Haysville planners review draft land-use map; propose agricultural zones, preserve rail corridor and note floodplain areas

Planning staff presented a draft update to Haysville's land-use map and asked the Planning Commission for comments ahead of a planned public hearing in April.

Staff outlined several notable changes: adding agricultural land use for large currently farmed parcels, preserving the well site owned by "Jeff Budd" as agricultural to avoid future residential encroachment, identifying Wheatland addition lots as single-family or duplex potential, and marking a corridor along the railroad that staff said could be preserved for a future bike path and to buffer residential uses from the railroad. Staff said a public hearing for official map changes was expected in April and indicated April 24 as a possible date.

Commissioners asked whether the railroad corridor shown on the draft map lies in the floodplain; staff said they would double-check floodplain boundaries and noted that the park area to the east of the railroad is in the floodplain. Commissioners discussed a portion of Broadway where staff had suggested agricultural or low-density designations; several commissioners said those Broadway parcels should remain commercial or mixed-use to preserve existing and potential businesses, including a question about maintaining commercial zoning where a brewery operates. One commissioner noted the Meridan corridor and Broadway corridor studies from prior plans and asked how the draft map reflects those studies; staff responded that the Broadway plan from February 2012 informed much of the current depiction and said the Meridian portions remain partially incomplete in the draft.

Commissioners also discussed a proposal to allow higher-density residential development near Grama and commercial areas, and some members questioned whether converting long-established single-family blocks (for example along Timberlane Street) to multifamily is realistic given existing home ownership patterns. Staff said the draft is intended to show potential future development rather than immediate rezoning and asked commissioners for feedback to refine the map before the public hearing.

The commission did not take formal action on the land-use map during the meeting; staff requested additional comments and said no immediate vote was required. The meeting record shows the public hearing associated with a different application was withdrawn by its applicant and canceled; the planning commission set its next regular meeting for March 13, 2025.