Douglas County Tinkers with Agritourism Plan

Douglas County officials are considering changes to a new policy that was designed to promote tourism in agricultural areas.

County commissioners voted Wednesday to ask the Lawrence-Douglas County Commission to draft changes to the “agritourism” zoning codes. The commission also imposed a moratorium on new agritourism permits until April 30, 2014.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the zoning codes were enacted less than a year ago. They were intended to promote certain kinds of tourism businesses in land zoned for agriculture use.

But the effort came under fire last month, when residents in southeast Douglas County objected to a plan from a Johnson County couple to run a large commercial pumpkin operation.

The owners withdrew the application, with the intention of resubmitting it later.