Board of Zoning Appeals approves variance for North Fifth Street home

Minor size increase prompts second variance process for Salina couple

Former "dangerous structure" site slated for redevelopment

Flood mitigation requirements mandated for construction in floodway area

Zoning board stipulates state permits for floodway build

Board member questions shift in affordable housing strategy

Board of Zoning Appeals approves variance for North Fifth Street home

SALINA, Kan. — The Salina Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved a floodway variance Thursday to allow the construction of a new 1,421-square-foot manufactured home at 1819 N. Fifth St., supported by engineering documentation prepared by Justin Owens of Kaw Valley Engineering. The site, located in a mapped floodway area, required a special exemption to build. Property owners Jean Vawter and Loretta Bunning plan to establish the property as their permanent residence, replacing a prior structure that was demolished by the city in 2019.

Minor size increase prompts second variance process for Salina couple

SALINA, Kan. — A manufactured home's footprint triggered a secondary approval process during Thursday's meeting. Jean Vawter and Loretta Bunning originally received a variance in April 2025 for a 1,352-square-foot home but subsequently purchased a unit measuring 1,421 square feet. Because floodway variances are tied to a specific structural footprint and engineering documentation, city staff required Vawter and Bunning to reapply to account for the 69-square-foot difference, which the board subsequently approved.

Former "dangerous structure" site slated for redevelopment

SALINA, Kan. — The property at 1819 N. Fifth St., previously declared a dangerous structure, is being redeveloped. According to the applicants' testimony during a public variance hearing, Vawter and Bunning stated that the former 2,100-square-foot home on the lot had attracted drug traffic and transient individuals before catching fire. The city demolished the building in 2019 after declaring it a dangerous structure. Vawter and Bunning testified they have since cleared the lot and plan to place a new manufactured home on the site.

Flood mitigation requirements mandated for construction in floodway area

SALINA, Kan. — Construction of a new residence at 1819 N. Fifth St. will proceed under federal and local guidelines intended to mitigate flood risks. As a condition of the variance approved by the board, the home's lowest floor must be elevated above the base flood elevation of 1,219.8 feet. Additionally, the below-grade crawlspace must include engineered openings intended to equalize hydrostatic forces, allowing water to pass through without displacing the structure during a flood.

Zoning board stipulates state permits for floodway build

SALINA, Kan. — Although local variance approvals were granted Thursday for the 1819 N. Fifth St. home, the project remains subject to state oversight. The Board of Zoning Appeals included conditions requiring Vawter and Bunning to coordinate with the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Division of Water Resources and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Vawter and Bunning must verify if excavation, fill or grading permits are required before breaking ground, though they said they do not plan to use fill dirt on the lot.

Board member questions shift in affordable housing strategy

SALINA, Kan. — During the approval of the Feb. 19 meeting minutes, a board member raised questions regarding the use of local affordable housing funds. The member asked city staff to clarify why the Community Housing Development Corporation of Central Kansas has emphasized rental acquisitions in partnership with local housing agencies rather than focusing on single-family homeownership, noting earlier local foundation funds had been used to renovate homes for first-time buyers. Staff acknowledged the inquiry for a later review.

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