Planning Commission sets Aug. 20 public hearing on proposed parking and loading text amendments

The Reno County Planning Commission on June 18 accepted staff’s draft text amendments to Article 10 (parking regulations) and Article 11 (off‑street loading regulations) and set an August 20 public hearing to solicit wider public comment.

Planner Mark Von Atchute explained that replacing the word “reduced” with “change” is intended to give the planning commission and staff more flexibility to adjust minimum parking and loading numbers without requiring a formal waiver from the county commission. He also recommended replacing the phrase “single family” with “residential” in a setback exception so the language would apply more broadly to residential driveway situations rather than only single‑family homes.

Von Atchute said the intent of the edits was to avoid a cumbersome waiver process: the commission could approve a different parking number as a matter of record instead of issuing a formal waiver each time. He also noted that text amendments require wide notification, including to townships and neighboring cities, and recommended allowing 60 days to complete public notice and distribution; commissioners chose Aug. 20 as the hearing date.

Commissioners discussed enforcement limits (the county lacks nuisance-code staff) and parking formulas (some members said required counts for manufacturing or large industrial buildings can appear excessive for current uses). After brief discussion, the commission voted unanimously to accept the staff-proposed amendments and to set a public hearing on August 20 at 4:30 p.m. at the Public Works Building in South Hutchinson.

The hearing will be noticed per county requirements and will include a clean copy and a version showing highlighted changes for public review.