ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Another year has almost come and gone, which means another year of employment for many people, including with the City of Liberal.
Tuesday evening’s Liberal City Commission meeting began with the annual Employee Service Awards, which honored several of the city’s long-time employees. Recognized for 10 years of service were Jaime Sanchez (Parks/Sports Turf Department), Adrian Ward (Solid Waste Department), Karla Hannold (Communications Department), Valerie Timmer (Communications Department), and Aaron Luman (Liberal Fire Department). Recognized for 15 years of service were Brandt Helsel (Liberal Police Department), Argelia Aragon (Liberal Police Department), Jesus Aguilar (Water Department), Paul Holman (Cemetery Department), Esperanza Martinez (Communications Department), and Erika Villa (Building Department). Recognized for 20 years of service were Chris Head (Liberal Police Department), and Alicia Hidalgo (Administration), and recognized for 25 years of service were Guillermo Corona (Water Department) and Brian Fornwalt (Airport).
Zoning was the hot topic for the commission, and up first among these discussions was Ordinance No. 4624 concerning rezoning the McCray Park properties from R-1 to R-3.
“Per the agenda, this ordinance would rezone four properties from R-1 to R-3. The properties are McCray Park and three lots between it and Pine Street,” Building & Code Enforcement Director Keith Bridenstine said. “USD 480 owns one of the lots being rezoned and is in support of this rezone. Rezoning will not affect the city's use of the property, but it will prepare the property for a potential development. The Planning and Zoning Board approved the rezone at a special meeting that happened Nov. 26 and forwarded it to the Liberal City Commission for review. This rezone was started because there’s an interest in building some apartments there.”
After some brief discussion, the commission ultimately unanimously approved the ordinance.
There was also much discussion about an upcoming industrial project, a concrete plant, set to be at 503 Luck Road. This discussion began with Ordinance 4625 concerning rezoning 503 Luck Road from A-L (agricultural) to I-2 (heavy industrial).
“Per the agenda, this ordinance would rezone 503 Luck Road to I-2 Heavy Industrial. The property is undeveloped and has been leased, and the new occupant wishes to develop a yard for his construction-based business, which is not allowed in the current agricultural zoning of the property,” Bridenstine said. “The area adjacent to the northeast side of this property is zoned I-P and a property adjacent to the south side of this property is zoned I-1. Like the previous item, the Planning and Zoning Board voted to rezone the property at a meeting that happened Nov. 26 and forwarded it to the Liberal City Commission for review. As you might recall, the commission had previously approved a lease to Edgar Flores Construction for this property behind Southern Pioneer Electric and the current USD 480 bus barn. This property is surrounded by other industrial property, so this type of zoning would work just fine.”
Discussion regarding the plant continued with Ordinance No. 4626 concerning a Special Use Permit for the plant itself.
“Per your agenda, the occupant of the airport-owned lot at 503 Luck Road is requesting a Special Use Permit to install a concrete mixing plant on the property,” Bridenstine said. “Mr. Flores is currently operating a concrete plant out at the state line but wants to move in on this lot and set up his construction business and a concrete plant, which is only allowed by a Special Use Permit. This came before the Planning and Zoning Board at a special meeting that took place Nov. 26, and they approved sending the item forward to the Liberal City Commission, with two conditions. The Planning and Zoning Board placed conditions that the air filtration system be required to be functioning while the plant is in operation and the plant will only be installed after the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval for height and use. A concrete mixing plant operated for multiple years 2,000 feet to the northeast of this property, with no known complaints of dust. USD 480, who owns the property immediately to the northeast of 503 Luck Road, has expressed their concern about dust affecting their equipment, but the aforementioned filtration requirement should satisfy that concern.”
After some brief discussion, the commission ultimately voted to approve the ordinance subject to its publishing.
Concluding the discussion of the project was a construction appeal for sewer work.
“Per your agenda and other recent discussion, the occupant of 503 Luck Road, Edgar Flores, while making plans to develop the property, has requested an exception to the city code. Under city code 15-203, which makes it a class B violation to install a septic system within the city limits, the Building Department has denied the request for said septic system,” Bridenstine said. “Mr. Flores is requesting the commission waive this code and allow a septic system to be installed on the property for the following reasons: first, the closest sewer main to tie into is approximately 1,300 feet from the proposed building location, and also, further development in the direction the sewer would have to extend is unlikely. Also, the property is amply sized to install the correct septic with laterals.”
Flores himself then spoke to the commission.
“This property sits at an incline of about 1.5 percent, which I measured myself since I’m a contractor by trade,” Flores said. “There’s about a 3-feet drop from where the building’s going to sit, and to be accurate on the footage, it’s from the main line to where the building is, and that’s 1,800 feet, so it’s a lot of drop. We would be really shallow by the time we came up to the actual main, that’s the reason we had to do this. Also, please keep in mind how this property was formerly zoned agricultural, and we are in city limits, which is being changed, but we would need that to be taken into consideration as well.”
After some more questions, the discussion concluded
In other business, the commission also approved the adoption of Resolution No. 2426 concerning adopting Exhibit C concerning the 2025 Fee Schedule as well as the purchase of report writing and video review software for the Liberal Police Department. The commission then concluded the meeting by approving the Employee Policy Manual and adopting the 2025 Southwest Kansas Coalition legislative agenda.
