50 years ago: Developer wants to build on 40 acres

50 years ago Population 3,179 (U.S. Census 1960 and 1970) Development: A development encompassing some 40 acres and including garden apartments, duplex apartments and single-family dwellings was placed before the Lincoln Planning Commission Tuesday. The developer, Charles Joiner, is initially seeking approval of rezoning for eight acres at the southwest corner of Nicolaus Road and O Street to multi-family residential. This would constitute Valley View Estates Unit No. 3 and would eventually include 117 living units in the form of one- and two-story apartments and duplexes. The developer is proposing 50 units in the first phase of construction. Financing would be through the Farmers Home Administration and the units would be available for rent with no restrictions, according to John Atteberry of Atteberry and Associates, engineers for the project. The living units would attract senior citizens, small families, single parents with "one or two children" or couples, Joiner explained. Rental charges would be adjusted to income, Joiner stated following the meeting. The garden apartments would be fully carpeted, air conditioned, have central heat and the area would be landscaped, according to Joiner, who described the development as not government subsidized. The complex would be owned and operated by the developer and would have "professional management." Valley View Unit 5 lies to the south of the proposed apartment complex and north of the existing Valley View Units Nos. 1 and 2. Unit 5 would probably include single-family dwellings and a row of duplexes as a buffer between the apartment dwellings and the single-family houses. Unit 4, which lies westerly of the other four units, would include 64 lots. One hundred and twenty lots make up the three units. The proposed development was presented as an "all in one package," Atteberry explained, because any one portion would require relocation of an existing sewer lift station and creation of a water line loop. The area cannot now be served by existing sewage disposal facilities, Atteberry said. Development of the area is predicated on completion of the city's new wastewater treatment plant currently being constructed at Nicolaus Road and Nelson Lane. A finalized map will be presented to the planning commission for review at a date yet to be set. If only a negative environmental declaration is required, the meeting could be set within two weeks, but if a full environmental impact report is required, the proposal would come back to the planners late in May and go to council at its June 8 meeting. Planning Commissioner Nathan Parra expressed doubts that the water system, sewer system and schools could handle a development of this type and City Administrator Gail Wingard suggested a neighborhood park should be considered. Commission Chairman Marshall Weir commented on the possibility that the development would attract more low- income people to Lincoln. "It would be nice to attract some high-income people," Weir concluded. Joiner indicated a certain amount of urgency in getting plans approved in order to meet a June 30 deadline for application for the FmHA funds, which he said were currently available on a "walk-in" basis. The developer indicated a construction time schedule of this summer for start of Unit 3 and possible 1977 for Units 4 and 5. The Human Relations Commission survey indicates a housing need in Lincoln, Joiner said, noting his own survey bears this out. The overall map suggested an area of 1.72 acres on Nicolaus Road to be zoned neighborhood commercial, possibly for a "convenience-type market." The plan also allows for four traffic lanes on Nicolaus Road, although Atteberry said this was not in the foreseeable future. 75 years ago Population 2,410 (U.S. Census 1940 and 1950) Vital issues: Lincolnites apparently face two vital issues within the next half year. The two combined could have a pronounced effect on the tax structure of Lincoln and the surrounding area. The city has not yet announced the sum it will seek in the bond election this July, but it likely will approach the $250,000 mark. This sum of money, if voted, will be spent for important improvements in the water distribution and transportation system and for the construction of a sewer disposal system. This will mark the city's second attempt to push through this program within the year. The issue must be labeled as vital to the welfare of Lincon. The second important issue is expected to originate with the grammar school board. Those trustees are seriously contemplating calling for a bond election which would involve at least $150,000. If the board carries through with its plan, that election will come up in June, at the latest. The two proposed actions give residents of this area the opportunity of approving or turning down portions of, or all of, the sum of $4000,000. In round figures, nearly one-half million dollars. Also to be kept in mind is the extension of the 30-cent special tax over at the high school, which they are asking for at the regular school election. For the time, let us consider the possible elementary school election — which is not yet definite. The board of that school believes it must have more classroom space within the next few months. They base the conclusion on a set of figures and charts which indicate a climbing birthrate in the school district, plus an upward spiraling enrollment at the local school. They point out they are now able to accommodate all the students only because they use temporary structures. Their figures go on to show if the increase of students remains constant the school will have to have an additional classroom a year, starting in 1952. We have no quarrel with their figures, although figures can be made to prove a lot of things. Surprisingly enough, figures can be very concrete and still mislead. That is because they are rigidly fixed, while the conditions which create and control them usually are not. However, if we make any observation at all about the arithmetic calculations of the school it is that the officials involved are seemingly ultra-conservative. They realize that very well themselves. Actually, there seems to be about four alternatives to the school's problem. 1. That the enrollment will immediately slacken off. That, Lincoln does not want, if it is to continue normal growth. 2. That the school use available types of temporary buildings. This would include shopping around in Lincoln for anything usable. Not at all satisfactory. 3. Start double sessions. 4. Vote bonds and/or arrange for state aid. We offer no solution to the school's problem. That solution will have to come from residents of the school district. But, while we are figuring out the answer as best we know how, we must keep always in the back of our mind the crucial city election which is due in July. 100 years ago Population 1,324 (U.S. Census 1900, 1910 and 1920) Trustees: Chairman Charles Gladding was unanimously re-elected. Appointments of town officers was discussed and the clerk was ordered to prepare a notice calling for applications for the respective offices, said applications to be filed with the city clerk before May 11, the regular meeting night. Repairing the streets was gone into at length and as the board has decided to purchase new equipment for the work, it had the representatives from several firms who handle equipment of this kind present to explain their machinery. It was decided that a demonstration of each machine should be given on the streets in Lincoln in order that the board might be able to judge the efficiency of each machine. Tuesday, April 27, was set as the day for the demonstration and as everyone is interested in our street work, the board will be pleased to have as many citizens out on that day as possible. The streets need repairing badly, but with the equipment at hand it is impossible to put them in anything like good condition, besides it is expensive, but with the proper apparatus the work will be efficient and easy, and less expensive. This is the experience of other places. Thank you for reading! MBO