County lake, Eastshore get zoning districts

No immediate changes likely, but county will now be able to zone areas differently than other incorporated villages

By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Marion County Commission approved zoning districts Monday for Marion County Park and Lake and Eastshore development.

The districts will allow the county to regulate zoning issues for those areas separately from other unincorporated communities in the county.

The areas were previously zoned as village, which also includes Canada, Pilsen, and Aulne, Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards said.

The creation of the district for Eastshore also changed setback requirements to match homeowner covenants in the area. The change reduces side yard setbacks from 8 to 6 feet.

Marion County Planning Commission recommended the changes.

The changes were approved 3-0, with Commissioner Bob Hein returning after a two-month absence for medical reasons.

In other business:

• Mark Bryant’s property at 1077 190th Road near Hillsboro was rezoned from agriculture to suburban residential. The change included 1.4 acres at a current residence and 12.5 acres for eventual development.
• A conditional-use permit was granted to allow a 1997 single-wide manufactured home at 2433 310th Road near Lost Springs. Kevin Shields owns the home and plans to live in it until he can build a house. The permit will be reviewed in 2015.
• Bev Metcalf was reappointed to Harvey-Marion County Community Developmental Disability Organization for a three-year term. Marion County has two other vacancies on the governing board, which meets monthly.
• Creek Electric of Wichita will perform electrical repairs at the courthouse. The company will receive $1,210 for routine work and be paid for time and materials two replace two circuit boxes.
• National Sign Company of Ottawa will provide road signs for $5,910. These include stop signs, weight limit signs, and object markers. Hall Signs of Bloomington, Ind., bid $6,418, and Newman Traffic Signs of Jamestown, N.D., bid $6,043.
• Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro will provide 3,500 gallons of clear diesel, 2,000 gallons of dyed diesel, and 2,500 gallons of unleaded gasoline for $19,273 to Road and Bridge Department. Cardie Oil Company of Tampa bid $19,641.
• The county will receive $7,166 from insurance for a 2003 one-ton pickup that was demolished in an accident.
• Road and Bridge Superintendent Jim Herzet met with commissioners in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Marion County received about $7,000 more than expected from an emergency management performance grant, Emergency Management Director Michele Abbott said.
• Abbott met with commissioners in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss a department head evaluation. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Ty Wheeler of Kansas Legal Services, a private not-for-profit law firm, requested $4,000 to help the firm provide services in Marion County for 2011. In 2009, the firm took seven Social Security disability cases in Marion County and was successful in five of them. With an average payment of $674 per month and three years before cases are reviewed, those cases directed $121,320 of benefits to disabled Marion County residents. The firm also provides assistance to victims of domestic abuse, working on eight cases in 2009.
• Salina Blueprint will provide a map plotter for the appraiser’s office for $4,920. The county will receive a $1,620 trade-in credit for an old machine.
• A data collector for the appraiser’s office was working on relisting properties in Marion when a resident told him to bring a copy of the statute allowing him to go on property. Appraiser Cindy Magill requested a sheriff’s deputy accompany the data collector to that residence.
• Magill met with commissioners in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Jessie Kaye of Prairie View requested $65,000 to provide mental health services in 2011. The state has reduced funding for mental health services at the same time that Prairie View is seeing increased demand, she said.
• County Clerk Carol Maggard met with commissioners in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.

The next commission meeting will be Monday.