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Loomis board adopts ordinance lowering speed limit on annexed stretch of Highway 23
Summary
The Village of Loomis Board on July 9 adopted Ordinance 71.21 to reduce the speed limit on the annexed portion of Highway 23 (Glade Street to east end of Clifton Street) from 65 mph to 50 mph following an NDOT traffic study; the ordinance passed 3–1 after suspension of the three-reading rule.
The Village Board of Trustees of Loomis on July 9 approved Ordinance 71.21, lowering the posted speed limit on the portion of Highway 23 added to the village limits (from Glade Street to the east end of Clifton Street) to 50 miles per hour.
Chairman Keith Fagot introduced the ordinance, citing a traffic study by the Nebraska Department of Transportation recommending the change. Board member Melanie Freeman moved to suspend the statutory rule requiring ordinances be read at three separate meetings so the board could vote; the suspension passed with Fagot, Freeman and Maxine Berry voting yes and Don Masten voting no. On the subsequent motion to approve Ordinance 71.21 as read, Fagot, Freeman and Berry voted yes and Masten voted no; Trustee Ben Collin was absent.
The ordinance text, as presented, cites Neb. RS 60-6,187, 60-6,188, 60-6,305 and 60-6,313 and states the lower speed applies to the annexed stretch of Highway 23. The ordinance notes it "shall be in full force from and after its passage approval and publication in packet form, according to law." The board did not record further amendments or conditions to the change.
Why it matters: lowering the posted limit on that stretch of Highway 23 alters enforcement expectations for drivers through the recently annexed area and reflects NDOT’s post-annexation traffic assessment. Officials and residents who travel Highway 23 will see the posted speed change once village signage is installed and the ordinance is published as required by law.
The board will proceed with the administrative steps the ordinance requires for publication; Fagot indicated he would pursue any necessary legal or administrative follow-up. No appeals or effective-date litigation was discussed at the meeting.
(Provenance: ordinance introduced SEG 018–SEG 026; suspension motion SEG 031; ordinance adoption and vote SEG 032.)
