Neighbors of a $200 million development proposed to replace the former Ironwood Country Club have organized to push for further changes to the plans.
But developer Chip James said he has made enough concessions, and City Councilman Franklin Thompson, who represents the area, commended the developer for the steps he has taken to respond to neighbors.
Thompson said he expects the project to gain the City Council’s approval. But until the Sterling Ridge development comes up for a vote, he said he will remain open to hearing neighbors’ concerns.
“You’ll never get everything you want,” he said Monday. “What I’m trying to weigh is if the neighbors are getting enough.”
Ten subdivisions in the area of 132nd and Pacific Streets have joined together under a group called Neighborhoods of Ironwood. The group has retained a public relations firm, plans a neighborhood Facebook page and is circulating a petition to present to the council.
A neighborhood meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 333 S. 132nd St.
Rich Henningsen, a board member for the new group, said the neighbors aren’t “anti-development” and believe the project will go through.
But they contend the current development plans threaten the character of their neighborhoods.
“Just give us a little bit of breathing room,” Henningsen said, “and please don’t dump these streets into a residential neighborhood.”
Sterling Ridge would be a mix of businesses, housing and religious space, including a campus involving Temple Israel, the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska and the American Institute of Islamic Studies and Culture.
Much of the neighbors’ objections stem from the City Planning Department’s desire to connect the new development with existing neighborhoods.
The Omaha Planning Board endorsed the plans on condition that two street connections are made into the neighborhood. The developer is not pushing for those streets.
The neighborhood group opposes those connections and wants to prevent the development’s traffic from crossing into Trendwood, located across 132nd Street, and Leawood West, which is across Pacific Street.
Neighbors also want more of a buffer along the development’s southern edge and a promise that no apartments will be built.
The developer already agreed to a buffer area without buildings, although if the southern street connection to the neighborhood goes in, it would have a parking lot leading up to the street.
Apartments already were removed from plans to satisfy neighbors. Now the neighbors want a pledge to not build apartments if the religious campus falls through.
James said the religious project is so far along that he hadn’t considered that option. He said he already has made huge concessions that hurt the project’s finances.
“I think we’ve done all we’re going to do,” he said.
A public hearing before the council is scheduled for next Tuesday, and a vote would follow Feb. 1.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1128, jeff.robb@owh.com
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