Kingsley spoke last week, during a joint meeting of the Tonganoxie city council and planning commission.

The two groups met for a second time in an effort to update Tonganoxie’s comprehensive plan. Scott Michie and Kevin Kokes of the city’s planning firm, Bucher, Willis and Ratliff, again led the meeting.

During his presentation, Kingsley told city officials that, as the city continues to grow and additional annexed land is developed, it’s important the city not overextend itself.

Kingsley said benefit districts could offset infrastructure costs. He also noted the most economical way to establish a development is from the bottom of a watershed that moves upward and outward.

At the same time, Kingsley said, water and sewer lines sizes should be selected with future development in mind.

“Any structure that you build that’s below your conceptual design is really wasted money,” Kingsley said.

After Kingsley’s presentation, members of the city council and planning commission split into two groups to discuss two general themes — future land use and growth, and infrastructure and financing. County planning and zoning director Chris Dunn also participated in the workshop, working with the land-use and growth group.

After the two groups discussed topics for about 90 minutes, the land-use and growth group designated planning commission member Joel Skelley to present highlights of their discussion.

Skelley said his group wanted to attract more businesses to the Urban Hess Business Center. He also said the city shouldn’t be pressured into annexing land.

And the group discussed Tailgate Ranch, roughly 2,000 acres owned by Paul and Elizabeth McKie, who have said they would not block annexation into the city.

“We don’t want to be pressured into annexing land,” Skelley said. “Tailgate is a very potential opportunity for Tonganoxie, but if it doesn’t happen properly or well, it could be devastating for Tonganoxie and Leavenworth County.”

He said the city should “proceed with caution.”

Maintaining the downtown district again was a priority during discussions.

“We’re downtown and want to preserve downtown,” Skelley said.

Included in that district, Skelley said, should be the old Tonganoxie railroad depot near Fifth and Main.

“The depot is definitely historical and in my mind a key factor in Tonganoxie’s history,” he said.

Planning commission member Jim Bothwell led the infrastructure and financing workshop.

Bothwell said that, in regard to financing, the city should consider increasing its excise tax.

The group also touched on infrastructure costs as the city grows.

“Basically we’re in favor of forcing as much on the developer and protecting the city,” Bothwell said. “We want to grow but no one wants it to be detrimental.”

As for priority roads, the group targeted U.S. Highway 24-40 and County Road 1 — noting future development must be met with limited access to keep traffic flowing.

The group also said that East Street should be a priority road because of construction of the new middle school near East and Washington streets.