Property owned by Stormont Vail Health in the city limits is now under city zoning jurisdiction.
During their regular action meeting Emporia City Commissioners approved a rezoning request for property at 1700 Road G converting it from Lyon County Agriculture/Commercial to City of Emporia Commercial. Wednesday’s rezoning approval followed the commission’s action late last year to annex the property into the city limits, a decision that drew sharp criticism from many including representatives of Newman Regional Health who were not in attendance for Wednesday’s meeting.
The absence did not come as a surprise to commissioners with Commissioner Becky Smith noting the large amount of comment given during the Emporia Planning Commission’s consideration of the rezoning matter last month. One of the main concerns expressed throughout the Newman/Stormont saga has been the potential impacts on Newman if a second health provider were to come to the area.
In recent months, and again Wednesday, Smith stated that the matter before the commission is not related to the future of healthcare or the possible offering of medical services, it is a matter of land use.
Commissioner Tyler Curtis stated the commission has certainly treated the situation as “separate matters” when it comes to the use of land and potential impacts to Newman. Noting the city and Stormont have agreed to a five-year moratorium on medical services connected to the proposed facility at 1700 Road G, Curtis says they will have to keep a close eye on that situation as it unfolds.
The next step in the process will be to consider a final plat and development agreement for the Stormont facility, items which city leadership expects to come before them during their first meeting in May.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners approved a bid from Mitchell Markowitz Construction to handle a complete renovation of the Freemont Park Band Stand totaling more than $238,000. Emporia Director of Public Lands and Facilities Kevin Hanlin says the project will likely begin by late July and will be quite extensive.
Original plans were to have the work beginning before the 2025 Emporia Municipal Band summer season, however, Hanlin says that was simply not doable. The band will still use the current bandstand for the coming season which Hanlin says is still safe to use.
According to Hanlin, the project is scheduled to take 90 days to complete.
In separate business Wednesday, commissioners approved:
*Appointment of Tyler Pettigrew to the City Community Housing Board and Emporia Land Bank
*CareArc’s rezoning plan for space at 400 West 15th to convert space into a staff parking lot
*Recognized the city accounting department for receiving the Government Finance Officers Association for consideration of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 39th consecutive year.
In study matters commissioners:
*Received an update from the Emporia Homelessness advisory board
*A franchise agreement with Kansas Gas
*Discussed a Pickle Ball development plan
*Discussed and approved dollars related to the city’s Southeast Transmission waterline project. Details for that action can be found here.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, April 2 at 11 am.
