In short order, the Barton County Commission Monday morning approved a plat for the proposed Martin Meadows Subdivision to be located on approximately 80 acres nestled next to the southwest corner of Great Bend. Plans are to develop a nursing care facility on a portion of the new development.
Technically denoted as SE/4, Sec. 36-T19S-R14W in Buffalo Township, the area is framed by Second on the north, Patton Road on the east, Levee Drive on the west and Paradise Lane on the south. It is currently undeveloped.
“We’ve spent several study sessions on this,” County Administrator Phil Hathcock told the commission. It has been approved by the City of Great Bend Planning Commission, and been blessed by county Environmental Manager Judy Goreham and County Engineer Barry McManman.
Although not within the city limits of Great Bend, it falls within the three-mile zoning radius that falls under the city’s zoning jurisdiction.
“It’s nice for the city and the county to work together on something that is beneficial for both,” said commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz.
Following the approval of the plat, the commission OKed a resolution authorizing the opening of roads in the subdivision. Under the resolution, the roads and rights of way will be opened and dedicated for public roadway use, the roads shall be constructed by and at the expense of project developers Red Dog Investments LLC. and, once completed, turned over to and maintained by Buffalo Township.
“This is something that doesn’t happen very often,” Schartz said. She wanted to make sure the road construction was done right.
Hathcock assured commissioners that township officials would be involved in the process to make sure they get a quality product.
A plat is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. After the filing of a plat, legal descriptions can refer to block and lot-numbers rather than portions of sections.
A recorded plat indicates lots, building lines, easements and rights-of-way, flood areas, boundary markers, and other permanent attachments to land.
Background
The Great Bend City Council in July 2018 approved a rezoning request from property owner Richard “Scott” Reddig and learned about investors’ plans to develop a nursing home facility in this area. At the same meeting, Great Bend residents who live in the Anchor Way subdivision, which adjoins the property, voiced concerns but did learn more about plans for the land.
Redding, who along with his wife Karen make up Red Dog Investments, requested the rezoning of one parcel totalling about 40 acres (half of the 80 acres) from residential to light manufacturing/commercial service district.
Ten of the 40 acres would be for the multi-million dollar project that was described as “a continuing care retirement community” planned by SunPorch, a non-profit company that has built nursing homes, assisted living apartments and senior living quarters in Dodge City, Lincoln, Colby and Smith Center.
The Great Bend project would be financed by private investors and might have to be done in phases. It would include a nursing home, assisted living apartments and apartments for senior citizens, and would employ 50 people or more.
Barton County Commission meeting at a glance:
Here is a quick look at what the Barton County Commission did Monday morning:
• Swore in Jim Daily as the Fourth District councilman, replacing Alicia Straub who resigned to take the resigned Greg Lewis’s 113th House seat Kansas Legislature.
• Elected Jennifer Schartz as commission chairwoman and Kenny Schremmer as chairman pro tem.
• Approved a plat for the proposed Martin Meadows Subdivision to be located on approximately 80 acres in the SE/4, Sec. 36-T19S-R14W in Buffalo Township.
• Approved a resolution authorizing the opening of roads in the Martin Meadows subdivision. Under the Resolution, the roads and rights of way will be opened and dedicated for public roadway use, the roads shall be constructed by and at the expense of Red Dog Investments LLC. and, once completed, maintained by Buffalo Township.
• Approved a proclamation marking this as National Public Safety Communications Officers Week at the request of 911 Director Dena Popp. In part, the Proclamation honors Public Safety Communications Officers for their vital role in protecting the life and property of Barton County citizens.
• Approved the 2019 paint striping program for county-maintain blacktops. The Road and Bridge Department has received only one quote and it came from Straight Line Striping Inc. of Grand Island, Neb., in reference to striping approximately 90-100 miles of roads in the northeast portion of the county. The estimated cost, at no more than $95,000.00, was included in the 2019 Road and Bridge Budget as an expected operating expense, said County Works Director Darren Williams.
The cost is $1.60 higher than it was last year.
• Heard a legislative update from Kansas House members Alicia Straub, District 113, and Troy Waymaster, District 109.
Among the issues they highlighted were transportation, commercial hemp production, Medicare expansion, educational finance, the abortion pill legislation and election law changes.
