The City of Great Bend is moving forward with development of the Amber Meadows Subdivision to be located on the Southwest corner of 24th and McKinley. Development of this subdivision came about as a result of several housing reports (the Great Bend Community Housing Assessment Team (CHAT) Report and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka Report) along with a joint effort from the business community in Great Bend. All these efforts suggested that overall growth of Great Bend is dependent upon the ability to increase the stock of middle priced housing within the community. A Housing Advisory Committee was formed in August 2001 composed of representatives from the building, banking, and real estate industries as well as representatives from several of the major businesses in Great Bend. Over the last two years the Housing Advisory Committee has focused attention on developing a residential subdivision that addresses the housing needs of Great Bend.
At the May 19, 2003 Great Bend City Council meeting, the Housing Advisory Committee recommended that the City move forward with the purchase of a 96.2 acre parcel of land on the north of Veterans Park for the purpose of addressing vital residential housing and cemetery needs of the Great Bend community. At that meeting, the Great Bend City Council voted to sign a 90-day option for the purchase of land at the proposed site contingent on the ability to raise private funds in the amount of $461,000. It was agreed that those private funds would be raised through donations and the sale of lots in the first development phase of proposed project. If sufficient private funds are available to move forward with the project by the completion of the 90 day option period, the City of Great Bend will exercise the option, purchase the land, and move forward with the development. The City of Great Bend will be responsible for project development efforts.
On September 15, 2003, having sold 37 lots for a total cost of $467,000 Great Bend City Council took action authorizing Mayor Mike Allison to sign the option on the property designated for Amber Meadows and the new cemetery.