Long-running home addition project frustrates neighbors

Residents of the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue Southwest have become increasingly frustrated by ongoing work being done to a home at 1209 Lewis Ave. S.W., owned by Steve and Cindy Wadsworth.

The neighbors’ frustration level didn’t appear eased at all by the outcome of a hearing Wednesday before the Hutchinson City Council, which was acting in its capacity as the city’s planning and zoning appeals board. No resolution to the long-running dispute seemed to come out of the 2 1/2-hour meeting.

The neighbors told the council the city’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department employees have failed to enforce shoreland district ordinances prohibiting structures more than 25 feet tall. They also said they have grown tired of the slowness of the Wadsworths’ home-expansion project, which has apparently included long periods of inactivity over several years.

The neighborhood has pointed to a trio of turrets added to the house in recent years as exceeding the 25-foot shoreland district limit. City Attorney Marc Sebora said city staff directed the Wadsworths to lower the turrets by five feet, which he said the Wadsworths complied with.

But Mayor Steve Cook calculated the turrets may still be taller than allowed. “The way it is right now, the (unfinished) turrets are 4 feet too high,” he said. Allowing the Wadsworths to bring in fill could help them get into compliance, he added.

Read the complete story in the Nov. 3 print edition of the Leader.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)