Nebraska developer gears as much as win OK for RV park/airboat marina on Platte River | Omaha State and Regional Information

The controversial proposal to construct an RV and airboat park alongside the Platte River should have life.

Brad Brown, who builds high-end houses within the Omaha space, will try subsequent week to persuade the Valley Metropolis Council to greenlight his plan to show roughly 92 acres alongside the river into an RV park.

Brown’s proposal, which was rejected by the Valley Planning Fee in June, goes earlier than the Metropolis Council on Tuesday.

In a textual content message Wednesday, Brown mentioned he and his group have fine-tuned their proposal.

“Over the previous 6 weeks, we have now labored arduous to take heed to the issues of our neighbors and revise our growth plan in keeping with the Douglas County Complete Growth Plan for floodways (the river facet of the levee),” he wrote. “We additional researched and revised our growth plan to be considerably just like the leisure and tenting areas created by the Papio-River Pure Useful resource District.”

Brown declined to say what modifications he’s making, saying that as a courtesy to the Valley Metropolis Council, he needed to current his up to date plan to them first.

Opponents worry he might obtain a positive vote. The consequence, they are saying, would carry noise, congestion and declining property values to their river getaway.

“It’s my understanding that the Metropolis Council is contemplating overturning the choice of the Planning Fee,” mentioned Wealthy Tesar, who owns property close by and is an elected board member of the Papio-Missouri River Pure Assets District. “We’re instructed our property values might go down 25 to 30%. And there’s a lot of concern in regards to the airboat noise — it will likely be like residing subsequent to an airport.”

Airboats are a sort of boat designed to journey throughout shallow water. They’re propelled ahead by an industrial-sized fan that’s powered by an automotive or jet engine. Passengers and pilots should put on ear safety when using in them.

The Platte River Resort, as it might be known as, would have area for about 290 RVs and 15 to twenty airboats, based mostly on obtainable info.

The park could be positioned alongside .75 miles of riverfront property the place West Maple dead-ends on the Platte River. The location is instantly downriver from the residential space referred to as Sokol Camp.

Opponents additionally say the proposal will enhance flood danger and will run afoul of federal laws that limit constructing within the path of flooding. That’s as a result of the RV park could be within the floodway, the realm alongside a river that’s most closely regulated.

Domina Legislation Group, in a letter to the Valley Metropolis Council, argues that the event might result in the group shedding entry to federal flood insurance coverage and incurring important associated prices. Domina represents Curtis Acres Owners Affiliation.

Brown has mentioned his plan is the very best and finest use of land provided that no everlasting housing will be inbuilt a floodway.

Promotional literature describes the park as Nebraska’s premier RV resort. Brown has mentioned he would require customers to signal six-month rental agreements at $1,000 a month, with a $4,000 down cost. The camp would solely be open April 1 to Oct. 31, to keep away from that point of the 12 months when ice jam flooding happens on the river.

On the June planning assembly, Brown described the RV park as an financial growth software that will draw guests to the Valley space to eat and store.

Opponents have lawyered up, circulated petitions and posted indicators opposing the park. Quite a few rich Omaha households personal property within the space.

The four-person Valley Metropolis Council is scheduled to vote on the problem at its Aug. 9 assembly. Ought to the council impasse, the mayor will forged the tie-breaking vote. Valley’s council members didn’t return requests for remark.

Mayor Cindy Grove mentioned she hasn’t fashioned an opinion on the event.

“There are quite a lot of issues excellent,” she mentioned of the issues cited by the Planning Fee. “The developer is working to handle these objects.”