Planning Board approves land‑use amendment and rezoning for mixed residential project despite industrial neighbor concerns
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Summary
The board voted to advance a three‑part application (land‑use amendment, plat and rezoning, PUR overlay) for a proposed mixed‑residential development west of 25th & Center. Neighbors and industrial operators raised truck‑traffic and safety concerns; staff conditioned further work on a traffic study before City Council review.
The Omaha Planning Board recommended approval of three related requests from applicant Niraj Agrawal for a site west of 25th Avenue and Center Street: a future land‑use amendment from industrial to high‑density residential, a preliminary/final plat and rezoning to allow multifamily (R7/R8), and a PUR planned unit redevelopment overlay for multi‑building residential and townhomes.
Neighbors and a law firm representative for a nearby concrete plant said they are not opposed to development but warned that proposed high‑density residential use sits immediately adjacent to heavy industrial operations. Jack Souter, representing the neighbor Central Concrete, told the board his client’s property receives "on peak usages" traffic that includes large numbers of trucks and mixers and said the proposed development’s access could create safety risks for children and residents.
"On peak usages, we have about 120 aggregate dump trucks, 20 cement tankers and 240 concrete mixers," Souter said, citing the plant’s activity. Neighbor Chris Rogers added that much of the truck traffic uses 26th Street and that the proximity of play areas and a proposed playground raises safety concerns.
Applicant representatives said they understand those concerns and noted a traffic study is underway. "There is currently a traffic study that's underway," the applicant's civil engineer said; the board called Public Works traffic staff (Ryan Haas) to explain the study process. Haas said the traffic impact analysis will measure existing conditions, add projected trips from the development and recommend mitigations (signals, stop signs or other improvements) if necessary, and that final subdivision approval will include required improvements identified in the approved traffic study.
Staff recommended approval of the future land‑use change, rezoning and PUR overlay with conditions, including finalization of the traffic study and incorporation of its required improvements into the subdivision agreement prior to City Council. Board members repeatedly expressed safety concerns and asked the applicant to pursue design options to reduce truck‑conflict points; the board voted to approve each component while noting the need for the traffic study to be completed and signed off prior to final Council action.
Next steps: staff will finalize conditions tied to the traffic study and include required mitigations and subdivision agreement conditions before forwarding the items to City Council for final action.
