Andover council approves annexation of South McCandless Road after resident objections

The Andover City Council voted to annex an area commonly called South McCandless Road into the city’s corporate limits following a public hearing that drew neighbors concerned about timing, taxes and road conditions.

Community development director Les Mangas told the council the annexation area covers about 37 acres and 35 properties and is surrounded on three sides by the city. He said the parcels are already served by the city sewer system though potable water comes from a rural water district, and that most land uses would remain unchanged as legal nonconformances. “On that $140,000 average value, the annual savings is about $137,” Mangas said as staff described offsetting reductions (a cited 45% reduction on sanitary sewer charges and lower trash-contract rates) that would accompany annexation.

At the public hearing, Amber, a property owner at 840 South McCandless, said she was confused about the urgency and told the council she had been told by KDOT the corridor project is many years away. She said annexation would “basically” offer no new services but could displace long-term residents and complicate an equine-therapy nonprofit she is establishing on her property.

Philip, another resident, disputed the city’s savings estimates, arguing trash savings would be much smaller than reported and warning that rising property values and code enforcement could raise the cost of living for long-term homeowners. Marvin Rock and Toby Byram raised questions about gravel-road maintenance and the quality of quarry rock used on county roads; public works staff said gravel maintenance is performed "as needed" and identified Southwest Butler as a quarry source.

Council member (speaker 16) moved to adopt findings and an ordinance to annex the area; the motion was seconded and passed on a 5-0 voice vote. The mayor noted that persons aggrieved by the council’s final decision have 30 days to appeal to district court.

What happens next: Les Mangas said the annexation ordinance could be published as early as the 14th of the month and that code enforcement provisions (weed and grass, inoperable vehicles, refuse) would become effective upon annexation though staff emphasized a practice of working toward compliance rather than immediate fines.

The council’s action formalizes the boundary change after an annexation investigation that included a financial summary and planning analysis.