Planning commission adopts Belmont neighborhood subarea plan

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission voted 7-0 on Sept. 3 to approve Comprehensive Plan Amendment 250004, adopting the Belmont neighborhood subarea plan as an amendment to the 2050 Lincoln-Lancaster County comprehensive plan.

The subarea plan, prepared jointly by the City of Lincoln Planning Department and the Urban Development Department with consultant BNIM and Sinclair Hilly, maps a strategic vision for the Belmont and Atlanta neighborhoods roughly bounded by I-180 on the west, Superior Street on the north, North 27th Street on the east and Cornhusker Highway on the south. Staff said the plan emphasizes multimodal transportation, community building, health and recreation, nature and environmental stewardship.

Planning staff and consultants described a community-driven engagement process that included four large open houses, targeted stakeholder meetings, an online survey and a 22-member stakeholder group that included neighborhood residents, school representatives, faith-based organizations and city department staff. Funding from the Lincoln Community Foundation and the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln paid for the consultant and helped provide childcare and meals at engagement events, staff said.

Key recommendations highlighted by staff include: - Improving pedestrian and bicycle access across major connectors and bridges, with specific attention to the Fourteenth Street bridge and Adams Street bridge approaches; - Enhancing the Belmont “campus” — Belmont Park, Belmont Recreation Center, Belmont Elementary, Educare and the Belmont Community Center — including potential expansion of the community center and upgraded outdoor lighting that balances safety with nearby residential concerns; - Exploring a homeowner repair program and support services (including potential partnerships for a tool-lending library); - Upgrading bus stops and shelters at locations with appropriate right-of-way to provide safer, more accessible transit boarding.

"The work done by city planners and the architects was truly a collaborative effort between the professionals and the community members," said resident Virginia Geiger, who told the commission she built and has lived in her Belmont house for 57 years. "Residents were highly engaged throughout this process, and they provided very thoughtful and productive input into the process."

Emily Koopman, executive director of the Belmont Community Center, described the community center’s role in coordinating outreach and noted that philanthropic support allowed the center to expand services during the planning process, including licensed childcare and weekend meals for children.

The commission heard no opposition testimony and received multiple written comments through the public portal, staff said. Following a motion to approve Comprehensive Plan Amendment 250004 (mover not specified; seconded by Commissioner Edens), the commission approved the amendment by roll call, with all seven commissioners voting yes.

The plan provides a framework of more than 30 strategies; staff said moving from plan recommendations to implementation would require additional project-level proposals, funding decisions and coordination among city departments, community partners and, in some cases, external funders.