BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org
CHERRYVALE — Plans for the development of a 20-unit housing development in the southwest part of Cherryvale took a bold step this week when the City of Cherryvale learned it had received a $430,000 state grant to develop infrastructure in that area.
Trey Cocking, city administrator, informed city councilors Monday that the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation had approved a $430,000 grant with the city taxpayers pledging about $43,000 (thereby bringing the total project to $473,000).
The grant will be used to develop infrastructure in a non-developed area now owned by Land Rush Development, Inc., of Cherryvale, which plans to convert the area — generally located north of the city brush dump site — into a 20-unit housing development. The infrastructure to be designed and built includes streets, sewer, water and storm sewers.
Land Rush Development, Inc., is owned by Tim Goode and Thurman Swain, both of Cherryvale.
An engineering analysis and infrastructure design will have to be conducted before utility lines and streets can be built. Cocking said he anticipated the engineering study to be finished in early 2010. Construction could begin as early as February or March, depending on the completion of the engineering analysis.
On a related note, councilors heard concerns from several property owners in the area of the proposed housing development. The property owners expressed concern about the amount of storm water drainage that would be created with the additional housing.
Terry Emert, an engineer with Independence-based TranSystems Engineering, Inc., said he didn’t feel the storm water drainage would affect the neighborhood as most of the storm water would flow toward a ravine near the Cherryvale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
On a note related to storm drainage, councilors authorized TranSystems to perform a study on storm drainage issues throughout the Cherryvale community. The cost of the study will be $5,000.
In other business transacted at Monday’s meeting, city councilors:
• learned of the resignation of Sam Peugh from the Cherryvale Planning and Zoning Commission.
• heard a report from Ryan Knop regarding the 2nd Annual Veterans Day Parade, which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The events will include a parade, a Veterans Day service at Logan Park and a bean feed for the community.
More details of the Veterans Day events will be printed in upcoming issues of the Montgomery County Chronicle.
• agreed to purchase four pieces of heavy equipment valued at $55,182 to be used for maintenance of the smelter National Zinc Company site on the northwest corner of Cherryvale. Money for the equipment purchase came from a one-time $55,000 payment to the City by U.S. Steel and Citigroup for the long-term maintenance of the site.
Among the items to be purchased include a utility vehicle ($7,672) from Romans Outdoor Power, a rotary cutter bushhog ($10,585) from Romans Outdoor Power, a 2001 Case IH tractor with loader ($29,975) from O’Malley Equipment Company, and a 1994 John Deere Skid Steer ($6,950) from O’Malley Equipment Company.
• approved the 2009 Uniform Public Offense Code and adopted the city building codes based on the International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Fire Code, International Plumbing Code, International Existing Building Code, all of which are 2009 versions, and the 2005 edition of the National Electric Code.
