A major local business will be taking a major step forward in its six-year relocation effort following approval by Emporia City Commissioners Wednesday.
During the commission’s recent action session, approval was given for an annexation and rezoning request of a five-acre parcel of land located west of 1400 West Highway 50 where the Fanestil Meats processing plant currently sits. Fanestil owner Dan Smoots requested the annexation and rezoning of the property in order to expand the processing facility.
The expansion will move the five-acre parcel into the city limits which, according to city zoning specialist Joe Foster, provides a number of benefits.
The planned expansion is the latest phase in Fanestil’s ongoing relocation effort to bring all of its services under one roof after the processing facility was moved to the current location back in 2014. A portion of Fanestil is still located at its original site along the Cottonwood River Floodplain where Fanestil has experienced an abundance of issues, including having to shut down operations, whenever significant flooding impacted the local area.
City Commissioner Rob Gilligan says along with moving the facilities out of the flood plain, the upcoming expansion will help to “modernize” the business.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners also received an update from Lyon County Public Health on recent COVID-19 response efforts. The report followed a similar appearance by public health officials at the Lyon County Commission’s study session early Wednesday morning.
More information on that report is available by clicking here.
Separately, commissioners approved a contract extension with N.R. HAMM Quarry Inc. for waste services, an ordinance allowing the city to match KDHE requirements for water fluoridation and accepted a grant from the US Department of Agriculture.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene for a study session next Wednesday inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
