Reno County commission approves conditional-use permit for Reno Township headquarters and stockpile at 2806 W. Fourth Ave.

The Reno County Planning Commission on March 20 approved a conditional-use permit allowing Reno Township to establish a township headquarters, meeting hall and a limited stockpile location for road-repair materials at 2806 West Fourth Avenue.

The permit, for property zoned R-3 (single-family residential), was approved based on the 10 factors in the staff report and five conditions of approval recommended by county planning staff. The commission voted to recommend approval by a 5-1 roll call; Commissioner Jack Martin voted no.

Jason Tedder, treasurer for Reno Township and the applicant, told the commission the township purchased the former Hutchinson fire station property via a ballot question and intends to construct a 50-by-50-foot building on the site to house two motor graders and to use an existing hoop building and a nearby area to store other covered equipment. "It's gonna be a 50 by 50 building," Tedder said, adding the site will also include a stockpile area for dirt dug from ditches that can be reused after flooding. He said the new building will have electricity and natural gas for heat and that drinking water will be supplied by a well inside the building; irrigation on the property is supplied by a separate well.

County planner Mark Vayachin summarized the staff report and recommended approval. Vayachin said the property historically was a fire station and was rezoned to residential in 2016 when the county rewrote its zoning districts. He noted staff first asked the township to apply for a permit before construction began and discovered the new building was under construction during a site visit. "I noticed that the building was already under construction," Vayachin said, but added staff found the proposed township use to be compatible with the surrounding area and recommended approval with conditions.

Staff's five recommended conditions, as listed in the staff report, require: approval of the plan of operation and site plan dated February; construction of the parking area as indicated on the submitted parking site plan; prohibition on storage of vehicles, industrial machinery or material stockpiles not owned by Reno Township without a new conditional-use permit; compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations; and reservation of county authority to rescind the permit if conditions are not followed. Vayachin also said the Hutchinson Fire Department had no objections to the request.

A neighboring landowner, Brandon Harmia, spoke during public comment and asked the township to maintain and repair the tree row and fencing along the mutual property line to protect livestock and privacy. Tedder responded that the township was willing to work with neighbors and would obtain a survey to determine the exact property line before removing or planting trees.

Commissioners discussed that the building had been constructed before the permit was filed and emphasized the need to educate contractors and property owners about permitting requirements. The commission made the recommendation to approve the conditional-use permit; the case will be forwarded to the Reno County Commission after the protest period expires. Under state statute (KSA 12-757), any party wishing to require the county commissioners to decide the case by supermajority vote may file a protest petition with the Reno County Clerk within 14 days following the planning commission decision.

The planning commission's approval carries the five staff conditions; staff will report the hearing proceedings to the county commissioners and the county planner said the matter will appear on the next available county commission agenda after the protest period.