Lincoln City Council Regular Meeting - January 13, 2025

The Lincoln City Council met on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 3:00 PM. All members were present except Councilmember Bowers, who was absent for votes on liquor items. The meeting covered a consent agenda, multiple public hearings, and first readings of resolutions. Key actions included appointments, appropriations, interlocal agreements, comprehensive plan amendments, and decisions on liquor license applications. Notable votes included unanimous approvals for most items, with one abstention on a keno fund appropriation.

Consent Calendar

• 25R-5: Appointing Greer McCurley to the Community Health Endowment Board of Trustees for a term expiring September 1, 2027. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-6: Reappointing Kenneth Brownell and Marcy Haas to the Veterans Memorial Garden Advisory Council for partial one-year terms, as amended. (Adopted as amended, 7-0)
• 25R-7: Reappointing Lanetta Edison-Soe to the Mayor's Multicultural Advisory Committee for a term expiring September 18, 2027. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-8: Approving $250,000 from keno lottery funds for Human Services. (Adopted, 6-0; Councilmember Weber abstained)
• 25R-18: Investment Activity Report for quarter ending November 30, 2024. (Adopted, 7-0)
• Report from City Treasurer: Cash on hand for October 31, 2024, and November 30, 2024. (Placed on file)
• Miscellaneous Referrals: None.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were recorded during the meeting. The agenda allowed for public comment on consent items and an open microphone session at the end, but no speakers are noted in the available materials.

Discussion Items

Mayor's Award of Excellence

Mayor's Award of Excellence for September 2024 was presented to Thomas Svehla and Sam Salem from the Lincoln Police Department for productivity, loss prevention, and customer relations.

Public Hearing - Liquor Resolutions

• 25R-19: Application of Opulent Nails Spa, LLC dba Opulent Nail & Spa for a Class I Liquor License at 8415 Maddox Drive, Suite 102. (Adopted for denial, 6-0; Bowers absent)
• 25R-20: Manager application of Thach Nguyen for the same establishment. (Adopted for denial, 6-0; Bowers absent)
• 25R-21: Manager application of Aiden Burkitt for HopCat Lincoln at 601 P Street. (Adopted for approval, 6-0; Bowers absent)
• 25R-22: Manager application of Kevin Clark for Zipline Brewing Co. at 2100 Magnum Circle, Suite 1-5. (Adopted for approval, 6-0; Bowers absent)

Public Hearing - Resolutions

• 25R-9: Accepting claims report for December 1–30, 2024. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-10: Professional Services Agreement Supplement No. 1 with HDR Engineering for environmental services on the Waterford Trail project. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-11: License Agreement with Lincoln Flying Disc Club for disc golf courses at four parks. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-12: Comprehensive Plan Amendment 24006 by 84Ventures, LLC to revise Priority Growth Areas, Future Service Limit, and Future Land Use Map for property at S. 84th Street and Rokeby Road, changing from Agriculture to Urban Residential and Tier III to Tier I. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-13: Interlocal Agreement with Nebraska DHHS for Healthy Families America home visiting services. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-14: Interlocal Agreement with Village of Denton for health regulation inspection and enforcement. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-15: Interlocal Agreement with Village of Davey for health regulation inspection and enforcement. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-16: Revisions to Administrative Regulation #20. (Adopted, 7-0)
• 25R-17: Agreement with Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors for a $231,000 sub-grant to address health equity and social determinants of health through community health workers. (Adopted, 7-0)

Public Hearing - Ordinances 2nd Reading

• 25-1: Text Amendment 24013 to amend Lincoln Municipal Code regarding definitions for “Annual Attraction Event” and related changes to agricultural and commercial recreation use groups. The ordinance had its second reading; no vote was taken at this meeting.

Resolutions - 1st Reading

• 25R-23: Appeal by Jason Schwinck of Special Permit 24009 for a garden center on N. 56th Street. (First reading, no vote)
• 25R-24: Resolution to direct submittal to voters of a ballot question for the April 8, 2025 primary election to continue a 1/4 cent sales tax for street rehabilitation for eight years. (First reading, no vote)
• 25R-25: Interlocal Agreement with Railroad Transportation Safety District for use of at least 1.5% of the continued sales tax for the 33rd and Cornhusker Safety Improvement Project, contingent on voter approval. (First reading, no vote)
• 25R-26: Resolution freezing Impact Fee increases for eight years if the sales tax renewal is approved. (First reading, no vote)

Pending List – Date Certain

• Bill 24-129: Agreement for tower space with Verizon Wireless at 2201 S. 84th Street. A verbal motion to remove from pending list date certain and place on pending list no date certain was approved (7-0).
• Item 7.b: Change of Zone 07060E for Wilderness Heights PUD (Lincoln Federal Bancorp, Inc.). Delayed with continued public hearing and action to January 27, 2025.

Pending List (Extended One Week)

• Items 8.a–8.c: Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. applications for change of zone (24-130), special permit (24R-526), and conditional zoning agreement (24R-527) for property near O Street and Anthony Lane. All were moved to pending list no date certain.

Key Outcomes

• All consent items were approved unanimously (7-0) except for 25R-8 (6-0, Weber abstained).
• Two liquor licenses and manager applications were denied for Opulent Nail & Spa (6-0, Bowers absent).
• Two manager applications were approved for HopCat and Zipline Brewing (6-0, Bowers absent).
• All resolutions under public hearing (4.a–4.i) were adopted 7-0.
• The text amendment (25-1) received second reading; no action taken.
• Four resolutions (25R-23 through 25R-26) were introduced for first reading; no vote.
• The Verizon tower agreement was moved to pending list without date certain.
• The Wilderness Heights PUD was delayed to January 27, 2025.
• The Sesostris Temple items remain on pending list no date certain.