Commission Approves Temporary Asphalt Plant Near Towanda Over One Dissent
The Butler County Commission approved a special event permit (SE 26-01) allowing APAC–Kansas Shears Division to place a temporary asphalt plant on private property at the corner of NW 30th Street and NW Highway 196 near Towanda. The permit passed 3-1, with Commissioner Darren Jackson absent.
The plant will supply a KDOT mill-and-overlay project on Highway 196 extending from Highway 254 to the Butler-Harvey County line. According to staff, the roughly 7-acre portion of the 271-acre Cook Trust property would be used for stockpiling aggregate beginning on or near Nov. 2, 2026, with construction currently scheduled for April or May 2027 and site use expected to end by November 2027. Primary truck traffic would use a temporary entrance off Highway 196, with an auxiliary entrance off NW 30th Street.
Commissioner Kelly Herzet opposed the permit, citing past problems with operations in that area and concern about putting nearby residents and the newly resurfaced NW 30th Street through disruption again. An APAC representative and other commissioners noted APAC has operated temporary plants in the county since 2017 and cleaned up prior sites. Approval was made subject to KDOT traffic control standards and applicable KDHE requirements, and APAC would be liable for road damage if NW 30th Street becomes a haul route. A company representative said active construction would last about 30 days.
