[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6368882,"mediaKeyId","2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3","parentId",2155454,"title","Votes at a glance: Lincoln City Council actions on Jan. 27, 2025","audioSeconds",706,"startMs",701000,"endMs",1407000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3&start=701&end=1407","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3/thumbnail_701000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6368882/Lincoln/Lancaster-County/Nebraska/Votes-at-a-glance-Lincoln-City-Council-actions-on-Jan-27-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368882-f9b2eec89f4db1f5bbdf08eef6ce5470/orig.mp4?Expires=1773133005&Signature=cHZMEADylmn5iY40AZfAKPOnRbWyy1XMhk2WkqrRNpUl4xC1zeAkwRKbwdaw0bphvmwLdsDxjxWHJ9FkwQxjKGShIBZF2FL4StwiJOrHP1xASKl1gZsQrW~Oqul9nDP6qU1mjYLsDIbqsmrb~iX~2DDt~m21hZ6~2wRCNpq9PP02K9Q9t7AfiiUJtB0KW4kneRGRo76zZam1faxGKc1EErhOXVdeZ12LYMMMeXg7lJW6mKl2qA12dKUvTHM7HVPAzjxVqcuhatLr1feRKft1WaF8hAVQzHrRSRayagLA9E~U--K46N1EZ1YBjAI5wM30BGC4zEjtUycYv2GORL2ZLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Lincoln, NE","date","2025-01-28T02:11:17Z","article","The Lincoln City Council took several formal actions on Jan. 27, 2025. This roundup lists each vote, the motion outcome and where in the meeting record the item appears.

• Consent agenda (Items 2A–2C): Approved 7–0. (See meeting record: consent discussion and roll call.)

• Liquor license and manager applications (Items 4A–4F): Approved 7–0. Applications included a mobile tap truck (Pat on Tap), Queen Nails manager application, and special designated licenses for Beer House (Bachfest) and McKinney's Irish Pub. (See meeting record: liquor applications and motion to approve 4A–4F.)

• Special permit 24009 (Item 5A): Appeal to allow a garden center on the east side of North 56th Street between Bluff Road and Waverly Road — Approved 7–0. (See meeting record: public hearing and council vote.)

• Resolutions relating to Lincoln on the Move / ballot placement (Items 5B–5D): Public hearing closed; council voted 7–0 to delay final action until the Feb. 3, 2025 meeting to allow staff to provide additional information. (See meeting record: director presentation and motion to delay.)

• Change of zone 0706e — Wilderness Heights PUD amendment (Item 6A): Approval to add approximately 0.5 acres and increase the maximum single‑family units from 270 to 279 — Approved 7–0. (See meeting record for presentation and vote.)

• Text amendment 24013 (Item 7A): Amend municipal code language to create a registration and special‑permit pathway for annual attraction events in agricultural districts — Approved 7–0. (See meeting record: third reading and roll call.)

• Adjournment: Motion to adjourn carried 7–0.

For details on each item, the full meeting transcript contains staff presentations, public comments and roll‑call votes. The council recorded unanimous votes for the above approvals and the motion to delay the Lincoln on the Move resolutions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lincoln City Council Meeting January 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A quick summary of formal council votes taken Jan. 27: consent items and liquor licenses approved, a special permit approved, a PUD amendment and a zoning text amendment approved, and three resolutions tied to 'Lincoln on the Move' were delayed to Feb. 3 for further information.","taxTitle","Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska","taxId",2562,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6368888,"Council approves special permit for garden center near Highway 77 despite neighbor safety concerns",6841,1411000,8252000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3&start=1411&end=8252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3/thumbnail_1411000.jpg","/articles/6368888/Lincoln/Lancaster-County/Nebraska/Council-approves-special-permit-for-garden-center-near-Highway-77-despite-neighbor-safety-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368888-0597b053fcc5fffe08369f4e5555d22b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773133005&Signature=kJVy3unwrgdIkR0fv1SpCbbKz4OU9DkFD5lPGLP9Ed-MTwTQzbgJs5rCqCXssPAidJyUn5xoRILpNYZfiPvuXFBErwjNXK5-~gPo0Qqgll5zffHgBVlHunatnUO5MAxrepCaqqZLD67lCtNsKN~ljEpBVSUgU5Mo94j6fmDgY9myd5x-lMaHRXEOIY4V-pxUwolt9w7T5EFbAPZVhIyRQk5afZ~HV4NS4ocUFqGIz9mVnODkYADyKiDjjeMuJ4dNv2xVh2xHPCzpVZIsJ0eQ8rkjssEwILLJ1iJjG0CyQv0ZMmjnYNftwKJ6fmpku7nbksDfLeeZOOVZSeEDA0TJ0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lincoln City Council on Jan. 27 approved, by a 7–0 vote, a special permit (24009) allowing a garden center to operate on property east of North 56th Street between Bluff Road and Waverly Road. The project was appealed by a neighboring property owner but the council acted as if the application were new and voted to approve the permit with conditions recommended by the Planning Commission.

Jason Schwenk, who appealed the planning commission decision, said his property has shared access with the proposed site and that he feared trucks and customers would use his private drive. \"I'm opposed to the whole thing,\" Schwenk told the council, citing safety concerns on Highway 77 (a 70‑mph road), runoff onto his property and insufficient visual screening in the early years after planting.

Blaine Price, the applicant, said proposed hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays with possible limited Saturday mornings, and described operations that will include nursery stock, decorative stone, sand, gravel and other landscaping materials. He told councilors the applicant is willing to coordinate with the neighbor on driveway design and to place nursery rows and screening within a 100‑foot setback.

David Carey, director of planning, summarized the Planning Commission's recommended conditions: (1) revise the site plan to add a T‑shaped or similar driveway east of the property line to separate residential and commercial traffic, up to 40 feet wide and subject to county engineer approval; (2) install two directional signs (one for the garden center and one for the residence) at the shared access; and (3) provide screening that includes evergreens at least 5 feet tall at planting spaced to achieve a visual buffer in combination with rows of nursery stock planted behind the perimeter buffer.

Councilors pressed on several practical points during the hearing. Councilman Beckias emphasized the importance of the applicant's willingness to work with the neighbor on the driveway design; Price confirmed he would. Councilors also asked about dust, material placement, and the time it will take planted screens to mature. Price said a transplanted evergreen typically takes 12–18 months to establish, then grows roughly 6–8 inches per year, and that a planted 5‑foot tree could be 7–8 feet within about four years under typical conditions.

Planning staff said the use is allowed in agricultural zoning by special permit; the Planning Commission had recommended conditional approval. The council's affirmative vote preserves the Planning Commission's conditions and allows the applicant to move forward with final engineering and county coordination on driveway design and drainage.

Action recorded: the council vote to approve the special permit was 7–0. The Planning Department will coordinate required driveway design work with the county engineer and the applicant; neighbors will be involved in driveway design per the applicant's stated willingness.","The council approved a special permit 7–0 to allow a garden center on the east side of North 56th Street between Bluff and Waverly, after neighbors raised concerns about shared driveway access, runoff, dust and traffic onto 70 mph Highway 77.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6368895,"Council closes public hearing and delays vote on continuing 'Lincoln on the Move' sales tax",5412,2989000,8401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3&start=2989&end=8401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2155454-5fa009ffe499f230737694c226a3f2d3/thumbnail_2989000.jpg","/articles/6368895/Lincoln/Lancaster-County/Nebraska/Council-closes-public-hearing-and-delays-vote-on-continuing-Lincoln-on-the-Move-sales-tax","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368895-deaf133390fc321a0a2000f8c8011487/orig.mp4?Expires=1773133005&Signature=J8WHEcd24wehAE7Bi3rEz~mToFduBdBEMCg1gvzA5-3v6jHqKaSREnl8htwxTQIyADU-QNzB-5Qum9Y7FZe5BtYHafusANc2NybahS9xrtDm2l8lKgnFz6KakQ5EycJOLGmMTshlZDSsw-FPZwjOmecuqwp-NphbPV1~DybxB7g1bATPGt-R8Y03A3dH~t5JMQ8qjalJi~jQZ7S1nQSu~HD~JOk5DpKlQvmQQeKqyN~Ys0ryVJpzlixv9W-2rO5tPIinHvA-tsEb5ckpyw4znsoeZuxdvwaDSw6C~0gmp5L56lBQV5Q2wc5ufPS3S03XHinS5r51fIFGvk1hY2ymTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lincoln City Council heard more than two hours of testimony on Jan. 27 about whether to place a question on the April 8 ballot to continue the quarter‑cent Lincoln on the Move sales tax. The council closed the public hearing and voted 7–0 to delay action until its Feb. 3 meeting.

Elizabeth Elliott, director of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, told the council the proposal would continue an existing quarter‑cent sales tax and would not increase taxes for Lincoln households. \"This continuation would not create any new cost for Lincoln taxpayers,\" Elliott said during her presentation. She said an eight‑year renewal would preserve a funding stream that has delivered about $102 million in street work over the current six‑year program and would produce about $140 million more over eight years if voters approve it.

Supporters at the hearing argued the program accelerated repairs, lowered long‑term construction costs by allowing projects to be built sooner and helped economic development. Jeanne McClure, executive director of ACEC Nebraska and co‑chair of the advisory committee on transportation, said the program has led to more projects and visible street improvements across the city. Jason Ball, president and CEO of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of the Home Builders Association and the Lincoln Independent Business Association urged councilors to let voters decide.

Opponents questioned whether the city had prioritized street funding within the general fund, raised equity and land‑use concerns and warned the measure could subsidize outward growth. William McCoy, a lifelong Lincoln resident, said voters already pay multiple taxes associated with roads and asked why the general fund could not cover additional maintenance. Spencer Farley of Strong Towns Lincoln urged caution about language that guarantees 25% of revenue go to new streets; he said that requirement can incentivize low‑density expansion that creates long‑term infrastructure liabilities.

Elliott described the proposal's structure: 73.5% of revenue would continue to go to existing streets, 25% to growth (new streets) and 1.5% to the Railroad Transportation Safety District (RTSD) as a match for a 33rd & Cornhusker grade‑separation project. She told councilors the 1.5% set aside would help match a $66.7 million federal grant awarded for that railroad crossing elimination project and that the RTSD interlocal agreement would automatically dissolve if voters reject the renewal.

Elliott and multiple speakers emphasized that Lincoln on the Move funds are restricted to paving and rehabilitation and do not directly pay for sidewalks, curb ramps, bike lanes, traffic signals or debt service; those components would be paid from other street funding sources such as highway allocation funds or vehicle‑related taxes. She also said the advisory committee on transportation — a citizen panel created under the original ballot measure — would continue to review projects and provide oversight if the council and voters approve a renewal.

At the close of the hearing the council voted 7–0 to delay action and asked staff to return with any requested follow‑up information at the Feb. 3 meeting. In the meantime the public comment record — ranging from public‑transit advocates who said better streets help buses, to business and real‑estate groups who argued the measure supports housing and growth, to residents who objected to allocation language — will remain part of the administrative record.

If the council ultimately places the question on the April ballot and voters approve it, the sales tax would continue from Oct. 1, 2025, for eight years under the same spending breakdowns discussed at the hearing. If voters reject a renewal, Elliott said, the city would lose roughly $18 million a year dedicated to streets and the pace of projects would slow dramatically, increasing the time required to address the city's backlog and likely increasing overall construction costs.

The council closed the public hearing on Jan. 27 and left the resolutions on the ballot question, the impact‑fee freeze and the RTSD interlocal agreement to a Feb. 3 vote.","After a three-hour public hearing with dozens of speakers for and against, the Lincoln City Council closed comment and voted to delay a final decision on placing an 8‑year continuation of the quarter‑cent \"Lincoln on the Move\" street sales tax on the April 8 ballot until Feb. 3.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Lincoln City Council actions on Jan. 27, 2025

Council approves special permit for garden center near Highway 77 despite neighbor safety concerns

Council closes public hearing and delays vote on continuing 'Lincoln on the Move' sales tax