Goodland planning commission sets June 11 public hearing and reviews broad Chapter 19 text amendments
May 15, 2024 | Goodland, Sherman County, Kansas
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The Goodland Planning Commission voted to set a public hearing for June 11 on two proposed ordinances to amend Chapter 19 (sections 452 and 453) after a motion to set the hearing passed by voice vote. Commissioners then turned to a detailed staff presentation and a page‑by‑page discussion of proposed text amendments to the 19.501 use table and related use standards.
Staff member Zach reviewed a color‑coded use table intended to match the zoning map and highlighted proposed edits: a 12% cap (with a 1,200‑square‑foot simplification) for garage coverage; alignment of accessory‑structure exemptions with the building code (staff noted the code threshold is 200 square feet while the draft used 150); and standardizing accessory structure heights at 20 feet to remove conflicting text. Commissioners asked staff to reconcile those numeric thresholds before the public hearing.
The commission debated lodging categories, recommending language that would avoid brand names (Airbnb/VRBO) and instead use a general 'temporary lodging' or 'accommodation' category. One commissioner noted a proposed cap that would limit guest lodging to four bedrooms could exclude larger adaptive‑reuse projects (the Prairie Rose example was cited), and the commission discussed using a conditional‑use review for larger projects rather than an absolute bedroom cap.
Duplex provisions drew sustained scrutiny: a draft clause requiring each duplex unit to be on an individual lot with a 50‑foot minimum width (effectively requiring 100 feet of frontage) would block many local duplex examples. Commissioners asked staff to either remove the per‑unit lot requirement or to replace it with square‑footage and setback‑based standards consistent with recent lot‑width changes. Related building‑coverage exemptions for duplexes (which would allow more than 50% coverage) were flagged for revision or numeric limits.
Commissioners also discussed permitting modular and manufactured homes under a single set of design standards, and suggested removing redundant manufactured‑home‑only design rules now covered by broader, cross‑cutting design standards.
Other drafting issues flagged for follow up included clarifying the distinction between parks and 'outdoor recreation/entertainment' (the draft required such commercial uses to sit at least 200 feet from adjacent residential zones), reconsidering narrow temporary‑use lists (Christmas tree stands, carnivals), and resolving where fuel sales should be permitted to avoid making existing gas stations legal nonconforming uses.
The commission directed staff to rewrite the draft ordinance language to reflect the feedback and return to the commission at a subsequent meeting. The public hearing was scheduled for June 11; staff confirmed a rewrite and additional examples will be provided to support the hearing record.
Votes at a glance: the commission approved the motion to set the June 11 public hearing (motion passed by voice vote; mover recorded as Matt; second recorded as Grady), approved minutes from the prior meeting (moved by Wally; seconded by Grady), and later voted to adjourn.
Staff member Zach reviewed a color‑coded use table intended to match the zoning map and highlighted proposed edits: a 12% cap (with a 1,200‑square‑foot simplification) for garage coverage; alignment of accessory‑structure exemptions with the building code (staff noted the code threshold is 200 square feet while the draft used 150); and standardizing accessory structure heights at 20 feet to remove conflicting text. Commissioners asked staff to reconcile those numeric thresholds before the public hearing.
The commission debated lodging categories, recommending language that would avoid brand names (Airbnb/VRBO) and instead use a general 'temporary lodging' or 'accommodation' category. One commissioner noted a proposed cap that would limit guest lodging to four bedrooms could exclude larger adaptive‑reuse projects (the Prairie Rose example was cited), and the commission discussed using a conditional‑use review for larger projects rather than an absolute bedroom cap.
Duplex provisions drew sustained scrutiny: a draft clause requiring each duplex unit to be on an individual lot with a 50‑foot minimum width (effectively requiring 100 feet of frontage) would block many local duplex examples. Commissioners asked staff to either remove the per‑unit lot requirement or to replace it with square‑footage and setback‑based standards consistent with recent lot‑width changes. Related building‑coverage exemptions for duplexes (which would allow more than 50% coverage) were flagged for revision or numeric limits.
Commissioners also discussed permitting modular and manufactured homes under a single set of design standards, and suggested removing redundant manufactured‑home‑only design rules now covered by broader, cross‑cutting design standards.
Other drafting issues flagged for follow up included clarifying the distinction between parks and 'outdoor recreation/entertainment' (the draft required such commercial uses to sit at least 200 feet from adjacent residential zones), reconsidering narrow temporary‑use lists (Christmas tree stands, carnivals), and resolving where fuel sales should be permitted to avoid making existing gas stations legal nonconforming uses.
The commission directed staff to rewrite the draft ordinance language to reflect the feedback and return to the commission at a subsequent meeting. The public hearing was scheduled for June 11; staff confirmed a rewrite and additional examples will be provided to support the hearing record.
Votes at a glance: the commission approved the motion to set the June 11 public hearing (motion passed by voice vote; mover recorded as Matt; second recorded as Grady), approved minutes from the prior meeting (moved by Wally; seconded by Grady), and later voted to adjourn.
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