Kearney council approves rezoning, plats and annexation for two residential subdivisions

Kearney City Council approved final platting, rezoning and an annexation for two residential subdivisions after public hearings on March 11, 2025.

The council voted to vacate easements and portions of streets in the Meadows First Addition, replat and rezone the 66-lot Meadows Second Addition, approve a final plat and subdivision agreement, and annex a portion of the Meadows property into the city. The council also approved rezoning and a final plat for the Spruce Hollow West Third subdivision, a one-lot addition to an existing preliminary plat. All motions carried by unanimous roll call votes.

The approvals complete steps developers need to begin construction. Nate Jensen, who identified himself as representing Olsen and Drozka Group Unlimited, told the council the Meadows Second Addition covers “about 38 acres” north of 40th Street and east of Avenue V/X and will include 66 lots and two outlots. Jensen described planned connections to existing infrastructure: water will be fed from a 16-inch main and an 8-inch main in the Meadows First Addition, sanitary service will connect to existing 12-inch and 8-inch mains on Avenue V and Avenue X, and stormwater from the new addition will tie into the first-addition detention pond.

“Preliminary plat containing all 66 lots and 2 out lots with the replatting of all necessary easement streets and reconfiguration of lots from the vacation request,” Jensen said when presenting the plan. When asked about timing, Jensen said the developer hopes to begin work “as soon as we can this summer.” Danny Straska, who gave his address to the record and spoke as a developer representative, said the company expects to build a mix of custom homes and sell lots.

For Meadows the council approved a package of ordinances numbered 87-26 through 87-42 vacating specified easements and portions of streets, and separately passed a motion adopting the ordinances for final passage. The council then adopted Resolution No. 2025-24 approving the final plat and subdivision agreement for the Meadows Second Addition, and Resolution No. 2025-25 annexing the described parcel — identified in the hearing as property north of East 40th Street and east of Avenue V extending about 740 feet east of Avenue X — into city limits. Roll calls recorded Mayor Nicola and councilmembers Moore, Schmidt, Straatman and Bushcutter voting aye on the measures.

Craig Bennett of Miller and Associates, representing DT Development, presented the Spruce Hollow West Third subdivision proposal. Bennett said the item is a 3.42-acre, one-lot final plat that extends Sixtieth Street eastward and creates a temporary cul-de-sac pending future phasing. He described the parcel as previously preliminarily platted and said the developer seeks rezoning from agricultural (AG) to R-2 residential to match adjacent phases.

“We would extend this paving here for the frontage of this lot to be developed, and then we would place a temporary cul de sac,” Bennett said in his presentation. The council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 87-43 rezoning the parcel to District R-2 and passed Resolution No. 2025-26 approving the final plat and subdivision agreement for Spruce Hollow West Third. Roll calls again were unanimous in favor.

The council also approved the consent agenda and open account claims earlier in the meeting by unanimous votes; no items were pulled for separate consideration.

Meeting minutes show councilmembers asked a small number of procedural and timing questions; no motions were amended during the hearings and no members voted against the measures. Developers indicated construction is expected to begin as soon as approvals are processed and conditions of the subdivision agreements are satisfied.

The measures carry implementation steps typically required before building permits are issued, including completion of required utility extensions and final subdivision paperwork with the city clerk.