Commission approves resolution of intent to annex 5111 Murray Road

The Manhattan City Commission voted 4-0 on March 18 to approve a resolution of intent to annex an approximately 0.98-acre tract located at 5111 Murray Road and asked the Board of County Commissioners to make required statutory findings under KSA 12-520c.

Stephanie Peterson, director of community development, told the commission the property is a “consent island” — adjacent to city limits near the Manhattan Regional Airport but not contiguous with the city’s core. She said the tract is currently zoned single-family under Riley County and that surrounding parcels are zoned industrial or commercial. “The future land use map identifies this area as commercial and industrial, which is consistent with what you typically see around airports,” Peterson said.

Peterson said the applicant seeks annexation to allow storage of commercial equipment in an existing shed on the property for a carpet-cleaning business; the current single-family county zoning would not permit that use. She outlined the statutory and administrative timeline: if the commission adopts annexation by ordinance after the required procedural steps, the county commissioners must make specific findings under state statute; any aggrieved party then has a 30-day appeal period. Peterson said the earliest the ordinance could return to the commission for reading would be May 20, and rezoning would be considered later at the planning board and then by the commission.

During the roll call on the resolution, Commissioner Minton voted yes; Mayor McCullough voted yes; Commissioner Adamczyk voted yes; and Commissioner Mota voted yes. The motion carried 4 to 0.

The commission record shows the applicant was not present at the meeting. City staff noted the commission will wait the required county findings and appeal period before scheduling ordinance readings and any subsequent rezoning hearings.

Next steps: the city will forward the resolution and related materials to the Board of County Commissioners for findings under KSA 12-520c, allow the 30-day appeal window to elapse, and then — if there are no successful appeals — return the annexation ordinance for commission readings and consider rezoning later at the planning board and commission.