Planning commission approves variance and preliminary plat to allow landscape business relocation north of I‑70

The Lawrence‑Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission on Aug. 25 approved a variance and a preliminary plat for an approximately 19‑acre property north of Interstate 70 to allow a landscape business to relocate and operate with employees and customers on the site. The commission voted to recommend approval of the variance from the county subdivision regulations and approved the preliminary plat, subject to standard staff conditions.

The variance waives a county requirement for a master street tree plan for subdivisions in the urban growth area. Mary Miller, city‑county planner, told commissioners the property is in tier 3 of the Lawrence urban growth area and lies within the K‑10 and Farmers Turnpike plan. "This property is about 19 acres," Miller said, and "the purpose was to allow for the relocation of a landscape business." She said one acre of the parcel will be dedicated as right of way and that the parcel is…