3.2.2 Impacts of the Four Finalist Alternatives

Direct Impacts. Construction of the beltway will require conversion of existing land uses to road right-of-way, including paved lanes and grassed shoulders and medians. Estimates of direct impacts are listed in Table 3.1.

Indirect Impacts. In addition to direct impacts, concerns have been raised that the east beltway will indirectly impact land uses by encouraging urban sprawl along the beltway route, where urban sprawl is considered to be any non-farm development not contiguous to the Lincoln City limits. The implication is a far location will create non-contiguous growth, and a close location will continue compact growth. The EC-1 alternative is within 0.8 to 3.2 km (0.5 to 2.0 mi) of the city limits; EM-1 is within 2.4 to 4.8 km (1.5 to 3.0 mi); and EF-1 is within 2.4 to 6.4 km (1.5 to 4 mi). The SM-4 alternative, which has not been criticized, is between 2.4 to 5.6 km (1.5 to 3.5 mi) of the city limits.

As discussed previously, the pattern of scattered non-farm development in the beltway study area is already well-established (see Figures 2.1 and 2.25). And for a variety of reasons, the pattern appears to continue with substantial momentum. Given policies that allow for it, as well as the prosperity of the local economy, decreasing economic feasibility of the family farm, and availability of rural land for sale in the beltways study area, it is expected that rural non-farm residential growth will continue into the future. According to records of the Lancaster County Register of Deeds, Year 2000 land sales in the Stevens Creek watershed, which are as high as $21,000 to $65,000 per hectare ($8,500 to $26,000 per acre), indicate proposed uses other than agricultural production. In comparison, average prices of camparable agricultural land in more distant parts of the County range from $3,700 to $6,200 per hectare ($1,500 to $2,500 per acre).

Although existing policies allow for continued residential growth, other types of land uses are not permitted without amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. In addition, many other types of land uses are limited without the availability of City infrastructure and services. In recognition of the pressure to extend the City limits to the south and east, the City recently amended the Comprehensive Plan to include the S-1 and S-2 Subareas on the south. On the east, the City has already begun work on the Stevens Creek Basin Planning Initiative with the goal of preparing a long range conceptual plan for inclusion in the Comprehensive Plan update process. It is expected that any urbanization of the basin and other fringe areas will occur according to approved Subarea Plans.

One other noteworthy trend has been the movement of several large insurance companies and other employment centers (Ameritas, State Farm, Lincoln Benefit, Gallup) from downtown to large campus settings on the east fringe of the City. Many large churches have also relocated to larger settings along 70^th and 84^th Streets, and two of the City's hospitals are on 70^th Street (St. Elizabeth Community Health Care and the Veterans Administration Hospital). While none of these have yet been located within the east beltway study area, they are very close. There is also a pattern of large industrial facilities to locate beyond the city limits, but near Interstate access. Some of the larger employers in the beltway study area include Novartis, Pavers, Linweld, National Crane and ADM along US 6 near Waverly.

With or without a beltway, the demand for services and infrastructure will increase as the area becomes further developed with residences. In the recent past, the City has already experienced pressure to annex AGR subdivisions with failed septic systems, and the County has already experienced pressure to extend paved roads to others.

Considering the existing proliferation of non-farm residential use in the beltway area, the development of a beltway will likely result in more pressure for urbanization in the area; however, this does not necessarily equate to urban sprawl when it follows a locally approved plan.

On the other hand, a beltway would have beneficial impacts on land uses in the established and newly developing areas of the County by improving accessibility for residents choosing a rural lifestyle. A beltway would also improve accessibility for urban land uses along the City fringes.

Air Traffic Impacts. There are three private airfields in the study area. EC-1 is approximately ) 0.5 km (0.33 mi) from the end of the runway at Skyranch Acres (Pester Field); and SM-4 is approximately 0.4 km (0.25 mi) from Steward Field and 1.2 km (0.75 mi) from Weaver Field.

Consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic and Environmental Divisions indicated that (1) there are no federal regulations applicable to private use airfields (Donna O'Neil, FAA, Kansas City, personal communication with A. Zlotsky, 28 September 2000 and 4 October 2000; and Mark Schenkelberg, FAA, Kansas City, personal communication with A. Zlotsky, 28 September 2000), and (2) none of the three airfields had published approaches therefore there are no NPIAS (National Plan of Integrated Airport System) airports in the area of potential effect for the beltways study.

In addition, consultation with the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics indicated that the most important standard when locating a new road is the 20:1 approach (Anna Lannin, personal communication with A. Zlotsky, 6 October 2000; Diane Hoffer, personal communication with A. Zlotsky, 28 September 2000). In addition, in all three locations the beltway alternatives would exceed the minimum licensing standards for a public use airport which includes a 20:1 approach from the end of the runway which would clear a 5 m (15 ft) height over the road at a distance of at least 91 m (300 ft) from the end of the runway. Further, all three airfields are already constrained by existing Holdrege Street and Saltillo Road. Beyond this, all three locations were reviewed for potential height encroachment from light standards or elevated bridges. Since lights are only proposed at interchanges, and no interchanges or elevated bridges occur along the vector from the air fields, there would be no height constraints. It is noted that the Stevens Creek Bridge would be in close proximity to Skyranch Acres, but it would not occur along the approach to Skyranch Acres. As such, the proposed alternatives would have no impact on air traffic or use of the three private airfields.