Planning commission recommends limited-industrial rezoning for 18-acre site near K‑10/I‑70

The Lawrence-Douglas County Joint Metropolitan Planning Commission on Feb. 24 voted to forward a recommendation of approval to the Board of County Commissioners for a rezoning request (Z-24-1019) to change roughly 18 acres of a 40-acre parcel from AG‑1 (agricultural) to LI (limited industrial).

Catherine Week, a county planner, told commissioners the rezoning would allow a lawn-and-landscape business to operate “by right” on the east 18 acres of the parcel near the intersection of North 1800 Road and East 900 Road, adjacent to the K‑10/I‑70 interchange. “Our recommendation is for approval, based on kind of the analysis of the criteria points,” Week said during the presentation.

The property is currently used for hay and has not been developed, Week said. The applicant seeks the LI district for the eastern portion (about 18 acres) while leaving roughly 22 acres in AG‑1. The site plan concept provided by the applicant shows access continuing from North 1800 Road, and places proposed development in the northeast corner of the rezoned portion with a streambed and utility easement to the west preserved from construction.

Applicant Dalian Holtkamp, who identified himself as representing the business seeking the site, said the company currently operates under a conditional-use permit at a different location and that the existing CUP does not allow office space. “Our current conditional-use permit … will not allow offices,” Holtkamp said. He said the business wants to consolidate employees and operations under one roof and that a CUP with periodic renewals makes long-term financing difficult. Holtkamp also told commissioners the applicant would have no objection to restrictions that limit the site to lawn-and-landscape use.

Staff and commissioners discussed review criteria including nearby uses, the comprehensive plan, the K‑10/Farmers Turnpike area plan and Plan 2040. Week noted the parcel sits in tier 3 of the comprehensive growth framework and is about two miles from the nearest city limit; tier 3 is not expected to see immediate annexation or urban services, though the area plan designates the intersection as a future commercial node and envisions industrial and office uses to the north.

Several commissioners raised concerns that approving an LI district would authorize a wider range of industrial and commercial uses than the lawn-and-landscape business now proposes. County zoning staff and Week explained the county LI district lists multiple permitted uses that could be higher impact; the commission does not have a county-style conditional-zoning tool to limit zoning to a single use. Commissioners also heard that the site contains fill material from past construction, a high-voltage power-line easement, and a relocated streambed — factors staff said make the site less suitable for residential use.

One planning commissioner asked whether county rezoning could be prohibited without annexation; county staff replied it is not: applicants may apply for county rezonings at any time, though city rezoning requires annexation into city jurisdiction. Week emphasized that any future development would still need to complete site planning and meet setbacks, stream-buffer, and utility requirements.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve rezoning Z‑24‑1019 and forward a recommendation of approval to the Board of County Commissioners. The motion passed and the commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the county commission for a final decision. The commission also asked staff to look into whether changes to the county code or CUP language are underway that might affect lawn-and-landscape uses in agricultural districts.

The next formal step is a hearing and final decision by the Board of County Commissioners; if the county approves rezoning, subsequent development would require site plan review and any required permits before construction or operations could begin.