City of Lincoln  
City of Lincoln
Planning

Review of Mining Standards

 

Community Comments

Study Purpose and Scope

The past several years have seen an increase in the number of applications received by the Planning Department for the excavation and removal for sale of soil for road-building and other construction activities. The locations of these sites surround the city, with some concentration to the north, due to contracts to improve Interstate 80. Mining and the extraction of sand, gravel and soil is allowed within the City jurisdiction (city limits and the 3-mile zoning jurisdiction) by Special Permit in the AG, Agr, R-3, B-2, H-2, H-3, H-4 and I-1 Districts. Sections 27.63.160 and 27.63.360 of the City code provide conditions of approval for operations approved by Special Permit. These conditions deal with filling requirements, grading, erosion control, groundwater concerns, vehicle storage and entrance, and other issues. Beyond the 3-mile zoning jurisdiction, the County regulates mining operations in the AG and AGR Districts by Special Permit under Article 13.001(14) (no conditions codified).

Over the past couple of years, rural residents have expressed concerns that some of the standards and conditions of approval are inadequate, and enforcement is lacking. In response, Planning Commissioners and Planning staff discussed the issue with the City Council and County Board, and staff has organized meetings with various stakeholders, including other departments and agencies, mining contractors, and interested neighbors.

Study Process and Timing

The Planning Department has prepared a draft list of suggested improvements to the current mining standards and enforcement policies. We briefed the Planning Commission on these suggestions at a workshop on July 30, 2008. Following the workshop, we will send out the suggestions, as revised by the Commission, to various stakeholders for comments and invite the public to provide feedback via an on-line comments page. After briefing the City Council and County Board at their monthly Commons meeting in September or October, we will proceed with drafting and processing code amendments as appropriate.

Staff Contact

To arrange for a presentation on the proposed new standards for your organization, or for further information, contact Mike DeKalb by email or phone at 441-6370.

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Planning