An application for a sales barn near Admire has cleared the first hurdle and will be recommended for approval after more than an hour of discussion tonight during the Lyon County Planning and Appeals Board.
The planning board is a recommending board and the final decision will now rest with the Lyon County Commission.
The application for the sales barn was heard multiple times. At the first meeting on the request, held in September, landowner Charles Loomis said he wanted to have a livestock sale barn. The barn would be between 11,000 and 14,000 square feet on approximately 10 acres of land owned by Loomis. The sales barn would be located at 1505 Road 310, Admire, which is on the southeast corner of Kansas Highway 99 and Road 310. The application was tabled a few times to give Loomis time to gather and present more information for board members.
During November’s meeting, Loomis said he wants to build a 60-by-240 foot barn with lean-tos on the outside. He said the barn would be capable of holding 400 to 500 head of livestock for the sales. He said the barn would sit about 200 feet south of the north fence on Road 310 and would include two entrances.
Over the past few months, concerns over the application ranged from use of the land, pollution concerns and effect on future growth of the area. Wednesday evening, a representative from the Kansas Department of Transportation raised a concern about spacing on Highway 99 between the highway and the driveway. Safety concerns were discussed and what could be done to improve the road and turnouts onto the road.
The issue of pollution also was raised during tonight's meeting. Planning Board Member Kevin Karr read from a report from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He said KDHE gave an overall pollution rating of 50 regarding surface water protection based on several categories. Risk values over 60 is considered to be a significant pollution problem, Karr said.
“So, he is at a 50,” he said.
The application was approved unanimously tonight evening based on Lyon County’s Comprehensive Plan that states that agriculture use of land in the county should be encouraged.