City Hall Notebook: Big news from Antelope Valley

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Big news could be on the way in Antelope Valley.

Big development news, that is.

Mayor Chris Beutler says “things are starting to move very rapidly” and two or three projects are in the works.

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The city has cleared a path through the city core to build new roads and bridges and is digging an open Antelope Creek channel to control flooding.

But the massive public works project isn’t just about roads, bridges and a creek. The city hopes the newly beautified area will attract the interest of developers who want to build things like hotels, stores, offices and apartments.

“Interest is accelerating,” Beutler told the City Council, but that’s as far as he would tip his hand.

Don’t be surprised if Vision 2015 is somehow involved; their spokesman, Kent Seacrest, recently said they may have some announcements soon.

That vision thing

As developers eye the Antelope Valley area, how does the city ensure that their ideas are compatible with the city’s vision for the area?

Design standards.

They’re like guidelines that tell developers what kind of architecture and lighting the city prefers.

The city plans to hire a consultant to help draft such guidelines.

Crandall Arambula — the Portland, Ore., consulting firm that spearheaded development of the recently updated Downtown Master Plan — is interested in helping the city come up with design standards for Antelope Valley.

Urban Development Department Director David Landis said the work will be paid for with city money and contributions from the 2015 Vision group.

He hopes the standards will be ready within six months — which Beutler worries may not be soon enough for some projects.

See for yourself

Speaking of Antelope Valley, the city is holding another series of tours to help Lincoln residents get a better look at what their tax dollars are buying.

“Connect the Dots” tours will be held: 

* June 28 at 6:30 p.m. (bus and bike tours)

*  June 30 at 9 a.m. (bus and bike tours) and 11 a.m. (bus tour)

Register for a tour by visiting www.lincoln.ne.gov and searching for “antelope” or by calling Liz Hoy at 458-5969.

Brace yourself for the budget

Almost every time Mayor Beutler speaks to a group, he warns them that it’s going to be a rough summer.

For city officials, that is.

They have the unenviable task of balancing the municipal budget by closing a projected $9 million deficit.

Based on Beutler’s comments, as well as City Council members who’ve had several confidential budget briefings, the city may be out of budget-balancing gimmicks.

Beutler told a group of neighborhood leaders last week that the city has a “very, very serious budget problem.”

“It’s a very sad situation and I’m doing things I don’t even want to do,” he said.

Sleepless in Spatz’s house

As if John Spatz didn’t have enough on his hands, what with being a new city councilman.

Last week he got another 6 pounds, 8 ounces on his plate.

That’s when he and his wife, Julianne, welcomed their first child, Evan John Spatz, into the world.

That’s why when the council was trying to figure out a way to avoid having budget meetings go until 3 a.m., Councilman Dan Marvin cracked, “John’s not getting any sleep anyway anymore.” 

Butt out

City Hall smokers will soon lose a smoking spot on what’s now informally called the “smoking deck.”

The Public Building Commission, which maintains city and county government buildings, has decided it’s time go smoke-free on the patio area off the west end of  the county-city building.

Tables, chairs and perhaps an awning will be installed and it will become an outdoor eating deck, according to commission member Jonathan Cook.

Building a bridge

The city has begun soliciting bids to rebuild the Harris Overpass, which carries O Street traffic over the rail yards and the Haymarket district from Third Street to Ninth Street.

Bids will be accepted until June 27. 

Construction of the bridge is scheduled to start Nov. 12, the Monday after the last Husker home football game. The bridge will shut down for about a year.

He said it

“That’s the way you need to do it.” — Councilman Marvin, after the city’s new urban development head, David Landis, expressed uncertainty about how to approach the council to give them a document, saying he felt like an attorney asking permission to approach a judge.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.