The City of Emporia has taken final action to issue revenue bonds for the new Emporia Fire Department headquarters.
Ahead of the city commission’s regular action meeting Wednesday morning, the Emporia Public Building Commission approved a resolution for the issuance, sale and lease of bonds to the city of Emporia. Later, city commissioners approved a resolution declaring their intent to enter into a base and project lease agreement between the city and PBC.
This means the city will now make regular lease payments to the PBC, which currently owns the property. Those payments will serve as the bond repayment, and according to Deputy City Manager Mark Detter, once the lease concludes in 2044, ownership of the EFD property, 518 Mechanic, will revert back to the city.
Detter also says the city could opt to use this same process for other ventures in the future, such as the new proposed rec center at Champions Landing. However, Detter says the logistics would be slightly different if the city were to go that route.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners also approved a final plat for the new XRS Pros addition at set to be located between Carter Street and South Avenue. Wednesday’s action follows a recommendation of approval from the Emporia Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission which reviewed the matter on two separate occasions.
The planning commission originally recommended disapproval of the project after stating concerns for the original project plans, namely the number and size of lots proposed. Original plans were to see five homes created with proposed lot sizes of 5,700 square feet which planning commissioners felt were too small for the neighborhood.
Developers came back with the revised plan last month and gained unanimous approval from both planning and city commissioners. During Wednesday’s meeting, city commissioner Jamie Sauder, who has been a large supporter of additional housing in the community throughout his time on the commission, says he would have liked to see more houses included in the project.
That said, Sauder tells KVOE News in some cases “Less is more” especially from a property tax perspective.
In other business, commissioners:
*Approved rezoning several properties on Michelle Circle and Michelle Street to reflect new zoning classifications.
*Approved the fiscal 2027 CCLIP agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for work on Commercial from Third to 12th and Sixth from Mechanic to Neosho.
In study matters, commissioners discussed:
*2024 finances
*The transient guest tax appropriations process
*Funding for Flint Hills Technical College
*2025 Street Rehab
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, March 5 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
