County hears from planning, zoning board

“I just would like to be abreast of what those goals are and what those gaps are and what those concerns are. So if we’re going to do this, we can all work together to do this instead of me being in the dark on most things,” Proehl said. “My district is not represented in this.”

He wanted to know the goals of the board as well as what the county planned to zone.

“I think it’s a layer of protection for the people,” said Schibi.

“What are we protecting?” Proehl asked.

“From any outside threats that come in that we don’t want,” Schibi answered.

“How do we decide what we want and what we don’t want?” Proehl asked. “Or what is allowed or what is not allowed?”

“That’s why they’re going to do their comprehensive plan,” Schibi said.

Labette County Planning and Zoning President Marc Jones was on hand to answer questions from commissioners Monday.

“That’s why we’re asking for help,” Jones said.

County Attorney Brian Johnson said the board was set up to do three things: create a comprehensive plan and map for the county, establish the rules and regulations for zoning of the county and for the planning board and its appeals board to have the knowledge to enact and monitor the plan.

“And then be there for any questions or requests that come before them,” Johnson said.

Johnson plans to review the contract from Foster and Associates. He thought the commission shouldn’t officially adopt the contract until looking at it.

Jones said he received the contract Monday morning and planned to send it to Attorney Ross Albertini, city attorney for Parsons, who provides legal counsel to the county board.

The phase one cost for the comprehensive plan from Foster and Associates came in at $15,800 to $19,650, Jones reported.

The board recommended the county hire a person to fill the county zoning administrator position, which Foster suggested the county create as it goes through this process. Proehl wondered how much this position, as well as the legal counsel, could cost the county, so he thought the price could exceed the estimate the board provided to commissioners. Weidert said the cost for Albertini’s counsel is about $200 for each meeting.

“I mean Ross has been super good,” Weidert said. He said Albertini wasn’t at the past couple of meetings, so the county didn’t have to pay him and saved money.

Jones said he wasn’t sure how much the zoning administrator position would cost or the phase II price — two questions Proehl asked about.

Jones said Foster indicated the bulk of the work will be completed in phase one.

“They’re very reasonable in their cost, so I don’t think it’s going to be anything crazy,” Jones said of the cost.

“That’s why I recommend we put a checkpoint in there,” Jones added.

Johnson said he thought phase two could be safely estimated at half of phase one’s cost.

Phase one is expected to last three to five months. Foster and Associates plans to finish the plan for the county by the end of the year.

Schibi said the county does not know the answers to Proehl’s questions.

“I mean this board has put in a lot of time in to get to this point,” Schibi said. “And it is what it is.”

Proehl then asked if the county planned to zone everything.

“We’re sure not here to take away advantages the county could have on certain things that are acceptable to the people,” Schibi responded.

“That’s what I’m asking,” Proehl said.

He said he didn’t have any say on who joined the board and the tasks of the board.

“My constituents, I mean, they should at least have the right to be represented or have some input and/or at least know what you’ve been tasked to do,” Proehl said. “But if you’re not going to say it, what is it?”

“It’s a discovery plan,” Weidert said in response. “They’re putting everything on the table.”

The planning board recommended the county go with Foster over The Olsson Studio of Kansas City, the second company that submitted a request for proposal (RFP). Olsson, which originally listed its price at $155,000, came down to $87,500 with the removal of economic development initiatives. It indicated the timetable could push past 2023.

“There’s a huge difference, but probably for what we need done, I think (Foster and Associates) would be the one,” Schibi said. “And I think they’re very reasonable for probably what they’re going to do.”

Because of the higher cost and longer time to finish the plan, the board decided to go with Foster and Associates.

Agricultural land would not be subject to zoning. Areas excluded from zoning would be incorporated cities, Big Hill Lake and the three-mile extraterritorial zone around Parsons.

In November 2022, the Labette County Commission voted 2-1 to create a moratorium to block wind turbine construction for 15 months, ending in March 2024. Proehl was the dissenting vote. Weidert and former Commissioner Lonie Addis voted to create the moratorium.

Schibi replaced Addis in January.

The commissioners thanked Jones and the board for their work on this.

In other business Monday, commissioners:

—Approved a change order for work on the Pumpkin Creek replacement bridge project. The cost for the project went down $4,045.85.

—Went into a 10-minute executive session for attorney-client privilege with Johnson, Ralph George, assistant director of public works, and Sandy Krider, director of public works. The commission did not take any action following the closed session.

—Entered into two executive sessions at the end of the meeting, both for attorney-client privilege. After a 15-minute closed session, the board went back into a 10-minute session. After the second executive session, the commission instructed Johnson to create a journal entry related to the fence dispute for the commissioners to review next week.

—Approved accounts payable in the amount of $311,590.01.

—Approved allowing a county resident to create a lagoon for a house at 3900 Main, which is in the process of being sold. This property used to share a lagoon with a neighboring property, 3916 Main. The property owner of 3916 Main wants the 3900 property to be dislocated from using that lagoon. Because of this, Sanitation Officer and Emergency Management Director Charlie Morse had to ask for permission for the owner to create the lagoon at 3900 Main because it is in the flood plain for the new owners. The properties shared the lagoon previously since 2006 per an agreement reached then, Morse said. “I say if they’re going to build a lagoon, you just make sure they do it right,” Weidert said. The other commissioners agreed.

—Approved Dennis Dodd, deputy police chief of the Parsons Police Department, to fill positions on the 11th Judicial Community Corrections and nominating boards.