Omaha City Council Meeting – October 20, 2026

The Omaha City Council met on October 20, 2026, in the Legislative Chambers. Councilmembers heard opening flood-recovery remarks, approved a series of liquor licenses and land-use items, discussed sidewalk snow-removal assessments and a large sewer design amendment, and held public hearings on park funding and the downtown soccer stadium redevelopment agreement. All items acted on by roll call were approved 5-0.

Opening Remarks

• Councilmember Hutt described the recent '500-year flood' and its impacts, saying about 143 homes in her district were affected and that Lowell Home Park in Councilmember Roe's district was also hit. She thanked recovery volunteers, including Union Adventist University students and alumni, saying they had up to 35 people on the ground and helped 20 families remove flood-affected drywall and materials. She urged donations to the Salvation Army.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Item 6: Class I liquor license for La Peep restaurant at 1501 Mike Fahy Street, Suite 100, approved 5-0.
• Item 7: Class D liquor license for Hut Discount Store No. 19 at 5434 North 103rd Street, approved 5-0 after the applicant joining by Zoom overcame audio problems.
• Item 8: Liquor license addition for Cedar Creek Coffee and Art at 2060 Elkhorn Drive, lower-level outdoor area, approved 5-0.
• Item 9: Preliminary plat for The Overlook at Flanagan Lake, northwest of 180th and Ida Streets, approved 5-0.
• Item 10: Special use permit for a daycare in the R3 district at 4847 South 107th Street, approved 5-0.
• Item 11: Street improvement district 2026-01 for Shirley Circle from South 80th Street east to its terminus, approved 5-0.
• Consent agenda items 12-15, with public hearings held October 6, 2026, approved 5-0.
• Items 16-51, a public hearing block that included sidewalk snow-removal contracts and other routine items, were approved 5-0. No members of the public testified as proponents or opponents on that block.

Public Comments & Testimony

• For item 52, one opponent said he normally supports the administration but expressed concern about administration of the amendment.
• For item 54, Ed Fox, a Union Omaha season ticket holder and spouse of a sponsor, spoke in favor, praising the club's community. Hunter Fangmeyer, president of the Omaha Parliament supporters group, also spoke in favor, citing free tailgates, watch parties at Cunningham's and Blackstone, and fundraising for Football for the World.
• Item 53 drew no public testimony.

Discussion Items

Sidewalk Snow Removal (Item 23, part of Items 16-51)

• Councilmember Melton called Steve Ruby of Public Works to explain how the city assesses property owners when sidewalks are not cleared. After snow operations end, owners have about 24 hours to clear their walks; if a complaint is made and a notice is posted, they have another 24 hours. The city does not proactively patrol; it responds only to complaints.
• Melton read rates from the contract attachment, including a $4-per-square-foot rate for trace amounts, a $3.16-per-linear-foot rate for trace to 5.99 inches of snow, and up to $6.90 per linear foot for deeper snow. Ruby said rates are set through an annual bidding process and are paid to contractors, not retained by the city.
• Ruby said Public Works manages more than 5,000 lane miles of streets and would rather residents clear walks themselves, hire someone, or get neighbor help. He noted the city is adding flags, Facebook notices, and outreach this year to improve notice.

Sewer Infrastructure Amendment (Item 52)

• Jim Tyler of Public Works presented amendment No. 1 to the professional services agreement with Wade Trim Associates for the Northeast Omaha high-rate treatment basin and associated projects, in the amount of $17,950,125 from the sewer revenue fund.
• The amendment is not for overruns; it revises and expands Wade Trim's scope to fast-track two of four construction packages before the new downtown soccer stadium and surrounding development on the former Union Pacific property are built. Package one is a 72-inch conveyance sewer running about 70 feet underground in rock, valued at about $20 million. Package two is a diversion structure and screening facility at 11th and Izzard Streets, valued at about $45 million. Total project cost was estimated at $250-300 million.
• In response to a question from Councilmember Festerson, Tyler said the engineering contract was awarded through a qualifications-based selection process and that the amendment funds additional design and construction-administration services, not the same services at higher cost. The item passed 5-0.

Park Funding from Omaha Community Foundation (Item 53)

• The council held a public hearing on an ordinance to accept and disburse $4,890,000 from the Omaha Community Foundation for park properties. Councilmember Festerson said he was supportive and described it as about $5 million in philanthropic funding matching the city's enhanced $5 million parks commitment.
• Dan Cedar, assistant director for parks and recreation, said about $1.3 million is going to neighborhood park renovations at Lake James, McKinley, Autumn Heights, and Pheasant Run, with other improvements at additional sites. About $2 million is going to facilities, pool, HVAC, plumbing, window, and recreation-center repairs.
• Cedar said the funding reduced open park maintenance work orders from more than 200 at the end of 2025 to about 27, with 18 work orders currently open in 2026, and improved average turnaround from about 45-50 days to about 18 days. Assessments of roughly 200 parks by Kimley Horn and of about 96 facilities are also underway or being procured.
• No vote was taken on item 53; Festerson said he looked forward to supporting it the following week.

Downtown Soccer Stadium Redevelopment Agreement (Item 54)

• The council held a public hearing on an ordinance approving a redevelopment agreement with Downtown Soccer Stadium, Inc., for property northeast of 11th and Izzard Streets. Presenters included Deputy Chief of Staff Marco Floriani, attorney David Levy, Union Omaha CEO Gary Green, COO/GM Alexis Pulos, and MECA President/CEO Adam Strait.
• The project is described as a total investment exceeding $316 million on 25 acres of former industrial land. The development includes a stadium for Union Omaha men's soccer and a future professional women's franchise, plus about 300-350 apartments and retail south of the stadium. With Future Forward and Millwork Commons, area housing could reach 1,000 units over the next 5-10 years.
• The agreement includes a 30-year stadium lease. The approximately $140 million stadium would be funded by about $23 million in team equity, city land plus $10.5 million in infrastructure, and about $106.5 million in city-issued lease purchase and revenue bonds repaid by team rent, incremental sales and property taxes, naming rights, signage, and other project revenues. Annual debt service was projected to stabilize at about $7.3 million in 2033, with about $675,000 in annual excess for reserves. The project is projected to create 270 jobs and $430 million in local economic output over 25 years.
• MECA expressed full support and is working on shared-parking agreements. Union Omaha reported more than 50,000 fans at matches this season, 25-plus community watch parties, nearly 3,000 students and educators at a free match, and the club's first international friendly.
• Councilmembers Festerson and Melton spoke in support, praising the financing structure, downtown integration, and future women's team. No opponents testified. No vote was taken; the item was expected on a future agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Approved 5-0: Items 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, consent agenda items 12-15, the block of public-hearing items 16-51, item 52, and the non-action items acknowledgment for items 55-84.
• Items 53 and 54 were public hearings/discussion only; no votes were taken.
• Items 55-84 were noted as non-action items to be placed on a future agenda; the council approved the related motion 5-0.
• The meeting adjourned at 3:02 p.m.