Lincoln planning commission approves 12 Bridges Veil Center master plan, clears related permits amid traffic and signage concerns

Lincoln — The City of Lincoln Planning Commission on May 21 approved a series of actions that clear the way for the 12 Bridges Veil Center, a proposed 29.7‑acre, freeway‑oriented retail development at the northwest corner of 12 Bridges Drive and Colony Drive in Lincoln.

The commission voted 7–0 to find the project consistent with the previously certified environmental review (CEQA section 15162), and to approve a tentative parcel map and the vacation of certain landscape easements. The commission approved the project’s specific development plan, development permit and master plan — including conditional use permits for four drive‑through facilities — by a 5–2 vote on the development permit resolution.

The project proposes about 14 commercial parcels and roughly 241,000–245,000 square feet of retail in 14 buildings (the transcript contains both figures). The site plan anticipates major retail anchors (buildings larger than 25,000 square feet), junior retail, multi‑tenant pads and single‑tenant pads; building heights in the master plan range from about 33 feet for small pads to about 58 feet for major retail. The plan calls for reciprocal access and parking agreements across the parcels and a required parking supply of 1,074 stalls; staff said the project would exceed that requirement by 119 stalls.

Why it matters: The site fronts State Route 65 and lies within the 12 Bridges specific plan area; commissioners and public commenters focused on how the center could affect traffic at nearby school peak times, visual impact from the freeway and long‑term pedestrian and trail connections. The project is intended to create a visible gateway for motorists on SR‑65 and to attract tenants that rely on freeway visibility.

What commissioners and experts said

Francis, senior planner with the Community Development Department, presented the staff report and recommended the commission "conduct a public hearing, consider the information contained in the staff report and testimony of the public," and take the listed actions. The staff report describes the project as a master plan to streamline future site‑ and building‑level reviews while establishing architecture, landscaping, signage and lighting standards.

John Guard, principal of Fair and Peers and the project traffic engineer, described the proposed…