Haysville planners approve partial vacation of access control to align Smith Mortuary driveways with Meridian businesses

The Haysville Planning Commission on the record approved a request by Smith Mortuary to vacate portions of the complete access control along the east property line of Lot 1, Timberland Plaza addition, at the northwest corner of Meridian and Grand Avenue to permit two new driveways that would align with existing openings on the east side of Meridian at the Kwik Shop.

Planning staff told the commission the application would remove the existing limitation that permits a single 30-foot access point and would allow two wider driveways—a northern driveway roughly 45 feet wide and a southern driveway roughly 45 feet wide—positioned to match existing curb cuts at the Kwik Shop. "The applicant, Smith Mortuary, is requesting a vacation of portions of the complete access control on the East property line of Lot 1, Lot 1 Timberland Plaza addition, except the 200 feet North," planning staff said during the presentation. Staff recommended approval based on the submitted plans and alignment with the existing Meridian access points.

The subject property is zoned light commercial; adjacent properties to the west and south are zoned single-family residential, and properties to the northeast and southeast are zoned light commercial. Planning staff told commissioners the Timberland Plaza addition was first platted in February 2007 and that a protective overlay placed on the property in February 2005 does not affect the proposed vacation or the intended use included in the overlay.

The public hearing opened with the commission asking whether any members had conflicts of interest. Two commissioners stated on the record, "I have a conflict of interest and will be abstaining." No members of the public spoke during the hearing. After closing the hearing, a motion to approve the vacation was made and seconded; the motion passed with commissioners voting in favor, and two commissioners recorded as abstaining because of conflicts of interest. The commission did not record any votes in opposition.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with the revised access configuration as presented to the planning commission; subsequent permitting or administrative steps required for driveway construction were not specified during the meeting.