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Record of Proceedings

Kearney Planning Commission Meeting - March 17, 2023

Planning Commission — Friday, March 17, 2023
BodyKearney, Nebraska
SessionPlanning Commission
DateFriday, March 17, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:15:39

Original source
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0:06

Okay, can you see me?

0:08

Okay.

0:08

Let's do it.

0:10

I'm gonna call this meeting of the planning commission to order and ask for a roll call, please.

0:15

Sorry.

0:16

Hello.

0:17

Here.

0:17

Baker.

0:18

Here.

0:19

Cochrane.

0:19

Here.

0:20

Rickard.

0:20

Here.

0:21

Yeah.

0:21

Here.

0:22

McGinnis.

0:22

Here.

0:23

We have a quorum.

0:24

In accordance with section 84, 1412, the Nebraska's revised statutes.

0:28

The court current copy of the open meeting act is available for review and is posted on the wall of the council chambers.

0:36

Before we get too far into this, I'd like to introduce our new planning commission member, Jeffrey Baker.

0:42

Welcome.

0:42

Yeah, thanks, guys.

0:44

Appreciate being here.

0:46

I am the lead pastor at New Life Church.

0:49

We're way out on 39th.

0:51

We've got three campuses that are physical.

0:54

So we've got we own the the old Sunmark building out of North Platte.

0:58

We've got a great facility in Ogalala that is up on a bluff, overlooks the community.

1:03

And so we broadcast out of Kearney.

1:05

We've got staff that live in uh other communities.

1:09

Got four adult children.

1:10

I got 11 grandchildren.

1:12

And um, so that's why I let the beard grow, just to let you guys know I got a little age on me.

1:17

Gotta have some gray.

1:18

Uh but man, we've lived here in Kearney.

1:20

We moved here 24 years ago down from Alaska, and so it's an honor to uh to sit on this team here, just looking for ways to be involved in the community in some practical ways.

1:30

So it's an honor to be here.

1:31

Thank you.

1:32

Welcome.

1:32

Yeah.

1:33

Chairperson Dart, if you would like to have each member go through and introduce themselves and um maybe give their tell us how long you've been serving on the commission as a way so test.

1:47

Yep, Joey and Joey Cochran.

1:49

Uh been on the commission.

1:52

I want to say five years.

1:54

Okay.

1:54

Sounds right.

1:55

Are we gonna verify it even the notes?

1:59

Correction, correction, correction.

2:01

All right, great.

2:02

I'm Dave Malone, and Rich and I started the same meeting.

2:05

And how long's it been?

2:07

Five, six years.

2:07

I was hoping you would know.

2:09

I don't remember that's right after you guys, so oh okay.

2:12

It's been about five years anyway.

2:14

But uh I've known Jeff for a long time.

2:17

Jeff used to before he went to Alaska, he was the youth pastor at New Life Church.

2:23

And uh my kids when they were in high school were under Jeff's tutelage, the new life, so I've known Jeff for a long time.

2:33

That's true.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning and Land Use███████████████████████████████████35%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████████████████35%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Procedural█████████9%
Water And Wastewater Management██2%
Economic Development██2%
Energy Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Kearney Planning Commission Meeting - March 17, 2023

The Kearney Planning Commission met on March 17, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting included the introduction of a new member, approval of minutes from two prior meetings, hearings on two rezoning requests (one postponed, one approved), approval of a revised preliminary plat for the Spruce Hollow West subdivision, and staff reports on upcoming presentations, conference highlights, and a new neighborhood group program.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of January 20, 2023: Approved with one abstention (Commissioner Baker abstained). Motion passed.
  • Minutes of February 17, 2023: Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • Introduction of New Member: Commissioner Jeffery Baker was welcomed. He introduced himself as the lead pastor at New Life Church, having lived in Kearney for 24 years.
  • Rezoning No. 2023‑04 (East of Cherry Avenue & South of E 11th Street): A request by Roger Harders for West Limited, LLC to rezone approximately 10 acres from AG (Agricultural) to BP (Business Park) for relocation of C&I equipment business. Staff found the rezoning compatible with the comprehensive plan and recommended approval. No public testimony. The commission approved the rezoning unanimously.
  • Rezoning No. 2023‑05 (Same Area, C‑3 Request): The applicant requested postponement to the April meeting. The commission approved the postponement unanimously.
  • Preliminary Plat No. 2023‑03 Spruce Hollow West (Revised): Craig Bennett of Miller & Associates presented the revised preliminary plat for a 256.19‑acre subdivision east of 30th Avenue and north of 56th Street. The plat includes a mix of large rural lots (3–4 acres), single‑family residential, and commercial lots. The developer met with adjacent landowners to coordinate future road circulation. The preliminary infrastructure feasibility plan shows gravity sanitary sewer and water main extensions. All roads will be paved (24‑foot concrete on rural sections, 36‑foot curb and gutter on annexed sections). Staff found the plat compatible with zoning and the comprehensive plan, and recommended approval. The commission approved the revised preliminary plat unanimously.
  • Staff Reports:
    • Next month, the Public Works Director or City Engineer will present on traffic impacts and development concerns raised at the prior meeting.
    • Three commissioners attended the Nebraska Planning Conference (March 8–10). Highlights included sessions on placemaking, public engagement techniques (including the FBI hostage negotiation method for handling difficult interactions), solar energy and climate planning, and housing. Commissioner Dart noted opportunities for Nebraska to lead in renewable energy.
    • Malia announced a public meeting on April 6th (6–7 p.m. at the library) to launch the neighborhood group program for residents without active HOAs or groups.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved (unanimous): Rezoning 2023‑04 (AG to BP).
  • Postponed (unanimous): Rezoning 2023‑05 to the April meeting.
  • Approved (unanimous): Preliminary Plat 2023‑03 Spruce Hollow West (Revised), with final plats to come in phases.
  • Directive: Staff to coordinate a presentation on traffic impacts for the next meeting.
  • Next Meeting: Scheduled for April (date not specified in transcript).

Meeting Transcript

Okay, can you see me? Okay. Let's do it. I'm gonna call this meeting of the planning commission to order and ask for a roll call, please. Sorry. Hello. Here. Baker. Here. Cochrane. Here. Rickard. Here. Yeah. Here. McGinnis. Here. We have a quorum. In accordance with section 84, 1412, the Nebraska's revised statutes. The court current copy of the open meeting act is available for review and is posted on the wall of the council chambers. Before we get too far into this, I'd like to introduce our new planning commission member, Jeffrey Baker. Welcome. Yeah, thanks, guys. Appreciate being here. I am the lead pastor at New Life Church. We're way out on 39th. We've got three campuses that are physical. So we've got we own the the old Sunmark building out of North Platte. We've got a great facility in Ogalala that is up on a bluff, overlooks the community. And so we broadcast out of Kearney. We've got staff that live in uh other communities. Got four adult children. I got 11 grandchildren. And um, so that's why I let the beard grow, just to let you guys know I got a little age on me. Gotta have some gray. Uh but man, we've lived here in Kearney. We moved here 24 years ago down from Alaska, and so it's an honor to uh to sit on this team here, just looking for ways to be involved in the community in some practical ways. So it's an honor to be here. Thank you. Welcome. Yeah. Chairperson Dart, if you would like to have each member go through and introduce themselves and um maybe give their tell us how long you've been serving on the commission as a way so test. Yep, Joey and Joey Cochran. Uh been on the commission. I want to say five years. Okay. Sounds right. Are we gonna verify it even the notes? Correction, correction, correction. All right, great.

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