NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Final approval of a contract for a long-awaited stormwater control measure on the Kansas State Fairgrounds was approved by the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday.
"This is of great benefit to the city," said City Attorney Paul Brown. "There are very few open areas within the city limits where stormwater control measures can be built. We have talked about this for several years with the Fair and you can understand their being good stewards of their area, because they are landlocked. Giving up a portion of that is a serious matter for them. It's taken some time."
The City of Hutchinson has an existing lease from 1994 with the Kansas State Fair for a real estate tract adjacent to the water treatment center on East 23rd Avenue.
"There is a 75 year lease on that area," Brown said. "It has a possible 25 year extension in that same lease. As far as commitments, we can be good until 2094."
The City of Hutchinson wishes to build a stormwater control measure on that tract. The stormwater control measure will manage stormwater runoff from an upstream tributary area. The stormwater control measure will be built of a sufficient size for the Kansas State Fair to receive the maximum stormwater credit of fifty percent (50%) deducted from the Fair’s stormwater utility fees assessed by the City.
The fifty percent (50%) credit will commence upon approval of the contract. The stormwater control measure will be constructed within three (3) years from the date of execution of the agreement.
This proposed contract has been previously approved by the Board of the Kansas State Fair.
The contract was approved unanimously on Tuesday.
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