District 4 Advisory Board

District IV Advisory Board Minutes for June 2, 2014 District IV Advisory Board Minutes June 2, 2014 www.wichita.gov The District IV Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the Downtown Development Corporation, 507 E. Douglas; Council Member Blubaugh, nine District Advisory Board members; five City staff, and eight members of the public were present. Members Present Jim Underwood Benny Boman* June Bailey Staff Present John Whitmer* Case Bell, Community Liaison Nancy Wilhite Officer Winder, Wichita Police Department Michael Gomm Officer McHenery, Wichita Police Department Don McManamy Lt. Bowen, Wichita Fire Department Hestel Sewell Jess McNeely, Planning Josh Shorter Council Member Jeff Blubaugh Guests *Arrived after minutes were approved Listed on last page Members Absent Craig Gabel Matt Lashley Alex Garcia (Youth Member)* *Youth Members are not voting members ORDER OF BUSINESS At 6:30 p.m. Council Member Blubaugh called the meeting to order. Minutes from the May 5, 2014 meeting were approved with one dissenting vote. Agenda for the current meeting was approved with one dissenting vote. STAFF AGENDA Officer Winder, Wichita Police Department, spoke concerning Beat 14. There has been an increase in trailer thefts during the last month. They have died down due to one specific arrest and a possible second arrest. They have also recovered a few trailers. There has been an increase in residential burglaries. There have been four arrests in the burglaries, but the crime has continued. There are no specific items being targeted and most burglaries take place during the daytime. DAB? Are the thieves hitting homes with alarm systems? A: That is not indicated in the reports. Lt. Bowen, Wichita Fire Department, reported that it has been a slow month. There was one construction fire and a couple of grass fires at the beginning of the month. There were 488 EMS calls for District IV and 182 service calls. At the Wichita Fire Department’s Fire Camp they have had attendance of around 100 children from grades 6-9. 1  District IV Advisory Board Minutes for June 2, 2014 DAB? What is the currents status of outside burning? A: April was a burn ban month, but there is not currently a ban on. The fire marshals have lightening up some and have given the officers who respond to smoke complaints the responsibility of whether to have the fire put out, especially if the neighbors aren’t complaining. DAB? What are the reminders for the public regarding fireworks? A: They will be patrolling and reminding people to “fire them where you buy them”. DAB? Are they going to use a special phone number for fireworks complaints this year? A: Yes, the phone number to call for non-emergency fireworks complaints will be 316-290-1011. PUBLIC AGENDA Scheduled items - None Off Agenda items Dan Warren spoke regarding the roads in his neighborhood which is between W Central, W Maple, 235, and N West St. Warren reported that when the City put down the gravel for the dirt roads in this area they used a fine powdered rock that now is causing health issues for the neighbors due to inhaling the fine particulate. Warren would like the City to devote part of the potential sales tax to paving these streets. Jerry Warren spoke regarding the same area as Dan Warren. Warren noted that there was a recommendation from Public Works that did not get accepted by the City Council to take actions to control the dust on the roads. Warren suggested that it may be more expensive to maintain the dirt roads then to pave them. Councilperson Blubaugh: The sales tax proposal in its current form does not provide funding for paving dirt streets. DAB? Didn’t they put a chemical down in the 90’s to deal with the dust? A: Yes, but they were told they can’t do it again because the chemical could contaminate well water. NEW BUSINESS Wichita Downtown Development Corporation (WDDC) Presentation Jeff Fluhr, Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, presented information on what has happened recently in downtown Wichita’s development. The boundaries of the area in question are Kellogg to the south, the river to the West, Washington to the East, and Central to the north. Tax dollars used for development come from this area and also from the Knight Foundation. In order to plan, WDDC looks at market demand. The WDDC’s office is used as a meeting space for things like a design studio. Their primary focus is on marketing the downtown area. There is also an email blast with news and activities which can be accessed on the WDDC website. From 2010 to 2013 there has been $281 million invested, which includes 88% private investment and 12% public investment. Fluhr reported that 77% of Generation Y/Millenials want to live in downtown or within three miles. 2012 examples of development include the Downtown YMCA, the Cathedral, Pixius, Ambassador Hotel (117 rooms), Block One parking garage, Block One Urban Plaza, Player Piano Lofts, The Renfro, Waterwalk fountains, Howerton and White expansion, Commerce Street Lofts, Streetscape Improvements on St. Francis, Bite Me BBQ, Catholic Charities Open Door, JP Weigand and Sons Renovation, Hyatt, and the Gander Mountain expansion. 2013 examples include Cobank, Courtyard by Marriott, Kansas Leadership Center, KE Miller, The Arnold Group, Intrust Bank Arena upgrades, Eaton Place, and Jettys and Walkers. Currently under construction are the Hyatt, Value Place Apartments, Corner 365, William Street Conversion, The Lux, 125 N Market, High Touch, Courtyard by Marriott, Exchange Place, River Vista, Market and Main Apartments, Union Station, Commerce Street, and Macy’s. Action: Receive and File 2  District IV Advisory Board Minutes for June 2, 2014 PUD2014-00001: Creation of a Planned Unit Development Jess McNeely, Planning, presented information on the proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) located on the east side of South Meridian Avenue, 1,700 feet south of West MacArthur Road (4200 South Meridian). The application area is zoned SF-5 Single-family Residential (SF-5) and contains 14.74 acres. The property has recently been developed with a 100 by 120-foot (12,000 square feet) metal agricultural building. The applicants request approval of Planned Unit Development (PUD #42) 2014-00001 to permit: all uses permitted by right in the SF-5 district, “recreation and entertainment, indoor,” “recreation and entertainment, outdoor,” “event center in the City” and “auditorium or stadium.” Verbally, the applicant’s agent has indicated the applicant would probably not have more than three outside baseball/softball fields and one soccer field. The applicant indicates that he proposes to convert the 12,000 square-foot agricultural building to an “inside recreation facility for the local school athletes to use.” The applicant further indicates that the proposed facility is not intended to compete with other athletic facilities, such as the nearby Southwest Boys Club facilities, whose main focus is league play. The proposed facility is intended to be a training facility. The proposed zoning (recreation and entertainment, indoor) would allow the conversion of the site’s existing agricultural building to a year-round training facility. If the request is approved the applicant indicates the existing building would be converted immediately. Outdoor recreation and entertainment uses would be installed over the next few years. DAB? Is there residential zoning nearby? A: There is north and south, but there are setbacks built in. DAB? There used to be flooding issues in the area, has that been addressed? A: That has not been discussed. Public: A homeowner in the area is concerned about the drainage. He reported that the building is built lower than the street and that the owner dug a drainage ditch which now is only a mosquito nest. He also reported that he is concerned about lights shining on his property. Greg Ferris for the developer: The facility is for indoor training with the goal of getting kids off of the streets. Ferris noted that the conditions require that no lighting shines off of the fields. DAB? Are there plans for future buildings? A: Not really, the developer wants to focus mainly on outdoor facilities. DAB? How much hard surface parking is there? A: Initially there will be none except the required handicapped parking. DAB? Does the owner know there are issues with drainage? Greg Ferris: Yes he is aware of it. John Whitmer made a motion to APPROVE the request. June Bailey seconded. Action: Motion passed 9-0. 3  District IV Advisory Board Minutes for June 2, 2014 ZON2014-00007: Request for Zoning Change to LC Limited Commercial (LC) Zoning Jess McNeely, Planning, presented information on the proposed zoning change generally located west of South Seneca on the north side of West 43rd Street South (1116 W. 43rd Street S.). The .5-acre application area is currently zoned SF-5 Single-Family Residential (SF-5), it has remained vacant since platting in 1953. The applicant also owns the LC Limited Commercial (LC) zoned lot east of the site, developed with a vehicle repair business in a metal building and a single-family residence. The applicant wishes to expand the existing vehicle repair business onto the application area and therefore requests a zone change to LC. The two lots east of the application area, between the site and South Seneca, are zoned LC. Approval of this zone change request would result in contiguous LC zoning for three lots, or 450 linear feet, on the north side of West 43rd Street South. McNeely reported that the property to the east is zoned LC all the way to the corner. The property owner also owns the lot to the east. John Whitmer made a motion to APPROVE the request. Jim Underwood seconded. Action: Motion passed 9-0. BOARD AGENDA DAB: DAB Member Benny Boman announced that he has filed to run for the Kansas House of Representatives in District 95. Councilperson Blubaugh: Spoke regarding the upcoming proposed sales tax. He said that he was frustrated that residential streets were not a priority. If the proposal is approved by council it will go before the tax payers on the next general election. Meeting was adjourned. The next meeting for District Advisory Board IV will be held at 6:30 p.m., July 7, 2014, at Lionel Alford Library, 3447 S. Meridian. Respectfully submitted, Case Bell, Community Liaison – Districts III and IV Guests Caleb Shrout Brad Rosert SD Roberts Jerry Warren Dan Warren Dave Wan Jeff Fluhr Greg Ferris 4