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Sedgwick County drafts congressional request to lift federal encumbrance on 650-acre Northeast park property
Summary
County counselor presented a draft letter asking U.S. Rep. Estes to pursue legislation to lift a federal encumbrance that now limits county-owned Northeast Sedgwick County Park to public outdoor recreational uses; staff said board could place a final letter on next week's commission agenda for the chairman’s signature.
County legal staff presented a draft letter that would ask U.S. Rep. Ron Estes to consider introducing federal legislation to remove a federal encumbrance on about 650 acres of county-owned land in northeastern Sedgwick County, county staff said.
Justin Weidner, the county counselor, said Sedgwick County owns the property near 70th Street North and 120th Street East and that a federal encumbrance restricts the land’s use to public outdoor recreational activities. Weidner said the only complete way to lift the encumbrance is by an act of Congress, and that he and commissioners Meissner and others have discussed the idea with Representative Estes’ office and staff.
Commissioner Meissner said he and the congressman’s staff had a follow-up conference call and that congressional staff advised tailoring the county’s request to show how any future use would continue to benefit the public — for example, by reinvesting proceeds to enhance county-owned cultural or recreational properties. Weidner said staff added a paragraph reflecting that suggestion to strengthen the request.
Staff said the draft letter is intended to come to the full commission next week as an agenda item for possible placement on the commissioners’ consent or general agenda and that the letter would be signed by the chairman on behalf of the board unless the commission prefers signatures from every commissioner.
No formal board action occurred during the staff meeting; staff asked commissioners to indicate any edits they want before next week’s agenda placement.
