Sedgwick County delays land vote again - Wichita Business Journal:

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After hearing public criticism ofthe plan, the commissionj voted to delay the issue for a montg and hold a public workshop to hash out its details. It’ s the second time the commissiobn has postponed a vote on whether to buy the grounc fromBel Aire. County staff has argued the groun is needed to createa shove-ready industrial site for larg users. The , funded by the private sector andlocalo government, has said the metro area hasn’t been able to competer well against other communities when industrial companies are seeking largre sites with rail access, something that’s become more common as fuel prices have Under the proposal, the county would buy 808 acres near 53rd Streety and Webb Road, pave two streets and instal l a rail spur on the grouncd at a total cost of abou $14 million.
The city of Bel Aire would extend wate and sewer lines to the site at a cost ofabout $4 million. But opponents said the plan woulsd bea waste. “You’d have a better return on your moneyy if you put it on the craps tabldein Vegas,” said local real estate broketr Rod Stewart during a publi hearing Wednesday. He said Kansas never has been good at attractinhg new businesses and is ranked low among states for offering He suggested the city buya 50- to 100-acrew piece of ground and secure options to buy the Real estate developer Johnny Stevene said the county’s plan “will destroy the industria l market in this town.
” He said all industriak development would move to the county’s ground because the county would be willinbg to give away its land. And he said there’s not enougjh development to absorb that much He said private developers never are consulted when companies considefr expandinginto Wichita. “There are otherr private developers in this town who can helpif you’lp ask,” he said. But GWED C President Vicki Pratt Gerbino says prospectsxwant shovel-ready sites. Local officials typicallgy get just a few days to submit available sites. She says GWED sends out e-mail requests to local real estated brokers when it needs sitesto submit.
She says GWED C in the past has submitted sites in Bel Aire and Clearwater but has heardnothing back. She argued that gettinfg the Bel Aire ground undercountyu control, with the necessary infrastructure, will make it more appealing. But the countt commission opted to put the issueon hold. Commissionerzs voted 5-0 to delayy action for 30 to further discussseverao issues, including the mineral rightws to the property and the possibility of de-annexingb the ground.