An application for a livestock sales barn in rural Lyon County was tabled for a second time at the request of Charles Loomis, who is making the application to re-zone the property.
The Lyon County Planning and Appeals Board voted unanimously tonight to table the application from Loomis. Loomis asked board members to grant him more time to work with the Lyon County’s new zoning administrator and flood plain manager.
At September’s meeting, Loomis said he wanted to have a livestock sales barn, as well as a venue to host consignment auctions for farm-related items such as farm machinery. The proposed sale barn would be between 11,000 and 14,000 square feet on approximately 10 acres. It would be located at 1505 Road 310, Admire, which is on the southeast corner of Kansas Highway 99 and Road 310.
While the application was table, Board Member Gary Watts granted members of the public who showed up for the meeting a chance to voice their concerns. Loomis said he would gladly answer questions at tonight’s meeting.
Carol Curless, who lives near the property Loomis is seeking to re-zone, said she didn’t have enough information to be for or against the proposal. She said she lives on her parents land with her mother. Her father lived on the land for more than 90 years. His parents lived there before that. Curless’ concerns were to make sure the agricultural land was going to be preserved.
“It’s a beautiful area,” she said. “It’s a beautiful pasture and it would be a shame to have it broken up...”
Phil Kirk also owns property near the area.
“My biggest concern is how it would impact me and my (property value),” Kirk said.
Kirk said the land is his children’s inheritance and if they chose to build a home on the property they wouldn’t want to look at a sale barn or livestock facility.
Mike Burns lives about a mile and a half east of the proposed location for the sales barn. Burns’ grandparents purchased property in the area 150 years ago.
“I am at this time quite opposed to this proposal...” Burns said. “It’s been a residential farm community for the last 150 years and it’s a beautiful pasture. I don’t want to see it changed for any commercial use...I love this area and I don’t want to see anything happen to it.”
After listening to people’s concerns, Loomis responded. He said a lot of the concern perhaps is traffic and changes from grass land to putting a business in the county.
“ I guess my feeling is that there is a need to put facilities is like this in the country rather in town where they are landlocked,” Loomis said. “Times have changed.”
Loomis said the location is an ideal location based on access from a highway and other factors. He said he is seeking to re-zone the smallest amount of land he could. Loomis said he plans on following every rule in the book, which includes having the necessary permits and licenses.
“It would all be legal and by the book,” he said.
The sales barn will be discussed at the next meeting, which is at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Lyon County Courthouse.
In other matters the board heard an application from Marsha Donaldson, trustee of the Donna B. Kaniper Revocable Trust on a tract located northwest of the Kansas Turnpike. Kaniper is Donaldson’s mother. Donaldson said the desire is to have the property zoned agriculture special use single family dwelling and preserve the agriculture land around it. The board passed the motion to approve the application unanimously. The application now heads to Lyon County commissioners who have the final say in the approval or denial of the application.