Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
A sorority house will not be moving into an old midtown mansion in Omaha, and neighbors couldn't be happier.
The Omaha City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to deny a special permit to the Chi Omega women to set up housekeeping in the historic Havens-Page House, 101 N. 39th St.
The council sided with neighbors, who had argued that the sorority would bring noise and congestion to the Joslyn Castle and Gold Coast neighborhoods.
The neighbors also had argued that they did not want the area to become “Greek row” for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. There is currently a fraternity house in the same area.
“We're very concerned we would end up, over time, with a de facto UNO Greek row,” said Joel Davies, president of the Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association.
The UNO sorority has wanted its own house for some time but couldn't find anything closer to campus that was affordable. Members said the six-bedroom, 5½-bathroom house would be perfect for a small sorority house.
They had envisioned eight women and a house manager living there.
“Unfortunately, it's not close (to UNO), but just having a center and something to call their own would enhance campus life for our members,” said Michaela Proper, chairwoman of the sorority's advisory board.
Earlier this month, the sorority appeared to be on the verge of getting the house when the Omaha Planning Board unanimously recommended that the City Council grant a special use permit.
The plan, however, ran into stiff opposition from neighbors.
Several neighbors said they opposed another group home in the neighborhood, saying it was hampering their efforts to revitalize the area.
“We're trying hard to restore these homes and bring back the single-family neighborhood,” said Maggie Jones, a Gold Coast homeowner.
Several council members were concerned about congestion in the neighborhood, saying it was already densely populated. Several also said they were concerned that there would not be enough oversight of the sorority, noting that UNO would have no regulatory control over the off-campus house.
“I can appreciate you looking for a house,” said Councilwoman Jean Stothert, “but I have to listen to the neighbors. They live there.”
Although the sorority lost its request for a special permit, another request for a special permit prevailed on Tuesday.
The council agreed on a 5-1 vote to allow a west Omaha home for Alzheimer's patients to expand from eight to 11 patients. It is at 2402 N. 102nd St.
Councilman Franklin Thompson voted against the request, after raising concerns that the home's owners were not responsive to neighborhood inquiries. The owners denied that, saying they had made attempts to communicate with neighbors.
“This is an important service that we provide this community,” said Chris Hedican, an attorney for Compassionate Memory Care, the company that runs the house.
Contact the writer:
444-1309, robynn.tysver@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
