Reno County denies participation in South Hutchinson neighborhood revitalization plan

The Reno County Board of County Commissioners voted to deny the countys participation in the City of South Hutchinsons neighborhood revitalization plan (NRP).

A county commissioner argued the program is intended to target blighted areas and expressed concern the revised plan designates a broad portion of South Hutchinson as blighted. "This program was set up for a specific purpose, and it's to identify blighted areas," the commissioner said, adding that he had observed the area and did not see blight and therefore would not support county participation. The motion to deny the countys participation was moved and seconded and passed by roll call.

Commissioners noted the city council had not provided substantive follow-up since the last discussion; the county recorded that no South Hutchinson council members had contacted commissioners about the plan since the previous meeting. One commissioner said the plan felt "a little too broad" to include several areas and that participating could put the county "against state law" if the program's legal purpose were stretched.

Why it matters: an interlocal agreement would have allowed South Hutchinson to expand a local tax-increment-style incentive for revitalization across multiple jurisdictions; by denying participation, Reno County will not share in that program or its tax incentives. The vote preserves the countys stated approach to limiting NRP participation to areas that clearly meet the programs blight standard.

Whats next: county staff will notify South Hutchinson of the denial and commissioners encouraged continued work between city and county staff if the city wishes to resubmit a revised, more narrowly targeted plan.