Urban affairs omnibus bill approved

An omnibus Urban Affairs measure was given final approval April 18.

LB873, introduced by the Urban Affairs Committee, makes a variety of clean-up changes to state law related to the governing of cities, including clarifying terms and eliminating antiquated and unnecessary language.

The measure contains provisions of seven additional bills:
• LB735, introduced by Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood, which clarifies that municipalities have the authority to enter into an interlocal agreement with a county in which the extra-territorial zoning jurisdiction of the municipality is located to provide for joint and cooperative action to abate, remove or prevent nuisances within the ETJ;
• LB748, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen, which clarifies references to municipal population thresholds, providing that such thresholds are met based on either the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent revised certified count by the U.S. Bureau of the Census;
• LB765, introduced by the Urban Affairs Committee, which amends sections of law governing first class cities to clarify that they apply only to first class cities;
• LB768, introduced by Grand Island Sen. Dan Quick, which authorizes first- and second-class cities and villages to make grants and loans under the Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act for early childhood infrastructure development;
• LB880, introduced by Hansen, which requires cities to include an early childhood element in their comprehensive plans no later than Jan. 1, 2022, either when adopting a new or updating an existing comprehensive plan;
• LB854, introduced by Quick, which allows any Nebraska municipality to create a land bank under the Nebraska Municipal Land Bank Act and clarifies that land banks may enter into agreements under the Interlocal Cooperation Act for the joint administration of multiple land banks; and
• LB756, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, which prohibits municipalities from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that prohibits the use of a property as a short-term rental, unless necessary to protect public health and safety.

Lawmakers passed LB873 on a 26-15 vote.