Trailer court added for city’s ‘23 nuisance review

    Imperial’s nuisance officer acquired a little more work this summer as they make nuisance code reviews in the community.
    At Monday’s meeting, city council members voted to add Winter’s Trailer Court on the north edge of the city to its 2023 nuisance review program.
    At the April 17 meeting, council members approved a southwest section of town for the nuisance review, but considered adding Winter’s Trailer Court. In the end, they decided to wait until this week’s meeting to decide whether to add the trailer court.
    Council members requested that officials at West Central Nebraska Development district, Imperial’s nuisance officer, get a firm dollar figure on adding the trailer court.
    That additional cost will be $6,800, according to Amber Kuskie, WCNDD executive director.
    Added to the $14,785 cost approved two weeks ago, this summer’s review totals $21,585.
    The section for review approved in April includes residential areas from Park Street west to Golf Course Road and from 8th Street south to Highway 6. It includes the SeLoCySe Trailer Court at the south edge of Imperial and other trailers along Eskew Street.
    Businesses in that area will not be included in the nuisance code review, according to the vote.
    More discussion on trailer courts took place Monday.
    The council had talked at earlier meetings about adding Capitol Mobile Court along East 12th Street to this year’s review, but will not formally include that property this year.
    That trailer court was reviewed in 2022.
    City Attorney Josh Wendell noted WCNDD has been helpful in the past with cleaning up trailer court properties. He noted there are some “ongoing situations” happening that the city is dealing with there now, and wanted to be sure of WCNDD’s assistance is needed again.
    The council also discussed the necessity of the two letter notification practice Imperial uses after a property is flagged for a possible nuisance. In the past, citizens were notified by a non-certified letter of the potential violation. That was followed up with a certified letter if needed.
    Kuskie said Imperial is the only community among 17 others they serve as nuisance officer that uses a two-letter notification system.
    Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski asked why change the city’s notification system if it’s worked well the past 10 years.

    Mayor Craig Loeffler said it adds cost to the program. Administrator Tyler Pribbeno said it also adds about 30 days to the process with two courtesy letters going out.
    In the end, the council decided to send only the certified letter to property owners who in WCNDD’s review may have a violation of the code.
Morelands seek
zoning change
    First reading and a public hearing were held on a zoning change request from Blake and Darcy Moreland.
    The Morelands requested the zoning change from agriculture-1 to large lot residential for a piece of ground they own in the southeast 1/4 of 34-7-38 east of Imperial.
    While the property is outside the city limits, it is within the one-mile zoning radius the city has outside of its limits.
    The Morelands want to build a home on the property but cannot do so on ag-zoned ground because it must be at least 10 acres and that piece of property is not, according to Zoning Officer Nick Schultz.
    Large lot residential-zoned ground requires 2 acres for a home to be built, he said.
    While the Planning Commission approved the zoning change at its April 18 meeting and forwarded it to the council, there were concerns expressed then from Rob Schilke.
    Schilke owns a feedlot with 3,000 head of cattle about a half mile from the Moreland property. According to the Planning Commission meeting minutes, Schilke told members there is a possibility of his feedlot becoming larger.
    Schilke, whose feedlot is grandfathered in with regard to the city zoning regulations,  indicated to Planning Commission members he wanted assurances the Morelands were aware of the feedlot and it wouldn’t be an issue if the home would ever sell.
    Planning Commission minutes indicate the Morelands understood the concerns and are aware of the feedlot.
    Council President Doug Gaswick suggested they hold over approval of the change, with second reading of the ordinance set for the May 15 meeting.
    Mayor Loeffler also signed a proclamation setting May 14-20 as National Skilled Nursing Care Week in Imperial. See the full story on page 10.