4A • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
TUESDAY,OCT.9,2001
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KEVIN GRITZKE/KANSAN
EDITORIAL
Zoning change not needed in neighborhood
University of Kansas students could lose more housing choices if the Old West Lawrence Neighborhood Association gets what it wants.
The neighborhood association, also called OWLS, wants the Lawrence City Commission to rezone the neighborhood to only allow single-family housing. Students already suffered a loss of housing freedom last spring when the Commission voted to limit to three the number of unrelated persons who can live together in neighborhoods zoned for single families. Old West Lawrence has been zoned for unlimited duplex since 1966
OWLS listed nine reasons for the proposed zoning change in a letter sent to property owners in the neighborhood. Those reasons included:
■ the demolishing of historical homes that could be repaired to build new duplexes
the neighborhood's present zoning increases the density of the neighborhood
■ the neighborhood “is the only large block of historic single-family homes zoned duplex in Lawrence”
half of the residents of the once single-family neighborhood live in rental homes
the single family zoning is "the one most important tool" to protect the neighborhood from the destruction of "single family homes and neighborhoods."
If OWLS has its way the area between Ninth and Sixth streets and Michigan and Alabama Streets would be rezoned. Then students who reside in the neighborhood's apartments would have to find an apartment with no more than two other unrelated people. The large houses would become single family homes only.
A change in the neighborhood's zoning would hurt some students. Those who live in houses divided into apartments would need to move. The neighborhood would also lose the diversity students bring to the neighborhood.
But students would not be the only ones hurt. Landlords would have to foot the bill for converting the large houses that dot the neighborhood from apartments back into single-family homes. Landlords also have no guarantees that they could sell the homes to a single family or find a family willing to rent the house.
Any change in neighborhood zoning is still far off. A member of the city or planning commission must first move to consider the new zoning. If the idea is initiated, a staff report will be prepared
The report would consider the criteria of seven "golden factors." These factors include the uses of nearby property, the character of the area, the current zoning law, the length of the current zoning laws, property values, public health and safety against any hardships suffered by landowners, and compliance with the new zoning law with the city's Horizon 20/20 plan.
Students should fight the zoning change. Students could help residents of the neighborhood stop rezoning and preserve the tradition of a neighborhood rich in diversity.
PERSPECTIVE
Andy Davies for the editorial board
Free SUA movie preview tickets should go to those who wait
To catch a movie preview on campus, University of Kansas students can stop by the Student Union Association box office and pick up free movie passes the day of the showing. It's that easy. Or is it?
The SUA shows a couple of movie previews at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union every semester. It advertises in the Kansan and on campus that students should pick up a movie pass to get into the movie.
On the day of the free viewing, students rush to the box office with their KUIDs early in the morning to get one or two of the passes. That evening, with passes in hand, they head to Woodruff in high spirits. A few minutes later, many students find themselves back at home disappointed.
home classroom The passes do not guarantee seating because 700 passes are handed out for an auditorium that seats 500.
"Because the passes are free, we get many people who pick up two passes thinking they will go and find someone to go with them," said Chandra Dunbar, adviser for the feature films committee at SUA. "They often do not come and we end up with empty seats. The best solution that we have come up with is to hand out a couple of hundred extra vouchers."
This solution would be feasible, except that students who didn't take the time and effort to get to the box office to pick up passes can still show up and get into the movie. So, 200 extra vouchers
Summer Lewis
Guest Columnist
opinionkansan.com
Commentary
Why does SUA advertise and insist students get a pass if it is not required to get into the movie? Why spend Student Senate's money to make and advertise about these passes if they serve no real purpose?
are handed out, and students without passes are permitted.
A few students, with or without passes, were let in one at a time for about 15 more minutes, but then the doors were closed and the students were told it was a full house.
purpose
The last movie shown was *Serendipity* at 8 p.m. on Sept. 25. At 7:45 p.m., students waited in a long line outside Woodruff Auditorium because most of the seats were already filled.
There were looks of disappointment and anger because many of the students who had gotten into the movie did not have a pass from the box office, yet most of the students waiting in line had passes in hand.
when confronted with the issue, Dunbar said SUA did require people to have passes. She said in order to accommodate those people who show
up without vouchers, SUA tried to seat them if there were still empty seats about five or 10 minutes before the show started.
On Sept. 25 this was not the case The line was filled with students holding passes, yet the usher permitted students without passes into the movie.
If SUA is going to spend the money to make passes, the passes need to serve a purpose. It is a good idea to hand out 700 because not every student who picks up a pass is going to attend the movie. By handing out 200 more passes than existing seats, SUA is allowing for some students to not show up, but still have a full house.
have a full house. If 700 students are going to make the effort to pick up passes, those students should get priority over those who did not make the effort.
Those students who show up with passes the night of the movie get to be in line ahead of those without. SUA can still allow students without passes to show up that night and try to get into the movie, but the passes are ahead of them in line.
This is an easy problem to solve and it will save a lot of broken hearts.
The executive board of the SUA should enforce this policy. It is only fair to those who pick up passes, but it also might influence more students to rush to the box office.
Lewis is a senior in journalism from Anthony. She is a Kansan copy editor.
BRING JUSTIN HOME
Dear editor.
goal. Many people participated and assisted with this project.Many of our students, faculty, staff and friends generously contributed with their money. Others provided food, words of encouragement, stayed up all night with Justin, encouraged other students to join the effort or found their own special way to aid this humanitarian idea. To all of the members of the community who found a way to contribute, I offer the heartfelt thanks of the University.
Deal editor.
The overwhelming success of the "Bring Justin Home" campaign, which raised well over $30,000 for disaster relief, is a testimony to the generosity and character of the University of Kansas family. All of us who participated in this effort may be justly proud, but special thanks need to be expressed to Justin Mills, student body president, and members of the Student Senate who conceived the idea and believed they could accomplish their goal.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The "Bring Justin Home" campaign was an important response to our national tragedy and sorrow. It was one of the many ways the KU family demonstrated its love and care for those who were so victimized by this senseless act. I am particularly proud of the manner in which students, faculty and staff treated members of our community from other countries and
We may al be proud of KU in this time of national sorrow. Because of the response of this community, we may all look with hope for our future.
other religious faiths. To accept people on their merits is an important KU tradition.
Robert Hemenway
We are writing to thank and commend all the individuals who were involved with the "Bring Justin Home" fund-raising campaign that occurred Sept. 18-19. KU students, faculty, staff members and volunteers who offered their last bit of pocket change or lunch money are to be commended. We applaud the Lawrence community, whose members chipped in to contribute to this project and enriched the effort.
KU chancellor
Dear editor,
We believe the many donors and planners of this tremendous project offered their assistance, not for recognition, but for the opportunity to help others.
We personally thank you for your thoughtfulness.
More than once during this fund raising campaign, people's faith in the community's generosity and spirit were reaffirmed.
Adam Rich
We want to update the KU and Lawrence communities about the status of the campaign. With a few final
contributions still rolling in, this project has so far raised more than $31,000. Without each small contribution, this goal would never have been reached.
Adam Rich
Omaha, Neb. junior
student senator
THE CASE AGAINST AID
Hayley Rumback
Wichita senior
student senator
Resources spent on humanitarian airbucks are resources diverted from self-defense. It shows our leaders putting the lives of Americans below those of citizens in enemy countries.
Dear editor.
It is also appeasement. Some fear Muslims will think we're warring against Islam. The airdrops are an attempt to show this isn't true. If we fear these people will turn against us, best we not help them?
We've been appeasing by trying to form a coalition with Communists, in refraining from attacking other terrorist countries, in failing to declare war, and now in these airdrops. Fifty years of anpeasement lead to Sept 11th.
More will mean worse.
Christopher Grace Aurora, Col.
FREE for ALL 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Not all of them will be published. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
Who really cares about John Cusack anyway?
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I just locked myself out of my house and just broke back in with a credit card.
Tonight I'm going to take that sex columnist's advice and ask another guy to show me his unit.
I wish my fiance were a lesbian.
What happened to people actually working at KUInfo? All I get is busy signals.
When you're at work and you forget that it's payday and you get a paycheck — that's a cool feeling.
If you fold Meghan Bainim's column just right, you'll get "Genitals are required."
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War's not a good solution to the problem we have right now. What we should do is tell the Taliban that we'll send all their women to school.
McCollum is haunted by the ghost of a 22-year-old computer nerd. Wah, no oh, he's alive, and he's in my room. He's my roommate!
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I'd like to point out to the person who said,
"If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?" You too dearie, are made out of meat.
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Hello Clarice.
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Y'know, it's not very fun to be ditched
Is it weird when your roommate's boyfriend looks better in her teal capri pants than she does?
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K-State loses to Colorado by 10 at home, and KU loses to Colorado by 11 on the road. Looks like KU-K-State is going to be a pretty even match up this year.
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We call in and say stupid stuff everyday that's way funnier than stupid stuff you actually print.
How come there isn't a crosswalk in front of the Crossing?
At the Lawrence Public Library booksale, there was a law book that on the cover was stamped "Do not sell, this is free." But inside it said "50 cents."
Yknow, if our football team would play like they played in the last two minutes of the regulation time against Texas Tech, we might just actually have a winning season. But they have to do it every game, all the time.
This is to the lifeguard at the Robinson pool, please let me go off the high dive and sit in the hot tub.
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S'mores are a trend that never should've died out. What's up with that Count Chocola?
I just saw Serendipity and I almost cried.
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Osama bin Laden's mama is free for all.
SUBMITTING LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS
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The Kansan will attempt to run as many submissions as possible that conform to the guidelines below.
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