Title
DER2016-00005 AMENDMENTS TO CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE WICHITA-SEDGWICK COUNTY UNIFIED ZONING CODE TO PERMIT EVENT CENTERS, CHURCHES, FARMER'S MARKETS, COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY AND BED AND BREAKFAST USES BY RIGHT SUBJECT TO DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN CERTAIN ZONING DISTRICTS.
Presented by: Dale Miller, Director of Planning.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt the findings of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (MAPC), approve the proposed amendments to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code as recommended by the MAPC, and approve the resolution.
PUBLIC COMMENT
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Background: Some time ago staff was approached by two county residents who have agricultural facilities that were not being fully utilized. The citizens requested staff to review the current Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code (UZC) with the intention of developing a series of amendments that would assist agricultural producers to better utilize their properties and facilities. To accomplish the goal of assisting producers to better utilize their property and facilities, it was determined that the use “Event Center in the County” should be defined in the UZC, and be permitted as a use by right provided the use and the property can comply with specified development standards.
One of the issues that arose once it was determined that it was appropriate to make an “Event Center in the County” a use by right in the RR district was what to do with “Church or Place of Worship” and “Community Assembly.” Currently “Church or Place of Worship” and “Community Assembly” require conditional use approval in the RR district. In order to not violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which is a United States federal law that requires that from a land use perspective religious facilities must be treated in a similar manner as any other nonreligious use. If “Event Center in the County” is going to be a use by right then churches and other similar assembly uses nee...
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