Wichita, Sedgwick County to return to separate boards of zoning appeals

The city-county board of zoning appeals is dissolving at the end of June.

County commissioners last week voted 3-2 to end the joint venture after just more than a year and instead resurrect the county’s own five-member board. The city and county consolidated their zoning appeals boards, creating one 14-member board that started meeting in January 2014, Metropolitan Area Planning Department director John Schlegel said.

Since then, it has handled 15 city zoning appeals or variances and three from the county, he said; the board has equal representation from both jurisdictions.

County Commissioner Richard Ranzau said it doesn’t “make sense” for the city’s appointees to the board to make zoning decisions for people in unincorporated areas of the county. He, Jim Howell and Karl Peterjohn favored the split.

But Commissioner David Unruh, called dismantling the joint board “premature,” adding that residents “in general want us to have consolidations” with the city. He and Tim Norton were against the measure.

The county’s new board begins operating July 1. Appointees will serve four-year terms.

Zoning variance and exception applications and appeals filed after May 11 will be heard by the county’s new board. Fees will remain the same.

Schlegel said Friday that city staff will recommend formation of a seven-member city board of zoning appeals. Before the consolidation, the city had a five-member board, he said.

Schlegel said the County Commission notified the city of its intent to vote on the split earlier this year.

This story was originally published April 5, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Wichita, Sedgwick County to return to separate boards of zoning appeals."