Request for water meters fails for lack of motion

Members of the Ponca City Board of Commissioners took no action Monday night on an appeal of a decision by the Development Services Department to deny a request for three commercial water meters in the 8900 block of East Lake Road.

The property owner requesting the appeal failed to appear before the City Commission, after presenting his request to the Planning Commission last week.

The owner operates an RV park near Kaw Lake which he started in 2011. Over the years he has made several other requests for additional meters and now wants to add more RV spaces and cabins on his property. He has requested approval for three meters at this time for his planned expansion, saying he wants commitments for all of the meters before he begins the additional construction.

The meters would be provided by Rural Water District No. 1

The City Commission approved the placement of commercial water meter at the existing RV park in 2011 and again in 2012. At the 2011 meeting, the Commission approved the appeal with conditions; the RV park was to be limited to a maximum of 20 spaces. In 2012, the applicant sought two additional commercial water meters to permit expansion of the RV park to include eight more RV spaces and perhaps 12 small cabins.

One of the commercial meters was requested to facilitate the construction of a convenience store and bait shop in the future.

Collectively, the City Commission approved a total of 28 RV spaces and 12 cabin spaces, as well as a separate meter to facilitate the construction of a convenience store and bait shop at their February 13, 2012, Regular Commission meeting.

The applicant has not complied with the conditions set out by the City Commission with regard to the development of the current RV park. Today, there are about 54 RV spaces, four boat storage buildings and a boat service business on the site.

Much of the unincorporated portions of Kay and Osage County are served by Rural Water Districts, which get their source of water from the City of Ponca City. Therefore, the City is responsible for producing enough water to not only serve current and future City residents, but those served by the Rural Water Districts as well.

The city’s contracts with the individual Rural Water Districts stipulate that water meters cannot be provided to individuals living on less than 5 acres without the consent of the City Commission.

After discussion on the matter, commissioners declined to make any motion on the request, and the Development Services decision stands.