Emporia Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals members approved a request that will facilitate the construction of a new travel plaza in Emporia.
Commissioners unanimously approved a request for a minor plat from Red Brick Investments which is planning to construct a travel plaza near US Highway 50 and Graphic Arts Road. City of Emporia Zoning Specialist Joe Foster says the request will alter traffic flow on Martin Drive from a roundabout to a through road and connect it to the proposed travel plaza plat.
The better than 30-acre development that will be located near the roundabout connecting US Highway 50 to Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike will, according to developers, include restaurants, hotels, an RV park and strip mall. The item will now go before the Emporia City Commission for review and potential approval in April according to Foster.
In other business, the commission approved three annexation requests for 1501 E. Logan Ave., 3601 W. 6th Ave. and 1503 E. Logan Ave. and South Weaver Street. The annexation request for 3601 W. 6th also included the revocation of a conditional use permit which commissioners chose to table until their next monthly meeting.
Commission Chairman Kenton Thomas explains the tabling of the item is simply a formality to ensure all due diligence has been done prior to approving the revocation.
Ownership of the West Sixth property went to Emporia Enterprises who will also be responsible for overseeing any transaction of the property in the future.
The Emporia Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals will reconvene for its next regular meeting in April.
