KEARNEY — The Kearney Planning Commission approved various actions that would allow for development to take place located around East 32nd St.
Craig Bennett with Miller & Associates appeared on behalf of Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, with a subdivision vacation, rezoning request and preliminary and final plats for around 15.5 acres for the Good Samaritan Village property, located generally at 2201 E. 32nd St.
According to information provided by the City of Kearney, the requests are for future residential development in the area.
Bennett said the rezone would change the area to R3, or an urban residential, multi-family district of medium density. It was noted the Good Samaritan Society – Home Care of Central Nebraska facility is located on the proposed Lot 2, while Lot 1 and Lot 3 are undeveloped.
Both lots have remained undeveloped since they were last rezoned in 1974.
Members of the planning commission asked if there had been any developer interest in Lots 1 and 3.
Brandon Benitz, a real estate agent with Century 21, appeared and said the lots have been on the market for the last three years and there has been a purchase agreement on the table for Lot 3 for around a year.
Benitz said the proposed actions presented to the commission would help clear up some issues and allow the sale to proceed. He also noted that there is another developer interested in Lot 1 of the site.
Melissa Dougherty-O’Hara, Development Services with the City of Kearney, said the city staff recommend approval of the vacation, rezoning, preliminary and final plat as presented.
The planning commission members approved each action unanimously.
The commission also voted to approve a rezoning application submitted by Lean Brandt, owner of Countryside Mobile Park, Inc.
Brandt said he was seeking to rezone the property at 802 E. 30th St. to R1-D, with the goal of tearing down the dilapidated structure and building a duplex in its place.
The city staff recommended approval of the rezoning presuming no opposition from neighboring property owners.
There was one neighbor that attended the meeting, but did not oppose the proposed rezoning.
The planning commission approved the action unanimously.
During the report period, board member Brent Yaw asked if there could be a presentation to the commission regarding the City of Kearney’s approach to the use of tax increment financing.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a tool used to incentivize private development in designated blighted areas by allowing municipalities to capture increased property tax revenue from new development and use it to finance public improvements within that area.
Yaw said he felt that Kearney is more restrictive that peer communities in their use of TIF to fund various projects and would like to have more information regarding the city’s position.
