A heated public meeting took place on Tuesday night in Omaha, where city officials and developers presented their plans for a $90 million airport business park project that would require the use of eminent domain to acquire some properties in the area.
What is the airport business park project?
The airport business park project is a joint initiative between the city of Omaha, the state of Nebraska, and the Omaha Airport Authority. The project aims to create a 200-acre business park near Eppley Airfield that would attract new businesses and jobs to the city. The project is expected to generate $1.2 billion in economic impact and create 4,000 jobs over the next 20 years.
The project is funded by a $90 million grant from the state of Nebraska, which was announced by Governor Jim Pillen and Mayor Jean Stothert in January. The grant is part of the state’s recovery program to boost economic development and infrastructure projects across the state.
Why are some residents opposed to the project?
Some residents who live near the proposed site of the business park are opposed to the project because they fear losing their homes and businesses to eminent domain. Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private property for public use, with compensation to the owners.
According to the city, about 80 properties would need to be acquired for the project, of which 28 are residential and 52 are commercial. Some of these properties include homes, an urban farm stand, a church, and a cemetery.
The residents who attended the meeting expressed their concerns about the lack of transparency, communication, and fairness from the city and the developers. They also questioned the need and the feasibility of the project, as well as the environmental and social impacts it would have on the community.
What are the next steps for the project?
The city and the developers said they are open to listening to the residents’ feedback and working with them to find solutions. They said they are still in the planning phase and have not made any final decisions on the design, layout, or acquisition of the properties. They also said they will follow the legal process and offer fair market value to the owners who would be affected by eminent domain.
The city and the developers plan to hold more public meetings and consultations in the coming months. They hope to complete the master plan by the end of the year and start the construction by 2025.
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