Family Service Lincoln wants to build a neighborhood center, 10 row-style duplexes and triplexes, a community garden and green space on a nearly vacant lot at 52nd and Holdrege streets, a proposal that encountered significant opposition from neighbors.
Despite that opposition the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved what’s known as FiftyOne Commons, a community project proposed by Family Service Lincoln.
The nonprofit, which provides youth, housing and family support services, will run the neighborhood center, work with Community Crops to oversee the community garden and lease the row-style housing. The housing will be affordable units aimed at families and will accept Section 8 housing.
Several residents who live in the neighborhood raised concerns about flooding, parking and increased traffic, and said more residents than those at the meeting oppose the project.
“My concern is mainly the water,†said Craig Hollers, who also said he’s worried the new homes will add pressure to the already-limited street parking. “My dad had the basement completely remodeled and I don’t want to see it flooded. ... Right now I don’t know how they can say the stormwater (sewer) is going to handle what’s here.â€
Several Planning Commission members said they understood neighborhood concerns, but believe the project will provide much-needed services to the neighborhood.
“I know this has been pretty much vacant land for quite a while,†said Planning Commission member Tracy Corr. “You have a vested interest in it. ... When you see change it is scary, it’s hard. But I think this will be a positive change for the neighborhood.â€
The Planning Commission’s approval of the special permit for what’s known as a community unit plan northwest of the 52nd and Holdrege intersection is final unless it is appealed to the City Council.
Accompanying changes to an ordinance dealing with neighborhood support services — needed for this project but that city officials would like to apply to such situations citywide — need City Council approval.
The changes would remove the requirements that such neighborhood support services be located near a park, school or church and in an existing building.
City Planner Steve Henrichsen said similar issues have arisen with other social service agencies that want to be a part of the neighborhoods they serve but have found those requirements create unnecessary barriers. The requests for neighborhood support services would still need Planning Commission approval.
Two Planning Commission members said they had concerns about the ordinance changes, but ultimately voted to recommend them. Corr said she didn’t think there’d been sufficient discussion with other neighborhood groups, and Gloria Eddins said she worried that removing those steps would mean certain core neighborhoods could see a proliferation of such services.
The land is in the floodplain and is one of the first projects in the city’s core neighborhoods that will need to comply with controversial new floodplain regulations passed in March.
Those regulations will mean the duplexes and triplexes will need to be raised an extra foot — so two feet instead of one — above the base floodplain elevation. Given the floodplain levels in that area, the duplexes and triplexes will have to be raised a total of 5 to 6 feet.
The residences will face 51st Street and the support center — which will include a gym, classroom, a maker space and office space — will be on the corner of 52nd and Holdrege streets. There will be surface parking on the lot for the community center patrons and apartment residents.
The center will be used to provide hands-on and STEAM activities and care for school-aged children on holidays and in the summer, said Family Service Executive Director Dennis Hoffman. He said he expects to serve about 50 families. Family Service operates after-school programs in several schools. The center also will be open to the neighborhood as a meeting space and as a community center.
The apartment residents can use the green space and community gardens and the gardens also would be available for neighborhood residents.
City Councilman James Michael Bowers, who represents northeast Lincoln, said as a social worker he hears two recurring themes: there are limited opportunities for children and a lack of resources in northeast Lincoln, which is often neglected by the city.
This project, he said, would address both of those issues, revitalize the neighborhood and instill a sense of pride and unity.
He said having Family Service — a longtime and well-respected nonprofit — managing the project will benefit the neighborhood because it will be much more responsive than an out-of-town developer.
“I firmly believe Family Service will be an exceptional neighbor,†Bowers said.
Planners noted that zoning would allow any developer to build 10 dwelling units on the property, though residents who spoke up repeatedly said they worried those additional homes would add to existing flooding issues in the neighborhood and sanitary sewer problems.
Michael Middendorf, an engineer with Lincoln Transportation and Utilities watershed division, said the storm sewer has the capacity to handle the additional runoff.
The project includes adding a basin on the lot that will briefly hold water and divert it through an underground pipe to a 52nd Street stormwater sewer, which is larger than the one on 51st Street, Henrichsen said.
An overgrown block near 48th and Holdrege streets has been drawing complaints for decades. This photo looks south over the property, with Holdrege Street across the top.