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City of Lincoln Urban Development Department
Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable |
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Proposed amendment would "sunset" the City's theater policy 7 years from now.
Marvin Krout & Brian Will, Planning Dept.
Joy Citta, Lincoln Police Dept.
Call in Agenda Items to Carol Brown at 435-8932,
Ann Harrell, Mayor's
Office, at 441-7511, or
Diana Michael, Urban Development, at 441-7606.
| Lilly Larsen, LPS Board | Carol Brown, Landon's Neighborhood Association |
| Fred Freytag, Witherbee N.A. | Craig Groat |
| Lois Haupt, UPCO | Joyce Jensen, LLCHD |
| Cherie Krueger, Olsson Associates | Diana Michael, Urban Development |
| Lin Quenzerm, Mayor's Office | Vera Mae Lutz, ECCO |
| Karin Kotschwar, Arnold Heights N.A. | Katie Buckman, Daily Nebraskan |
| Sarah Morris, UNL/ASUN | David Jolham, UNL |
| Omaid Zabih, UNL/ASUN | Lyndsey Redding, UNL/ASUN |
| Matt Schaefer, UNL/ASUN | Barbara Cornelius, Hartley N.A. |
| Larry Zink, University Place C.O. | Patty Pansing Brooks, LPS Board |
| Sandra Johnson, Woods Park N.A. | Barb Baier, LPS Board |
| Wynn Hjermstad, Urban Development | David Mercer, Clinton N.O. |
| Harry Heafer, LLCHD | Pat Anderson Sifuentez, Everett N.A. |
| Lori Vidlak, Heart of Lincoln | Ann Taylor, LPS Board |
| Jane Reynolds, NU Directions | Jane Mehrens, Hawley N.A. |
| Bill Vocasek, West A N.A. | Jon Camp, City Council |
| Patte Newman, City Council | Dan Marvin, City Council |
| Brian Will, Planning Dept. | Jeff Schwebke, Arnold Heights N.A. |
| Adam Grams, UNL | John McQuinn, City Law |
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Carol Brown, Chair, welcomed the Mayor and asked everyone to introduce themselves. She noted an addition to the Agenda of a Lincoln Public Schools Bond Election report, presented by Patty Pansing Brooks.
OPEN FORUM WITH MAYOR COLEEN J. SENG
NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING
Mayor Coleen Seng thanked everyone for coming and announced the 6th annual Abe Lincoln Celebration will be held February 12, 2006, 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd Street. This is a great event for families.
Mayor Seng also announced in an earlier media release that the City's 4th of July Celebration will take place at Oak Lake Park again this year. The Police Department likes the accessibility of the Oak Lake Park area.
The City Council is in the process of developing next year's budget. There have been two sessions, one in December, and another at the beginning of the year. A draft of the budget is coming together.
LPS SCHOOL BOND ISSUE
Patty Pansing Brook introduced LPS Board members in attendance -- Barb Baier and Lillie Larson -- and asked anyone with questions to contact one of the Board members. She provided a video, a brochure, and the LPS January 2006 Community News with information about the upcoming bond issue. The election for the School Bond Issue will be held February 14, 2006.
Lincoln Public Schools will host six Community Forums in January at Lincoln's six public high schools to provide information about the $250 million bond issue. The Forums are open to the public and are at 7 p.m. on the following dates: Tuesday, Jan. 17, Lincoln High School, 2229 J St.; Monday, Jan. 23, Lincoln Northeast High School, 2635 N. 63rd St.; Tuesday, Jan. 24, Lincoln North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd St.; Thursday, Jan. 26, Lincoln Southeast High School, 2930 S. 37th St.; Monday, Jan. 30, Lincoln Southwest High School, 7001 S. 14th St.; and Tuesday, Jan. 31, Lincoln East High School, 1000 S. 70th St.
Vera Mae Lutz added that there is a shortage of Election Commission Poll Workers. She asked anyone interested to contact the Election Commission for more information and an application.
MOVIE THEATER POLICY
Jon Camp, City Council, provided information on draft legislation he is proposing to end the Downtown Theatre Policy in seven years.
Jon explained there was a lot of controversy last year over a project at 87th Street and Highway 2, and the developer's desire to put in a mega-plex theater. The City denied the request, but became concerned that this might come up over and over again. The Downtown Theater Policy was developed to encourage and nurture downtown redevelopment and create an Entertainment Center. Outside of the downtown area, B-5 Zoning currently limits thearters to six screens.
Jon explained there are no theaters in north Lincoln. He commented that if there is no certainty in our policy, developers will be discouraged from building theaters in Lincoln. He also explained that he is proposing a straight seven years, to give certainty to developers, and provide time for Douglas Theater to become established and benefit from the TIF funding, and give them some lead time for payback. He will not support a proposal that calls for more than or less than seven years.
Dan Marvin asked if this would call for a Comprehensive Plan change or an ordinance change.
Brian Will responded this is an ordinance change, and the Comp Plan would be revised.
Lori Vidlak asked if Jon Camp felt the seven year window would encourage developers to build a theater complex, knowing that in seven years they would be able to expand to a bigger complex.
Jon responded that his thought was of the need and growth in north Lincoln to support a theater. He felt that if developers need to challenge the policy every year, nothing will happen. If developers know they have a window in seven years, they can plan for the development.
Craig Groat commented that the theater industry is declining. The City made a commitment to Douglas Theater Company. He feels we should honor our commitment and protect the downtown area.
Larry Zink asked what the Downtown Neighborhood Association's position is.
Fred Freytag asked if the policy is limited to a six mile radius.
Jon Camp responded the six mile limit is not in the current policy.
Lois Haupt asked where B5 zoning is in Lincoln.
Brian Will responded B5 zones include 84th and Highway 2, N. 27th Street, Edgewood, and East Park Plaza.
Patte Newman commented that a 6-plex has been approved in the N. 27th Street area. A change in the ordinance would prevent building that complex.
Jon responded that he felt this change in the policy would encourage the developers to build.
RED TAGGING PARTY HOUSES
Joy Citta, Lincoln Police Department, and Patty Newman, City Council, provided information regarding a proposed policy to redtag party houses. They explained they are in the draft stage and would like input from neighborhoods while they are looking at drafting an ordinance.
Joy Citta explained she and Patty Newman serve on the Problem Resolution Team, which reviews complaints about problem properties. A citizen contacted them with information about Tuscon, Arizona's red-tagging party houses and asked them to see if Lincoln could use that policy.
The Tuscon policy is a civil ordinance. If the residents of a house are issued a loud party or disorderly house ticket, a visible redtag is placed on the house. The redtag must be in place for 120 days, and if it is removed, the tenants will be fined. The landlord is contacted by the Police Department and notified of the ticket. If there is another incident, the landlord would be fined. Lincoln's proposed redtag policy would be a criminal ordinance, but would follow basically the same process.
David Jolheim, UNL/ASUN, commented that landlords should be responsible for their property, and that a scarlet letter on the house does not address the problem.
Sarah Morris, UNL/ASUN, felt that if party houses are labeled, why not label the houses of thieves, sex offenders, and murderers.
Fred Freytag responded that the redtag would let police know they have been there before due to a loud party, and they will be fined if the behavior continues.
Craig Groat commented that a few years ago the Police Department formed a Party Patrol, which improved things in the Wesleyan University area for a while.
Lori Vidlak, Heart of Lincoln, commented that she does not like labeling the house, because the block and the neighborhood are then labeled. Anyone interested in moving into the neighborhood would be alerted that there are problems, and property values would decline.
Omaid Zabih, UNL/ASUN, asked if fines would increase with each offense. He also asked if the party house problems have increased, decreased or stayed the same.
Pat Anderson, Near South Neighborhood Association, also asked if the fines could be increased.
John McQuinn, City Law, responded the ordinance could be written as a tiered fine for repeat violations.
Larry Zink, University Place Community Organization, asked students why they were defending jerks. He explained that each year, new students move in, and neighbors have to go through the process of educating the students about being good neighbors.
Lyndsey Redding commented that students are bothered by unruly neighbors too. Students are willing to get involved in their neighborhoods, they don't know how to get that message out.
Patty Newman responded they do not think it is all students, there are students that help with shoveling walks, etc.
Wynn Hjermstad commented that students are not the primary problem, it is people in the same age group.
Sandy Johnson, Woods Park, commented that police need a named complainant to follow-up on a complaint.
Sarah Morris, UNL/ASUN, commented that she was at a party with 10 girls in pajamas, and the neighbor's called the police for a noisy party, and they received a ticket. She said she feels this is not appropriate for red tagging.
Fred Freytag asked Patty to organize a meeting, with all groups participating in a dialogue about the issue. He said if you want to revitalize a neighborhood, you need good landlords. If it takes a redtag to awaken a landlord, then he is for it.
Lori Vidlak commented that a redtag could also keep away a good tenant and a good landlord. Landlords will not change their behavior because of a redtag, but a $500 fine will make a difference. She suggested putting a sign in front of troubled properties with the landlords name and address.
Joy Citta again explained they are in the discussion phase, looking for input.
Patty Newman introduced Jane Reynolds, NU Directions.
Jane explained that NU Directions has a Good Neighbor Campaign. They go to Neighborhood Association meetings in neighborhoods near the University. They have talked with landlords about the issues of parking, garbage, noise, etc. They have worked with a media campaign and distributed door-knockers about how to be a good neighbor. Many times neighbors just want someone to hear them and address the situation with the students and landlords. Jane explained that UNL Students who receive a disorderly house citation are adjudicated on campus as well. All citations are forwarded to UNL Student Affairs office.
Vera Mae Lutz, East Campus Community Organization, noted that Neighborhoods Working Together worked with NU Directions for a year. She wanted to know what can be done about these problems.
Carol Brown asked if students could go door to door to ask students not to behave this way.
Omaid Zabih, UNL, responded that he worked with those groups discussing ideas to resolve this problem. One recommendation was that property owners be held responsible for their property.
Barbara Cornelius, Hartley Neighborhood Association, commented that it is not students living in rental property that is the biggest problem in her neighborhood. The problem property in her neighborhood rents to problem tenants serially. She also feels licensing landlords would be more effective.
Sandy Johnson asked for information to determine if the problem is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.
Lyndsey Redding announced that student groups will be participating in the Big Event providing community services to neighborhoods. She also said she did not feel it would be safe or effective for students to go door to door asking other students not to party.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fred Freytag announced the Neighborhood Alliance meeting will be held Saturday, January 14th, 2:00 p.m. at Tabitha.
Harry Haefer, Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department, announced there will be a Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Pioneers Park on May 20th.
ADJOURN
There being no other announcements, the meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
Submitted by:
Diana Michael
Urban Development Department