land within Lawrence’s urban growth area.

Overall, Horizon 2020 noted the need for the creation of both joint studies and studies specific to the City of Lawrence.  The envisioned joint studies included: Historic Resources Survey & Plan, Intergovernmental Services and Facilities Study, Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Study, City and County Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, Stormwater Management Study, Growth and Industries Opportunity Study, and the creation of an Economic Development Board.

Specific to Lawrence, Horizon 2020 noted the need for major corridor studies, the creation of urban design guidelines (the Community Design Manual), amending the metropolitan transportation plan (now Transportation 2040), and the review and update of the Downtown Lawrence Comprehensive Plan (now the Downtown Master Plan).

Horizon 2020 also noted the need for complete and continued updating of neighborhood plans.  Since the adoption many sector and neighborhood plans have been either created or amended.  These include:  6^th and Wakarusa Area Plan, HOP District Plan, Burroughs Creek Corridor Plan, East Lawrence Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, Revised Southern Development Plan, Southeast Area Plan, Farmland Industries Redevelopment Plan, K-10 & Farmer’s Turnpike Plan, Lawrence SmartCode Infill Plans, West of K-10 Plan, Oread Neighborhood Plan, Inverness Park District Plan, and the Northeast Sector Plan.

Future

Currently, the draft Plan 2040 is before the Lawrence – Douglas County Planning Commission for their review and consideration.  If the Planning Commission approves the draft document, it will then proceed to the City Commission and then to the County Commission for their review and consideration.

Based upon the final adopted version of Plan 2040, this would establish the long-range work plan to implement the City’s Land Development Code, Douglas County’s Zoning Code, and the joint Subdivision Regulations.  This would also direct the revisions and updates to the adopted Specific Land Use Plans, which are currently adopted in Chapter 14: Specific Plans, in Horizon 2020.