Capital City Eyeing Whether To Urbanize Area East Of Lincoln

Councilman says it might impact beltway road

LINCOLN - Lincoln city government will study whether to allow urban growth to the east in an area more than two-thirds the size of the current city.

Sentiment to breach a ridge line and allow urban development in the Stevens Creek watershed east of the Southeast Community College campus has been around for years -- in the development community.

But high costs for city sewage treatment facilities and other infrastructure has kept a lid on urban growth in that area until now. The watershed basin is 52 square miles. Current city boundaries encompass about 73 square miles.

City-County Planning Director Kathleen Sellman told the City Council Monday data is being gathered to develop a long-range conceptual plan for the basin and fringe area.

The idea is to identify urban, rural and environmental land use goals.

"That is beginning now and it will have broad public involvement," she said. "It's a big project."

Councilman Jerry Shoecraft said the first thing to determine is whether city government wants to urbanize the area, because that could have a direct bearing on the site of the community's proposed east beltway road corridor.

Councilwoman Coleen Seng, the chairperson, said she began community activist work 20 years ago. She recalled that even then there was pressure to develop into the Stevens Creek area.

She said a huge area is involved, asking if it is as large as the city. It was then that Kent Morgan, a planner, noted the basin area is 52 square miles and the city about 73.

The study and city government action on findings are expected to take about a year, with final decisions to become part of an updated community Comprehensive Plan.

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