By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It was more than three years ago when the Hays City Commission took the first step towards creating a new residential subdivision south of Hays.

On January 14, 2016, the commission approved rezoning of the property from agricultural to residential suburban. On April 18, 2016, the final plat was reviewed and approved 6-1 by the Hays Area Planning Commission.

Following a battle among Ellis county commissioners, a lawsuit filed in December 2016 by developer Mary Alice Unrein against the county and Commissioner Marcy McClelland, and the November 2018 election of two new county commissioners, the 20-acre Blue Sky Acres final plat was unanimously approved by the Ellis County Commission last month on March 18. Hays city commissioners unanimously approved the plat Thursday night.

“It’s been a long haul,” said James Meier, city commissioner. “I think this has been a holdup for people wanting to develop in the county for a long time and I think it’s a fine example of elections mattering, especially in this particular instance at the county level.”

“I’m glad it’s finally happening,” Ron Mellick said. “I think this a good deal.”

Sandy Jacobs nodded her agreement.

Mellick was at the county commission meeting in which the final plat was approved. He said residents from the adjacent Vonfeldt Subdivision, comprised of seven residential properties platted in 1977, asked questions.

“It seemed to me the county had addressed a lot of them and were continuing to address other ones,” he said.

Blue Sky Acres, 2.5 miles south of Hays on the west side of Highway 183, is comprised of six lots ranging in size from 2.5 to 3 acres slated for residential development. Access is from the highway using existing entrances. The plat includes dedication of road and alley right of way. The two roads will remain private and will be built and maintained by the developer and adjacent lot owners.

“There is no plan for the property to be annexed at this time or in the near future,” Public Works Director Jesse Rohr told the city commission.

The property is within 3 miles of the Hays city limits — the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction — in which the city has authority over the zoning and must approve all plats, according to Jacob Wood, assistant Hays city manager.

The plat was also reviewed by the Hays Utility Advisory Committee with no issues found.

Unrein was in the audience alongside local real estate agent Errol Wuertz. She smiled and said “thank you” to the commission following the vote.

Commissioner Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting.