The North Platte city council tabled a proposed plan and tax increment financing for the Newberry Village housing project Tuesday, after members raised several concerns.

The council voiced concerns about housing growth, infrastructure, school impact, and the city’s increasing use of TIF incentives.

The proposal, brought forward by Prataria Ventures, a real-estate development division of Chief Industries of Grand Island, would create a 247-unit manufactured home community between Bicentennial Ave. and Newberry Access Rd. The project would include private concrete streets, infrastructure improvements, sidewalks, parking areas, and such amenities as a dog park and playground, Prataria spokesman Roger Bullington has said.

The proposal became the focal point of the meeting, as council members, city staff, developers, and members of the public debated the long-term impact on housing, infrastructure, schools, and the city’s growing use of TIF.

Bullington described the project as an opportunity to provide workforce and entry-level homeownership options in North Platte. Bullington said the homes would average around $150,000 and be individually owned, although residents would lease the lots beneath them.

Bullington said the project is intended to address housing shortages tied to economic growth and workforce expansion in the community.

“We don’t capture the $150,000 market,” Councilman Pete Volz later said during the discussion, referring to a lack of homes for that price in the city. “You’re just not going to build a house for under $150,000.”

Supporters of the project, including North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation President Gary Person and Sustainable Beef CEO David Briggs, said the development is needed to support continued workforce growth in the community.

Briggs said roughly 40% of Sustainable Beef’s workforce currently commutes from outside North Platte and additional housing options are needed to encourage employees to move to the city.

“This is a strong, simple project,” Briggs said.

Despite the support, the council voiced significant concerns from several members.

Councilman Brad Garrick raised concerns about the amount of TIF already being utilized throughout the community, citing figures showing North Platte has more than $50 million tied to housing-related TIF projects and more than 1,200 housing units currently planned or under development.

“I’m a little concerned that we are oversaturating the market,” Garrick said.

Garrick also voiced concern about the impact on schools, particularly the closest elementary school in that area, Jefferson Elementary, which he said is already crowded.

Councilman Nick McNew raised concerns about long-term maintenance requirements, and what the development could look like in future decades if ownership changes.

Council members also discussed potential requirements that could be extended long into the future, such as requirements that homes be newer manufactured units, the expectation of owner-occupancy, long-term maintenance standards, and redevelopment conditions that would continue even if ownership of the home changes.

Councilman Ty Lucas expressed concern about imposing overly restrictive requirements directly on the plat itself, but agreed that protections should be built into future redevelopment agreements tied to the TIF.

“I’m all for owner-occupied, and I’m all for new units,” Lucas said. “Because I think that’s what’s going to make this a great project.”

Traffic and infrastructure concerns were also heavily discussed.

Council members questioned traffic impacts along Philip Ave. and Bicentennial Ave., especially once Newberry Access Road is expanded to four lanes, as is planned in a few years. In response, City Zoning and Planning Director Judy Clark said additional right-of-way has already been dedicated for road widening.

Members of the public also spoke.

Former Councilwoman Donna Tryon questioned whether the city may be overbuilding housing and expressed concerns about future school impacts and unfinished development, if the project is not fully completed.

North Platte resident and Ward 1 council candidate Sophia Klein urged the council to ensure all developers and businesses are treated equally when requesting city support and incentives.

Councilman Brad Flanders was absent from the meeting, and following extensive discussion, Councilman Jim Nisley moved to table the plan until the next meeting, so the full council could make the decision.

“I think this deserves all eight members here,” Nisley said.

His motion followed Lucas’s question about how many votes it would take to pass the resolution. City Attorney Bill Troshynski said it needed five votes to pass.

The council tabled the matter on a 4-3 vote, with Rieker, McNew, and Lucas voting no.

The lengthy meeting also included discussion of multiple rezoning requests, infrastructure projects, and future commercial growth in several areas of the city.

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