Lawrence commission approves rezoning at Third and Michigan over neighborhood objections

The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 on May 20 to rezone about 0.69 acres at the southwest corner of West Third Street and Michigan Street from R-2 (low-density residential) to R-4 (high-density residential), approving on first reading Ordinance No. 10132.

The rezoning matters because the applicant, represented by Land Plan Engineering, said the change would unify split zoning on the parcel and allow a single, two-story, 24-unit apartment building designed for the site. Opponents said the proposal would change the character and traffic patterns of an established neighborhood.

Planner Catherine Week presented staff analysis and told commissioners the parcel is a split-zoned lot in the Pinkney neighborhood, previously reviewed under the old code as RS-7 and RM-24 and now mapped as R-2 and R-4 under the city’s April 2025 land development code. Week summarized the rezoning review criteria — conformance with the comprehensive plan, neighborhood character, suitability of the property for existing restrictions, nearby uses and zoning, and public welfare. She said staff concluded the request met the criteria and recommended approval to the commission. "Staff feels that it can…