Planning Commission

MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE NORTH PLATTE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD ON THE 30th DAY OF AUGUST 2022 IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS. MEMBERS PRESENT: Marilyn McGahan, Angie Forbes, David Fudge, Nelson Jett, Jeff Bain, Tristen Winder, Emily Wurl MEMBERS ABSENT: Don Weber, Lee Davies STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Judy Clark, Planning Administrator; Michelle Bain, Recording Secretary Notice of the meeting was given in advance thereof, by posting in at least three places in the City as follows: North Platte Public Library, Lincoln County Courthouse, and City Hall offices. Notice of the meeting was given to the Chairman and all members of the Planning Commission. Availability of the agenda was communicated in the advance notice and in the notice to the Chairman and members of the Commission. All proceedings thereafter shown were taken while the convened meeting was open to the attendance of the public. Chair McGahan called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and stated a current copy of the open meetings act of Nebraska is posted at the back of the Council Chambers. 2. Fudge moved and Bain seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held July 26, 2022. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Davies, Weber. Motion carried. 3. Discuss and consider action on a request to vacate a 16’ alley between 1218 N. Ash Street and 505 Rodeo Road running east and west from Ash and a request to vacate a 12’ alley on the west side of 1218 N Ash Street running north and south, more particularly, the alley on the south side of Lot 3 McEachron’s Subdivision, North Platte, Nebraska and the north side of Zeller 2nd Administrative Subdivision, North Platte, Nebraska and the alley on the west side of Lots 1-3 McEachron’s Subdivision North Platte, Nebraska and the east side of Lot 2 Block 12 E.D. Mae Replat, North Platte, Nebraska. Judy stated that the applicant is requesting the alley vacation to allow future reconfiguration of the lots and possible fence installation. The city has a sewer line located in both alleys and will retain both utility easements. Planning Staff has no objections to the requested alley vacations providing 16’ and 12’ are retained as a utility easements in place of the alleys. A couple of the Planning Commissioners pointed out that it’s hard to tell this is an alley. Fudge moved and Jett seconded the motion to approve the request to vacate a 16’ alley between 1218 N. Ash Street and 505 Rodeo Road running east and west from Ash and a request to vacate a 12’ alley on the west side of 1218 N. Ash Street running north and south and retaining a 16’ utility easement and a 12’ utility easement in place of the alleys. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. 4. File No. SU22-016 Discuss and consider action on an application North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation for preliminary and final approval of Mulligan Meadows First Subdivision located at 1517-1621 Adams Avenue in an R-2 Dwelling District on property described as part of Lot 11, Cody Land and Cattle Co. Subdivision to North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska. Judy stated that the subdivision will split one lot into 9 lots. Future roads will be created; however, these lots do have access to a city improved road and sewer. Water service will need to be extended to the lots. Planning Staff has no objections to Mulligan Meadows First Subdivision. Fudge asked if there it someone ready to start building. Gary Person, Pres, North Platte Chamber & Development Corporation, 502 S. Dewey, was present and stated their whole intent was to try to get going on housing. Part of the deterrent is the availability of lots. This would help invigorate the north side to attract developers to develop workforce housing. They asked for proposals by late September and ideally they would have one developer commit to all of it. All infrastructure is there except one block and they are going through process of getting that installed. They hope something happens before the end of the year. What happens with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th phases depends on what happens with this phase. The lots won’t get developed if we don’t do this. North Platte Planning August 30, 2022 Page - 2 Winder moved and Bain seconded the motion to approve Mulligan Meadows First Subdivision. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. 5. Public Hearing Discuss and consider action on a resolution regarding the City of North Platte, Nebraska Blight and Substandard Study – Wilkinson Study Area, prepared by Marvin Planning Consultants, Inc., and make a recommendation regarding its conformity with the City of North Platte Comprehensive Plan 2011 whether the real estate described should be declared substandard and blighted for the development of the City of North Platte pursuant to Nebraska Community Development Law. The area includes an estimated 30 acres located along and north of Hackberry Road and south of the Interstate 80 Corridor. Chair McGahan opened the public hearing. Judy explained that the City Planning Commission’s responsibility in the Blight & Substandard Determination Study process is to take public comment on whether the real estate described should be declared substandard and blighted as pursuant to the Nebraska Community Development Law and if the study is in conformance with the City of North Platte Comprehensive Plan. The following statements should be considered and confirmed. • This property as presented in the study meets the requirements to be declared substandard, • This property as presented in the study meets the requirements to be declared blighted, • The factors necessary to declare the property blighted and substandard are sufficiently distributed to impact development across the entire site, • That development of this property to its full potential is in the best interest of the City of North Platte and the entire region • That there are projects ready to develop in this area if they can meet the financial goals of the developers The City of North Platte, Nebraska Blight and Substandard Study – Wilkinson Study Area prepared by Marvin Planning Consultants, Inc. was on the August 2, 2022 City Council Agenda and referred to the City Planning Commission for review with no comment. Nebraska State Statute 18-2103(3) regulates the percentage of city limits that may be declared blight and substandard pursuant Nebraska Community Development Law and states a city of the first class shall not designate more than thirty-five percent (35%) of the city as blighted. Currently, the city limits of the City of North Platte contain 11,330.13 acres with 2,355.83 acres designated as blighted and substandard or 20.8%. The proposed study will designate an additional 30 acres as blighted and substandard which will increase the city’s percentage to 21.1% designated as blighted and substandard. Additionally, a summary of the requirements for a property to be declared substandard and blighted pursuant to Nebraska Community Development Law is attached for your review. Planning Staff recommends approval of the study and passage of the attached resolution. The study is in conformance with the North Platte Nebraska Comprehensive Plan 2011 and meets the requirements to be declared substandard and blighted. By declaring this area as blight and substandard the city remains below the 35% threshold leaving acres available for future blight and substandard declarations. Winder moved and Bain seconded the motion to close the public hearing. Gary Person asked to speak before the public hearing was closed. He stated there is zero chance of getting housing without having programs that allow infrastructure cost to not be carried entirely by the homeowner. Voting Aye on closing the public hearing: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. Fudge stated that he struggled with this one because it’s a pretty nice neighborhood. Judy stated that blighted and substandard does not have to look bad, there are other criteria to be considered. Fudge asked if declaring blighted and substandard affects the evaluation. Bain stated it does not affect the evaluation. Forbes and Jett stated there were homes in that area sold for over $200,000. North Platte Planning August 30, 2022 Page - 3 Keith Marvin, Marvin Planning Consultants, was present and allowed to speak. He stated the study is based upon age of houses and infrastructure in the area. Some of the streets are rough because they have been there for a while. Standing water is interpreted as a potential hazard because of what can happen with mosquitoes, etc. The average age of homes if 40.8 years so it was close. The vast majority of the homes beat the 40 year age and if any more development is put in that area there is an assumption that some of that infrastructure will have to be upgraded. There was discussion among Planning Commission members regarding the border of the study area. Jett moved and Winder seconded the motion to approve the resolution and recommend adoption of the City of North Platte, Nebraska Blight and Substandard Study – Wilkinson Study Area, prepared by Marvin Planning Consultants, Inc., and approval of related actions. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. 6. Discussion of upcoming Zoning Map and Zoning Regulation amendments – Home Based Business, Home Occupation, Special Events District. Judy stated there is nothing prepared for this but she wants to keep it on the agenda to continue to work towards it. 7. Election of Officers. Chair McGahan stated she is not eligible for any office on because she will be replaced before next Planning Commission meeting. Bain nominated Fudge to be Chair, Winder seconded the nomination. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Abstaining: Fudge. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. Winder nominated Jett as Vice-Chair/Secretary. Wurl seconded the nomination. Voting Aye: McGahan, Forbes, Fudge, Jett, Bain, Wurl, Winder. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Weber, Davies. Motion carried. 8. Old Business. There was no old business to be discussed. 9. New Business. Winder thanked Chair McGahan for her service. Judy explained there will be special meetings in the future. Judy further explained that the chair person must serve on the Board of Adjustment or appoint someone else to serve. Board of Adjustment meetings are held at 8:30 a.m. on the same Tuesday as Planning Commission meetings. Judy also told the Planning Commission they can still register for the NPZA Conference in Kearney. Chair McGahan stated her service on the Planning Commission has been interesting. What has happened over the 56 years or so that she has been here has been frustrating but very exciting. It has been a good experience. Working state wide and with local people has been rewarding. She thanked the Planning Commissioners for serving. She encouraged them to continue their work with the City. 10. Adjourn. Chair McGahan adjourned the meeting at 6:06 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Michelle Bain Recording Secretary