BLAIR, Neb. (KMTV) — Blair City Council will decide tonight whether Omaha Rapid Response can keep operating from residential headquarters after planning denial.
- Earlier this month, the Planning Commission denied their request to continue using three office spaces inside the main residence, plus a training facility and storage area on the 13-acre property.
- Jessica McIntosh, a neighbor in opposition, has concerns about noise, property values and increased traffic in the residential area.
- Omaha Rapid Response President Ken Gruber says, "We just want to be a resource to people, especially this community."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Omaha Rapid Response is challenging Blair's denial of a permit that would allow the nonprofit to continue operating from its headquarters in the Deerfield neighborhood.
The organization has been operating from its new location on the northwest edge of the neighborhood for the past 14 months. For the second time, the nonprofit will appear before the city of Blair to request a 10-year use permit for its property.
Earlier this month, the Planning Commission denied the request to keep using three office spaces inside the main residence, plus a training facility and storage on the 13-acre property.
Ken Gruber, president of Omaha Rapid Response, said the organization has been unusually busy this year responding to severe weather events.
"Really we've probably been busier here this year than we ever would normally in the future because of the disasters that happened, the tornado in the spring and then the big Derecho on August 9th and moving in here and rebuilding," Gruber said.
Some neighbors have raised concerns about the organization's presence in the residential area. Jessica McIntosh, a neighbor in opposition, worries about noise, property values and increased traffic.
"You know these are neighborhoods where young children live and they play in the street and they drive golf carts, they ride their bicycles, so we do have concerns with the added traffic and more cars through the neighborhood," McIntosh said.
Despite the opposition, Gruber emphasized the organization's commitment to being good neighbors.
"We're not trying to hide anything. We just want to be good neighbors and hopefully they give us a chance to do that," Gruber said. "We just want to be a resource to people, especially this community."
McIntosh acknowledged the difficult position residents find themselves in regarding the nonprofit's work.
"It's such a hard position to be in because rapid response does good work and of course we want to support them and we want them to be in our community. Unfortunately this just isn't the right place," McIntosh said.
The city said they will respond after the council meeting concludes.
