Hays meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Hays boards consider housing district, bonds, and rezoning; no decisions published yet

The Hays City Commission and Planning Commission held meetings in the past two weeks, but minutes have not yet been published, so no official decisions are available. The most consequential agenda items include a proposed housing incentive district for Lincoln School, bond issuances for infrastructure, and a rezoning request.

City Commission considers Lincoln School housing district

At its Aug. 13 meeting, the City Commission held a public hearing and considered an ordinance to establish a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) for Lincoln School, along with a development plan and agreement. The agenda also included a resolution to issue Industrial Revenue Bonds for the project and a resolution supporting Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credits. Additionally, the commission considered a $1.6 million benefit district for 24 lots in Tallgrass First Addition Phase 6, an engineering services agreement with Driggs Design Group, PA for $31,500, and a right-of-way agreement with Nex-Tech for broadband services.

Planning Commission sets rezoning hearing

The Hays Area Planning Commission met Aug. 17 and considered setting a public hearing for a rezoning request at 3124 E 27th St. The property, owned by Rita Gottschalk, would change from Neighborhood Conservation (NC.1) to Light Industrial (I-1). The property is outside city limits but within the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. Staff recommended scheduling the hearing for Sept. 21, 2026. The agenda also included approval of the July 20, 2026 meeting minutes and project updates from the Public Works Director.

City Commission reviews bonds and budget

At its Aug. 20 meeting, the City Commission discussed potential issuance of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026-A, for $1.22 million to fund Exit 161 infrastructure improvements, and Taxable General Obligation Temporary Notes, Series 2026-1, of approximately $5.6 million for Tallgrass Phase 4 RHID infrastructure. The commission also considered awarding a bid for Parks Department HVAC upgrades to Werth Heating, Plumbing, and AC, and reviewed the 2027 budget, which includes social services funding of $174,500 and changes to CVB revenue. An executive session may have been held to discuss financial affairs or trade secrets.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next two weeks.

Hays boards weighed fence variance, subdivision plats, and Chick-fil-A bond proposal

Three Hays-area boards met the week of July 20, 2026, but official minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions, so outcomes — including votes on a fence-height variance, a subdivision final plat, and a proposed industrial revenue bond for a Chick-fil-A project — are not yet part of the public record. What follows is drawn from the published agendas only.

City Commission — July 23, 2026

The City Commission agenda listed Ordinance No. 4103, which would authorize industrial revenue bonds for a Chick-fil-A, Inc. project. The agenda also included Resolution No. 2026-012, covering the final plat for 161 First Addition, and a mayoral appointment to the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee. Commissioners were also scheduled to receive R9 staff updates.

Because minutes are not yet published, the city has not yet recorded whether the bond ordinance, the plat resolution, or the appointment were approved.

Planning Commission — July 20, 2026

The Hays Area Planning Commission was set to vote on the Final Plat of Hess Second Addition, listed as a non-public-hearing approval item. A separate public hearing was scheduled on an editorial amendment to Unified Development Code Section 4.1.300, which governs Development Landscaping. The agenda also included approval of the June 15, 2026 meeting minutes and a citizen comment period for non-agenda items.

No vote tallies or outcomes are available; minutes have not been posted.

Board of Zoning Appeals — July 20, 2026

The Board of Zoning Appeals scheduled a public hearing on a request to increase a fence height from 6 ft to 7 ft at 509 E 19th St. The applicant is the Diocese of Salina, which owns the rectory at the site and argues the additional foot is needed for privacy due to site topography. Staff recommended denial, stating the request does not meet statutory criteria.

The agenda notes that the adjacent property at 511 E 19th St is also owned by Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. A consent agenda item to approve the June 15, 2026 meeting minutes was also listed.

The board's decision on the variance is not yet recorded in published minutes.

Why minutes matter

Agendas tell residents what a board planned to take up; minutes are the official record of what actually happened — including motions, votes, and any conditions attached to approvals. Until the minutes for these three meetings are published, residents should treat the items above as scheduled business, not final decisions. The city's official documents remain the authoritative source.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days, according to the meeting data provided. Residents should check the City of Hays website for any newly posted agendas or rescheduled sessions.

Hays City Commission takes up bonds, sewer lining, budget review

The Hays City Commission this past fortnight considered or took up several major items, including the authorization of bonds for a housing development, a contract for sanitary sewer repairs, and an initial look at the 2027 city budget. Minutes from either meeting have not yet been published, so final outcomes are not known.

June 25 – Housing bonds, hangar purchase, insurance renewal

At its June 25 meeting, the commission was scheduled to vote on authorizing general obligation bonds to fund public infrastructure for the Tallgrass Phase 4 Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID). The bonds are intended to support roads, utilities, and other improvements tied to the residential development.

Other items on that agenda included:

• **Purchase of Hangar F-8** at the Hays Regional Airport from Glen Teel for $30,000.
• **Renewal of property and liability insurance** for the 2026/2027 policy year at a cost of $569,891.
• **Setting a public hearing** for the creation of a new RHID near Lincoln School.

The meeting was listed as an agenda only; official minutes have not been released.

July 2 – Sewer lining contract, bond sale, 2027 budget preview

On July 2, the commission considered awarding a $254,640 contract to Mayer Specialty Services for sanitary sewer lining and point repairs. The work covers 1,943 linear feet of sewer lining and 55 internal patches. A competing bid from CC Steel came in at $222,719.50, but the agenda did not specify why the higher bid was recommended.

The commission also took up:

• A resolution authorizing the sale of general obligation bonds to fund infrastructure for both **Tallgrass Phase 4** and the **Exit 161** interchange improvements.
• A presentation of the **proposed 2027 City Budget** for initial review. No details on overall spending or tax implications were provided in the agenda.
• A discussion on possibly changing the start times of work sessions and regular meetings.

Again, minutes from this meeting are pending, so no votes or decisions have been officially recorded.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next two weeks. Residents should check the city’s website for any late-added sessions or schedule changes.