Eudora United Methodist Church made a request for annexation into the city during Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting.

The church, at 2084 N. 1300 Road, is adjacent to city limits and located on approximately 35 acres that has potential for medium-density residential land use.

“We could anticipate that, as the development moves forward, something in the range of a single-family or a two-family unit may be pursued,”  Planning Consultant Dave Knopick said. 

While the church has no immediate plans to develop the land, the move to annex the property into the city is the first step toward subdivision, a necessary step in the process to prepare the land for future development. 

“Right now, the applicant has no plans for immediate development of that,” said David Hamby, an employee of BG Consultants representing the church. “Since it’s officially going to be in the city, that then allows them to split the property and then start marketing it for whatever they want to do from this point on forward.”

Tom Schmidt, the church’s finance chair, further explained the need for annexation. 

“We don’t have any idea what’s coming, of course, but in order for us to even prepare for something down the road, we have to be able to subdivide the property,” Schmidt said. “Then we can look at opportunities that may present [themselves].”

With the Panasonic plant opening in the near future, the church’s timing with annexation was purely proactive, Schmidt said. 

City infrastructure, including water, electricity and sewage, would not be extended to the property, unless agreed upon by the city and a future developer. 

“Those utilities would be the responsibility of the future developer at that point in time,” Knopick said.

The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval to the City Commission.

Reach reporter Jennifer Smith at [email protected]

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