(KMZA)-- The Seneca City Council has approved vacating a portion of a city street for a business expansion project. 

Following a public hearing Wednesday evening, the Council voted 4-2 to approve an ordinance vacating South 7th Street from Baltimore Street south to the alley.   Council members Jim Mitchell and Steve Bennett cast the no votes.     
J-Six Farms requested that the street be vacated to allow for the construction of a new building. 

Seven residents commented during the hearing, primarily asking questions about the company’s operations, which J-Six representatives answered. The street is already blocked by barricades per an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad.

City Administrator Matt Rehder says the company is seeking a zoning change from commercial to industrial.   A hearing date on the zoning change request hasn’t been set yet before the city Planning Commission.

In a related matter, the Council voted to deny a request by J-Six Farms for the city to pay utility relocation costs.  Mayor Joe Mitchell said it’s no longer the city’s policy to pay those costs.

In other business, the cost for the city’s comprehensive insurance coverage is going up just over $13,000.  Jim Ronnebaum with SBS Insurance met with the council to present the annual quote. Ronnebaum attributed the premium increase to an increase in property values for some of the city’s building and an increase in the city’s blanket policy from just over 9 million dollars to 11.5 million dollars.  The council voted to accept the new premium for a total of $124,629.