Buffalo County

The meeting involved the appointment of a Vice-Chairperson protem. The primary agenda item was a public hearing regarding an application for a zoning variance submitted by Tobian Tool, seeking permission to build a single-family home on the south part of the property, which required deviating from the 1000-foot separation requirement in the Agricultural zoning district. Testimony confirmed the intent for two residences temporarily, with only one planned long-term after the passing of Jerry Lee Tool. The Board determined that strict application of the regulation would cause undue hardship and ultimately reversed the Zoning Administrator's decision, allowing the zoning permit with five specific conditions tied to the property zoning classification and occupancy status of the existing residence.

The primary discussion involved a zoning variance application submitted by Joni M. Nickel for property located at 40310 Kilgore Road, Gibbon, Nebraska. The variance requested an 8-foot extension into the road right-of-way to accommodate a 12' x 30' addition to the existing home, with the justification being that no other area on the property allowed for the enlargement. The Board also confirmed compliance with floodplain regulations and addressed the requirement for an alternate leach field area. The motion to allow the 8-foot setback relaxation passed with all present members voting in favor.

The Board of Adjustment meeting included a public forum and a hearing concerning an application for a variance filed by Charles L. Wright and Carol J. Foster-Wright for property in the Village of Odessa. The variance request was to permit an addition to the existing residence on the west side, which necessitated relaxing the setback regulation due to hardship stemming from non-conforming lot sizes in Odessa. Testimony confirmed that the proposed addition, which included a bathroom connected to the existing septic system, would not negatively impact the character of the neighborhood or adjacent properties. The Board voted to relax the setback regulation and subsequently approved the motion.

The Board of Adjustment meeting included the election of a Vice Chairperson, Lloyd Wilke. The primary focus involved discussions and decisions on two zoning variance applications. The first hearing concerned a variance request from Lana Sullwold regarding a property in Section 31, relating to minimum acreage requirements due to existing structures and a long-term irrigation lease; this application was tabled until the next meeting when all members would be present, as a unanimous vote was required for approval and only four members were present. The second hearing addressed a variance request from Robert and Linda Grassmeyer to relax the rear setback requirement for an addition built onto an existing structure in Section 7, allegedly to house a grain trailer; the Board ultimately voted to deny this variance request.

The meeting featured a public hearing concerning a request submitted by Mitchell Humphrey on behalf of Wild Horse Ranch, LLC c/o Steve Scoville. The request sought approval to deviate from the minimum lot size requirement of 3.0 acres to facilitate an administrative subdivision of a 2.37-acre tract associated with an existing house site. This site is situated outside of an area leased to the Federal Government for the Wild Horse Ranch Burro program, with the proposed partition aiming to separate the home site from the leased government property. The Board determined that a strict application of regulations would cause undue hardship due to the inability to acquire additional land because of the existing lease arrangement. Following this determination, the Board voted to relax the minimum lot size requirement for the described property, authorizing the creation of an Administrative Subdivision for the subject property should the applicant proceed. The meeting concluded with the approval of the minutes from the July 12, 2018 meeting.