HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The County Commission spent over two hours hearing planning officials, but also residents in the county who are opposed to any changes of zoning regulations, something that is being considered by the Planning Department and Planning Commission as part of the county’s “Comprehensive Plan.”
County Planner Mark Vonachen says he wasn’t asking them to approve anything affecting zoning at this point. He just wanted direction as to whether the county wants to expand its zoning authority countywide, expand that authority somewhere in between or leave it the same. He says staff members are working on new zoning regulations which have not been updated in nearly 30 years, but would need a zoning map put together to match up with those new regulations. He doesn’t expect that work would be done until late in the year, or possibly early next year. Of course that depends on which way the commission wants to go.
The comprehensive plan adopted earlier by the commission includes three factors, according to Vonachen. That includes population, current land use and future land use.
As it stands now, the eastern one-third of the county has zoning with most around Hutchinson and then around Cheney Lake. The western two-thirds of the county is not zoned and that is the question before the commission, whether they want to expand their zoning authority into all parts of the county.
Harlan Priddle, who is the chairman of the planning commission, also spoke and explained that zoning is there to provide “orderly and efficient land use.” But he also stated that it provides equal protection for all citizens, businesses and others from undesirable things near personal land.
Agricultural uses would be exempt from zoning, however Vonachen gave examples of non-agricultural, or urban land, uses that would be zoned such as cell towers, wind farms and auto body shops. Those types of things would be subject to zoning regulations.
Most in the audience were opposed to any changes which made the commission decide it needs more opportunities for residents to speak. The commission plans to have two or three night meetings to allow more input on this issue. That means everything is on hold at this point and no decision has been made.
No dates for any future hearings were announced, but should come in the near future.