Lincoln City Council Regular Meeting - November 18, 2024

The Lincoln City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, November 18, 2024, starting at 5:30 PM and adjourning at 7:24 PM. All council members were present except Councilmember Weber. The meeting addressed a wide range of items including consent agenda approvals, public hearings, resolutions, and ordinances. All votes were 6-0 in favor unless otherwise noted.

Consent Calendar

• Approved Witches Brew LLC, dba Witches Brew, as a keno satellite located at 200 West P Street (24R-522).
• Approved the Certification of the Street Superintendent for a term from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 (24R-523).
• Set the Board of Equalization Hearing Date for Monday, December 9, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. on assessments for the Downtown Management B.I.D., Downtown Management Core Overlay District, Downtown Maintenance District, and West Haymarket Maintenance District (24R-543).
• Placed on file the Affidavit of Mailing for the Assessment of Weed Abatement by the County Weed Control Authority for Calendar Year November 1, 2023 through October 31, 2024.
• Placed on file the Lincoln Electric System Financial and Operating Statement for September 2024.
• Placed on file the Clerk's Letter & Mayor's Approval of Resolutions and Ordinances passed by City Council on October 28, 2024.

Petitions & Communications

• Set a public hearing date of December 9, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. for the Class CKE liquor license application of Landshark Realty Group, LLC dba The CORNer Bar (24R-530).
• Set a public hearing date of December 9, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. for the Class I liquor license application of VI OPCO, LLC dba Village Inn (24R-531).
• Placed on file four administrative amendments approved by the Planning Director: Great Plains Beef (increase square footage), Fallbrook PUD (lot transfer), Wilderness Crossing PUD (rear yard setback reduction), and West View Addition Final Plat (typographical corrections).

Public Hearing – Liquor Resolutions

• Approved the Class I liquor license for VI OPCO, LLC dba Village Inn at 7101 South 27th Street (24R-532).
• Approved the manager application of Brian Mellick for that location (24R-533).
• Approved the Class I liquor license for Cornhusker Bar and Grill, LLC dba Cornhusker Bar & Grill at 1445 Cornhusker Highway (24R-534).
• Approved the manager application of Saad Khodida for that location (24R-535).
• Approved the manager application of Kevin M. Ames for Vincenzo's Inc. dba Vincenzo's Ristorante at 808 P Street, Suite 100 (24R-536).

Public Hearing – Resolutions

• Adopted Resolution 24R-524 authorizing the issuance of Tax Allocation Bonds for the Dairy House Redevelopment Project, Phase II in an amount not to exceed $315,000.
• Adopted Resolution 24R-525 accepting and approving the report of new and pending claims against the City for October 15 through October 31, 2024.

Public Hearing – Ordinances 2nd Reading & Related Resolutions

• Item 24-129 (Verizon Wireless tower space agreement) was given second reading.
• Items 24-130, 24R-526, and 24R-527 (Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. – change of zone, special permit, and conditional zoning agreement for property north of O Street and Anthony Lane) were delayed by verbal motion with continued public hearing and action set for December 2, 2024 (6-0).

Ordinances – 3rd Reading & Related Resolutions (Public Hearing & Action)

• Glenbrook, LLC (70th & Nebraska Parkway): Passed change of zone 24-123 (AGR to O-3) and adopted related resolutions: Comprehensive Plan Amendment 24R-475 (future land use from Urban Residential to Commercial), Conditional Zoning Agreement 24R-474 as amended (MTA adopted 6-0; adopted as amended 6-0), and Use Permit 24R-476 as amended (MTA adopted 6-0; adopted as amended 6-0). All items had been delayed from October 28, 2024.

Ordinances – 3rd Reading & Related Resolutions

• White Development Company (112th & O Street): Passed annexation 24-124 (29 acres) and change of zone 24-125 (AG and R-3 to H-4, 31 acres). Adopted the First Amendment to the Conditional Annexation and Change of Zone Agreement (24R-496) and Special Permit 24R-497 for Planned Service Commercial with waivers.
• Central at South Haymarket Redevelopment: Adopted Redevelopment Agreement 24R-498, amended the FY 24/25 CIP to authorize $5,594,000 in TIF (24R-499), and passed ordinance 24-126 authorizing Tax Allocation Bonds for the project.
• Central Park Offices and Apartments PUD: Passed change of zone 24-127 (amending PUD to allow O-3 uses and signs).
• Lincoln Electric System: Passed ordinance 24-128 authorizing issuance of up to $300,000,000 in Revenue and Refunding Bonds. Adopted 24R-493 establishing rate schedules effective January 1, 2025. Adopted 24R-502 approving the 2025 budget.

Resolutions – 1st Reading (Items 9.a. through 9.f.)

• Appointed Yinka Akinyemi to the Community Health Endowment Board of Trustees (term to expire September 1, 2027).
• Approved a vending services contract with LinPepCo Partnership/First Choice Vending (four-year term with one four-year renewal option).
• Approved the Second Amendment to the Lower Platte River Consortium Interlocal Cooperation Agreement extending the term to December 4, 2029.
• Accepted and placed on file the claims report for November 1–14, 2024.
• Approved an interlocal agreement with Lancaster County for emergency dental services at the Youth Services Center.
• Approved a Landfill Gas Rights and Lease Agreement with Sparq Renewables, LLC.

Ordinances – 1st Reading (Items 10.a. through 10.i.)

• Introduced street and alley vacation for ABC Electric Company (24-131).
• Introduced amendments to the Lincoln Food Code to comply with the Nebraska Pure Food Act (24-132).
• Introduced pay schedule amendments creating and deleting numerous classifications across multiple pay ranges (24-133 through 24-139).

Pending List (Extended One Week)

• Items related to the Falcon Corner Redevelopment Project (24R-18, 24R-35, 24R-36, 24-10, 23R-638, 23-158, 23R-639, 23-159) remained on the pending list with no date certain for action; originally moved to pending in January 2024.

Public Comment

• No public comments were recorded during the open microphone session. The agenda noted that individuals may speak up to 5 minutes on matters not on the agenda, but no testimony was provided.

Key Outcomes

• All items on the consent calendar were adopted or placed on file without opposition.
• All liquor license and manager applications were approved unanimously (6-0).
• The Dairy House Phase II TIF bonds ($315,000) were authorized (6-0).
• The Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. items were delayed to December 2, 2024 (6-0).
• The Glenbrook, LLC redevelopment (70th & Nebraska Parkway) passed all related items with amendments (6-0 each).
• The White Development annexation and commercial development at 112th & O Street were approved (6-0).
• The Central at South Haymarket TIF and bond issuance were approved (6-0 each).
• The Central Park Offices PUD amendment was passed (6-0).
• LES bonds ($300M), new rate schedules, and the 2025 budget were adopted (6-0 each).
• All first-reading items were introduced and will be considered for final action at a future meeting.
• The Falcon Corner project remained on the pending list.