Iola City Council members will decide Monday whether to greenlight a developer’s plans to convert an old nursing home into an apartment complex.
Rocky Meo of Meo Development Co. LLP, De Soto, has applied for a zoning variance that would allow him to convert the former Arkhaven Nursing Home complex at 1336 N. Walnut St. into an apartment complex.
Meo envisions 51 one- or two-bedroom apartments with additional off-site parking.
But doing so requires the property to be rezoned from single-family to multi-family designation.
After several neighboring property owners spoke out against the proposal at a Jan. 18 public hearing, Iola Planning Commission members voted, 5-2, to deny his request.
The Planning Commission’s role is advisory, but since they recommended the request be denied, approval requires a six-vote majority from the Council.
ALSO Monday, Mayor Steve French is expected to appoint a new Council member to fill the Ward 4 seat made vacant when he ascended from the Council to become mayor.
Two residents have made their interest known, Joshua McCardle and Joelle Shallah. McCardle ran for a seat in November, but was defeated by incumbent Mark Peters. He works in the IT department at Monarch Cement Co. Shallah is the owner of Bella Donna Salon in Iola.
THE 6 p.m. meeting will be in the New Community Building at Riverside Park.
