Kearney City Council Meeting – April 8, 2025
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Kearney City Council Meeting – April 8, 2025
The Kearney City Council met on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 18 East 22nd Street. The council approved a rezoning, postponed two public hearings, approved the consent agenda and two regular agenda items, and received reports on city projects. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Approved minutes of the March 25, 2025 regular meeting.
- Claims: Approved the claims as presented.
- 2025 Part 3 Improvements: Approved plans and specifications for Butler Avenue Place (Tech One Fourth) and set the bid opening for May 6, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
- Cruise Nite 2025: Approved an agreement with Central Nebraska Auto Club for parking restrictions on July 19, 2025, beginning at 2:00 a.m., and adopted Resolution No. 2025-36.
- Surplus Equipment: Approved the Utilities Department’s request to sell surplus equipment by the method deemed most advantageous.
- Shade Structures at Memorial Field: Approved the purchase of two shade structures for $76,558.27 from Next Generation Recreation under a cooperative purchasing program.
Discussion Items
- Rezoning – 802 East 30th Street: The council conducted a public hearing on an application by Lynn Brandt (applicant) for Countryside Mobile Park Inc. (owner) to rezone Lots 21 and 22, Switz Subdivision from District R-1 (Low Density Residential) to R-1D (Residential District). The Planning Commission had recommended approval. Brandt stated the property currently has a house, which he hopes to move or tear down; he plans to develop the lot next year. He noted that the R-1D zone would also allow a single-family dwelling if he later subdivided differently. The council closed the hearing and unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 8744.
- Postponement – Good Samaritan Village Public Hearings: The council postponed public hearings for two related items (vacation and rezoning, and final plat/subdivision agreement) for property at 2201 East 32nd Street, submitted by Miller & Associates for Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. The hearings were moved to the April 22, 2025 council meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
- Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for Stonebridge Wealth Systems: Finance Director Kayla James presented a proposed TIF project for the remodel of the former Ruby Tuesday building at 101 1st Avenue Place into new offices for Stonebridge Wealth Systems. Key figures: total new valuation $1,153,800; current valuation $792,410; incremental valuation $361,390; estimated annual tax increment $6,195. The Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) recommended awarding 90% of the annual increment over 15 years, not to exceed certified eligible project costs of $70,939, beginning with tax year 2025. The council adopted Resolution No. 2025-37 approving the finding and authorizing contract negotiations.
Key Outcomes
- Rezoning Approved: Ordinance No. 8744 passed unanimously (5 ayes).
- Public Hearings Postponed: Both hearings (Items III-2 and III-3) postponed to April 22, 2025; motion passed unanimously.
- Consent Agenda Approved: Items 1–6 approved as a block (5 ayes).
- Open Account Claim Approved: A claim for $736.44 against Mayor Jonathan Nikkila was approved 4-0 with Nikkila abstaining.
- TIF Approval: Resolution No. 2025-37 adopted unanimously (5 ayes), granting 90% of annual increment for 15 years up to $70,939 in eligible costs.
- Reports: The city manager reported that the Sportsplex open house on April 5 saw over 7,000 visitors on Saturday, followed by 110 volleyball teams on Sunday and 150 teams scheduled for the following Sunday. A ribbon cutting for the Sportsplex will be on April 10. The Kearney Tomorrow 2050 survey closes on April 11.
Meeting Transcript
In accordance with section 84-1412 of the Nebraska revised statutes, a current copy of the Open Meetings Act is available for review. Peggy, can you please take roll? Mayor Nicolas. Here. Bush Cutter. Here. Here. Schmidt. Stratman. Here. Okay. We have no oral communications this week and no unfinished business. So we're gonna move to public hearing one, which pertains to the application submitted by Leanne Brandt, applicant for Countryside Mobile Home Park Inc., owner to rezone property located at 802 East 30th Street. Planning Commission recommended approval. So who's up? Come on up, Lenny. All right. Uh distinguished members of City Council and City Manager Brenda and City Staff. I'm Lynn Brandt. I live at 100. Pardon? I help your power. Please, please. I'm requesting that this property here that's uh outlined in red be rezoned from R1 to District R 1D. And I'm it's been uh approved by the research and development team, and it's also been approved by uh planning commission, and I'm asking uh your blessings on the project also. Okay, thanks, Lynn. Any questions? At least one, please. What do you plan to do with the one house on there right now? What do you plan to do with the house that's on the lot right now? Well, I would like somebody to take it, and uh if I can't get rid of it, I'll have to tear it down. Okay. So that that's my that's my current plan. Okay. And just uh as a question, in the the planning the planning commission asked you if the house was currently occupied, and you said yes. Is there is there a plan for the for the occupants to move or do you have a timeline for when the property will be empty? I told them that I would uh give them at least 90 days, and my plates kind of full right now for a guy my age, and uh that's probably going to be next year that I get around to starting something, so and hopefully I can find something for them or they can find something for themselves. It would be difficult to replace that for them. He drives a semi and there's a nice big lot there to park it in front of. So but uh and and I feel bad about that. In fact, I I visited with Brenda about this on a different occasion about subdividing that lot and leaving the house there and building subdividing the lot instead of not now. They're divided east and west, but divide it north and south, which would give me a 62 by 92 foot lot and and put up uh a single family dwelling there. But I already had my spent my 500 and I've already been through two hoops here, and so now I'm just asking to go ahead and through with that. And if I decide to do that, uh which I probably won't, but if I would decide to do that, uh I can certainly build a single family dwelling in the R1D zone. Yeah, so if if you guys approve this and he were to change his plans by next year, that is something he could still do without requiring another rezoning. You're done with the hoops, yeah. Done with hoops. Done with hoops. Yep. You're done with hoops.
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