The Salina City Commission approved amendments Sept. 22 to the Aeroplanes development agreement with Building Kansas LLC and authorized support for a revised timetable for a Moderate Income Housing (MIH) ARPA grant. The commission also approved a license allowing a subdivision entry sign on the center island at Centennial Road and Lindbergh Lane.

City staff summarized the project and the amendment request. Aeroplanes covers about 53.26 acres north of Shilling Road; at full build‑out the development is planned for 169 lots (two townhomes per lot) for 338 total units. Phase 1 includes 75 lots (150 units) and Phase 2 includes 94 lots (188 units). Staff said the developer met early benchmarks in the development agreement but sought to extend later construction deadlines — specifically converting some 30‑month milestones to 36 and 54 months — and to allow Annual MIH maximum pricing adjustments based on the state’s published MIH price guide. City staff and state staff said the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) was comfortable moving the MIH completion date for 50 MIH units to Sept. 30, 2026, subject to city and state coordination.

Staff recapped prior subsidy and incentive actions: the city formed an RHID in March 2022, the developer previously received MIH ARPA funding ($1.5 million for 50 units) and Kansas housing investor tax credits (approximately $1,056,000) for earlier phases, and the city amended earlier agreements in 2023 to recognize rising infrastructure costs. Several commissioners and public commenters pressed staff to verify the formal “commencement” date used in benchmarks; staff said they would review bond‑counsel records and provide clarified timeline documentation to the commission.

Building Kansas LLC representatives reported progress on home sales and construction. The developer said roughly two‑thirds of units were sold and many buyers were relocating to Salina from outside the city and state. City staff said the MIH grant extension would not create a direct fiscal impact on the city and that staff had been managing the state grant process.

The commission approved Resolution No. 25‑8311 amending the Building Kansas LLC development agreement (vote recorded in the meeting) and approved Resolution No. 25‑8312 supporting the state grant timetable amendment for MIH ARPA (recorded vote 4‑0). The commission also approved Resolution No. 25‑8310 authorizing a license agreement permitting the developer to install an entry sign in the subdivision center island at Centennial Road and Lindbergh Lane (vote 4‑0). Staff said future actions remain: drafting amended development and district documents, public hearings and finalizing the district/finance structure if the project proceeds.

Commissioners directed staff to consult bond counsel and state grant managers, to reconcile the agreement starting dates and milestone dates, and to return with corrected timeline documentation and any requested amendments for further action.