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Council approves vacation of right-of-way to clear path for 176-unit Johnson Betts Meadows; RHID public hearing set
Summary
After a public hearing with mixed neighborhood reaction, the council voted to vacate a small Kfax Street right-of-way to enable Johnson Betts Meadows, a 176-unit affordable housing project; staff set a public hearing on May 12 to consider a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) and a negotiated development agreement.
The governing body voted April 7 to vacate a 60-foot strip of unimproved right-of-way of Southeast Kfax Street to facilitate the Johnson Betts Meadows multifamily affordable-housing development. The proposal, led by Scent, Inc. and a developer partnership, would create three buildings totaling roughly 176 rental units (about 106 to be served by Topeka Housing Authority vouchers), including deeply affordable and zero-income units.
Planning director Dan Warner said the vacation request was submitted by the developer to accommodate the multi-family project immediately west of the right-of-way. Warner told the council adjacent property owners Scent, Inc., and James and Alicia Brooks are the only property owners impacted; staff recommended approval.
Representatives from Scent, neighborhood groups and the Topeka Housing Authority said they had worked with neighbors and see the project as a long-term revitalization measure for Fremont Hill/High Crest. "This is 176 units of [apartment] complex ... 101 of those units reserved for zero income," Jonathan Sublet, founder and executive director of Scent, Inc., said during the public hearing.
Nearby property owners James and Alicia Brooks told council they felt outreach had been insufficient and said they only learned details once the easement issue required contact; they raised concerns about privacy, crime and a driveway or traffic near their property. Council members asked staff to confirm prior neighborhood meetings and to describe the prior rezoning process; Dan Warner and other staff confirmed a PUD amendment and resubmittal had been processed earlier.
The council discussed buffers and site planning; Trey George, president and CEO of the Topeka Housing Authority, said THA would be general partner for long-term ownership and would place 106 vouchers at the site. Economic development director Leah Boling said the city previously adopted an initial RHID step (resolution 9706, Aug. 2025), and staff received Kansas Department of Commerce approval on Sept. 10 and recommended setting a public hearing for the RHID on May 12.
After deliberation the council voted to vacate the right-of-way and later approved a resolution to set the RHID public hearing for May 12; several council members directed staff and the developer to pursue additional buffering and outreach with the Brooks, and staff said site-planning and zoning buffers would be enforced through the site plan process.
Why it matters: The project is a major incremental increase in locally funded affordable housing capacity; staff characterized the project as roughly $53.5 million in total development costs, with a mix of vouchers and income-targeted units under a planned development agreement.
What happens next: The governing body will take public comment and consider formal RHID establishment and a development agreement at a May 12 public hearing. If approved, staff and the council will return with an ordinance to create the district and a negotiated development agreement for council approval.
Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are listed in the meeting speaker roster and the transcript.
