Lincoln City Council Meeting Summary: February 23, 2026

The Lincoln City Council met on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 5:30 PM, with all six members present except Councilmember Bowers. The meeting adjourned at 6:46 PM and included a consent agenda, public hearings, final readings of ordinances, and first readings of resolutions. All votes were unanimous (6-0) unless otherwise noted.

Consent Calendar

• 26R-71 – Appointing Malak Al-Derawi to the Commission on Women and Gender for a term to expire September 1, 2026. (Adoption 6-0)
• 26R-72 – Re-appointing Gill Peace, Jill Grasso, and Michelle Penn to the Urban Design Committee for terms to expire February 1, 2029. (Adoption 6-0)
• Clerk's Letter & Mayor's Approval of resolutions and ordinances passed on January 26, 2026. (Placed on file)
• Clerk's Letter & Mayor's Approval of resolutions adopted on February 2, 2026. (Placed on file)
• 26R-75 – Setting a hearing date of March 9, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. for the Class C liquor license application of Global Warming Inc. dba The Mill Coffee & Tea/Milieu Market at 800 P Street, Suite 100 & 101. (Adoption 6-0)
• 26R-76 – Setting a hearing date of March 9, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. for the Class C liquor license application of LIF Lincoln, LLC dba Let it Fly Sports Bar at 4630 Leighton Avenue, Suite 10, 15, 20 & 25. (Adoption 6-0)
• 26R-94 – Setting a hearing date of March 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. for the cancelation of the Class C liquor license of BSR Inc. dba The Office at 640 West ProspectorCourt, Suite 200. (Adopted as amended 6-0)
• 26R-95 – Setting a hearing date of March 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. for the cancelation of the Class C liquor license of RSB Volleyball Inc. dba Playmakers Sports Bar & Grill at 640 West Prospector Court, Suite 100. (Adopted as amended 6-0)

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were recorded during the open microphone session, nor were members of the public addressing items on the consent agenda.

Discussion Items

• Liquor License Denials (26R-77 & 26R-78): The Council held a public hearing on the application of D'zzz Ride'z, LLC for a Class C liquor license at 310 South 10th Street, Suite 1C & 2, and the associated manager application of Jody Gilfillan. The Council voted 6-0 to adopt for denial both resolutions, rejecting the license and the manager approval.
• Claims Report (26R-73): The Council considered new and pending claims against the City for January 16 through January 31, 2026. A verbal motion was made and adopted 6-0 to remove the claim of Theresa Lemons from the denied list and place it on pending. The resolution was then adopted as amended (6-0).
• StarTran Electronic Fare Collection Contract (26R-74): The Council approved a contract with Cubic Transportation Inc. for an electronic fare collection system for StarTran, with a not-to-exceed amount of $1,420,661.39 for the first four-year term and an option to renew for one additional four-year term. (Adopted 6-0)
• Ordinances on Final Reading: The Council passed the following ordinances on third reading, all by 6-0 votes:
  • 26-10: Amending the pay schedule for the "A" pay range by creating the classification "Parks Event Coordinator."
  • 26-11: Amending the pay schedule for the "N" pay range by creating the classification "Automotive Services Coordinator."
  • 26-12 (Annexation 25011): A verbal motion to delay action for one week to March 2, 2026 was adopted 6-0, regarding the annexation of approximately 4.7 acres at S. 91st Street and Nebraska Parkway.
  • 26-13 (Annexation 25008): Annexation of approximately 13.12 acres at SW corner of S. 70th & Yankee Hill Road.
  • 26-14 (Change of Zone 050681): Amending the Woodlands at Yankee Hill Planned Unit Development (PUD) to add approximately 13 acres, allowing an additional 161,000 square feet of commercial floor area with associated waivers.
  • 26R-57 (Comprehensive Plan Amendment 25006): Revising the Future Land Use Map on approximately 13 acres from Residential-Low Density to Commercial, and adjusting the Future Growth Tier designation from Tier 1, Priority C to Tier 1, Priority A.
  • 26R-58: Approving the Conditional Annexation and Change of Zone Agreement for the Woodlands at Yankee Hill West.
  • 26-15 (Change of Zone 22012A): Amending the Bishop Heights PUD to expand by approximately 1.15 acres and allow an additional 11,500 square feet of commercial floor area (total 126,500 sq ft).
  • 26-16 (Annexation 25012): Annexation of approximately 26.65 acres near S. 79th Street & Ambrose Drive.
  • 26-17 (Change of Zone 25028): Rezoning property from AG Agriculture to R-3 Residential and from AG Agriculture to P Public near S. 79th Street and Ambrose Drive.
  • 26-19 (Comprehensive Plan Conformance 25013): Declaring an area of approximately 920.37 square feet of city-owned property at S. 6th Street and L Street as surplus.
  • 26-18: Approving the Real Estate Exchange Agreement between the City and Sprenger Properties Nebraska, LLC for property at the southwest corner of S. 6th and L Streets.
• Items Referred to Departments:
  • 2.e – Referred to the Planning Department: Text Amendment 26001, Change of Zone 26001 (Redtail Heights PUD), Special Permit 20014B (Coffey Borrow Pit), and Special Permit 25033 (Divine Oaks). Planning Commission action is final unless appealed.
  • 2.f – Referred to Planning and Development Services: a request for reasonable accommodation from Nicole Miller for Oxford House - Hansen Manor at 1035 S 12th Street.

First Readings & Pending Items

• The Council gave first reading to the following items (no final action taken):
  • 26R-79: Approving Kelli's Pub LLC dba Kelli's Pub as a keno satellite at 1318 North 66th Street.
  • 26R-80: Professional Services Agreement with NDOT for the 14th St. from Salt Creek Bridge to Adams St. Rehab Project.
  • 26R-81: On-Call Professional Services Task Order Agreement Supplement No. 2 with Benesch & Company for the 70th Street and Nebraska Pkwy Project.
  • 26R-82: Professional Services Agreement Supplement No. 3 with Schemmer Associates, Inc. for the Waterford Trail project.
  • 26R-83: New and pending claims report for February 1 through February 15, 2026.
  • 26R-84 through 26R-93: Ten interlocal agreements between Lincoln Fire and Rescue and individual rural fire districts (Ceresco, Elmwood, Firth, Hallam, Hickman, Malcolm, Raymond, Southeast, Southwest, and Valparaiso) for Advanced Life Support Emergency Service, each for a term from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2035.
  • 26-20: Amending Lincoln Municipal Code Section 3.20.240 to set the late penalty for wheel tax delinquencies to a $25.00 late fee.
• Pending List: Items 24-130 (Change of Zone 24018), 24R-526 (Special Permit 24030), and 24R-527 (Conditional Zoning Agreement) related to Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. property at 95th and O Street remained on the pending list with no new date certain.

Key Outcomes

• All consent calendar items were adopted or placed on file unanimously (6-0).
• Two liquor license applications were denied unanimously (26R-77, 26R-78).
• The claims report for January 16-31 was approved as amended (removing the Theresa Lemons claim to pending). y- The StarTran electronic fare collection contract was approved (6-0).
• Eleven ordinances and related resolutions were passed on final reading, all by 6-0 votes, with the exception of one annexation (26-12) delayed by one week to March 2, 2026.
• First reading items were introduced and will be considered for final action at a future meeting.
• The Sesostris Temple pending items remain on the pending list with no action taken.