At their Tuesday meeting, Butler County Commissioners discussed the process for building a home on a 40- or 80-acre parcel.
"This is an item that’s only recently presented itself," said Planning and Zoning Director Rod Compton.
Although there hasn't been much of a problem so far, Compton told the commissioners because of the economy, banks are much more hesitant to lend money. So, if a property owner wants to build a house on a 40- or 80-acre tract of land, some banks will not lend the money because they don't want to be stuck with that much land and a house in case of a mortgage default.
Compton proposed property owners who are unable to secure a loan for this reason be allowed to separate a five-acre tract on which to build the house. In this case, the bank would foreclose on only the five acres and the house. The commissioners expressed concerns about this plan to separate parcels that are zoned AG-40 or AG-80 because they would like to see the areas with this type of zoning stay the way they are. The proposition will come before the planning commission for discussion and a vote and will be the topic of a future public hearing before the county commissioners have an opportunity to decide what to do with the proposed changes.
In other business, the commission:
• discussed the request of Squires Towing to be placed on the Tow Rotation System. Squires Towing was dropped from the rotation in 2006 because of some issues with the way the company responded to calls. Emergency Communications Director Chris Davis recommended the company not be included in the rotation and received a consensus from the commissioners that the company's request be denied.
• tabled a decision to purchase a tandem axle dump truck for the Highway Division of the Department of Public Works
• received and opened sealed bids for pickup trucks for the Highway Division and the Engineering Division.
• approved an agreement with KDOT to treat noxious weeds along state highways in Butler County.
• approved the bylaws for the Butler County Rescue Squad.
• approved an agreement for housing inmates in the Butler County Adult Detention Facility with Sedgwick County. Currently, Butler County houses an average of 59 Sedgwick County inmates per day.
• accepted the resignation of a board member from Spring Township and one from Lincoln Township.
El Dorado, Kan. —
