HistoricOmaha

Omaha World Herald
Published Sunday March 26, 2006

BY C. DAVID KOTOK

Community leaders agree that Omaha’s buildings, streets and surroundings need to look better. The City Council unanimously endorsed that idea 15 months ago by adopting construction design goals promoted by a private group called Omaha By Design.

But setting goals is easy compared with enforcing rules. Now community leaders are preparing for the hard part.

A small group of developers, architects and officials met privately last week to get the first look at proposed zoning changes aimed at turning the goals of Omaha By Design into reality.

No one stormed out of the meeting. After all, they had bought into the Omaha By Design concept.

But developers expressed concerns that the new rules would prove costly and stifle Omaha’s commercial and residential building market, say those who attended the meeting.

The zoning rules are being fine-tuned by a legal team based in Boston. An unveiling isn’t expected until summer, followed by scrutiny by the Fahey administration, the Omaha Planning Board and the City Council.

But some details emerged last week through interviews with attendees, including City Planning Director Steve Jensen; Brian Blaesser, a partner in the Boston law firm of Robinson & Cole; and Connie Spellman, director of Omaha By Design.

The proposed zoning rules and guidelines are primarily aimed at major commercial corridors. They would impose new design standards requiring greater use of brick and stone, as opposed to concrete and fake stucco.

Buildings would be closer to the street, with tree-lined parking lots in the rear. The city would have more diverse housing styles, including lower priced apartments and homes, in new subdivisions.

Omaha By Design was launched in 2004 by Mayor Mike Fahey and prominent business leaders. The group said the city lacks stringent building standards, allowing national retailers to use their lowest cost designs in the Omaha market.

Since its inception, Omaha By Design has attracted nearly $3.5 million in cash and services. Most of the city’s major corporations, including Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc., First National Bank, The World-Herald, ConAgra, HDR architectural and engineering firm, Mutual of Omaha and Valmont Industries, are among the donors.

The group’s purpose is to make Omaha “a destination city” instead of a good place to stop, grab a bite to eat and gas up along Interstate 80.

City officials incorporated Omaha By Design’s goals into the city’s master plan, cajoling developers to alter their design proposals.

Such goals don’t provide the hammer of zoning ordinances that require the highest construction standards, Jensen acknowledged. And without putting the general goals into precise rules and regulations, Blaesser said, “It’s not as clear what Omaha’s vision is.”

Jensen, Blaesser and Spellman confirmed that some builders and developers at the meeting raised concerns that will require some reworking of the proposals. Three areas drew particular attention:

• New restrictions on commercial construction throughout downtown, all of Dodge Street and West Dodge Road, Abbott Drive, South 13th Street, North and South 24th Streets, 72nd Street, 144th Street and 168th Street. These locations were identified as “areas of civic importance.”
• Plans to transform Cass Street near Omaha Central High School; redevelop the Gene Leahy Mall, Turner Park and the Mutual of Omaha neighborhood; the four corners at 72nd and Dodge Streets; the commercial area under the new highway overpass near 114th Street and West Dodge Road; and the 192nd Street and West Dodge Road area. These locations were identified as “civic places districts.”
• Pedestrian friendly neighborhoods, and new neighborhoods with varying housing styles and prices that are connected to retail and commercial areas.

In commercial areas, the proposed rules would push new buildings toward the street and put parking in the back. For example, Shoppes at Ak-Sar-Ben, 72nd and Pacific Streets, would look much different if the proposed rules had been in place when it was built.

Store facades would be near the sidewalks instead of set back from the intersection. “We want our streets to be more interesting,” Jensen said, “and not just a way to move cars.”

Under the proposed rules, stores would no longer be allowed to erect tall signs on poles along these main corridors. Trees, shrubs and islands of green would be mandatory.

The requirements would be even more specific in areas established as special civic places. The 192nd Street and West Dodge Road area, for example, would be designated as a gateway to Omaha, and have ornamental flags or landscaping.

The Cass Street project would incorporate the hill leading to Central High School as a new plaza.

Another set of rules would ensure that new commercial developments have a direct connection to surrounding neighborhoods.

The Village Pointe shopping area at 168th Street and West Dodge Road was a positive addition to the city, Jensen said. The buildings there are varied and attractive, and they line a main street. The landscaping is elaborate and includes gathering places around a fire pit.

The success of Village Pointe convinced the owners of the Hy-Vee Supermarket at 132nd and West Dodge Road to improve its landscaping and appearance in order to retain and attract businesses, Jensen said.

Village Pointe, however, is cut off from surrounding residential areas by a fence and access road, Jensen said. The proposed regulations would require a way to walk from a neighborhood to adjoining commercial centers.

Traditional suburban developments wouldn’t be abolished under the new zoning code. A new “walkable neighborhood” would be added to the possible types of subdivisions built in Omaha.

Nothing prohibits developers from building public and commercial structures in subdivisions with a variety of housing styles. But Omaha has nothing in the city code to encourage developers, for example, to re-create a Dundee-style neighborhood in the western suburbs. There would be in the proposed code, Jensen said.

Blaesser said developers need to know what is expected when they enter the Omaha market.

Putting the design goals into city zoning ordinances and guidelines would give “clear direction to the marketplace,” Blaesser said, while retaining flexibility.

Omaha.com: City sets sights on new goals for zoning