Park City council approves annexation of 44.16-acre tract at 69th and Broadway

The Park City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Jan. 13 to annex property at the southwest corner of 69th Street North and Broadway, a tract staff described as just over 1,900,000 square feet (about 44.16 acres).

Sean, a city staff member, told the council the legal description in the packet was incorrect and that staff had the surveyor update it. He said the city intends to annex a portion of right-of-way so future drainage improvements can be required when the land develops. "The said tract contains just over 1,900,000 square feet or basically 44.16 acres," Sean said. He added that annexing the right-of-way would let the city address a drainage ditch currently owned by Sedgwick County.

Council member Terry Osborne moved to approve the ordinance; the motion was seconded and carried in a roll-call vote with all eight members recorded as voting "aye." The council did not debate alternatives to annexation during the discussion other than the staff clarification about the legal description. The ordinance was described on the record using the packet language provided to council.

Why it matters: annexation brings the property under the city's permitting and development review, which staff said will allow the city to require drainage and stormwater improvements that it cannot compel while the ditch sits in county-owned right-of-way. Staff linked the drainage work to expected development near 81 Speedway and to stormwater projects the city is already planning.

Next steps: the mayor will sign the ordinance and it will be published per city procedure; staff said the corrected legal description is included in the ordinance that will be signed and published next week.