Opponents to a proposed development near Wilderness Park turned out in force Monday to express their concerns about how traffic, light pollution and the potential for flooding would negatively affect the park.
Residents who live near the park shared photos of flooding in the area even before the development, they worried about the effect on wildlife and native habitat, including destruction of a sandstone ecosystem in the area, and said more study needs to be done before the City Council votes on a zoning change and annexation request.
“I don’t see any way to make this a workable development in this area,†said Deb Brambila, who lives near the park. “There’s so much area being developed around the whole city, certainly you don’t need to be snagging this little 75 acres. It’s just not a good fit. No matter what they do or how they try to spin it, this is not a good fit.â€
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Another concern raised by several people Monday: The city’s oldest and one of most-used Native sweat lodges is located in Wilderness Park, about 100 yards from the proposed development.
Kevin Abourezk, a member of the Rosebud Sioux and managing editor of , a Native news site, said the sweat lodge has been used for 40 years as a site for prayers and connecting with nature. It is his church, he said, which needs to be protected for future generations.
“Imagine, if you are Christian, trying to take communion as cars drive by, or say a prayer as exhaust fumes choke you,†he said. "This is a reality we are facing ... no matter how many accommodations you make, it is what it is.â€
The development called Wilderness Crossing proposed by Sam Manzitto Jr. would include 162 single-family homes, 134 townhomes and 205 apartments, along with about 30,000 square feet of commercial space on about 75 acres south of Pioneers Boulevard between First Street and U.S. 77.
The land is currently owned by the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, which announced last summer that it planned to sell it. Manzitto told the planning commission he’s been working with the Diocese since 2018 on plans to develop the land, which has been designated in the Comprehensive Plan for future urban residential development since 2002.
In a lengthy presentation during a public hearing, city officials and the developer laid out proposals to balance plans to protect the park while accommodating the city’s need for additional housing.
City-County Planning Director David Cary said the 75 acres that would be developed is outside the floodplain, and because of that the developer doesn’t need to present a plan to manage drainage, grading and stormwater before the council votes on the zoning change and annexation. But he must still get a plan approved by the city before the development can proceed, Cary said.
Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson said in the 1990s pressure for development on the east side of Wilderness Park prompted a study that resulted in about 700 acres being identified as important to protect from degradation and floodplain management through acquisition or easement.
The area where the latest development is proposed was not identified, he said, nor was it in a 2012 study that looked at reestablishing native prairie.
Manzitto has agreed to build a 6-foot fence, create a 10-foot outlot and include requirements that houses be built a certain distance from their back fence. Also, the stretch of First Street that runs along the property would be vacated and rerouted so that it runs through the development. About 33 feet of the vacated First Street would also be retained as a buffer.
Native vegetation will be planted in the outlot, and additional buffer and housing covenants will include lighting restrictions for residents, said DaNay Kalkowski, who represents Manzitto. A homeowner association would maintain the fence and enforce the light restrictions and any prohibition to plant invasive trees and shrubs.
There will be two retention ponds built to manage drainage, said Mike Eckert, with a civil design group working with the developer.
In March, the planning commission approved the plan, despite more than 50 emails sent in opposition and more than a dozen people testifying.
By Monday, the City Council chamber was full of opponents, and Adam Hintz, president of Friends of Wilderness Park, submitted a petition with 912 signatures in opposition.
About 40 people gathered outside the County-City Building in opposition before the meeting. They carried signs, talked about the importance of the sweat lodge, prayed and performed a Native song.
Hintz appealed to the council to delay the vote on the annexation and zoning change needed for the development to proceed. He said the proposal wasn’t adequately presented or vetted and more time is needed to make the best-informed decision.
City officials referred to elements of the comprehensive plan that the proposed development fulfills, while opponents pointed to elements they say are ignored.
Several people suggested the city create barriers around the park, or consider purchasing the land or using it for community gardens.
Renee San Souci, a Native activist and member of the Omaha Tribe, said the park and sweat lodge are places of healing that Natives consider sacred.
“I am beseeching you as a Native and supporter of Wilderness Park to vote no to any decision regarding advancement of the proposals,†she said. “Help us establish protections and continue a way of life that helps us stay in good health.â€