CHENEY, Kan. — The Fourth of July holiday may land in the middle of the week, but it will still be a busy day at Cheney State Park.

Park officials say the Wednesday holiday really doesn’t hurt attendance. In fact, officials say it actually helps because it spreads the holiday out over two weekends. Full-service campsites were sold out last weekend and are sold out for this weekend. Park officials report there are still some primitive campsites available.

The park also wanted to stress that fireworks are strictly prohibited anywhere on the grounds.

At Kanopolis, officials say the weekend before July Fourth was not as busy as expected, but they do expect a good crowd for this weekend.

The lake will not have its Independence Day fireworks on Wednesday. Instead, a fireworks show is planned for Saturday evening. And, like Cheney State Park, all fireworks are strictly prohibited.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners got an update on the proposed wind farm to be located south of Haven and east of Pretty Prairie.

Commissioner Bob Bush says he was given an update from NextEra Energy. Bush discussed the meeting, which included a new name for the project:

 

The project, which was originally called the Silver Lake Wind Project, will consist of about 85 turbines. Bush says the project has been met with both support and objections from rural landowners. Some want the benefits of the land sales or leases while others do not want such a facility near their home. Bush says he and the rest of the commission are taking a wait-and-see approach:

 

Bush says NextEra has acquired more than half the land needed for the project and hopes to have a full plan rundown by November. The proposal is the second of its kind since wind energy took off in Kansas. A Texas company called Horizon Wind Energy, based in Houston, proposed a wind project in the county in 2010, only to pull the plug when it could only reach agreements to lease about 1,000 of the 10,000 acres of land needed.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It was expected to draw a lot of discussion and it certainly did.

The Hutchinson City Council chewed over a list of planning issues during Tuesday’s agenda session. The changes were put in place after the council and others felt certain guidelines and restrictions were hampering redevelopment in the city.

The one that has always seemed to gather the most attention is parking. There have been times when the city had to turn away a business owner because the property owner did not follow parking guidelines, most notably when it comes to paving.

The current code requires paved parking for all businesses. Under the new code, any existing building that will be redeveloped will not need paved parking except for ADA areas and driveway approaches. The issue was met with a lot of discussion by the board and outgoing Planning Director Janna McCarron:

 

 

Some of the changes to zoning regulations came at the request of Councilwoman Jade Piros de Carvalho, who said what is currently in place is simply not working:

 

Mayor Steve Dechant was the most outspoken against relaxing regulations, stating that it will make the city look non-progressive:

 

The rest of the council seemed willing to ease the restrictions in hopes that developers will look to reopen existing properties, knowing that an immense paving bill will not be part of the development. The council also looked over landscaping, site plan review and special use permits during Tuesday’s meeting.

HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven USD 312 School Board will hold an early morning meeting Tuesday. The board will go into executive session to see if all are in agreement with the proposed new contract with the district’s faculty. A tentative agreement was reached after several negotiation sessions.

If a consensus is reached, the proposed contract will go to the teachers who will vote on it in the next week or so. If the teachers approve the contract, it will come back to the school board for final approval during the district July 16 meeting.

Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Haven USD 312 School Board begins at 7:30 in the Haven District offices.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There are some major expenditures for the Hutchinson City Council to consider during Tuesday’s agenda session.

The council will consider a contract with McConnell and Associates for pavement maintenance for a taxiway at the Hutchinson Airport at a cost of $307,357. It also includes a contract with Lochner Co. for construction services in the amount of $56,500.

Also Tuesday, the council will take action on a contract with Ward Davis Builders for work on the observation deck around the bleachers at Fun Valley at a cost of $217,739.

The council will discuss and take action on the final plat for the Prairie Star expansion project. Prairie Star is expanding its services and will build west of the current campus land it recently purchased.

Tuesday’s meeting of the Hutchinson City Council begins at 9 a.m. in the Hutchinson city offices.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Fireworks stands are in full operation as the Fourth of July approaches.

In Hutchinson, the city took out five permits for fireworks stands. The permits cost $2,500. All the proceeds will help fund the city fireworks display at the fairgrounds. Sales and discharge of fireworks in Hutchinson is limited to six feet in height.

In South Hutchinson, the city processed seven permits at $2,500 each. That $17,500 in revenue goes straight into the general fund. The city of South Hutchinson is not under the safe and sane rule, so aerial fireworks can still be discharged.

Nickerson has just one fireworks stand. That permit cost $250. Buhler has none. Both allow aerial fireworks. Residents are asked to check community guidelines to make sure they are following all ordinances.