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Planning director outlines housing study outreach and comprehensive-plan timeline
Summary
John Kenzie, planning and zoning environment administrator, told the McPherson County Commission that staff will reach out to cities about extraterritorial jurisdictions, continue comprehensive-plan steering committee work and clarify small-tract subdivision rules and water/well requirements.
John Kenzie, McPherson County planning and zoning environment administrator, updated the commission on housing and planning matters and next steps for the county comprehensive plan.
Kenzie said a recent housing symposium was high level and staff have not yet had time to review the housing study in detail. In May, planning staff plan to contact each city in the county to ask whether they want changes to their extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) boundaries. Kenzie said the work aims to narrow the counties’ focus and improve communications with Kansas Department of Commerce representatives who have offered to meet quarterly with the group.
He reported the comprehensive plan steering committee has met twice, with one more joint steering committee meeting with the planning board scheduled in July and a public rollout planned for June. Kenzie said the county will not change zoning and subdivision regulations until staff and commissioners have considered the comprehensive-plan updates.
On small-tract subdivisions, Kenzie clarified that the county’s updated approach expands the minimum tract considered for residential plats from 20 to 40 acres but retains an option for small-tract development that allows up to five lots to be created without building full internal roads and other improvements. He said water requirements for subdivisions remain: the county requires a letter from the rural water provider that service is available before a final plat is considered, and the county may require a deposit, payment, or a bond to ensure water infrastructure is installed before acceptance.
Kenzie said current regulations call for an engineer’s affirmation that water is present; he noted applicants sometimes drill a test well to verify yield and reduce overall development costs.
The commission did not take formal regulatory action at the meeting; Kenzie’s report set outreach and timeline expectations for the coming months.
