New subdivision regulations introduced to Marion commision

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER


New subdivision regulations that should help both developers and new homeowners plan better were introduced before the Marion City Commission at its Monday meeting.


The regulations, developed by the Marion Planning Commission, must be subject to questioning at a Planning Commission public hearing at 7 p.m., Dec. 17, before being returned to the city commission for final approval.


In other business, City Administrator Dennis Nichols confirmed that a negotiating session on solid-waste disposal involving the Marion County Commission, representatives of cities in the county, and KC Development will be at 11 a.m., Friday, in the county commission chambers in the courthouse.


Nichols said a session between county commissioners and city representatives Nov. 20 went well in determining how further negotiations with KC Development, operators of the transfer station in Marion, should go.


KC Development hauls Marion County waste to Rolling Meadows landfill at Topeka, which is operated by Waste Management, one of several companies named by the Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment as having the expertise to clean up the existing Marion County landfill southwest of Marion and possibly expand it.


Persons involved in the negotiating process, who wish to be unidentified, said KC Development may have the option to leave negotiations to sell its contract, with five years remaining on it, to one of these major waste disposal companies.


Currently, KC Development is owned locally by Rex Savage and Theo Bond.


Nichols said county commissioners have chosen to be represented by legal counsel Friday, as have most of the cities. He said Marion will be represented by City Attorney Dan Baldwin.


Concerning the subdivision regulations, Susan Cooper, development director, said they should help prevent predicaments such as have happened in Marion when developers, individuals buying lots for new homes and even city personnel, have had to sort out who pays for what.


People wanting new homes have bought lots with no utilities available, and then wanted the city to help, she said.


The regulations are similar to what neighboring cities such as Hillsboro already require, she said.


Nichols noted that the Prairie Pointe development on the east side of Hillsboro is a good example of what is desired with the developer putting in streets and utilities in advance of lot sales.


The regulations would require a subdivider to submit preliminary and final plats to both planning and city commissions before recording with the County Register of Deeds Office. City personnel would review compliance with street, easement and other locations.


The subdivider would be financially reponsible for street and utility improvements, and would be required to post a surety performance bond as a guarantee to complete improvements on time.


Cooper said the city would retain the option to make improvements from a special assessment option attached to property taxes over a period of years if it has the funding and the development is crucial to the community. She said many times poor planning has caused extra costs for everybody.


Police Chief David Mayfield said the city will be able to purchase a laptop computer that will help officers do reports from the squad car, helping maintain higher public visibility, from local law enforcement block grant money after the first of the year.


He said the computer will be shared with the municipal court clerk and the development director.


Harvey Sanders, utilities superintendent, said that electrical handling equipment was cleaned last week for annual testing by Professional Electrical Testing of Great Bend to make sure it will withstand high voltage contact.

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