Despite concern the city is being too strict with its rules, the City Council approved new design standards to govern development that occurs in the Antelope Valley Project.

The new standards will regulate things such as the type of building materials that can be used on new construction and the types of businesses that can move into Antelope Valley. The design standards also will apply downtown.

Councilwoman Robin Eschliman fought, unsuccessfully, to soften the legislation, saying she thinks the city spends too much time focusing on all the things it doesn’t want to happen, rather than focusing its attention trying to recruit businesses.

She said the design standards offered “four ways to a yes” with deviations from the standards, but “400 ways to get a no.”

“I’m convinced that not everybody in Lincoln wants matchy-matchy,” she said. “I think we’ll look back and say, ‘Why did everything have to look the same?’”

She failed to get an amendment passed that would have required new businesses in Antelope Valley to provide parking. The Downtown Lincoln Association feared the requirement might result in parking money being used to build parking garages in Antelope Valley, rather than downtown.

“It’s not really their money,” Councilman Ken Svoboda argued, noting the revenue for new parking garages comes from anybody who pays downtown parking fees.

She also was unable to strip from the legislation a ban on car washes and auto repair shops.

However, the council did approve an amendment by Councilman John Spatz requiring a review of the design standards within two years. Councilman Jon Camp said while the standards might lock the city in and stifle creativity, they also assure developers of quality throughout the project area.

Eschliman voted against the new design standards, but for a waiver process for deviations from the standards. She said she hopes the legislation helps bring development in Antelope Valley in the next two years.

“I hope we’re seeing way more than we’re seeing now,” she said. “And if we’re not, we’ll have to turn around and take another look.”

In other business, the council:

* Approved signing a 20-year deal creating a Joint Public Agency to finance the county’s construction of a new $65 million county jail over 20 years.

Assuming the County Board approves the arrangement today, the city would stop paying the county $1.4 million annually to house its inmates, and in exchange will lend the county its authority to levy up to 5 cents per $100 of property value.

* Held a public hearing on the issuance of developer-purchased bonds to extend water and sewer lines from Alvo Road to Arbor Road for a development that includes an employment center north of Interstate 80. The 1,800-acre area was declared blighted in 2006.

* Held a public hearing on an ordinance that clarifies and consolidates lighting standards, the result of a three-year process.

The Lincoln Independent Business Association said while the standards may create more cost to some business owners, it will reduce costs and wasted electricity, too. LIBA supported the standards after working with the city to alter what it considered anti-business provisions. An astronomy club and observatory also supported the ordinance.

* Approved a resolution declaring its intent to reimburse expenses through tax increment financing bonds for Perot Systems’ consolidation and expansion into a new 150,000-square-foot building in the University of Nebraska Technology Park.

The city is kicking in $3.1 million in TIF for the $23 million project, $2.2 million of which will be used to pay the Tech Park for a 60-year renewable ground lease of 20 acres. Much of the rest will be used for street, utility and streetscape improvements.

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