2026-10-20 - City Council

Mhm. >> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> [music] [music] >> Mhm. >> [music] >> Mhm. >> [music] >> Mhm. >> [music] [music] >> Mhm. >> [music] >> Mhm. >> Festersen Good one is absent. Hug. Melton Bagley is absent, Mr. President. >> Here. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and comments by Councilmember Hunt. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Be seated. [clears throat] Well, lots happened since our last meeting. Um, we had what is now being called a 500-year flood. Uh, a lot of homes and families were affected. I know Mr. Rowe was impacted in his district. The, um, mobile home park, a a a a a landmark in Old Millard. And, um, in my district the the Karen Western addition and neighborhood was impacted. I think 143 homes were impacted. Utility service was cut off to 123. And it's in these times of disaster where you see the very best in people. And I was not disappointed this time either. Um I want to personally thank a number of people and groups that answered my call when I called and asked them to come help people out. Wrap dumpsters. Uh Crushing It. Um Home Depot. Um I know I'm forgetting somebody and I apologize if I Oh, Steamfitters Local 464. Um when I put out a call that to to help people, you know, they were all right there. And if I forgot your name, I apologize. But I do want to specially thank um the students and alumni of Union Adventist Adventist? Adventist. That's right. University and their international rescue and relief disaster response team. They were on the ground um that first Saturday. They were up here doing an assessment. And um the final weekend they had upwards of 35 people on the ground. They they've helped uh 20 [clears throat] families with the removing drywall and removing the flood affected materials from their home. And I will be visiting them uh next week at their university. And I would just want to say a special thanks a special thank you to everybody that helped out and uh those people affected still need help. Um it's going to be a long recovery for some of them. A lot of those people did not have flood insurance. So, I encourage you to reach out and make a donation to Salvation Army. Uh thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you. >> An affidavit of publication is on file and a current copy of the open meeting act is posted in a white binder on the east wall of the legislative chambers. >> Thank you and good afternoon. Welcome to this meeting of the Omaha City Council. As a courtesy to those in attendance and to facilitate the conduct of our business, we ask that you please silence or turn off your electronic devices. As a reminder, you will have 3 minutes to speak on an agenda item. Please stay on topic. For those not providing in-person testimony and would like your comments entered into the public record, you may email the city clerk's office at [email protected]. Council members receive these emails and read them. And finally, council members may ask members of the audience back up for clarifying questions, but not for extra time to speak. I would also like to remind council members to speak clearly into the microphones so audience members in attendance and at home can hear. And if you're at the the podium today, make sure that you have those microphones close to each other and that you can speak right into them. Madam Clerk. >> Item six, to consider a class I liquor license for La Peep Restaurant located at 1501 Mike Fahey Street, Suite 100. >> This is the public hearing for item number six. And before I call the proponents, is the applicant here? >> Yes. >> Please come to the podium. State your name and address for the record. >> Hello. Uh Neil Taj, 5922 South 166 Street. >> And here to answer any questions? >> Yes, I'm here to answer any questions. >> Okay. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? Public hearing is closed. Motion second. Roll call. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Motion passed. >> Thank you. >> Item seven to consider a class D liquor license for the Hut Discount Store number 19 located at 5434 North 103rd Street. >> This is the public hearing on item number seven. Before I call any proponents, is the Oh, well, the applicant is here by Zoom. Bonnie Johnson. >> Please state your name and address for the record. >> Bonnie Johnson, 14548 N Street, Omaha, Nebraska, 6813. >> can you hear us? >> Yes. I can hear you guys. >> She's unmuted. I don't >> Is there time on this? >> Um Let's see. November 6th. So, we have one more meeting. >> Okay. >> Oh, no. I >> We can come back >> Well, yeah. We'll >> I can hear I can hear you guys. >> come back to this in a minute if um we'll see if we can get Bonnie to be able to respond. Go to number eight. >> Go to item eight. >> Yeah. >> Item eight to consider a liquor license addition application for Cedar Creek Coffee and Art located at 20603 Elkhorn Drive lower level for an outdoor area. >> This is the public hearing on item eight. Is the pro or is the applicant here? Please come to the podium. State your name and address for the record. >> Joseph Kaplan, 3331 North 209th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska. Happy to answer any questions anyone has. >> All right, thank you. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? Public hearing is closed. Motion second, roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Motion passed 5 to 0. Item nine, a resolution to approve the preliminary plat for the Overlook at Flanagan Lake, located northwest of 180th and Ida Streets. Planning Board and Planning Department recommend approval. >> This is the public hearing on item number eight nine. May we have the applicant, please? >> Thank you, Mr. President. Council members, Brad Heik, 10836 Old Mill Road, Omaha, 68154. Here on behalf of the applicant. I'm with TD2, we're engineers for the project. Happy to answer any questions that you have. >> Thank you. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? >> [clears throat] >> Public hearing is closed. Motion second, roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion passed 5 to 0. Item 10, a resolution to approve a special use permit to allow a daycare in the R3 district, located at 4847 South 107th Street. Planning Board and Planning Department recommend approval. >> This is the public hearing on item number 10. May we have the applicant, please? >> Yes. Rachel Hunt, 4847 South 107th Street. >> Here to answer any questions? Okay. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? Public hearing is closed. Motion second, roll call, please. >> Rowe. Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved 7-5 to 0. Item 11, an ordinance to create street improvement district number 2026-01 for the purpose of improving Shirley Circle from South 80th Street East to its terminus. >> This is the public hearing on item number 11. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? Public hearing is closed. Second, motion second, roll call, please. >> Rowe. Festerson. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved 5 to 0. Consent agenda, any member of the city council may cause any item placed on the consent agenda to be removed. Items removed from the consent agenda shall be taken up by the city council immediately following the consent agenda in the order in which they were removed unless otherwise provided by the city council rules of order. >> The public hearing on items agenda items 12 through 15 were held on October 6th, 2026. Any council discussion? Motion second, roll call, please. >> Rowe. Festerson. >> Yes. >> Hug. Melton. Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved 5 to 0. >> [clears throat] >> Okay, thank you. Public hearings on 16 through 51 are today. If you wish to address the city council regarding these items, please come to the microphone, indicate the agenda item you wish to address, identify yourself by name and address, and who you represent, and if you are a proponent or opponent, I will begin by opening the public hearing for any proponents on items 16 through 51. Any proponents? Seeing none, are there any opponents for items 16 through 51? Public hearing is closed. Second roll call. Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Melton. Yes. >> That's okay. I would like to address um item number 23. Is somebody from public works here? >> I apologize. I wasn't sure which number we were. >> That's all right, but I I had to be I wasn't on wasn't >> Steve Public Works. >> Thanks, Steve. >> 5225 Dayton Street. >> And And Steve, on on 23, we're approving um contracts that were bid, >> Yes. >> right? That public works did these contracts, and it's for um sidewalk snow removal for residential or commercial areas who And this is And I just kind of want to explain 23. >> Okay. >> And the re- And I want to get your opinion, but this is the reason I want to do that is every year and I've been 13 years now. Every year, it's usually around the middle of the summer, beginning of the summer when it's really hot out, but we're then assessing people who didn't shovel their sidewalks. A complaint was made by someone in the public, not the city. >> Yep. >> And then the city sends one of these contractors out to remove the snow and then assesses them. >> Correct. >> In the attachment that we have, it looks like we have if it's trace amounts >> Yep. >> um it's $4 a square foot. >> Uh so, if we are traced to 5.99 in, we are 3/16 a linear foot. >> Okay. >> Um, I have handouts for all of you. I can I can give you the rates. >> Okay. Well, the important The reason I have you up here is I want the public to know. I want people who own property all over Omaha to know that this is what they're going to be charged if they fail to remove their snow basically within 48 hours of a snowstorm. >> Correct. So, the way that the way this established in the in the code uh, at the end of snow operations. So, just as street maintenance, you know, we when it starts snowing or honestly before it starts snowing, we start a snow operation. We declare a snow operation roughly around the time that the last snowflake falls. So, it is sometime within there and that we would say snow operations is over. Uh, we make some notices like to the um, to the mayor's hotline and just some other entities. So, so that information's out there when it's closed. We have a Facebook page now, so that notice will go on there. So, that'll be fantastic. From there, you have 24 hours to clear your walk. Okay. So, at the basically from the time the last snowflake falls, you have about 24 hours to clear your walk. At that time, after that time, if a complaint is made, and that is only if a complaint is made. We do not go out and assess sidewalks. We do not drive around and look for this. If someone complains, often honestly on school routes, routes to hospitals, those are but anywhere, if someone complains, then we will go out and if there is snow on your walk, we will then issue you a notice. That notice goes to your front door per ordinance, uh, or to your lot if it is a vacant lot. From there, you have another 24 hours to clear your walk. If that is not done when we return, then yes, these are the rates that you will be charged for that contractor to clear your walk at that time. >> And so, I mean, we we've had we've had people charged upwards of $800 to have snow removed from their residential property, especially if if live on a corner and they're >> have a very long frontage, if you have a lot of sidewalk, it is charged per linear foot. So, uh even if it's under 6 in right, 3/16 a linear foot, that can add up substantially if you have a very large property, if you have double lots, if you have a corner lot like you said, those things can add up. Um so, we we strongly really encourage people to just go out, clear their walks themselves. Please, we would love to never go out and do this. Uh every time it snows, public works is extremely busy. We you know, we we managed uh over 5,000 lane miles that are out there to be cleared. We're really more concerned about that. So, um anything we can do to encourage citizens to go out and just clear their walks themselves as is required by ordinance, that would be our preference. Um so, as I stated this year, you know, normally per ordinance we would deliver the notice to your door. We've had complaints at Bowie before that people don't see those. So, this year we've ordered hundreds of these little flags. So, you're going to get a little flag at the end of your driveway, too. That basically says you have a notice on your door. But, we're just hoping to provide some additional notice. Um additionally, with Facebook page, uh Nextdoor, we're working with our General Services staff, there's going to be a bulletin put out that describes all this same stuff, what your timelines are, what the cost is if you don't clear it, what your responsibilities are. And then, every time it snows, we plan to put that same post back up saying, "Hey, we've ended snow operations. You need to go shovel your sidewalk or hire somebody to do it or ask very nicely for your friendly neighbor to come over and do it or whatever the case may be. So, please go clear your walks." >> And although you may provide a notice, I mean, the snow is notice. I mean, you you can look out your window and you can see it snow, right? So, so when you see snow on your sidewalk, really please try and shovel it within 24 to 48 hours. And this is what I always say, if you look out your window and you shoveled your snow and you see your neighbor hasn't shoveled their snow, before you call the city to have the city then send someone out and provide a notice, you know, we're Omaha, Nebraska. Maybe go knock on your neighbor's door, see if they have a medical issue. Um you know, maybe if you have a son or daughter that you might say, "Hey, go grab a shovel and shovel, you know, next door Evelyn's sidewalk and then we'll let her know. Maybe she'll she'll give you some money." >> My kids shovel both of my neighbors' sidewalks cuz they need to get out of the house. >> I And you know what? I had a great neighbor when I was a single mom myself when I was younger and we had this massive snowstorm and I didn't have a snowblower and I'm out just trying to chip away and you know what? He came over this snowblower >> Yep. >> and he did it for me. I mean, that's the kind of like neighborly thing that we should probably try and do for people. >> I agree. >> But I want to make a note. You said if it's $3.16 a linear foot, you've got 100 ft. >> Yep. >> Which doesn't take much to get 100 ft in front of your house and that's 300 bucks. >> if we have deep snow like you had, it goes all the way up to, you know, $6.90 a linear foot. So, if you have a big snow and you don't get out and clear it, it's >> That That could be 600 bucks for 100 ft. >> Very, very quickly, yes. >> Um and so and one of the complaints we get or what people come down, they'll say, "Well, I One of them was I was in Florida during that snowstorm." So, if you plan to travel during the winter, >> Yep. >> you need to either arrange for somebody to come and shovel, ask your neighbor, >> Yep. >> you know, hire a you know, boy, I know a lot of Boy Scouts do it for for money and a lot of times they're donating it to charity, too. >> Yep. >> Um you need to arrange to have somebody shovel your sidewalk if you're out of town. We've had it where people have been in the hospital as well. So, again, if you go into the hospital or one of your family members goes into the hospital and it snows, >> Yep. >> go to your family members' home and make sure that that that their sidewalk is getting is getting shoveled. And part of that is we have people that still need to get to the school bus. >> Yeah, and >> that's that's the time. I know sometimes it's really unfair, but >> They need to get to the bus stop. >> We make we we've made a big push for ADA compliance. >> Enough for your out. >> Luis, you're out of order. >> Excuse me, sir. >> Luis, you're out of order. No comments from there. If you'd like to be removed, that'll be your next action. >> So, we're not doing this to try and punish people for not shoveling. >> This is to increase accessibility, which we made a big push for ADA accessibility for making sure kids can walk to school, all those things. And so, this is part of it. This needs to be done. This work needs to be done. And again, it is it is the ordinance. It is When you buy a house, there's a little piece of paper and all that giant stack of papers you sign that says that you're going to maintain the mow strip and you're going to maintain the sidewalk and all those things. And like all the rest of us, I'm sure everybody signed them quickly, but it is still your responsibility. So, please just take care of it or find somebody to take care of it. Or if you're lucky enough to live next door to me, my crazy son will go out and do it for you. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. And I think you mentioned something earlier. You said if it was your choice, we wouldn't do this at all. >> do I really really really I know at BOWD people have different thoughts on this. I do not want to do any of these. We in public works are extremely busy when it snows. This is snow we are responsible for all the things and we get all the complaints about how whatever street or hill you live on. We're trying to address all of that. The last thing I want to do is go out and deal with usually it's honestly just a handful of houses that need that get complaints that we have to go out and do this work on. I don't want to really do any of that. It would be best for the other entire operation if the snow was just removed by the homeowner or friendly neighbor or boy scouts or whoever you can find. >> Right. And and you the the amount that's charged isn't decided by you. This went through a bidding process, correct? >> again, this year is I mean, it's down a little bit from last year. Last year, I think it was four 414. So, you know, but this just we accept we put this out for bid every year. We get bids. The best the lowest qualifying bid is then accepted every single year. So, we try to keep it as cheap as possible, but this is um you know, even for these contractors, they're very busy when it snows, so that's another complaint we get like, "Well, I could have paid my neighbor kid 20 bucks or whatever." You know, these contractors, they have a lot of other work they have to go do. Usually, by the time they get there, the snow is beaten down and compacted on the sidewalk, and it's icy, and it becomes a different level of work than it would have been originally. And so, again, simple solutions, just go clear your sidewalks. >> And the city's not making any money off that. >> Absolutely not. When we collect it from the homeowner, it's because it's money that we've then paid to the contractor. >> Yeah, if anything, we lose money on the administrative costs. Right. Like in all honesty, so. >> Right, but that's your cost of sending people out multiple times to the same address. >> Correct. Public works is a service, so that is what it is, but no, we don't we don't making any money. Absolutely not. >> Okay. Thank you. I I appreciate you taking the time because I really want to call attention to this. There's nothing I would like better than next summer to have not one single assessment. I would love that. >> You and Sean Gibson feel the same way. >> Yeah, [laughter] okay. Well, thank you very much. I have nothing further. >> All right, thank you. I think we had a motion a second for the approval of items 16 through 51. Roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved, five to zero. Item 52, a resolution to approve amendment number one to the professional services agreement with Wade Trim Associates for additional final design and construction phase services on the Northeast Omaha high-rate treatment basin and associated projects in the amount of 17 million 950,125 dollars. >> This is the public hearing on item number 52. May we have the applicant from the city, please? >> Uh good afternoon, Jim Tyler, City of Omaha Public Works. Uh this amendment number one with Wade Trim and Associates for project OPW 54630, uh the Northeast Omaha high-rate treatment basin. Uh this project will help reduce the amount of combined sewage that enters the Missouri River during rain events and will move the city closer to its requirement with the state of Nebraska to meet the CSO policy of the Clean Water Act. Uh this amendment authorizes uh $17.9 million, $17,951,25, paid for by the sewer revenue fund. The amendment is not due to overruns or additional costs. It is a revision of the scope of work provided by Wade Trim to fast-track the construction of two of the four anticipated uh construction packages in order to stay ahead of the new downtown soccer stadium and surrounding commercial development on the former UP property. Uh by heavy getting this heavy underground sewer work out way we we ensured that the work is done before the stadium is in service. Uh under the amendment, Wade Trim is uh has finished the design and is delivering the uh two essential construction package. Uh those two packages will be before you on the November 3rd agenda. Uh package one includes the north downtown conveyance sewer, which is a 72-in pipe running 70 ft underground in rock. Uh the dollar value for that package is about 20 million and uh that is going to be Super Excavators uh to do that construction. They've worked in this uh city before. They're very good uh tunneling contractor. Uh package two can can Package two is the diversion structure and screening facility at 11th and Izard that captures debris and redirects flows. Uh basically so that stuff doesn't get down in our tunnel and that's we want to get that work done now as well because that's the entrance to this whole thing. So we need to get in there and get out of the way. Um the dollar value for that package is $45 million and uh we're lucky we got a good contractor. Hawkins is going to be doing that work. Um so again that those packages one and two are going to be on the November 3rd meeting. This resolution again like I said was it was basically it was a re structuring of the scope to allow Wade Trim to focus completely on we have to fast-track these. We're going to add construction administration that wasn't included in the initial contract. And then we can uh have construction administration services. We can put the other stuff off to the side and so we can get these guys uh have their stadium without us being in their way. Um just a little bit more information the overall estimated cost of construction for the entire project besides this one and two um just there'll be a three and four that will include the big basin that's over by the uh tank farm that everyone can see from at park. Uh 250 to 300 million dollars total value for that. Uh you we we look at kind of typical ranges for cost of service and what we're uh paying Wade Trim to do this work for design and construction administration is well within the range for uh typical design and construction cost for the city of Alcoa. And if you have any questions can answer questions uh John John Whalen from Wade Trim is here if there are any questions for him. >> All right. Thank you. Do I have any proponents for item number 52? Any opponents for item number 52? Please state your name and address for the record, please. >> Um Luis [snorts] Jimenez, 2709 Dewey Avenue. I'm going to appoint it because I normally support Veneshe as the administrator. And I don't I don't see the administrator. There was a lot of talk about administrating. And so that's what I'm asking. >> All right, thank you. Are there any more opponents? Seeing none, the public hearing is closed. Do you have a motion? Okay, I'm sorry Amy, you had your eye on >> That's okay. Jim, could you come back up? >> Yes. >> And thank you for that explanation, but I kind of wanted to to clarify. You had said it's within like kind of your engineers estimate, but they they actually went through a bidding process for the pri- for the original project, correct? >> No, we um it's a selection process. So, when we um when we select an engineer that goes through a selection process where they we have a five-person selection committee. >> Okay. >> So so the the bids on the construction side, the selection committee's like the CMAR process where, you know, they we have a qualifications-based selection >> Okay. >> where we choose the best qualified and then they we negotiate a contract. >> And so but you had already negotiated a contract with them and what you're doing is you're just expanding the scope of work they're doing. It they didn't and you're not paying more for these services. You're just paying additional because you're getting additional service. >> We we're getting additional service and kind of revise the order in which they were done, so that expedited some of that. But it is very typical for us to work like this because you'll you'll do a preliminary design or a conceptual design and when you nail down the overall project a little further you're going to get a better idea of what's the final design and construction services costs. So, a lot of times we wait and do those as an amendment to the original agreement cuz we know the scope better. >> Right. And they've already done the work. So, I mean, if we were to bring a new person in, actually it would cost us more because they would they would be new and they don't wouldn't it wouldn't be worth it, right? >> it is highly unusual. In fact, I only know a few circumstances where we have brought a new person in in the middle of a design. And that's pretty much due to poor performance. And that's not the case here. >> And that's not the case here. No, I I I appreciate that explanation. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much. And I did make make a motion to approve. >> All right. Any further lights? Did we have a second here? I'll second that. Motion second. Roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festersen. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved five to zero. Item 53 and an ordinance to approve the acceptance of and disbursement from the Omaha Community Foundation in the amount of $4,890,000 to support various park properties. >> This is the public hearing on item number 53. Are there any proponents? Any opponents? Public hearing is closed. Mr. Festersen, you're light. >> Thanks, Mr. President. >> Oh. >> Yeah, okay. >> I'll uh I'll call you up here in a second. I'm just supportive of this item. This is a acceptance of $5 million essentially from the philanthropic community to the city to match what has been an enhanced commitment by the city of $5 million to improve our park system and park maintenance program of work. Um something I'm supportive of and the mayor is also obviously championing and that I think will make a big difference to quality of life in the city. I just thought it'd be important for um today's purposes if you could walk through a little bit what this $5 million will do so folks know. We do have that attachment in the paperwork here today um in in pretty good detail, but I thought it'd be worthwhile just to have you walk through that little bit. >> Yes, um Council President Council, Dan Cedar, Assistant Director for Parks and Recreation. Uh what I wanted to go over is just a quick overview and then if you have specific questions I can answer them, but there were four main areas that we addressed with this additional funding. Uh the first was looking at neighborhood park renovations and approximately 1.3 million went into that. Um some of those areas were Lake James, McKinley, Autumn Heights and Pheasant Run. And then we also looked at um some park improvements at Upland Churchich, um Mundy, as well as some donor funded projects out at Koontz and and Florence. The second issue uh we dealt with with the money was approximately 2 million that went into our facilities um building and pool repairs. Previously in this area we had about $200,000 that we could spend uh knowing that we needed close to over a million dollars to address this area. And these were items such as HVAC systems, um window repairs, plumbing systems. So uh a lot of the items we have addressed there are the water features out at Hanscom Lake, Hitchcock Pond, Dreamland Park. We are looking at pool improvements at Elmwood, Karen, Roanoke, Oak Heights, Common Ground, Camelot, Spring Lake, almost every pool we can list on there we've we've needed to address. We're also looking at some camp needs out at Zorinsky and Mandy looking at the roof on the shelters out at Zorinsky. Uh many of the recreation centers we've identified um replacing gym lights, um painting, gym curtains, remodels, windows, um looking at water bottle fillers, as well as HVAC systems. And then our pavilion out at Fontenelle we're looking at a remodel both inside and outside, um as well. One of the biggest areas, uh the third area was our park maintenance work orders. Um at the end of 2025, we had over 200 work orders that were still open. With this additional funding, we were able to close that down to about 27 as of today. And and 2026, we currently have about 18 work orders open through 2026. So, we've been able to address a lot of items. We've been able to make our turnaround, I believe it's been closer to an 18-day turnaround once a work order is submitted, where before we were probably around 45 to 50 plus days. Possibly more than that. Um so, that was another area. And then what fourth area where the funding is being used are two assessments that were called out from our master plan. We are currently doing a um park assessment. Kimley-Horn has been hired. And they are assessing approximately 200 parks. And they're really doing a deep dive, a little deeper than what we did with the master plan, where they're looking at every amenity in those parks. We're looking at the sidewalks. We're looking at barbecue grills, um as well as the playgrounds and the shelters and pavilions. So, they're going to do a detailed report, uh so we can then put together a good replacement plan on those. And another assessment that we are currently receiving quotes on is a facilities assessment. We have about 96 facilities. We are going to looking to do a deep dive into that would include clubhouses, uh the golf courses, our maintenance buildings, again our community centers, our pools. So, we're looking forward to that assessment. That assessment once uh we can get that rolling will be about an 8-month process. The Kimley-Horn project kicked off in August. Uh they are currently, hopefully this week wrapping up their final visit with about 60 to 70 parks that they're going through on that assessment. And then we'll begin our next steps, which will include some public engagement and and some things that you'll see that we'll share with you. There'll be some surveys going out as well for particular parks that people use that they want to see improved. >> Great. Thanks for that overview. I'm excited to see those improvements. I think it as you described there, it touches all parts of the city. I think all citizens will see this improvement. I feel like I already have in some respects. Uh particularly when it comes to maintenance. Um the parks she described uh the neighborhood parks to receive the updates and improvements. There's a um intention in a program by which to engage those neighborhoods to for they them for them to be involved and for them to identify what they want to see, right? >> Yes. So, are you are you talking specific parks? >> Yeah, the neighborhood parks she mentioned McKinley, Autumn Heights, Pheasant Run. >> Yes. So, for for each one of those and I have some updates on some of those. Let me let me pull up this other report I have. So, with the park renovations at McKinley, um the playground has been designed and it's out to bid. Um we are looking at construction expected to start in October of '26. Autumn Heights, the playground has been designed and that's also out to bid with construction expected um here in October. Pheasant Run was another one. We've got construction documents that'll be going out to bid and then Lake James, um public outreach is scheduled uh to begin it was started in September. They'll be continuing that process um with the bid going out in October later this month um with construction probably starting in March. Those are the four big ones. But, for every project we do, we will be engaging the community, the neighborhood on what they would like to see. >> And the city's matching money with which kicks in in 2027 is essentially the the folks and the staffing to do all this work in addition to some I think equipment and maintenance uh work orders as well, right? >> Yes. Yes. And a lot of you know, with playgrounds, there's the designing phase. So, as much as we want to get everything done in '26 or at least trying to get it encumbered so we can carry it over and then finish those projects. >> Mhm. Great. I'm thankful to philanthropy for um making this commitment to the city and thank you for this overview and look forward to supporting it next week. >> Yep. And thank you for supporting Parks and Recreation. >> Thanks. >> Thank Any other comments? I think I've already closed the public hearing. If not, I have done so now. So, next item, please. >> Item 54, an ordinance to approve of the redevelopment agreement with downtown soccer stadium for the redevelopment of property northeast of 11th and Izard streets. >> This is the public hearing for item number 54. We'll hear from the applicant first. Marco. >> Thank you. I'm Marco Floriani, deputy chief of staff, economic development in the mayor's office. Um I'm pleased to present for your consideration and approval the redevelopment agreement between the city of Omaha and downtown soccer stadium, Inc. Establishing a partnership, a public-private partnership, that will help reshape Omaha's urban core. Uh I wanted to note I've been I'm coming on 4 years being with the city. I started 4 years ago in the fall. This was a [clears throat] project uh on the desk I wa- on my first day I walked into my predecessor had been working on. And I I give a lot of credit to Union Omaha and others involved here for improving the project and um building this redevelopment agreement we present today. Uh this agreement represents a total investment exceeding 316 million, leveraging private capital alongside public funding tools to convert 25 acres of underutilized former industrial land into a a vibrant multi-sports entertainment district. At the center of this district is a state-of-the-art stadium designed to serve as a permanent home for Union Omaha's men's professional soccer team as well as a future professional women's soccer franchise. Beyond professional athletics, we have a shared commitment uh to exceed public expectations and fully activate this facility year-round. Uh as a community hub hosting concerts, festivals, community events, and e-sports. The structure of this agreement safeguards public funds while delivering a world-class stadium and destination uh and improving our urban core and downtown Omaha. Thank you for our consideration. City legal staff is here to answer any questions about the mechanics or mechanisms of the agreement. And I know there's Union Omaha representation here to answer questions. Thank you. >> Thank you. This is still part of the applicant's time, so go ahead, Mr. Levey. >> All right. Thank you. Good afternoon, council members. David Levey, Baird Holm Law Firm, 1700 Farnam Street. Here on behalf of Union Omaha. And I like Marco, I've been at this a while. I looked back at the beginning of my notepad, and it was 4 years and 1 day ago today that uh Union Omaha first called me. So, it's been a journey, but we're very excited to be here, and we really appreciate all of you and all of the city staff, and the mayor's office, and everybody who's come with us on this journey and worked very hard to get us here today. I will try not to repeat what Marco uh said. He did a great job of introducing the project, and I know you are all familiar with it. In addition to the state-of-the-art stadium for men's and women's soccer and concerts and community events, uh this is really a district. Uh the mixed-use portion of this site south of the stadium will include 300 to 350 apartments, retail, truly a mixed-use district, pedestrian-oriented and stadium-anchored. With Future Forward and Millwork, this is potentially a thousand housing units coming to the area north of coming north downtown uh in the next 5 to 10 years. This project by itself uh that we're talking about today in this redevelopment agreement, the stadium and the mixed use, is estimated to create 270 jobs and $430 million in local economic output over the next 25 years. What's before you today, of course, is the redevelopment agreement. Uh as part of that, it includes a 30-year stadium lease. The The agreement includes a financing plan for the stadium. Uh I'm going to walk through that. I do want to note um a majority of the city participation in that is financing, not direct city dollars, although there is some of that as well and we're greatly appreciative of that. But the the majority of this uh is city financing and so I'll I'll walk through this here. Oops. Here we go. So, the idea is that the project largely pays for the project. The primary funding sources are team equity, about $23 million in team equity. This is on the stadium now alone, not the mixed-use, but just the stadium. $23 million of team equity. Uh the lease calls for $2 million a year in team rent. Incremental project revenues. So, new sales taxes, uh new property taxes, um naming rights, signage, all of those kinds of things. Again, the project paying for the project. The city is contributing the land uh and 10 and 1/2 million dollars for infrastructure for the project. Again, to be clear on the point, so the total project costs uh is about $140 million for the stadium. $23 million in equity, 10 and 1/2 million dollars in infrastructure, leaves $106 and 1/2 million. The city uh in the redevelopment agreement, the city would finance that through issuing lease purchase and revenue bonds. Those bonds though are paid back by the team equity, by the rent, and by these incremental project revenues. Funding sources, I'll show you on on the next chart are both in 2028 and in 2033 in year six when things have stabilized. You've now got the women's team. You've got the mixed-use up and running. It's important to show that as well. Um third-party partnerships are very important here related to events, operations, revenue synergies, uh and parking revenues. Uh you'll see in the chart there's some excess shown at the end of each year after the debt service is paid as well. And that provides for ramp-up capital reserves, interest rate fluctuations, which we all know right now are certainly happening happening, and other variables. So, let me walk through this just a little bit. Um So, again, $140 million stadium cost, $23 million in team equity, $10 and 1/2 million in city uh infrastructure provided, leaving 106 and 1/2 million to be financed through city-issued lease-purchase and revenue bonds. The top line then there is the total debt service. In 2028, that number is lower because we may use things like interest only on the bonds and things like that to keep that initial debt service down so that we can cover that while this ramps up. 2033 with current interest rates, that annual debt service stabilizes at about $7.3 million. You can You can see then a long list of revenue sources uh that add up to cover that debt service again with a little bit left over at the end showing about $675,000 at stabilization to provide for capital reserves uh and additional um cover additional variables there. These numbers are based on projections from MuniCap. I think you all are familiar with a very conservative uh public finance firm. We've also been working with MECA on shared parking and making sure the stadium is used as much as possible. We've executed a short memorandum of understanding and we're working on longer definitive agreements to work together with MECA to make sure the stadium serves the community as best as it can. Adam Stahr, MECA's president and CEO, is here and can speak to that further. Lastly, we plan to break ground this year, meaning that the stadium will be open in 2028. We will be back before you in late November with a proposed construction contract for your consideration. I would be remiss if I didn't show you a few pictures and then I will sit down and let the managing partner of Union Omaha, Gary Green, uh talk to you. These may be a little hard to see, but I'll try and zoom in. So, this is an overall site plan. On the left is 10th Street or what we hope will be called Stadium Drive. On the right is the Union Pacific track uh and on the right of that is Abbott Drive. You can see a public area there at the south end of the stadium. That'll be a year-round public area. It'll serve the community uh pre-game, post-game, that kind of a thing, but it also serves as public open space for people who live in the apartments, people using the neighborhood uh as well. This is an image looking at that west main grandstand. You can see there this is truly a state-of-the-art stadium. You've got general admission seating, lounge seating, you've got suites, you've got club areas, media, um all of those things. This is that same image essentially from the other direction. A little bit more looking from the south. Uh you can see so that would be looking like from 11th and Izard or if you were standing uh, at Charles Schwab Field looking out the back of Charles Schwab Field, this might be something like you would see there. You can see that plaza area I talked about on the right. Uh, you notice also this is what you'll see now coming in from the airport. So this is really an exciting thing. People arriving to Omaha for the first time will see this uh, instead of an underutilized piece of land as one of the first things uh, that they see. They'll think we're into neon owls uh, in Omaha which you know in Omaha we are into neon owls. Um, this is just another image of that west stand and then a closer up image of that kind of entry way. With that I'm happy to take any questions now or take any questions at the end. If no questions for me at this moment, I will turn it over to Mr. Green. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Just name and and address please, Mr. Green. >> Sorry. >> Name and address for the record, please. >> Um, Gary Green, um, 1501 Mike Fahey. Um, Oh, I think I just moved there yesterday so. Um, yeah. Council president members of the council, thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I cannot be any more excited. My name is Gary Green. I'm CEO and managing partner of Union Omaha. When we started the this club in 2019, we hoped Omaha would embrace it. What's been special is seeing how people have made it their own. The supporters who show up and sing, the families who bring their kids, and the local businesses that have stood behind us. I'm grateful for the welcome you've given us and for the relationships we've built along the way. I also want to thank this council, the mayor's office, and the city staff for the time and care you've put into getting us here. We know how much work goes into a project like this, and we appreciate your partnership. >> [sighs] >> With two championships and three player shield, we've become one of the most decorated teams in men's pro soccer in the United States. That's something all of Nebraska can take pride in. But some of the moments that mean the most are seeing a child at their first match, watching families come back season after season, and feeling the pride people have in wearing the words Omaha across their chest. That's what we want to keep building. A permanent home downtown gives us the opportunity to put down deeper roots and create a place that belongs to this community. We envision a stadium where people come together throughout the year for soccer, concerts, community gatherings, and other events. A place where families can make memories, friends meet up, and nearby businesses share in the activity. A place that will be that will have the most racially diverse regularly scheduled sporting events in the history of Omaha. We are also excited about what we can grow around it. The surrounding mixed-use development and an opportunity to bring more life and investment to this part of downtown, and we look forward to continuing that work with the city and our development partners. On behalf of our ownership group, we are committed to Omaha and to this community for the long term. We understand that your trust comes with the responsibility to follow through, and we take that very seriously. Thank you for helping us get this far and for considering this next chapter with us. We're proud to be part of the Omaha community and excited for what we will build together. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Are there any others from the applicant? >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good afternoon, Alexis Boulos, chief operating officer and general manager for Union Omaha, 1501 Mike Fahey. Um thank you for your time this afternoon. Uh over the last 18 months, it has been a pleasure to work with each of you answering questions and working together towards the development of a successful stadium project and community asset that we can all be proud of. We have worked tirelessly with the city of Omaha and our partners to form a partnership that supports the development of a stadium and mixed-use development that will provide a home not only for Union Omaha soccer, but as a place that our community can call home. The 2026 season has been full of growth and transition. We've embraced our downtown community, temporarily playing and winning many matches at Creighton's Morrison Stadium, and moving front office operations from Werner Park to build the Builders District while working together with our new neighbors, Future Forward, Millwork Commons, and Mecca. Thank you to Creighton University for fitting our pro soccer team and our very busy schedule into your very busy schedule and your beautiful facilities. We have welcomed more than 50,000 fans to Union Omaha matches this season alone. We helped spread the love of this beautiful game, embracing the excitement of the summer of the World Cup soccer, hosting more than 25 community-based watch parties to support Team USA as well as our local international communities. All culminating in hosting the club's first-ever and hopefully not only international friendly against FC Juarez, the Mex- Mexico's Liga MX this July. It was a monumental summer for us spent spreading the love of soccer with tens of thousands of our new friends in our community and our greatest fans. We can hope to continue to capitalize on this amazing momentum and fan growth in future seasons. Each time I stand here, I have the honor of sharing how our impact in the community continues to grow and evolve. This season, we attended community events and hosted clinics across the metro and our with our partners, completely kids, North Star, Girls Inc., and the YMCA, just to name a few, more than ever before. Children's Nebraska has become a place where our players and coaches are able to bring their love of the game to patients and families, some of which have been able to join us at matches. Through partnerships with local school districts, we welcomed nearly 3,000 metro Omaha and Council Bluffs students and educators to a free match at Morrison Stadium on a cold, rainy September day. Many of these new fans who have never seen a professional sports event in person before, and their enthusiasm was contagious. We have won championships and the hearts of fans across the country, and this stadium is the next step in our success story. The common thread between this success in the project and downtown Omaha is community. Union Omaha is invested in providing a place that truly embraces our motto, one means all. The stadium will be a home for Union Omaha, a future women's team, and youth academy, of course, but it will also serve as a place where everyone feels safe and welcome to celebrate team wins, enjoy concerts, and support their favorite nonprofits and their community organizations. This will be a home for more than just soccer. This will be a place where year-round every person can be a part of our vibrant Omaha community. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, are there any Oh, Adam, or >> It's hard to follow that. >> Still part of the applicants, I guess. Okay, Adam, name and address, please. >> Okay. Adam Streight, uh, president and CEO at Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, 455 North 10th Street. Um, with MECA, um, we support, uh, in the board of uh directors, we fully support this project. Um, we are 100% committed uh to the partnership and we're very excited to uh provide our expertise uh not only to stadium management, but uh stadium construction to bring a bring a new soccer stadium downtown Omaha. >> Thank you. Okay, now I will open it to proponents on item number 54. Name and address for the record, please. >> Ed Fox, 5511 Harney Street. Um, I come as a supporter and a season ticket holder of Union Omaha from day one. Um, and as a spouse of a person who is a sponsor of the club and has uh begun sponsoring the flop of the match where the player from the opposing team who has the most embarrassing attempt to draw a foul gets exposed at the end of the match um as having flopped the best for the day. Um, I've had an opportunity to speak with you before about this project. I will reiterate what I've said before. Um, the community I found among Union Omaha with the fans and the front office and ownership um is unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. It's created some of my new best friendships. It's created groups of people who would never otherwise have had an occasion to meet each other and come together. Um, we sit for an hour, two hours before the game. Um, there may be some drinking involved, there's food involved, um, and we just gather as a community and invite everyone in. Um, Hunter, who is the president of Parliament, will speak next, but um that community is encouraged by the club. We're invited by the club to form that community. Um, and I think the stadium will just give us an opportunity to do that at much higher level. Last thing I would say is uh just thank you. Um, again, I've had had opportunity to be here for some of these meetings before. Thank you for the support you've given. Thank you for the support in the of the vision that you provided as a lifelong essentially Omaha resident. I'm very excited to see this next step and to see this underutilized ground turn into something really special. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Mr. Fox. Next proponent. >> Hi, my name is Hunter Fangmeyer, 2719 North 65th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. Not really sure how to follow that up well, but I'm just take my best shot here. I'm concurrent president of Omaha Parliament, we're the supporters group for Union Omaha. We are a 501c3 organization in the state of Nebraska as well. We're dedicated to building community and also the sport of soccer within Omaha as well as the larger state of Nebraska. We host free tailgates before matches that Ed had mentioned as well as watch parties currently at Cunningham's in Blackstone to help support another business along the streetcar line as well as other community events, fundraisers for organizations such as Football for the World, a local Omaha nonprofit that provides free clinics and free access to the sport for under underserved communities here in Omaha. I don't have much to add from my other time speaking in front of you other than to say thank you. I think what I've learned running this organization as well as being involved with Union Omaha since its start is that community takes investment. Community doesn't just happen. It takes work. It takes people coming together for a common cause and first and foremost it takes people caring. So, I want to thank the council for considering this vision. This is a stadium and a home that our fan base has dreamed on from day one. The very first match we've always had our sights on a true home that can serve not just our community, but the rest of Omaha. So, thank you for your support and have a blessed day. >> Thank you. Are there any other proponents? Seeing none, are there any opponents? Public hearing is closed, Mr. Fettersen. >> Thanks, Mr. President. I just wanted to thank those testifiers and the team for being here today, uh especially the fans. I appreciate your scarves there. I have one back in my office, but I forgot to bring it with me. >> [laughter] >> Um I do want to say I'm supportive of this. I think it'll be a tremendous development for the city, uh especially for the property that's been hard to handle and hard to improve in this location. I think it's going to unlock tremendous opportunities just to the west as well. Uh they'll be they'll be very favorable for the neighborhood and for the city in general. I do want to note that the city council has been very involved with the team and with the city law department and the mayor's office um in this redevelopment agreement and analyzing all of the financial financial components of it, really mitigating any risks to the city along the way. I think we've done a good job at that, as Mr. Levy kind of gave a preview of in his remarks. Uh so, I think we're in a good spot with this project. I think it's going to do great things for our city. I look forward to supporting it next week and uh good luck in the playoffs. >> Are there any other rights? Ms. Melton. >> Thank you. No, and I I want to echo what what Councilman Fettersen just said. Um thanks for your patience. I know it's been a long 4 years. Um but I I think sometimes when you get when you take that much time, you get a really good project. Um and I think it's good for you, but it's good for our entire city. It's good for the taxpayers um because of the way we've got it, we're financing, but you're paying. Um but you know what? Hey, we all we all win, I think, with that. At least I hope we all win. Uh um but having it right across the street, too, from the baseball field, I mean, now we really are creating this downtown area with the expansion of the convention center. I appreciate Adam and Mecca being willing to kind of take that on because it just makes sense that everyone's working together and there's not this isn't a competition. This is a we're all working together to make this downtown area just absolutely more spectacular than than it was. Um and so I I'm very excited. I'm also very excited that we're getting our second um pro women's team in the city of Omaha. So uh thank you for that. I mean I think I played my first soccer game about 48 years ago that dates me. Um but I think it's great. I've been out I've been out to the games. It's wonderful. I've bought two of the jerseys. I don't have either one cuz my nephews absolutely love them and um they wear them all the time. Um and soccer players and absolutely love it. So this is this is great. When I was growing up there was no place to go watch or see professional soccer players. I mean we high school the high school games were the only thing that we could really go and see when I was a kid. So I'm very very excited for this. Very happy for you and and thanks for your patience and I want to thank the um our legal department and everybody in the city Marco um for really coming together and making and making this great thing happen. So looking forward to it. Thank you. >> Thank you. I don't see any other lights. Public hearing is closed and before we go to non-action items we're going to revisit item number seven. >> Yes, I'll read it again. >> Yep. >> Item seven to consider a class D liquor license for the Hut Discount Store number 19 located at 5434 North 103rd Street. >> This is the public hearing on item number seven. Do we have the applicant by Zoom? Ms. Johnson? >> Yes. >> Could we have your name and address for the record, please? >> Bonnie Johnson 14548 N Street. >> we can't hear her. >> They say they can I can the line. >> All right. Are we getting a little better. Ms. Johnson, can you hear us? >> Yes. >> Uh we >> Yes. >> Uh we don't have your volume. >> Okay. I I'm sorry. Maybe speaking a little bit louder for you guys? Yeah. >> Ms. Johnson, can you check your It looks like you're on your phone. Could you check to see if your mute button is on your phone, if it's engaged? >> Oh, she just did it again. Unmute. There we go. >> Okay. Well, we lost visual now, too. >> Unmute. I don't know what's going on. We'll try again. Unmute. There we go. >> Do we have visual >> Are we there? >> that you can turn up? >> It's all the way up over here. Yeah. >> Bonnie Johnson? >> Ms. Johnson, we're apparently you're having some technical dis- difficulties at your end. I think we have time on this one, or what's the council's prerogative? >> We have time. It would have to go on next week's >> But >> agenda. But it's up to the council. >> I haven't done that. I have I'm only at the applicant level right now, so >> I think she's here, and I I assume to ask ask questions unless there are questions for her. >> Okay. All right. Then let me let me go ahead. Uh stand by, Ms. Johnson. I'll ask her any proponents. Any opponents? Seeing none, the public hearing is closed. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion and second. Roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Kesterson. >> Yes. >> Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved 5 to 0. >> Thank you. I don't know if you can hear us, but it was approved. Okay. Thank you. Now, >> non-action items. Items 55 through [clears throat] 84 do not require a public hearing or city council consideration at this meeting, but will be placed on a future agenda for public hearing and or vote. The reason for non-action is noted after the item on the agenda as well as the date the item is expected to appear on an agenda for consideration. >> I'll have a motion. Motion and second. Roll call, please. >> Rowe. >> Yes. >> Festerson. Hug. >> Yes. >> Melton. >> Yes. >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> Motion approved 5 to 0. Meeting is adjourned at 3:02. >> Thank you every