ORD 43229 - Bluestem Prairie - Amend to FLUN
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EXISTING
PROPOSED
R06001,200300
Feet
CASE: C3-21-291
APPLICANT: Planning Department on behalf
of the City of Omaha
REQUEST: Approval of an Amendment to
the Future Land Use Element of the City of
Omaha Master Plan from Open Space and
High Density Residential to Low Density
Residential
LOCATION: North of Vernon and Forest Lawn
Avenues NOVEMBER 2021
Office Commercial
Open Space
Low Density Residential
Future Land Use
Subject Area
High Density Residential
DLM
City of Omaha Planning Department
Planning Board
Memo
To: Chairman and Members of the Planning Board
From: David K. Fanslau, Planning Director
Date: October 27, 2021
Subject: Case #C3-21-291
Approval of an Amendment to the Future Land Use Element of the City of
Omaha Master Plan from Open Space and High Density Residential to Low
Density Residential
North of Vernon and Forest Lawn Avenues
This request is to amend the Future Land Use Element of the City’s Master Plan. The
requested amendment would change the future land use map contained therein for the
properties located north of Vernon and Forest Lawn Avenues. Currently, the Future Land Use
map shows the subject properties as Open Space and High Density Residential. The requested
change would take it to Low Density Residential.
This amendment as proposed by the applicant must address criteria as laid out in the Master
Plan:
Policies and proposals within the Master Plan represent the willful intention of
Omaha’s citizens. It is appropriate and necessary that the Master Plan be
reviewed and amended regularly to ensure that it continues to represent
community standards and values.
Applicants submitting development and zoning requests which do not match the
Master Plan and its elements must first request approval of an amendment to the
Master Plan. Project proposals that are not in conformance with the Master Plan
should not be approved until such proposals are modified to be in conformance
or the Master Plan is amended to allow for the proposal. In order for an
amendment to be approved, it must be shown that:
a. there is a factual defect in the map, illustration or section of the Plan with
which the proposal is in conflict; or
b. the proposal will further another important aspect of the Master Plan and
its elements.
Case #C3-21-291
Page 2
DLM
In order to show that the proposal meets one of these two criteria, the request must be
accompanied by a formal analysis (Development Impact Assessment) which outlines:
1. how the proposal differs from the Plan and its elements;
2. how it meets one of the criteria
3. how the Plan and its elements would need to be changed to allow for
proposal;
4. the justification for the proposed change;
5. the positive and negative effects of the difference;
6. how the applicant proposes to mitigate the effects.
The applicant submitted a Development Impact Assessment. In the assessment, the applicant
addressed the six criteria above.
The assessment addressed how the present Open Space and High Density Residential
designations are not compatible with the proposed project as it would require a less intensive
designation. The applicant chose to pursue an amendment by showing how the proposal would
further another important aspects of the Master Plan, the applicant states,
The R5 urban family residential district is intended to provide medium-density
residential neighborhoods with single-family zoning characteristics, while allowing
considerable latitude in the physical design of housing.
The proposed development meets the criteria in that the site is adjacent to
existing single-family residential districts.
The site was previously a high density residential development. That concept
was not a success.
According to the Applicant’s Development Impact Assessment, the applicant provided the
following evaluation of the positive and negative impacts of the proposed land use change and
how they would mitigate those impacts:
The positive effects include:
Development of parcel that has been vacant for over a decade and associated tax
valuation.
Opportunity for home ownership for financially challenged Omaha Citizens.
Habitat’s track record of successful projects.
Development of adjacent parcels by Habitat
The applicant stated no negative effects.
Case #C3-21-291
Page 3
DLM
ANALYSIS: Staff evaluated three fundamental factors to evaluate the request to amend the
Future Land Use Element of the Master Plan:
1. Conformance with other aspects of the Master Plan
2. Feasibility of the current Future Land Use category
3. Appropriateness of the proposed Future Land Use category
1. Conformance with other aspects of the Master Plan:
The Concept Element of the Omaha Master Plan states, “The City of Omaha will ensure
that areas of the city are cohesive in terms of appearance and function. The City will
require that proposed projects be considered within the context of their surroundings and
that they be consistent with an overall design concept that considers the interrelationship
of buildings, parking, open space, pedestrian movement and existing site features.”
The Land Use Element of the Omaha Master Plan states, “Requests for rezoning or
zoning permits will be approved if the proposed use is in compliance with the
comprehensive plan, or if the proposed use is consistent with the surrounding land use”
(pg. 34).
The surrounding properties, except for the property directly north, are single family
residential. The previous multifamily use of the subject property was not fitting with the
larger context and was inconsistent from a land use perspective.
2. Feasibility of the current Future Land Use category:
The Future Land Use recommendation for the subject property is Open Space and High
Density Residential, this designation was not appropriate 23 years ago when the Master
Plan was adopted as it is located within the middle of a predominately single-family
residential neighborhood with little to no neighborhood connectivity.
3. Appropriateness of the proposed Future Land Use category:
As stated above, the broader area where the subject property is located is predominately
single-family directly adjacent to a city park. The proposed designation of Low Density
Residential is more appropriate as it will fill in a pocket of single family residential with
similar uses. The re-designation of Open Space is not a net loss with the existing city
park to directly to the northwest of the subject site.
Staff finds that the proposal to change the Future Land Use designation for the subject site from
Open Space and High Density Residential to Low Density Residential is consistent with the
surrounding area and will further other aspects of the Master Plan.
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION: Approval
ATTACHMENTS:
Present Future Land Use Designation / Proposed Future Land Use Map
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EXISTING
PROPOSED
R06001,200300
Feet
CASE: C3-21-291
APPLICANT: Planning Department on behalf
of the City of Omaha
REQUEST: Approval of an Amendment to
the Future Land Use Element of the City of
Omaha Master Plan from Open Space and
High Density Residential to Low Density
Residential
LOCATION: North of Vernon and Forest Lawn
Avenues NOVEMBER 2021
Office Commercial
Open Space
Low Density Residential
Future Land Use
Subject Area
High Density Residential
SUBJECT AREA IS SHADED - NOVEMBER 2021
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10CASE:C3-21-291APPLICANT:Planning Department on behalf of the City of OmahaREQUEST:Approval of an Amendment to the Future Land Use Element of the City ofOmaha Master Plan from Open Space and High Density Residential to Low DensityResidentialLOCATION:North of Vernon and Forest Lawn Avenues