Council denies developer request to amend PUR overlay for North 16th Street project

The Omaha City Council voted unanimously to deny a request to approve a major amendment to the PUR overlay at 3204 North 16th Street, a nearly finished stacked‑triplex project in North Omaha.

Developer Don Curry told the council that he had lost HUD grant funding, had invested roughly $1.5 million in the project and had made value‑engineering choices to finish construction. “You all are in office to help, not to hinder,” Curry said during his remarks, adding that the building is “99% complete” and had passed most trade inspections. Planning Department Director David Fanslaw told the council that the department and Planning Board recommended denial because the exterior treatment now differs substantially from what city boards had approved: “When something strays far enough away from what was originally approved, we require a major amendment,” Fanslaw said, and he explained that the department could not sign off on occupancy until the building met the PUR plan.

Council members debated fairness to a small developer and the need to enforce the standards set by the PUR process. Council Member Melton said consistency in applying the code is essential: if the city allows post‑construction substitutions that depart from approved plans, “we would be treating people unfairly.” The council then voted 6–0 to deny the requested amendment; the Planning Department indicated it would not issue a certificate of occupancy until the project complies with the approved PUR or an approved amendment.

What’s next: the developer may pursue administrative minor amendments where applicable, file for a formal major amendment that conforms to the PUR standards, or seek other appeal channels identified by City Hall. The council record indicates that denial prevents the department from issuing the final certificate of occupancy until compliance is achieved.