Long discussed stormwater improvements are moving forward within an Emporia subdivision thanks to approval by Emporia City Commissioners Wednesday.
During a recent action session Wednesday evening, commissioners approved a contract with BG Consultants for improvements to the creek located behind the Becker Addition. Yearly rainstorms have led to significant erosion in the creek bed behind the property causing large trees to fall into the bed, utility lines to be exposed and even a loss of land for homeowners.
Bruce Boettcher of BG Consultants explains the full scope of work that will be taking place.
The estimated total cost of the project comes out to just over $3 million. Boettcher says work is tentatively scheduled to begin by late next year into early 2023.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners gave unanimous approval to grant tax increment finance district status to Red Brick Investments for the proposed Brownstone 3 addition poised to bring a new travel plaza to Emporia. Wednesday’s action both establishes the Red Brick Redevelopment district and the TIF district’s. TIF’s are subdistricts within a redevelopment project in which all collected taxes help to cover the costs of construction.
Special Projects Coordinator Jim Witt says those tax dollars are even more important now than before given the ever-increasing cost of building materials seen over the past year.
The new 30-acre travel plaza will be located southwest of US Highway 50 and Graphic Arts Road and is designed to include restaurants, hotels, an RV park and a strip mall.
Separately commissioners approved a request to rezone about 90 unplatted acres of land including 1501 East Logan, 1503 East Logan and 1201 South Weaver from Agricultural to I-1 Light Industrial. The commission’s approval goes against the recommendation of the Emporia Planning Commission which voted twice to reject the request by a vote of 6-1 in May and 5-2 in August.
The rezoning request was made by Emporia Enterprises to allow for potential development near Industrial Park 3.
Wednesday’s action session followed a study session during which time commissioners discussed an expansion of the city’s Rural Housing Incentive District map. Witt will join KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Monday morning to discuss the proposed expansion in greater detail.
A contract for a 24-inch waterline project and the city’s winter snow cleaning policy also saw discussions.
Wednesday’s meetings were the final for longtime commissioner Jon Geitz who announced his resignation from the commission back in October. Geitz served on the commission for the past 8 and a half years.
He tells KVOE News it was always his intention to serve for a maximum of two terms and although he is keeping to his plan, it’s still somewhat bittersweet to be ending his tenure on the commission.
Taking Geitz’s place on the commission, a bit sooner than expected, is newly elected commissioner Jamie Sauder. Commissioners voted 4-0, with one abstention, for Sauder to fill the vacancy effective Dec. 1 until he is officially sworn into the position in a full-time capacity in January.
Sauder says he is excited and looking forward to getting a jump start on his new role.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, Dec. 1 inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
