The Emporia City Commission is continuing its work to nail down a formal policy regarding the city’s efforts to address local housing needs.
During the commission’s recent study session Wednesday city special project coordinator Jim Witt provided an update on the policy’s development. The update included an in-depth look at other policies developed throughout the state with commissioners continuing to favor the RHID policy developed in Dodge City.
Witt says the Dodge City policy is a dual approach that combines the RHID policy with what is known as “special assessments” for the development of housing.
As conversations continued Wednesday, commissioners expressed a desire that the city is not the only entity with “chips in the game.” Mayor Rob Gilligan says they want to ensure any developers that are involved in the construction of units within an RHID also need to have some stake in the project such as purchasing the land in which the developments will be located.
Gilligan says trying to tackle the development issue on its own does not “seem like the best strategy” for the city at this time.
Realistically, Gilligan believes the city could see physical work beginning on RHID developments either by the end of the calendar year, if not the first quarter of 2022. Witt agrees but says the first quarter of 2022 is a more realistic expectation.
Ahead of the RHID discussions Witt also presented an update on the Flint Hills Crossing development, the project slated to bring Quick Trip to the local community. According to Witt, work on the development agreement for the project has been delayed slightly due to a need to clear up some clerical issues.
Witt anticipates the development agreement could be completed and ready for action by the commission at some point in April. Witt says the delay should not disrupt any time tables for developers and construction on the project may still likely begin in the fall.
Separately Wednesday, commissioners spoke with Daphne Mertens of Healthier Lyon County regarding potential projects to be funded by the agencies Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Phase 2 grant that was announced late last year.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene for an action session next Wednesday at 7 pm inside the Muncipal Courtroom at White Auditorium. One of the items up for discussion at that time will be the city’s mask ordinance.
