By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

Safety concerns about a new housing development in northwest Hays surfaced Thursday night at the Hays City Commission meeting.

Residents near the King's Gate Addition, which is north of 41st Street and west of Madison Drive, expressed concerns about the size and accessibility of newly platted lots in the addition.

"That's the concern in the neighborhood is allowing people to have detached garages back on the alley, which in essence, will cause traffic in the alley," Botz said.

Botz and his neighbors on Washington Circle have backyards that border Madison Drive, a roadway that was platted to eventually become a street, but is maintained as an alley for now.

Public Works Director Brenda Herrman said any detached garages or workshops in backyards of the King's Gate Addition homes would have to meet requirements for variances in order to be built. Only six to eight homes in the 55-unit development border Madison Drive, Herrman said.

"It's a concern, but it's also something that you may have to adapt to," Commissioner Barbara Wasinger said, likening the situation to that in many neighborhoods across town. "You cannot possibly tell everyone that you can't have anything that exits or enters the alley."

Botz said Madison Drive already is being used by vehicles, and residents are hoping traffic won't increase with new homes being built on the west side of the street.

"If it would have been larger lots, this would not have been an issue," Botz said.

Commissioners approved the rezoning of the development from R-1 to R-2 single-family homes Thursday night. The R-2 district requires homes to be on 6,000 square feet of property instead of 7,000; however, the smallest lot in the King's Gate Addition is 8,300 square feet, according to Assistant Public Works Director John Braun.

Commissioner Chris Channell suggested if neighbors to the addition are concerned about traffic in the alley, they should contact the developer to see if a covenant could be placed on the development.

"I'm not going to tell a developer how they have to set up their development," Channell said.

Despite concerns from about a half dozen neighbors to the development, commissioners approved the platting of King's Gate as well as the vacation of the Land of Oz Addition to make way for King's Gate.

City Manager Toby Dougherty said commissioners could consider a solution to Madison Drive in the future. He said commissioners could discuss whether to maintain an easement for utilities along the street, but do away with the ability for vehicles to use the roadway.

In other business:

* Mayor Ron Mellick and Commissioner Henry Schwaller were absent. Both were in Topeka Thursday to receive the Governor's Art Award for the city.

* A motion to approve a $4 stormwater utility fee failed Thursday night at the Hays City Commission meeting, but the issue is expected to resurface in two weeks.

With just three commissioners present, the motion to approve failed on a 2-1 vote because three votes are required. Commissioner Troy Hickman said he voted against the implementation of the fee because he said he would rather charge fees for projects that Hays residents can see work being done on. The $4 temporary fee would be used to fund a stormwater management study.

Commissioner Chris Channell requested the commission reconsider the fee at its next regular meeting, March 25, when the full commission can vote on it.

* Commissioners approved a job bounty for KVC Wheatland Psychiatric Hospital. The city will pay $13,000 over the course of five years for 13 jobs created at the hospital, which is scheduled to open in April.

* Commissioners accepted a Small Community Air Service Development Grant worth $216,450, which will be used to promote the Hays Regional Airport and the Fly Hays Campaign.

* Commissioners approved a vehicle abatement in the 400 block of West Fifth Street.

* James Leiker was appointed to the Public Wholesale Water Supply District No. 15 Board.