Council opens public hearing on zoning amendment to restore special-use permits

The Lincoln Town Council on Monday opened a public hearing on Ordinance 2025-15, a proposed amendment to the town zoning chapter that would restore special-use permits the legislature had effectively removed from local ordinances.

Town staff and advisors presented the ordinance report during the council's work session, and the subcommittee recommended the measure favorably. Because of scheduling rules the mover withdrew an attempt to adopt the ordinance at the work session and the council instead agreed to open the required public hearing; the ordinance is slated for a vote at the council's regular meeting the following night.

Why it matters: Councilors and staff said recent state law changes altered how municipalities may regulate special-use permits, creating a gap in the town's zoning code. Mr. Sluisia told the council that town planner Stephanie, with support from Weston & Sampson, had spent considerable time revising the ordinance to "restore the special use permits that you previously had," while aligning the document with the state's new criteria.

During the hearing a councilor asked whether the ordinance would affect backyard chickens; the chair closed the hearing after brief remarks and confirmed the item would return for action at the next meeting.

What was said (select): Mr. Sluisia, summarizing staff work on the rewrite, said, "She's essentially restored the special use permits that you previously had. However, with the new criteria as authorized by the state, there's a massive undertaking." The council recorded no vote on adoption at the work session; the procedural action taken was to open the public hearing.

Next steps: The ordinance will be on the regular council meeting agenda for final consideration and any formal vote. The council did not adopt substantive changes at the work session and signaled that additional discussion may occur before a final vote.