Meeting Information
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2010
3:00 p.m. - Commendation Ceremony at Youth Services (Two or more Commissioners may attend. No meeting will be called to order)
Thellman called the regular session meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 with all members present.
Thellman moved approval of the minutes of November 18, 2009. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried unanimously.
CONSENT AGENDA 01-13-10
Flory moved approval of the following Consent Agenda item:
► Approval of an amendment to the Douglas County Purchasing Policy
Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried unanimously.
BONDS/CITY OF LAWRENCE 01-13-10
The Board considered a request to approve the allocation of Douglas County Recovery Facility Bonds to the City of Lawrence, Kansas for the purpose of issuing Recovery Zone Facility Bonds to Packerware Corporation, also known
as Berry Plastics. Beth Johnson, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, presented the item.
On December 15, 2009, Berry Plastics applied for State Facility Bonds to be allocated to Lawrence and is now seeking the allocation of Facility Bonds from Douglas County to Lawrence. Berry would like to use state and local Facility Bonds to finance the construction of a distribution center near their current facility which has created 500 new jobs for the community. A site has not been selected yet as Berry is seeking the Facility Bonds to ensure the Bond issuance can occur in a timely manner to support their site preparation and development.
Thellman opened the item for public comment.
Hubbard Collinsworth, Douglas County resident, asked if the bond allocation includes the land acquisition. Gaughan replied it d s not.
Steve Brown, manager for Berry Plastics, stated they currently have trailers housed all around Lawrence. These will no longer be needed when the distribution center is constructed. The construction of the new building will create 350 jobs during the construction of the building.
Flory moved to direct staff to prepare the allocation resolution to bring back to the Board for approval and he stated the Board firmly intends to execute the resolution. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried unanimously.
PUBLIC WORKS 01-13-10
The Board considered the approval of a resolution to create road right-of-way along the N800 Road alignment from E1050 Road to 500 feet west of E1050 Road. Keith Browning, Director of Public Works, presented the item.
On November 11, 2009, property owners Robert and Julie DeYoung and their contractor, Larry Wedmann, appeared before the Board of County Commissioners asking for road right-of-way for the purpose of allowing another buildable lot for the 160-acre parcel in the southwest quadrant of the N800 Road/E1050 Road intersection. The Board conceptually approved the request. The proposed right-of-way configuration was accepted by the Public Works department. The 70'-wide right-of-way will be situated all on the south side of the section line, on the DeYoungs' property, except for a 50' x 50' triangle north of the section line near the N800 Road/E1050 Road intersection. The property owners, William and Lucille Rice, have expressed interest in granting the required right-of-way.
Thellman opened the item for public comment. No comment was received.
Thellman moved to approve Resolution 10-01 conditional creating 70'-wide road right-of-way along the N800 Road alignment from E1050 Road to 500 feet west of E1050 Road. Motion was seconded by Flory and carried unanimously.
WORK SESSION/ACCESS MANAGEMENT 01-13-10
Linda Finger led a work session on Access Management Standards and road frontage issues. The session included the Board consideration of a resolution that would amend the language allowing certain variances for road frontage exceptions on property divided prior to 2006. The prior Commission intended under the present Access Management Regulations to allow for those on other than local roads, with at least 250 ft of frontage, to be eligible for a variance to allow a property entrance at the discretion of the County. It was the consensus of the Board that a revised resolution be placed on the January 20, 2010 agenda for consideration for approval.
The Board also discussed the distinction between private road, private drives and the possibility of reinstating the provisions for private roads in the regulations. Existing situations where 1/2 section roads extend only a half mile into a section, providing a point of tangency for two quarter sections, but less than the minimum frontage requirement was discussed as an example of why some property owners may be interested in creating new road right-of-way so they can divide their land. The existing quarter sections that are tangent to the end of the road right-of-way are vested and eligible for a residential building permit, if they do not already have a residence on the property.
COMMISSION ORGANIZATION 01-13-10
Gaughan moved to nominate Thellman as chair for 2010. Motion was seconded by Flory, with the condition that the leadership position was to change every year, and carried unanimously.
Gaughan moved to nominate Flory as the Vice chair for 2010. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried unanimously.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 01-13-10
Thellman moved to approve accounts payable in the amount of $302,802.30. Motion was seconded by Gaughan carried unanimously.
MISCELLANEOUS 01-13-10
The Commission commented on the excellent job performance from the public works department on the road clearing during the recent snowstorms.
MISCELLANEOUS 01-13-10
Thellman commented she would like to consider the discussion of a moratorium on new industrial proposals in Grant Township until an airport overlay is completed that meets FFA's wildlife mitigation circular.
Thellman moved to adjourn the meeting; Gaughan seconded and the motion carried 3-0.
____________________________ ____________________________
Nancy Thellman, Chair Jim Flory, Vice-Chair
ATTEST:
____________________________ _____________________________
Jamie Shew, County Clerk Mike Gaughan, Member
Time and Date