Lyon County Commissioners have hit the pause button on zoning matters related to medical facilities possibly until next year.
As part of their regular action meeting Thursday morning, commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution establishing a moratorium that suspends all applications related to zoning, land use, and building permitting for medical facilities. As you may recall, this is not the first zoning matter related to medical facilities to be taken up by local government over the past year.
Last year, Newman Regional Health submitted a request for zoning text changes to the Emporia Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals to block Stormont Vail’s attempts to bring a new multi-million dollar medical facility to the community. Planning commissioners ultimately rendered no decision on the matter and moved it along to the Emporia City Commission after which time mediated discussions between Stormont and Newman began.
To some, the timing of Thursday’s resolution may seem conspicuous as it comes in the same week it was announced the mediated talks between Stormont and Newman had concluded. It also comes just a few weeks after it was reported that Stormont had purchased land in the county possibly for the construction of its new facility.
When asked about the timing of the resolution, Commission Chairman Rollie Martin said “The timing is what it is” adding this was a county-drafted resolution and it did not come at the behest of any outside agencies.
He adds that Thursday’s resolution is an entirely separate matter from the zoning text changes requested last year explaining the city of Emporia had guidelines and definitions for medical facilities included in their zoning regulations, but the county does not.
With the moratorium now in place through January 1 at the latest, Martin says the county planning commission will be researching and drafting said guidelines and definitions over the next six months. With this in mind, KVOE News asked Martin how it was possible such guidelines and definitions were not included in the county’s zoning regulations.
He says that has to do with the updates made to the regulations a few years back.
In attendance for Thursday’s meeting were representatives of Newman Regional Health including CEO Cathy Pimple who deferred comment on the county’s decision to Newman Director of Business Development Steven Bazan. Bazan tells KVOE News he believes the decision by the County Thursday was a “prudent” one adding that Newman stands behind the commission’s decision.
KVOE asked Bazan if Newman had any prior knowledge or involvement with the resolution to which he stated it did not.
The moratorium will only affect zoning matters in the county’s rural unincorporated areas. KVOE has reached out to Stormont Vail for comment on the county’s decision.
