Geary County commissioners accept road-viewers' recommendation for 1.1-acre North British Drive segment

Geary County commissioners on May 6 accepted a recommendation from appointed road viewers to retain the existing 1.1-acre segment of roadway (described during the meeting as part of North British Drive/Hillside Drive) as built with a rock surface and to require any future development to meet county road and planning standards.

The decision followed a public hearing and a presentation from the three-person road-viewing panel — Maureen Gustafson, Laura Strauss and Gary Younghands — who reported that the road is already in place but was not constructed to current county standards. “The road's already there, so we would recommend that it just stays as it approved with the rock,” Gustafson said, adding that any extension or future development would require full planning review and construction to county standards, including paving if required by the county’s rules.

The recommendation emerged after residents and nearby property owners raised concerns about notification and proximity of the drive to existing homes. Theresa Pepper, a nearby resident, told commissioners the project “wasn't handled properly” and urged clearer notice processes. County staff said statutorily required notices were served to properties identified by the county; some residents said they received notice only recently.

Commission members also discussed emergency-service access and the need for two entrances if the area is developed in the future. The panel and commissioners noted that the road was conveyed to the county presumably for future access and that changing the status now could landlock property or create other long-term issues.

After discussion, a motion was made to accept the road-viewers' recommendation. The motion passed with the commissioners responding “Aye” (motion carried). The clerk noted a certificate of viewing and related paperwork that will be filed along with the order laying out the road.

A separate but related public request came from Stacy Becker and Jeff Becker (owners at 2603 Meadowlark Drive), who asked the commission to consider vacating and selling a strip of county-owned land behind their property. Commissioners said they would place the Becker request on a future agenda, invite Kaw Valley (county planning/engineering), surveyor Alan Zumbrin and other stakeholders, and seek more information before taking action.

Why it matters: the decision preserves the roadway as a county-maintained route in its current gravel condition while preserving the county’s ability to require planning and paving standards for any future development. Residents affected by the road’s placement urged better notice and review.

What happens next: paperwork from the road viewers will be filed and the county will schedule follow-up staff work and a future agenda item for the Becker family’s request, inviting planning and engineering staff and the county surveyor for further discussion.