The tract of land south of K-10 next to the LMH Health Therapy Services building may soon be annexed into the city limits after Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting.
The commission recommended the City Commission move forward with approving this voluntary annexation with some caveats added by commissioners. The 55 acres is owned by Larry and Marilyn Wilson. Larry Wilson said Thursday that the city approached him to buy the land.
Commissioner Jason Hoover asked why the motion was not clearer about the intentions of what the land would be used for.
City Manager Kevyn Gero said it is public knowledge that the location is the potential area for the STAR bond district, even though technically there are no filed plans yet.
The STAR bond district could include a new arena for sports and other activities, a hotel, family entertainment, restaurants, a medical building and apartments.
Commissioner Johnny Stewart asked if the commission should include that additional need for utilities and road improvements for that area would be negotiated between a possible developer and city.
Gero said the commission could make recommendations to pass along to the City Commission, but said it is not official if there will be another developer, or if the city will develop the project much like it is with Nottingham Center.
Hoover made the suggested motion, but added that utilities, storm water, and easements should be negotiated between the future developer and the city. He also added that the land was the prospective spot of the city’s STAR bond project, because it was not mentioned in the official agenda statement.
“I think it would just seem not as misleading if you just say, ‘This is the property that’s been [planned for the STAR bond],’ that there are no plans on file now,” Hoover said. “I just think that’s a little more clear to the public if they read that, then to say there’s nothing been planned,”
Chairman Grant Martin agreed more transparency with the plans would be good.
“So I think that there might be – I mean, I don’t want to say it’s super vague, because we all know – but I do agree that if there is something that is somewhat planned, it might be nice to have that notated for transparency with the public going forward,” he said.
Gero said it would be clearer in the City Commission’s upcoming agenda.
Once the area is annexed officially, it will be zoned as agriculture. A request to rezone will be the next step for the project to move forward.
No public notice was required for this voluntary annexation, but rezoning will require notice for neighbors.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
