Emporia Planning Commissioners had a pair of items before them during their monthly meeting Tuesday, with one coming back for more discussion and another receiving no recommendation.
Commissioners first reviewed terminology related to medical facilities in the city’s zoning regulations. City commissioners requested the review of terminology back in May, essentially restarting a discussion and process that dominated headlines for the better part of 2023 after Newman Regional Health proposed a text amendment to the city’s zoning regulations in response to plans by Stormont Vail Health to build a new medical facility in west Emporia, a project that broke ground earlier this year.
In attendance for Tuesday’s meeting were representatives of Newman, including CEO Cathy Pimple, who told KVOE News the hospital played no part in the revisiting of medical terminology. That said, Pimple told KVOE News the hospital greatly appreciates the decision to revisit the matter.
During Tuesday’s discussions, commissioners Kevin Johnson and Stan Fowler both expressed concerns regarding a lack of direction and justification for the process after the city never took action on the matter following a vote for no recommendation by the planning commission back in December of 2023. Fowler, who spoke with KVOE News Tuesday, stated he feels the city should have “taken some action” on the matter before sending it back to the planning commission to “start from scratch.”
This was not the only concern Fowler had with the matter, saying the changing of language or addition of restrictions could lead to a “restraint of trade.”
Commissioner Aaron Larson noted, “This is our responsibility”; however, he had questions as to whether or not it was “too soon” to be revisiting the matter.
Ultimately, commissioners chose to table the matter until they can receive an attorney’s perspective on the matter, a course of action proposed by Larson.
The second matter to come before commissioners Tuesday was a review of the city’s capital outlay plan, with planning commissioners charged to determine whether or not the plan was in accordance with the city’s comprehensive plan. Following a lengthy discussion, commissioner Denise Gilligan made a motion to make no recommendation on the item, citing a lack of sufficient time to fully review the document.
KVOE News noted that this is the second matter the commission has made a motion on in recent months, citing a lack of sufficient time as the motivating factor. When asked her thoughts, Gilligan stated she believes there is “definitely a flow issue and communication issue that can be improved.”
The motion passed unanimously and Gilligan, while speaking with KVOE News following the meeting, stated that in addition to the timing of the matter, which was presented just hours before Tuesday’s meeting, she also had concerns that certain items in the plan, while likely necessary, were not crucial or related to the comprehensive plan.
Larson also expressed concerns regarding the review process itself, saying he would like to see more discussions between city and planning commissioners on the topic before the item is considered in the future.
The Emporia Planning Commission will reconvene for its monthly meeting in August.
