Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commissioners reversed themselves Wednesday and unanimously approved a soil mining permit after the landowner made changes to his application.

The commission had voted 5-4 against issuing  the permit May 10 on a large strip of land along North 56th Street between Branched Oak and Davey roads. The land is owned by Greg Sanford, who has expressed a desire to build a drag racing strip in the county.

At the time, commissioners as well as neighbors expressed concerns the grading plan showed the site being sculpted into a long, smooth strip of dirt road conducive to constructing a drag racing track.

After the denial, Sanford withdrew the application, revised it and resubmitted it.

The plan before the commission Wednesday showed a reduced amount of dirt being mined and also showed none of the land sculpting that the earlier plan did.

Sanford’s attorney, Mark Hunzeker, though acknowledging that his client might apply for a racetrack in the future, stressed that the application was only for soil mining.

“We think this is a very straightforward and simple application,” he said.

About two dozen neighbors still turned out to oppose the project, citing concerns ranging from erosion and runoff to safety hazards likely to be created by increased truck traffic.

But those arguments failed to sway commissioners, who noted that in addition to city and county approvals, the project also will be regulated by the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

“I feel all the safeguards are in place,” said Commissioner Eugene Carroll.

In other business Wednesday, the commission:

 Approved a plan to annex State Fair Park.

The annexation would subject activities at the park to the city’s 1 1/2-cent sales tax, which the city estimates would bring in an additional $100,000 a year. The annexation would not impose the city’s smoking ban, though, due to an exemption in state law.

Tam Allan, a fair board member from Lincoln, said the board is not opposed to the plan, which is scheduled to take effect before this year’s State Fair.

 Declared a piece of city-owned land on the northeast corner of 27th and Old Cheney surplus property.

The land was originally purchased by the city to house a library, which was instead built near 14th and Pine Lake Road.

The owner of a nearby apartment complex has expressed interest in buying the land, though no deal has yet been made.

Proceeds from any sale will go into the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget for future acquisition of park land, said Director Lynn Johnson.

Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.