The next step in the Quaker Park saga was supposed to be the validation of signatures on a petition in opposition to the park’s sale or transfer, however, that will no longer be necessary.
The reason is that Emporia Commissioners chose Tuesday to have city staff draft a resolution rescinding the commission’s previous action designating the park as surplus real property and initiating the sale and transfer process. Part of the reason for this decision, recommended by Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking, was the number of signatures the petition gathered, more than 800.
462 signatures from registered Emporia voters were needed to make the petition valid and thus force city leadership to either end the sale process outright or place the item on a future election ballot. The protest deadline was 5 pm Monday and the validation process was expected to take two to three days to complete, however, Cocking says there was no need for further action noting the community has made its desire clear.
The potential sale of Quaker Park came about last year after the Emporia Land Bank approached city leadership with plans to develop three single-family residential units, one of which would have been set aside for Habitat for Humanity. During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioner Jamie Sauder stated he was never a fan of the development plan saying “The juice wouldn’t be worth the squeeze.”
Sauder adds that the Quaker Park saga has also opened the door for a larger conversation on a need for a citywide “comprehensive infill plan.”
Cocking tells KVOE News the city is planning to meet with individuals who led the “Save Quaker Park” campaign in the near future to try and develop a plan for updating and improving the park. Cocking adds that informal conversations on that front have already taken place.
Commissioners are planning to review and possibly approve a resolution to rescind their previous action at their next regular meeting in May.
Before their study meeting Tuesday afternoon, commissioners convened their regular action session during which time they approved a resolution establishing the Lockwood Subdivision Rural Housing Incentive District as well as the development plan for the project. The city of Emporia will now act as a passthrough for RHID funds which will act as a reimbursement to the project’s developers.
The city will have no financial obligations to the project, however, it will receive a three percent administrative fee for its efforts. While speaking with KVOE News Tuesday, Cocking stated the financial incentives for developers, the fee for the city and the 24 single-family residential units set to be constructed through the project make the development a complete win for the developers, the city and Emporia residents.
A project timeline for construction is currently pending.
The Emporia CIty Commission is next set to convene for its regular action and study meetings Wednesday, May 1 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
