Emporia will annex a fingernail of land belonging to Jim and Sharon Woods, bringing their house and driveway into the city, but leaving the surrounding 150 acres of farmland in the county.
The city commission voted 3-2 for the annexation, which allows the Woodses to get city water at city rates. The couple agreed earlier this year to sell 40 acres of their land near Logan Avenue for a Hill’s pet food plant and move their home to the south if they could get city water, because rural water is not available in the area.
Mayor Julie Johnson and Commissioner Bobbie Agler voted against the annexation, saying it set a bad precedent.
“There are other ways to get to the spirit of the agreement that does not constitute something ridiculous like this,” Agler said.
The decision means the Woods’ surrounding farmland is outside the city and therefore is not subject to city taxes.
Commissioner Jeff Longbine agreed it was an unusual annexation, but said this case merited an exception.
“I’m willing to approve that annexation because it gave us 100 jobs and $100 million in investment,” Longbine said. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ll make that trade anytime.”
“And if we get more like this?” Agler asked.
“With 100 jobs and $100 million investment?” Longbine countered. “I’ll look at those all day long.”
Commissioners Jim Kessler and Kevin Nelson also voted for annexing what one commissioner called the “comma” of land.
A second house owned by the Woodses that is closer to Logan Avenue will be supplied with well water.
The Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission recommended against the annexation. Normally it takes a two-thirds vote to reverse a planning commission decision, but according to City Attorney Blaise Plummer, annexations may be decided by a majority vote.
Ashley II
City commissioners approved a preliminary, planned-unit development for Ashley Estates II, but only if the site can handle runoff from a 50-year flood.
The development by Maurice Schmidt would contain five buildings, each with four, two-bedroom condominiums. The area is planned as senior housing.
The city usually requires that a development like this be able to handle a 25-year flood. But several neighbors told the planning commission last month that they didn’t want to see more flooding problems on Prairie Street, leading city staff to propose a higher threshold as a safety measure.
“We’ve got plenty of room to do that,” Schmidt said of the 2.7 acre development. “In my heart, I viewed it as overkill. But I never wanted, a year and a half from now, for someone to walk into my office and say ‘You made our problem worse.’”
Patty and Dennis Delmont, who live at 1605 Prairie St., said they still had concerns about the runoff in their neighborhood and farther downstream if the development was built.
“I don’t want any more flooding from anywhere, and I want the flooding we have to be remedied,” Dennis Delmont said.
Kessler said he believed the 50-year requirement would help the area, but that the city needed to take a closer look at these issues citywide.
“The more I hear about storm water problems across the city, the more I believe we need a storm water utility,” Kessler said. “This is not our only problem in town.”will be at 521 Market St. in the city conference room.
Comments
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Posted by vankamp (anonymous) on September 20, 2007 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone who watched this on TV could see how completly unknowledgable Kessler, Nelson and Longbine are on zoning issues. They not only made fools of themselves they caused a precedence that will be hard to overcome......unless you are a big name or have lots of money. I will never buy from Modern Air or Longbine Auto. Obviously they are inempt business men. Thank you Agler and Johnson for trying to do the right thing..
Posted by netloafer (anonymous) on September 20, 2007 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I didn't watch the proceedings. It must have been interesting. It sure looks like a sweetheart deal for the owners of the property. And, it may be a real sweetheart deal for Hills as well.
Posted by vankamp (anonymous) on September 20, 2007 at 6:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree that if it was me and they were dangeling that amount of money in front of me I might do the same as the Woods. I enjoyed the comment Agler made when he commented that for the large amount of money that Wood's got they should be able to afford the taxes on the land. I also thought it was interesting when Woods stated that they wanted their house way back on the land so they didn't have to be near all the industrial activity. I wish they would of thought about all the neighbors they left to face it.
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