City asked to reduce regulations for new streets

Attracting residential growth to Holton could be an easier task for Holton city officials with a few slight modifications to the city’s subdivision and zoning regulations, Holton City Attorney Dennis White told the Holton City Commission.

During the commission’s meeting on Tuesday — held a day later than normally scheduled due to the Presidents Day holiday — White and Frank Gilliland, representing BFD Inc., met with commisssioners to talk about future plans for residential subdivisions.

White told commissioners that he and Gilliland would like to develop property on West Sixth Street into 52 residential lots in “a partnership with the city” and Jackson County.

In order to facilitate that development, White asked commissioners to consider changes to zoning and subdivision laws that presently require curbing and guttering on all city streets. He also said he would like the city to allow for construction of “wide hard surface roads with green swale ditching” as a cost-cutting measure.

White also asked commissioners to consider construction of a low-pressure sewer system that would be sufficient to serve a subdivision, if not an entire city, without being buried more than four feet below the surface. This, too, he said would be a cost-cutting measure, both for BFD and for prospective property owners.

“We’ve been having these ideas,” White said. “We’re a little bit gun-shy about investing tens of thousands of dollars in a subdivision, but without a partnership with you and the county, we're just beating our heads against the wall.”

Furthermore, White proposed the city hire a “part-time” city engineer to have on retainer, in a position similar to the one he has as Holton’s city attorney. Having a city engineer would be beneficial not only to city officials in assisting with subdivision development and design, he said, but also to other city department heads, such as Street Superintendent Rex Cameron.

The main reason for seeking adjustments in the zoning and subdivision regulations to accommodate BFD’s subdivision plans, White said, is that Holton needs residential growth. The city had authored comprehensive plans for such growth in 1966, 1985 and 1991, he contended, but none of them have been very successful in attracting or fostering residential growth.

Commissioner Tim Morris agreed, stating that despite the comprehensive plans, “we have no growth” because the city’s zoning and subdivision regulations have “a lot of restrictions.” A review of those regulations, as suggested by Holton City Manager Bret Bauer, would “swing the pendulum back to the middle,” Morris said.

Rather than requiring curbing and guttering, White suggested that the city modify zoning regulations to require roads that “fit in with the character and integrity of the neighborhood,” as well as a more thorough review of how the city looks at new, cost-effective septic systems. White also suggested commissioners schedule a special meeting to discuss what zoning regulations need to be modified.

On the other hand, Morris suggested that commissioners be given sufficient time to review the zoning regulations, and the matter was tabled until the commission’s Monday, March 16 meeting.

“I want to talk about it for a while, but I want to keep it on the burner,” Morris said. “It’s not going to go fast… You’ve got to give us time.”

In other business on Tuesday, commissioners approved an agreement between the city and the Kansas Department of Transportation for construction of the Banner Road extension west from U.S. Highway 75. Under terms of the agreement, Bauer said the agreement involves KDOT corridor management funds for construction of the road extension to the parking lot of the new Walmart store planned at the south edge of the city.

KDOT will be responsible for the costs of construction on the extension, with a cost ceiling of $700,000, including a traffic signal to be placed at the intersection, Bauer said. The city will seek estimates for construction, review the estimates and submit them to KDOT, which will send the city a check to pay for the costs, he added.

Commissioners also:

* Approved minutes from the Feb. 2 meeting and budget appropriations made since that meeting.

* Approved an ordinance authorizing the city’s issuance of approximately $3.6 million in health care facilities revenue bonds on behalf of Rural Health Resources of Jackson County for improvements at Holton Community Hospital, refinancing of bonds used to build the hospital and construction of a new health clinic in Hoyt.

* Met with representatives from King Engineering of Holton and Earles Engineering of Salina to hear proposals for engineering services for the proposed street rehabilitation project at the Holton Industrial Park. Bauer said commissioners will likely choose one of these two firms for the job at their Monday, March 2 meeting. Gilliland asked commissioners if a road extending from the HCH parking lot into the industrial park would be considered.

* Approved the city’s street program for 2015, a story on which appeared in the Wednesday, March 18 edition of The Holton Recorder.

* Approved the appointment of Marilyn Wenk to a resident board position on the Holton Housing Authority Board of Directors.

* Approved a drinking establishment license for El Milagro Mexican Restaurant.

* Heard a comment from Morris about raises for part-time city employees. Morris asked for a report on the matter to be prepared for the March 2 meeting.

* Heard a comment from Commissioner Erich Campbell about messes on sidewalks left by fruit dropping from the ornamental pear trees planted around Holton’s Town Square. 

* Adjourned the meeting at approximately 9:05 p.m. All commissioners were present.