By Lucky Kidd
McPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. — On Monday, the McPherson County Commission approved a zoning amendment and special use permit as recommended by the County’s Planning Commission last month.
The zoning change involves a property at US 56 and 26th Avenue near Canton which will change from an agricultural transition zone to a business zoning where the owner of the subject project has acquired additional land to the south to bring it into compliance with the five-acre minimum lot size. Commissioner Tom Kuesner abstained from participating on this issue due to his living within the notification zone surrounding the site.
The other case involved a special use permit to allow Jackson Township to construct a maintenance building and meeting space at 9th and Kiowa Road the township has leased on a long-term basis. This case was one that had a number of issues stemming from information given to the township by a prior zoning administrator. This was approved on a 4-2 vote, with the opposing members raising issues about sanitation code and tract size issues.
Commissioners were informed that the County Appraiser’s Office is in substantial compliance as it relates to compliance with state requirements. Appraiser Joseph Pennycutt said part of this involves sales ratio compliance and overall compliance, where it scored 97 out of a possible 100 points. 70 is what is required to be in compliance overall.
Commissioners approved the updated five-year plan for the Central Kansas Regional Solid Waste Authority, which includes McPherson, Harvey and Marion Counties. McPherson Area Solid Waste Utility General Manager John Hawk said the plan includes updates information on the status of such things, as administration, solid waste management including Harvey County’s ending of single stream recycling, characterization of waste streams, solid waste reduction strategies, and how solid waste overall is managed including recycling diversion rates which is much higher in McPherson County than in the other two counties in the region.
A request for support on an application for additional water rights for Rolling Acres Golf Course north of McPherson was presented by Brian Williams, who said the Division of Water Resources signed off on the request some years ago, but County Commission approval is needed for it to go to Equus Beds Groundwater Management District 2 which has the final say.
The golf course has essentially run out of water due to the extremely dry conditions of the past two years, and Williams said unless they can secure additional rights it may have to close. Commissioners will consider the request at next week’s meeting.
