By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The next step in a lengthy process to establish another reinvestment housing incentive district was approved by the Hays City Commission Thursday.
The developer of the mixed-housing project north of HaysMed on Canterbury Drive, Grow Hays, is asking the city to finance and construct infrastructure related to the project. The city would utilize the estimated incentive district revenues of $8.2 million to offset its costs.
Unanimously approved was a resolution of affordable housing need findings by the Fort Hays State University Docking Institute of Public Affairs to advance the state statutory process for creation of the incentive district.
Construction of a new community center to be included at The Grove housing complex is expected to start this summer.
The commission also heard several updates on the R9 Ranch long-term water supply project.
The property was enrolled in the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Walk-In Hunting Access Program (WIHA) last fall.
Property manager Chris Smith said the program was very successful with hunters from across the country accessing the ranch. There were no signs of vandalism or littering. Parks Department game wardens, who increased their presence on the newly enrolled property, also had no incident reports.
Smith said the city may look next year at extending participation in the program into the spring turkey hunting season.
A statewide Mesonet weather station has been installed on the property in partnership with Kansas State University. The station collects various weather reports that can be viewed on https://mesonet.k-state.edu/.
R9 Project Manager John Brown updated the wellfield and 77-mile pipeline design progress.
Notifications have been sent to affected property owners. The process of purchasing necessary easements from landowners will begin in July.
Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, talked about regulatory and legal proceedings.
The officer for the water transfer hearing has approved the application by the cities of Hays and Russell. A three-person hearing panel must make its decision by May 6.
Updated information about the R9 project is available on the city's website through the Department of Water Resources at https://www.haysusa.com/879/R9-Property.
Tom Howie, project manager, updated the 13th Street upgrade in relation to the new high school and middle school building projects. It is being cost-shared between the city of Hays, Ellis County, state of Kansas, and Hays USD 489.
In a department projects update, Bielser said an open house for the new fire station will be scheduled later this month.
Commissioners also approved the mayor's appointment of Roderick Hanks, Hilton Garden Inn & Convention Center, to the Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee.