Arkansas City trustees approve sale of vacant North 8th Street lot to local applicant for $1,500

Arkansas City trustees voted to transfer a vacant city-owned lot on North 8th Street to Lori Burks for $1,500 after hearing from the applicant and staff about the parcel's condition and cost history.

The sale clears a tax-sale-acquired lot that staff said carried about $39,100 in special assessments from a structure removed in 2018 and a $71 tax-sale charge. Staff also reported a county appraised value listed at $81,100. Lori Burks told trustees she wanted the lot to place a small, prebuilt house next to her mother's home so she could live closer to her as her mother ages.

'I just want to purchase the property because it's voted up against my mom's property there and I was gonna put like one of those little houses' so I could be closer to my mother because she's getting older,' Burks said at the podium.

Trustees questioned staff about lot size, utilities and floodplain constraints. Staff said the parcel is largely unimproved, likely would sit on a slab and may require a septic system because the neighborhood lacks sewer service; they also said the lot is not currently in a restricted floodplain that would bar construction. Board members noted the transfer would put the parcel back on the tax rolls and moved to approve the sale.

The trustees moved and seconded the transfer; the motion passed by voice vote.

Staff said the standard one-year improvement condition in the contract will apply: if the buyer does not make the required improvements within the agreed term the city can reclaim the property under the contract terms. Trustees said they would provide the buyer paperwork and follow up on next steps.