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Commissioners approve contested rezoning for planned event center despite neighborhood protests
Summary
The Sedgwick County Commission voted 4–1 to approve a rezoning to a Planned Unit Development for an outdoor recreation/entertainment/event center, overriding a protest petition that exceeded the state threshold (20.41% protests) and requiring a supermajority. Staff said the MAPC had recommended approval with conditions.
The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners voted Nov. 20 to approve PUD 2024-00014, a zone change to permit an outdoor recreation, entertainment and event center on property near North 2nd Avenue and 119th Street South. The motion followed staff recommendations and a MAPC approval and overrode a protest petition that staff said totaled just over the state statute threshold.
Scott Wadle, presenting the staff report, said 40 protests were received "that added up to just over 20% of the protest area," exceeding the state threshold and therefore triggering the need for a supermajority to approve the change. He also noted the MAPC recommended approval by a 7–2 vote with one abstention and that the PUD language included redlined changes intended to address land use, parking and screening concerns.
Commissioners debated ex parte contacts and existing unpermitted uses on the site. Commissioner Howe said bringing the property into a formal PUD would require platting and bring structures into compliance: "This cleans that up because ... it will require those buildings to be brought up to commercial code," he said. Commissioners considered neighborhood noise concerns, proximity to Mulvane and recent activity at nearby rodeo grounds.
The roll-call vote to approve the MAPC findings and override the protest petition was Meitzner Aye; Dennis No; Howell Aye; Lopez Aye; Chairman Beatty Aye. The motion passed.
