Future residents of a planned neighborhood southeast of 84th and Adams streets will have to take the long way around after plans to build a sidewalk got axed at Lincoln City Council on Monday.
City planners wanted the future cul-de-sac, called Regent Place, to link up to Windmill Drive via a walkway west of a nearby roundabout.Â
But some residents opposed the effort to increase walkability in the area, which is currently undeveloped land.
Britney Bandars said she and her husband bought their home in part because it was an end lot and that came with more privacy.
"We feel that having a sidewalk right up in our backyard will take away a lot of that," Bandars said during a City Council meeting March 2.
The Bandars and six other nearby homeowners opposed the planned sidewalk.
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Tom Beckius, who represents the developer, said they weren't married to the sidewalk easement.Â
They only included it because a city subdivision ordinance requires it, Beckius told the council.Â
On Monday, Councilman James Michael Bowers, who represents the northeast quadrant of the city, successfully amended the development plan to remove the sidewalk easement.Â
When developers proposed this new subdivision, "the neighbors weren't pushing back on more units going into their neighborhood," Bowers said. "This is not an unrealistic thing to provide for them."Â
His motion narrowly passed with Councilmembers Bennie Shobe, Jane Raybould and Sändra Washington opposing the amendment.