Commission member, town president dispute fee
WINFIELD | A Plan Commission member argues that the Town Council president paid a low-ball fee to get a development petition before the commission.
Commission member Bill Teach said Ken Thieneman -- who is the Winfield Town Council president and the developer of a new 80-acre subdivision called Wyndance -- was charged $2,760 rather than the proper fee of $6,725 to appear before the Winfield Plan Commission seeking primary plat approval.
Thieneman argues that the fee he paid was appropriate.
The Wyndance project proposes 207 residential units, including single-family homes and multi-family units ranging in price from $200,000 to $350,000. The subdivision would be constructed on 109th Avenue, across from The Trees subdivision.
Teach, who also is a Town Council member, has objected to the Wyndance project since its inception last year. Teach particularly opposes the multi-family housing, which he and others contended eventually would become rentals.
The Plan Commission tabled the request until February.
Aside from the fee, Teach also raised engineering concerns related to the soil, the sewer system and the easements along 109th Avenue.
Teach contends the fee was not paid until an hour before the office closed at 5 p.m. Teach also said Thieneman didn't provide drawings until the day before Wednesday's Plan Commission meeting, rather than the fifth of the previous month as required by town ordinance.
Thieneman said the correct fee was paid.
"The way the ordinance reads, you have to use the section which is most applicable. This project is mostly residential with no commercial," he said.
Thieneman also said he had asked for a legal opinion from Winfield Town and Plan Commission attorney William Enslen.
"I don't know what Mr. Teach is talking about. He likes to twist the truth to sensationalize things," Thieneman said.
Thieneman said he expected the project to be tabled, and he intends to address the engineering issues at the next Plan Commission meeting.
Enslen could not be reached for comment.
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Saturday, January 13, 2007 1:05 AM CST
BY CARMEN McCOLLUM
