 APAC plant coming to Logistics Park to supply GAF
At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Commission approved the sale of about 20 acres of land in the Kansas Logistics Park to APAC-Kansas for its rock and asphalt material production facility. The plant will be a direct supplier for GAF’s shingle manufacturing facility that is under construction.
APAC will pay the City $241,320 for the property west of Hillside between Southeast Ninth and Southeast 12th Streets. APAC commits to begin construction of a 10,000-square-foot facility at a minimum cost of $6 million within three months. The project represents a total capital investment of $22.7 million and 23 new full-time jobs in the first three years.
City Commissioners noted that the project is exactly the type of downstream positive effect that officials expected from GAF’s development in Newton.
APAC-Kansas President Shawn Riley said the new facility will mill down limestone aggregate to a powdered substance that will be used by GAF in its shingle manufacturing.
“What I’m really excited about is, as we’ve gone through the process to put all this together, we have a lot of different vendors that are manufacturing certain products and machines to go in it, and almost all of those factories are in Kansas,” Riley said.
APAC-Kansas began over 150 years ago in Hutchinson and now has facilities across the state, including an asphalt plant on Southwest 14th Street in Newton.
In the development agreement, the City commits to extend sanitary sewer and water mains to the property (paid for by APAC through special assessments), initiate the vacation of Hauck Avenue, and grant access for APAC to install an overland conveyor to move materials across a detention pond and a pipeline to move materials under Southeast 12th Street to the GAF facility.
The agreement also includes the City’s good faith intention to grant a 10-year, 100% property tax abatement and facilitate the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs).
Property tax abatements exempt the property taxes only on the increase in valuation created by the project improvements. An abatement in this case was shown as a positive return on investment based on the private-public investment ratio, job creation, and capital investment.
Because the Logistics Park is a partnership of the City and Harvey County, proceeds of the sale will be divided, with the City receiving 66% and the County receiving 34%.
Fireworks
The Commission took final action on a plan for the 2026 fireworks season. Fireworks sales will be permitted from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. June 27-July 4. Vendors may purchase permits at $500 per day per location for any number of days during that period. Fireworks may be set off from noon-midnight July 1-4.
These dates and times will continue into future years unless the Commission acts to change them. The Commission may choose to review the ordinance in July after Independence Day, following receipt of reports from Fire/EMS and Police.
- Approved an amendment to Shield AI’s ground lease at the Newton City/County Airport to expand the leased area and concrete pad.
- Conducted a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant application for improvements to Themian Park and authorized the application.
- Approved a request to close Athletic Park Circle on April 25 for Newton Bible Christian School’s Eagle 5K.
- Received annual reports from:
- Police Department
- Fire/EMS
- Public Works
- Newton City/County Airport
- Law Department/Municipal Court
- Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Newton Main Street
- Meridian Event Center
- Health Ministries Clinic
For more information, please contact Communications Director Erin McDaniel at 316-284-6055 or emcdaniel@newtonkansas.com.
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