The Lawrence Common Council voted to send Resolution No. 8, 2025 — naming the Sunnyside‑to‑Oakland area as an economic development area and adopting an accompanying plan — to the Lawrence Redevelopment Commission for a public hearing and potential next steps.

Russell Brown, an attorney with Clark Quinn representing the redevelopment commission, told the council the plan “includes required findings of facts that are required by state statute in order to designate an economic development area,” and stressed the document is a broad framework, not a promise of immediate projects. “There is no TIF, area proposed with this,” Brown said.

The plan lists permissible redevelopment activities the commission might consider in the future — acquiring property, making property ready for development and demolishing property — but Brown emphasized those are authorizations the commission may use if and when particular projects are proposed. He noted that under statutory changes in 2019 redevelopment commissions gained authority to participate in residential and housing projects, subject to additional requirements such as neighborhood meetings and, in some cases, school participation.

Michael Townsend, identified in the record as an appointee to the redevelopment commission and its vice president, said he viewed the designation positively: “it seems like, it's a good thing for us,” and described it as a vehicle to enable future activity even though no projects are currently planned.

During the meeting a motion and second were made to approve the resolution; the council completed a vote and the presiding official announced the motion passed. The transcript does not include a roll-call tally or names of the mover and seconder.

A member of the public, Daniel Rapp of 5718 Waldenwood Drive, later addressed the council during public comment and told the council he had requested documentation on the plan from the city and “have yet to get anything back from the city of Lawrence.” Rapp urged property owners in the Sunnyside‑to‑Oakland area to attend a public hearing the redevelopment commission will hold on December 18.

Next steps outlined in the meeting: if the council’s favorable recommendation stands, the redevelopment commission will advertise a public hearing on the plan, hold that hearing and could adopt the plan; any future creation of an allocation area or project-specific financial commitments would return to the council for additional review and approvals.