Permit approved for dog boarding business

A conditional use permit for a dog boarding business in downtown Concordia, that was tabled following a lengthy discussion back on August 18, was approved on a 4-1 vote by the Concordia city commission during its regular meeting on Wednesday night.
Megan Biekmann submitted an application to the Planning Commission for the conditional use permit to operate Meg’s Grooming Salon at 129 West Sixth St. The business will include dog boarding.
The Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend to the city commission that the conditional use permit for the boarding kennel be approved with conditions in place that include that applicant must comply with all applicable state laws, rules and regulations of the city, including but not limited to, city zoning regulations and noise ordinances; applicant will provide adequate provisions as necessary to prevent dog barking from becoming a nuisance to the neighboring businesses; applicant will provide for control of noxious odors created by such use as not to be a nuisance to the neighboring businesses; permit will be nontransferable to a new owner.
City building inspector Bruno Rehbein informed the city commissioners during the meeting that a boarding kennel is an allowed use in the downtown business district with conditions.
There was no protest petition against the conditional use permit filed.
Members of the city commission voiced concerns with allowing a boarding kennel in the downtown area during the meeting in August.
Biekmann informed the commissioners that the boarding/daycare area of the business will be on the third floor of the building and it is not directly connected to any of the neighboring buildings and that she will place sound-absorbing panels on the walls and ceiling.
After more than an hour of discussion, the commission moved to table the matter until the September 15 meeting.
Biekmann met with the commission again on Wednesday
“I would like for the opportunity to prove to you that I can do this without disturbing my neighbors and with benefit to the community,” Biekmann said.
Biekmann said that there are facilities like the one she is planning all over the country, and hers would be the first in Kansas.
Commissioner Ashley Hutchinson said she appreciated the extra time to do some research on the issue.
“The issue is, the thing that you said last time, that has really resonated in my head, was that if you would have known that you had to go through the conditional use permit, would you have purchased the building. And without hesitation you said no. Because you thought this was appropriate zoning, that is when you purchased the building. And so that is our fault,” Hutchinson said. “You could be in some real financial hurt. There are some perceived issues if we allow this. The perceived issues are that there is going to be a waste management problem and a sound issue. But there are real problems if we don’t allow this, and the real problems are that you stand to lose a lot financially.”
Hutchinson said that for those reasons she would vote in favor of the conditional use permit.
“But I would ask you to make sure that those perceived issues never become become an issue,” Hutchinson said.
The commission approved the conditional use permit by a vote of 4-1 with Ragena Belden casting a no vote.
Special Event Request
An ordinance authorizing the sale and consumption of alcohol in Broadway Street between the north and south fence line of the Broadway Plaza to the sidewalk on the east side, from 4 p.m. until midnight on September 25 as an extension of the All-Class Reunion, was approved by the commission during the meeting.
The All-Class Reunion, coordinated by the Class of 1980, is scheduled for September 25 in conjunction with the annual Fall Fest celebration in Concordia.
There will be a band playing at the Broadway Plaza from 8 p.m. until midnight.
A request was presented to the commission to approve the ordinance to provide more space for the All-Class Reunion.
The All-Class Reunion control plan for the event stated that:
Easy G Sports Grill will carry the liquor license and register the event with the state of Kansas, two local law enforcement officers will patrol the event, IDs will be checked at the time of a drink purchase and wrist bands will be used to identify an of-age patron, there is a plan to cut off alcoholic drinks for anyone who appears to be overly intoxicated, the serving of alcohol will end at midnight, all beverages will only be consumed within the outlined area and the city of Concordia will be asked to provide road blocks to act as barriers for the event.
The original request for the special event request was from 8 p.m. until midnight, but Ty Gennette, a co-owner of Easy G Sports Grill, informed the commission that they would like it to begin at 4 p.m. so it can include a corn hole tournament to be conducted on Broadway Street.
Budget Amendment
Following a public hearing, the commission approved a 2021 budget amendment.
City finance director Amber Farha informed the commission that the city had events during the year that required the need for the budget amendment.
The debt service fund needed to be amended to show the additional transfers from the wastewater treatment plant for higher fees charged to cover the repayment of the 2020 general obligation bond.
The amendment shows $182,252 being transferred in and $182,252 being paid out.
It was also reported that the gas fund needed to be amended to account for the extremely high gas costs at the beginning of the year.
The amendment shows the additional revenue in of $42,267 and the related expense of $42,267.