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Butler County commission tables Comprehensive Plan after residents raise environmental and governance concerns
Summary
The Board voted 4‑0 to table adoption of the Butler County Comprehensive Plan to June 9 so the Planning Commission can adopt the plan formally by resolution; residents urged protections for aquifers, caves and rivers and asked for clearer language on township consolidation and large industrial uses.
The Butler County Board of Commissioners voted to table adoption of the county’s proposed Comprehensive Plan until June 9, 2026, to allow the Planning Commission to formally adopt the plan in resolution form. Commissioner Dan Woydziak moved to delay adoption and Commissioner Jeff Masterson seconded; the motion carried 4‑0.
Toby Stewart, Community Development Director, presented the draft plan and described frameworks for Unincorporated Butler County, Incorporated Butler County, and Preservation/Open Space designed to direct growth toward cities and Urban Growth Areas while preserving agricultural land. Stewart told the Board the project (with Olsson Inc.) included public engagement, a market analysis and an action plan to guide unified goals.
Several members of the public urged changes before final adoption. Bailey Martin‑Rutliff, Director of the Kansas Oil Museum, described expanded programming and thanked the Board for help with state tax‑exemption assistance. Sarah Hinshaw (4656 SW 70th St., El Dorado) urged the Board to restore references to aquifers, caves, caverns and certain rivers that she said were omitted from the draft. Amy Gardner (6622 NW Kiowa Rd., El Dorado) questioned economic development language and outside influences; Christie Bowman (730 SW 80th St., El Dorado) asked whether Goal 3.5 implied forced township consolidation, to which Commissioners and Administrator Will Johnson responded that any consolidation would be township‑driven and require a vote by affected residents.
Commissioner Darren Jackson identified a clerical correction on page 39 ("Butler City" should read "Butler County") and asked for broader language to address large‑scale industrial uses such as in the Flint Hills; Administrator Johnson and Stewart said implementation details could be carried into zoning regulations rather than the comprehensive plan itself. The Board’s 4‑0 decision to table provides time to incorporate the Planning Commission’s formal resolution and the requested clarifications before final adoption on June 9.
