City of Tea adopts comprehensive plan

The Tea City Council met Oct. 20 and held a public hearing on the comprehensive plan.

They heard from Confluence about the city’s comprehensive plan. Confluence’s Chris Shires hit the highlights of the plan that has been in the works since 2023.

Goals of some of the plan include:

•Land use plan goal: Promote a mix of land uses that enhances quality of life and promotes economic development

•Housing goal: Create and maintain healthy residential neighborhoods that provide a high quality of life for residents of all ages and backgrounds

• Parks and recreation goal: Provide a high quality parks and trails system for residents that is responsive to the public and changing trends for residents of today and the future

•Community character and downtown goal: Enhance the community character of Tea through strategic quality of life investments, including a renewed interest in downtown as an important community asset

• Transportation and infrastructure goal: Maintain a multi-modal transportation and infrastructure system that is safe, efficient and effective in supporting growth and development

* Natural resources goal: Identify and protect natural resources as the community develops

* Economic development goal: Promote economic development in Tea that provides good jobs, enhances amenities and contributes to the tax base

* Community facilities goal: Provide high quality community services to the residents and businesses by completing long-term service and facility needs for the city

Shires noted that state code requires city zoning decisions be consistent with the community’s comprehensive plan and any rezoning decisions should be consistent with the future land use map.

The council approved the adoption of the comprehensive plan. Community development director Albert Schmidt noted that after the adoption it needs to be published in the newspaper and then the public can comment on it before it becomes official.

The council approved two resolutions - resolution 25-10-11, a resolution providing for citywide property drainage and resolution 25-10-12, a resolution establishing the city per lineal foot street assessment. The rates remained the same as last year at $1.25 per lineal foot.

Schmidt presented a draft on chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 and 12 of the zoning ordinance. Some proposed changes include changing multi-family to high density and adding assisted living/nursing home to this section, R3 would address manufactured homes and chapter 12 would provide clarification on accessory buildings. Council members Aaron Otten and Josh Chapman volunteered to meet with the planning commission about the draft changes before it comes back to the council as a public hearing.

Schmidt also presented a draft for a car wash ordinance. His goal would be that this ordinance would be a special permitted use under general business. No action was taken.

The council reviewed the proposed 2026 budget. Suggestions included adding $350,000 to buy land to start a standalone library, adding $30,000 to plant trees, adding $150,000 to remodel the old fire station, plus money for pickleball courts, interior buildout at the city maintenance shop, maintenance department equipment, police equipment and park needs.

The budget will come before the council at the Nov. 3 meeting.

City administrator Justin Weiland presented possible strategic uses for tax increment financing. No decisions were made.

Weiland noted that they would know by the end of this week if they were awarded the bid for 85th Street.

They reviewed the council’s meeting calendar for 2026.

The council went into executive session at 8:55 p.m.