Mayor Jack Hobbie's proposal for downtown zoning will go to the city council for a vote without an endorsement from The Nebraska City Planning Commission.
City planners voted unanimously Thursday against recommending the proposed zoning.
City planners urged the mayor’s downtown maintenance and style committee to remove language from the proposed ordinance that would require preservation of window space on existing buildings.
The mayor asked city planners to approve recommendation of the proposal as it is.
“To alter or cover up these windows eliminates the buildings’ ‘historical’ character,” the mayor said in a letter to the commission.
The mayor said the display windows are essential to historical, commercial buildings. He said overhead window transoms and wood-framed entrance doors are part of the architectural elements that give buildings a historical look and feel.
At their July meeting, city planners noted that the proposal requires new building facades to have at least 30 percent window space. They suggested the same rule be applied to existing buildings.
The proposed zoning, which will apply to Central Avenue from Sixth to 14th streets and include portions of First Corso, regulates awnings, specifies the type of signs and construction materials.
It says the downtown streetscape shall be uniform.
“When a redevelopment project disturbs existing streetscape elements, those items must be replaced with streetscape elements compatible with the character of downtown Nebraska City,” it says.
Buildings in the district shall not exceed four stories or 50 feet.
The mayor also told city planners that he believes the city’s vacancy ordinance and publicity about the downtown overlay district have had a positive effect on the downtown.
He noted improvements to the Warehouse Antiques @609 building, purchase of the Granny’s Parlor and Joe’s Café buildings, remodeling of Joe O’Flaherty’s building and facelifts for the Appearances and Century 21 buildings.
“All of this is happening even in uncertain economic times,” he said.
