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Commission approves river‑renewal land‑acquisition policy after heated public comment
Summary
The commission approved HDR amendment funding and two resolutions to permit acquisition of river‑channel interests and set compensation levels for up to 43 parcels tied to the Smoky Hill River renewal project; several residents opposed the acquisitions and raised concerns about property rights, flooding, and possible conflicts of interest.
The city moved forward May 11 on a contentious phase of the Smoky Hill River renewal project, authorizing an engineering amendment and adopting two resolutions that formalize land‑acquisition policy and set aggregate compensation for properties within the river channel.
Martha Tasker, director of utilities, told the commission that hydraulic modeling for the RAISE grant process shows the hundred‑year water surface elevation could rise by as much as three feet in places while remaining within the channel banks. That change creates a need for formal property acknowledgments and additional property interests so the federal and state permitting process can proceed, Tasker said.
To keep the design and permitting work on schedule, staff recommended amendment No.1 to the HDR agreement to add scope for up to 10 additional fee acquisitions and to extend the property‑acquisition schedule. The commission approved the amendment and then adopted two resolutions: one establishing the process and the amount of just compensation (resolution 26‑8355) and a second (26‑8356) specifying policy for acquiring river channel and public‑improvement interests and for restricting public access on some acquired parcels. Both resolutions passed by 3–1 votes.
Public comment before the votes was strongly divided. Several nearby property owners warned staff that the city’s plan would affect private property rights and questioned the adequacy of notice and outreach. Nancy Newville, who said she owns property adjacent to the Smoky Hill, told the commission she feared stagnant water and mosquitoes if the river were reconfigured. Other residents asked whether parcels had been surveyed and questioned how the city would notify affected owners.
At the same time Friends of the River executive director Jane Anderson urged commissioners not to equate land acquisition with taking houses; she said the group’s aim is river management and that voters previously approved the sales tax that supports the project.
Tasker said appraisals and legal steps will follow Kansas statutory requirements, and staff will continue to negotiate with property owners; staff estimated the city’s just compensation pool at about $1,021,760 (up to 43 parcels) with acquisition‑related costs near $1.414 million when survey, appraisal and closing costs are included.
What happens next: staff will continue outreach and making offers consistent with appraisals and the project budget. Commissioners and staff acknowledged significant public concern and said they will report acquisition status to the governing body as purchases proceed.
