Hays – Week of June 29 2025
Commission Debates Downtown Revitalization; County Grapples With Road Maintenance Strategy; Commission Approves Rezoning; Hays Eases Regulations; Munger Road Dispute
Commission Debates Downtown Revitalization and Airbnb Development
County Grapples with Major Overhaul of Road Maintenance Strategy
Hays Commission Approves Rezoning for New Apartments
Hays Eases Regulations for Homeowner Sheds and Garages
Contentious Munger Road Dispute Ends in No Action
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1. Commission Debates Downtown Revitalization and Airbnb Development
The Hays City Commission approved serving as the applicant for a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help a private developer, One Twenty Seven Investments LLC, renovate the long-vacant second floor of 1012 Main Street into three Airbnb units. The decision came after a lengthy public hearing where citizens debated the use of public grant funds. One resident argued the federal dollars were being used to “pick winners and losers” and should be directed toward low-income housing needs instead of “upscale tourism projects”. However, the developer and grant writer clarified that this specific CDBG fund is from a separate bucket of money designated for eliminating commercial blight and could not be used for housing infrastructure. Supporters, including Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams, argued that if Hays didn’t pursue these allocated funds, another community would, and the project would bring a building that has been vacant since the 1970s back into use.
2. County Grapples with Major Overhaul of Road Maintenance Strategy
Ellis County’s Public Works Director Brendan Mackay presented commissioners with maps detailing numerous county roads that are excessively narrow, lack ditches, or are maintained by the county despite having no official right-of-way. The presentation sparked a significant strategic discussion about the county’s responsibility and liability, with commissioners acknowledging a history of “handshake deals” for road maintenance. The commission aims to proactively address these issues to better support the Public Works department and make the county’s primary routes safer, rather than reacting to individual complaints. The long-term project will involve inventorying county properties and roads, likely dividing the county into quadrants to methodically address problem areas, a process that will be spearheaded by a future project-manager position.
3. Hays Commission Approves Rezoning for New Apartments
In a move to address local housing needs, the Hays City Commission unanimously approved rezoning a vacant, 0.6-acre lot at 2707 Canal Boulevard from “Commercial General” to “Residential Multifamily”. The property, located just east of the Dillons grocery store, has been undeveloped for decades and is part of the original parcel planned for the store. The rezoning aligns with the city’s comprehensive plan, which designates the area for mixed-use development. While no specific construction plans were presented, the change—requested by local developer Aaron Dreher—allows apartments, duplexes or townhomes by right, paving the way for more housing options in a central location.
4. Hays Eases Regulations for Homeowner Sheds and Garages
Homeowners in Hays will have more flexibility in placing small sheds and other structures on their property after the City Commission approved changes to the Unified Development Code (UDC). The new ordinance eliminates the five-foot side and rear setback requirement for accessory buildings that are 120 square feet or less, such as a typical garden shed. It also removes the limit on the number of accessory buildings a residential property can have. City staff recommended the changes to reduce unnecessary regulations, noting that the small structures have a low impact on neighborhoods and that variance requests for them were consistently being approved by the Hays Area Board of Zoning Appeals anyway.
5. Contentious Munger Road Dispute Ends in No Action
After significant debate involving residents and commissioners, the Ellis County Commission took no action on a contentious issue in the unincorporated town of Munger. David Velizing and Stephanie Leathhead, who operate an Airbnb, requested improvements to a grassy, unmaintained alley and a portion of Dawn Street to better access their property and prevent mud and potholes. Their request was complicated by a neighboring property owner who reportedly felt he owned the alley and a history of drainage and flooding issues in the area. Public Works Director Brendan Mackay noted the area serves as water storage and that building a road would be problematic. While options like closing the road to traffic or declaring it a minimum-maintenance road were discussed to limit county liability, the commission ultimately decided to leave the situation as is, preserving the status quo on a multi-faceted neighborhood conflict.
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