If and when a resolution to annex property into the Emporia city limits to support the expansion of a local employer comes before Emporia City Commissioners it will have a favorable recommendation from the Emporia Metropolitan Area Planning Commission.
Planning commissioners unanimously chose to recommend approval of an “Island annexation” of property in the 800 block of Road 160 to facilitate a planned expansion of A1 Pump and Jet. A separate item related to this matter, a request from the city to Lyon County Commission asking the county to make certain findings to approve the annexation, was approved by city commissioners last Wednesday.
According to City Zoning Specialist Justin Givens, an island annexation refers to annexing property that is not attached to other city annexed property thus making it an island among county owned property. County commissioners have not yet taken up the request leading to KVOE News to ask Givens why the planning commission is taking up the matter if it has not yet gained approval by county leadership.
His answer, efficiency.
There is no word as of yet as to when county commissioners plan to consider the city’s request and therefore no exact date for when the annexation will come before city commissioners for final approval. The property is already zoned heavy industrial, meaning the A1 facility could be built there today, however, that is under county guidelines.
Once the matter does come before city leadership, it may be safe to assume it will gain approval based off of the praise city commissioners and leadership bestowed upon A1 and owner Ronald McCoy for the strides the business has made in recent years. On KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Tuesday, City Manager Trey Cocking reiterated those sentiments saying providing support to local startups and businesses is vital as these employers play an important role in the vitality of any community.
In other business, board members are recommending approval for a rezoning request from Frontier Development Group for the property at 315 South
Market, the former Kansas Avenue School Building, from civic/public use to multi-family use with plans to convert the building into a residential space with 10-12 units. While the city can approve the rezoning, it will not mean the project is guaranteed to move forward as Frontier has stated the project’s progression is contingent on Frontier receiving Community Development Block Grant funding and other administrative adjustments.
Board members made the recommendation unanimously with commissioner Tammi Ogle stating she is all for the project saying she has seen the product of Frontier’s work in Chase County with the remodeling of the former school building into housing units saying the results spoke for themselves.
Commissioner Joe Reed has been a longtime advocate for the repurposing of existing property to help address the community’s well publicized housing shortage. He says he believes the remodel of the building will be a small step in addressing this major issue.
In other business, commissioners conducted a brief review of the commission’s capital improvement plan. Planning commissioners will reconvene in November for their regular meeting.
