City rezones Modine
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 01:33 p.m., February 7, 2008
Updated 01:33 p.m., February 7, 2008
The “big hurdle” to a new use for the old Modine Manufacturing building was cleared Wednesday afternoon when the Emporia City Commission approved the rezoning of the property.
The commission signed off on the ordinance to change the property’s status from C-3 general commercial back to its old status, I-1 light industrial. The building’s listed potential use is for freight distribution and manufacturing.
David Jamison, who submitted the rezoning request in December, continued to provide few details about Ress Properties, the group that has expressed interest in buying the building. Jamison said the group consists of him and two other main investors who are also from the Emporia area.
“This was the big hurdle to get over,” Jamison said. “So we’re progressing along, and we’ll have (information) real soon. But we’re still tied by confidentiality and contractual agreements.”
Jamison told the Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission last month that manufacturing companies had inquired about leasing space at the building at 1401 Industrial Road.
During the city manager’s report at the end of the commission meeting, City Manager Matt Zimmerman discussed the community response to the Tyson plant layoffs, and Mayor Julie Johnson announced being notified of Tyson’s decision to eliminate an additional 200 to 300 positions effective April 7.
“There will be other people who need to be aware of the other programs and opportunities that Matt just mentioned in his report because of the announcement by Tyson,” Johnson said.
Zimmerman said he believed that 16 employers had signed up for space at the community fair scheduled for Feb. 16 at Flint Hills Technical College. Space is available for 60 to 70 employers to participate.
In other activity Wednesday, the commission:
• Appointed new members to the planning commission, the building trades board, the community corrections board and the Human Relations Commission. Greg Jordan was appointed to the planning commission; Don Scheer, Daniel Schumann and Jerome Russell were appointed to the building trades board; Yvonne Brooks was appointed to the community corrections board; and Phil Dillon was appointed to an unexpired term on the Human Relations Commission. Dillon’s term will expire March 1.
• Set 7 p.m. Feb. 20 as the date for a public hearing to discuss revising the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. The intent of revising the program is to include more of C of E Drive in order to make Kenyon Hall and the KVOE radio building eligible for the program.
• Authorized the city to apply for a community capacity building grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce. The grant would be intended to develop collaborative community development planning.
• Approved the transfer of 2005 non-primary entitlements in the amount of $150,000 to Oakley Municipal Airport.
• Authorized Johnson to sign a proclamation declaring Feb. 15 as Emporia State University Day.
• Adopted the final draft of the city’s debt management policy for 2008.
• Amended the Multi-Use Path Committee so that “members of the community,” not just “residents of the city,” could join the new eight- to 12-person committee. However, commissioners stipulated that no more than one-third of committee members could live outside city limits.
• Set 2 p.m. March 18 as the date and time to receive proposals for bids on a new ambulance. The city could award the bid at its April 2 meeting.
• Tabled until March 19 the consideration of bids for a new backhoe loader because of the uncertainty of the financial impact of the Tyson layoffs.