Amye Webster of 2121 S. Stuhr Road addresses the G.I. City Council Feb. 10 about a 8-stall RV park she would like to open at 1333 E. Stolley Park Road, just south of the southeast corner of Fonner Park. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Grand Island’s City Council voted 7-1 Feb. 10 to approve an 8-stall RV park at 1333 E. Stolley Park.
City Council member Jack Sheard voted against the motion. City Council members Mike Paulick and Mark Stelk were absent from the meeting.
A couple who live near the site, south of the southeast corner of Fonner Park, expressed concern about possible disruption for issues such as temporary residents at the RV park.
Amye Webster of 2121 S. Stuhr Road is the owner of what was the proposed RV park.
In a letter to City Council, she said she calls the peaceful property at East Stolley Park Road and South Stuhr Road her home. She said she spent the last 13 years in Missouri, where she owned and managed an equine event facility with over 200 stalls, 30 camper hookups, two indoor arenas, and a cowboy-themed restaurant. She said the RV park would be developed on the northwest portion of her property.
She said that the RV park would be an ideal site for short-term visitors attending events at Fonner Park, the Nebraska State Fair, or nearby livestock and community events.
‘My goal is to create something quiet, respectful, and well-maintained – a place that blends into the surroundings rather than changes them,” she wrote in the letter. “Significant attention would be given to landscaping trees, and privacy, Along the western edge of the property, an elevated earth berm with tasteful plantings is planned to help buffer road noise and maintain privacy for both campers and neighbors.”
“I believe a small, carefully managed RV park can complement the existing landscape…while remaining unobtrusive to nearby homes,” Webster wrote.
Webster wrote that each RV stall will have a hydrant for water, an electric hook-up, and a septic connection. A variety of shade and evergreen trees will provide privacy and comfort.
In a memo to City Council, Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity wrote that no RVs may be stored on the site except on approved RV parking stalls. No RV may be parked in a stall for more than 180 days.
Jeffrey Edwards of 2109 E. Stolley Park Road expressed concern about the RV park infringing on the quietness of the neighborhood. He only found out about the proposed RV park and wondered why neighbors hadn’t been contacted. Nabity responded that only people within 200 feet of the site had to be contacted.
Tosha Edwards of 2109 E. Stolley Park Road said that her neighbors all know each other and watch out for each other.
“For me, it’s a safety concern,” Edwards said. She said that neighbors opposed the RV park.
“This is scary for us,” she said.
Edwards responded, “My values align with yours.” She said that safety was important to her. She said that the RV park was something she wanted to be proud of.
City Council member Chuck Haase noted that the site was an RV park, not a trailer part. He said that there was a land buffer between the RV park and neighboring houses.
“It’s really nicely drawn out,” Haase said.
City Council member Mitch Nickerson said he knew that change was scary. He mentioned concern about development of multi-family housing in his neighborhood but that the result was fine.
“Change is inevitable,” Nickerson said. “I think the proposal is just fine.”
City Council President Ryan O’Neill said he understands the neighbors’ concern about development of an RV park. He said he lives close to an RV park and can see it from his living room window.
City Council member Jack Sheard said, “I completely understand the comments you guys made.” He said he thought it was a neat project but wished there had been an opportunity for Webster to meet with neighbors to discuss the RV park.
In another matter, the City Council voted 8-0 to approve changes to Chapter 15 of City Code involving Electric Utility Commercial Deposits. Utilities Director Ryan Schmitz gave a presentation about the topic and wrote a memo to City Council about it.
In Grand Island, currently only commercial accounts require a utility deposit (no less than 4200 and no more than $2,000). The thresholds were passed in 1983 and have not been updated since that time.
“Grand Island’s current operating procedure requires an entity to be deficient on two bills before they are disconnected for non-payment. At this time, with loads ever increasing, a large payment default can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars potentially. With a deposit cap of $2,000, this creates a potential, unwarranted, financial exposure for the Utilities rate payers,” Schmitz wrote.
Schmitz gave information about a survey of other cities’ requirements. “A typical requirement of two times the highest estimated monthly bill to be the most common without a cap,” he wrote.
Revisions to City Code are in line with other municipalities in the state. The current commercial language would be amended to require deposits of two times the estimated monthly usage without a cap. Commercial and industrial customers would receive a refund after two years of good payment standing. Surety bonds and irrevocable letters of credit would be allowed as an alternative to a cash deposit.
City Council member Chuck Haase noted that the city had stopped requiring residential deposits because it was not cost effective and the deposits were small. He did not want the deposit to be detrimental to businesses.
In other business, the City Council voted 8-0 to grant a Class “C” liquor license to Hampton Inn, 3441 Innate Lane. An attorney for the hotel said that Paul Younes of Kearney, a hotel developer, owned the hotel, as well as the Fairfield Inn and Candlewood Suites in Grand Island.
The City Council voted 8-0 to approve a conditional use permit for a telecommunications tower at 1231 Allen Drive, which is south of West 13th Street and located on the west side of a Bosselman’s Pump and Pantry.
Under the consent agenda, the City Council approved an interlocal agreement with the Nebraska State Fair so the city has one sponsored day at the 2026 Nebraska State Fair on the first Sunday of the Fair. The day will be titled, “Welcome to Grand Island Day.” The agreement also provides for law enforcement assistance at the 2026 Nebraska State Fair Marathon.
The City Council approved purchasing two 2026 Chevy Tahoe police pursuit 4WD vehicles for the Police Department for $109,700.
