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About to get underway here at the Omaha City Council. Lots of things on the agenda, and will be tweeting all of them, but we’ve also got the confirmation of Colleen Brennan to the vacant District 5 seat.
https://thereader.com/news/brennan-appointment-gets-legal-scrutiny-city-says-it-followed-rules our story today on some raising legal questions about Brennan's appointment.
Her official inauguration will be early in the agenda
Councilmember Harding opens the meeting welcoming Brennan, saying he pledges to work together. Says many are unhappy with this result, but they need to unify to do what’s best for Omaha. (Paraphrasing)
Brennan is sworn in, short comments that she’s honored for this opportunity
We're on to talking about planning items. One of the big pieces to watch: Res 11.
Many people upset about the proposition to demolish apartments to make way for a $10m project that would include 55 market rate apartments and a one-story building for "amenity space"
Many people upset about the proposition to demolish apartments to make way for a $10m project that would include 55 market rate apartments and a one-story building for "amenity space"
$1.4m would come from Tax Increment Finance (one of the biggest, if not the biggest, public tool to finance construction like this).
On that note, we're listening to some rezoning items. Currently hearing about whether 1026 North 33rd Street will be rezoned from a single family home to a duplex. Previous owner had made it into apartments.
one member of the bemis neighborhood is here saying she's worried about what precedent this rezoning would set. Original zoning was set to keep single family homes from turning into apartments, they're afraid this will undo decades of work to maintain the neighborhood as is
Just an observation while we get history of the Bemis neighborhood (first place I lived in Omaha). We had many sheriff's deputies here before Brennan was sworn in. Now I only see one. Don't know if that's protocol, but there was no protesting or resistance in the chamber today.
Chris Jerram asks one neighbor whether he's the guy who has the oldest tree in the state on his property. Not him, but apparently, yeah, oldest tree in Nebraska is in the Bemis neighborhood.
https://omaha.com/community/bellevue/trees-company/article_1be64288-f080-51dc-b8d3-862065494464.html#:~:text=Photo%20by%20Toni%20Furmanski%20The,Street%20in%20Olde%20Towne%20Bellevue or is it this one?? (no picture) very interested in what the oldest tree in Nebraska is now.
okay never mind I guess there is a picture when you link it. Twitter just trying to make me look bad.
Anyway back to the meeting. The main message about this is: the bemis neighborhood isn't against multi-family homes, but they want to keep the longstanding integrity of this neighborhood as well as insure it for the future.
converting homes into multi-family homes is a great way to create denser housing and more housing opportunities. Omaha has a need for safe affordable housing and allowing for that middle housing. (read about it in this story) https://thereader.com/news/searching-for-home-in-omaha-nebraska
Residents aren't against middle housing, but they want it to be planned in a sustainable way. Sustainable as in, will this be around in a century, not just a decade.
