The Marion City Council discussed during its Aug. 28 meeting a land sale proposal in the industrial park with Brendon Kraus, primary veterinarian and owner of Spur Ridge Vet Hospital.
After almost 45 minutes of discussion, the council approved the sale of one-quarter of Lot 4 at the full price of $2,200. The council voted 3-2 in favor of the motion.
Mayor Todd Heitschmidt included in the motion a provision based on the incentive grading scale for lots in the industrial park that the price can be rebated within 36 months.
“We are pushing harder to get things done (in the industrial park) so the demand may go up,” Heitschmidt said. “I don’t want to sell a piece of property that will return no value and will actually make the next lot even less sellable for what we are trying to push.”
City Administrator Roger Holter talked about why a road is needed in that area, too.
“We need a road there because it is the largest marketable lot with highway exposure and currently requires going down Industrial around Spur Ridge property all the way over to Roosevelt, where we sold a lot to John Deere,” he said.
It would continue to what is now an unpaved road.
“It more than doubles the length of roadway required to give access to a property that is adjacent to U.S. Highway 56,” he added.
With placement of Dollar General and the amount of space from the back of their physical parking lot going back is the shortest route to go from Industrial to put a driveway in.
Holter said he understands the desire to get things moving.
“I also understand that part of the challenge with economic development is how to promote this access and develop it,” he said.
While no commitments have been identified, there is planned development in the Pilsen community.
“We need to support this with lodging and fuel adjacent to the highway because Pilsen’s infrastructure cannot develop for those future needs,” he said.
Prior to the final vote of selling the property for full price, a motion was made to sell the quarter of the lot at less than asking price.
This was defeated by a vote of 2-3.
Before the agreement can be finalized, the Planning and Zoning Commission will need to make its recommendation on the splitting up of lots in the industrial park.
Other business
In other business, the council:
• approved an ordinance adopting the Kansas Uniform Public Offense Code.
• approved the Kansas Standard Traffic ordinance.
• heard the first reading of an ordinance involving litter.
• toured municipal operations within the city primarily for new council members.
