Elmwood News- February 27, 2019

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 Proposed Anhydrous Facility North of Elmwood

As you may know, I have been lamenting the demise of my favorite barn and landmark between Elmwood and Murdock. As I stopped to take another photo of the dismantling two area residents stopped me. 

I have now learned more. Midwest Farmers Co-op is proposing and applied for a zoning change for a ten-acre site to contain four 30,000 gallon anhydrous ammonia tanks along with 60-70 portable anhydrous nurse tanks. 

Here are some additional facts sent by an Elmwood resident:

1. The 3 current plants sit ¼ mile from 184 houses, 27 businesses, and 1 school.
2. The proposed plant does not have anything within a ¼ mile.
3. In 2 of these towns, new housing developments have taken place very near the current anhydrous plants.

The existing plants were built in the 1960s. This new storage plant will have the best safety measures.

In discussing and reading input from various people safety from a highly trafficked school route seems to be the largest concern. Another resident proposed building a "slow-down" lane in both directions, similar to the slow down lanes on Highway 50 where rock truck traffic creates a hazard. This combined with timed or activated flashing lights at this intersection may help dispel some concerns regarding traffic safety. 

Many people have asked me to supply any information as community awareness is extremely low and most are unaware of the plans. It really does/will affect the community.  It certainly will leave an impression on visitors who will view it as one of the first things they notice about the community driving into either Elmwood or Murdock.

The facility will consolidate 3 current facilities and its related traffic into one large one. 

If approved, farmers who previously got their anhydrous in Manly, Murdock, and/or Elmwood will now have to travel instead to the new facility 1.5 miles north of Elmwood. The public is encouraged to attend the March 5th meeting or can contact their commissioners to voice their opinion before the meeting.   The coop is doing this because they need to update their current facilities 

The proposed construction will commence if approved by the Cass county commissioner's hearing March 5th, 2019 8:00 am at the Cass County Courthouse. 

Barn History: According to a neighbor this historical barn was constructed by WWII German prisoners of war 

The new facility will encompass 120,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia storage along with 60-70  nurse tanks stored on site at all times. 

The "conditional use permit" was approved by the  Cass County Zoning board 4 to 1, (see notes) but this decision CAN be overturned by the commissioners. 

March 5th, 2019 

8:00 am 

Cass County Courthouse.

Attendance is encouraged! 

Regardless of your opinion, your input is encouraged. You can attend the public meeting or can contact your commissioners to voice their opinion before the meeting.  The residents understand Midwest Farmers Co-op needs to update their current facilities, however, are there better solutions that won't have such an impact on the community?

Below is a letter drafted from concerned local residents. 

Letter to the Planning Board compiled by the area residents

 Date: 1/14/19

Dear Gentlemen of the Board:

As concerned citizens of Cass County in the rural Elmwood community, we are respectfully requesting your vote against the conditional use permit for an anhydrous ammonia storage and loading facility including four 30,000 gallon anhydrous ammonia tanks located on 10 acres of ground north of Elmwood on Tax Lot 19 located in the SE ¼ of Section 33, T11N, R10E of the 6th P.M. in Cass County, Nebraska. The proposed site would affect 13 houses in the immediate one-mile vicinity and several more residences and two known businesses just outside of that radius. We, as the rural Elmwood community, are united to our commitment to find a better location for this facility by making known our concerns for the current proposed location as listed below.

Zoning: The spirit and intent of the current zoning for this area is in direct contradiction with the proposed facility. Transitional Agriculture is, per Cass County zoning regulations, “an agricultural buffer between more intensive agricultural activities and the growth area municipalities.”

This facility would qualify as “more intensive agricultural activities” due to its nature and sheer capacity. It goes beyond protecting row crop farming thus not allowing for future town development in this zone. Furthermore, this facility would interfere with the adjoining zone designated as parks and recreation. Nowhere in the regulations for TA is this kind of site permitted. On the other hand, zone AG-1 allows specifically for this type of facility under a conditional use permit only. (5.04.C.17.b)

Public Safety: Anhydrous ammonia (NH3), according to the CDC, is stored as a liquid but rapidly expands into a gas when released from its container. It forms a large cloud that is heavier than air for a period of time, resulting in greater chances for human exposure than other gases. Anhydrous (without water) ammonia desperately seeks water, attacking the eyes, nose, mouth, lungs, and sweat glands of humans. Dangers of exposure to anhydrous ammonia include eye, nose, and throat irritation, blindness, breathing difficulty, wheezing, chest pain, pulmonary edema, severe burns, blisters, frostbite, and death at elevated concentrations. Please consider that while anhydrous ammonia seeks the lowest spot to settle, the proposed location of the anhydrous ammonia facility lies at a high point in the local topography while three of the nearest houses lie in a valley only .2-.4 miles away.

Further, according to Director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, Dan Neenan, “if a leak has occurred, it will be swept along on the wind. Anyone in its path is at high risk for injury.” Consider the neighbors close to this massive storage facility as any leak has the potential to be swept their direction.

Midwest farmers coop has stated that it will be storing 60-70 nurse tanks at this facility. These tanks, according to MFC, are only required to be internally inspected. According to United States Department of Labor OSHA website, there was an accident at a smaller MFC facility in Tecumseh, NE on March 20, 2014, including one fatality and three other exposures. MFC was cited by OSHA for 12 safety violations on this incident and eight other violations a few years earlier. (see attachment 1)

As per a meeting with the CEO and Manager of MFC, the safety plan for an accident involves calling the fire department and Cass County Emergency Management. After emergency unit arrival on scene, neighbors would potentially be notified. There are currently no known plans for direct notification of nearby residences or air monitoring systems that might alert unsuspecting neighbors of potential dangers. Please consider the health and well-being of the families that would live near this mega-facility.

Traffic: The added danger of combining hazmat traffic from three current anhydrous ammonia facilities into one mega-facility is difficult to ignore. Fletcher Avenue is a road already heavily traveled and difficult to maintain. Farmers Coop estimates that traffic load on this road would increase by over 75 large vehicles per day.

In addition, this facility relies on Highway One on a stretch between two schools where students are shuttled back and forth several times daily. This extreme increase in hazmat traffic would all occur while school is in session.

An accident from allowing the concentration of dangerous traffic on our roads would be no less than devastating. Further, we believe the concentration of traffic in an area ill-equipped to handle it goes against Cass County zoning regulation Section 1.05 objective of “lessening congestion in streets, roads, and highways”.

Decreased Quality of Life: The coop facility will be an intrusion of our aesthetic views, the cause of a decline in our property values, and will add significant light pollution to our community.

Members of this community have worked hard to improve their property and build their businesses. We currently enjoy letting our children play outside without worries from extra traffic or accidental release of deadly fumes. By voting for this conditional use permit, the quality of life we now enjoy and have worked hard for will be significantly diminished.

While not a single residence in the one-mile vicinity will benefit from the use of this dangerous chemical, all of us will suffer from the building of this facility and the dangers it poses to us and our families.

As members of a rural community, we understand we are subject to a degree to agricultural activities. However, we believe that when these activities so severely threaten and impact our right to safety and quality of life there has to be a stop to it.

Please reconsider the location of this mega-facility. Do not take lightly the negative impact this will have on the growing Elmwood-Murdock community.

Respectfully, Area residents

Minutes of the February 15, 2019 Meeting (link)

For those who wish to provide your input, concerns, and questions I strongly encourage you to contact the Cass County Zoning Commission

Cass County Zoning
13860 12th
Plattsmouth, NE 68048-1964

Phone 402-296-9359

 Fax 402-296-0604
Email - Zoning@cassne.org

The Cass County Zoning Office hours are from 8 A.M. to Noon and from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. Monday thru Friday excluding holidays.

Elmwood Village News

Hats off to everyone who pitched in during the post-blizzard clean up this past week. Streets were plowed and passable in town early as many were out all day clearing snow. The sound of snowblowers, bobcats, and tractors could be heard across town as piles of snow were created on corners. 

Thanks to Beth Philson for contributing this photo of Owen Kunz and company clearing snow.

 Elmwood Strategic Plan

Elmwood had a planning commission meeting for residents of Elmwood and the surrounding area to give their Vision of the future of Elmwood. Longtime residents gave input on ideas which had worked in the past and what should be brought back. 

Some of the items mentioned were the following

• We are a family friendly and community-based community
• We are the physical "center"  for many Omaha and Lincoln recreational events 
• Many people work in either Omaha or Lincoln. But many people also work from home and more would like to work locally. 
• Many people moved to the area for the school system, but we are so much more.
• We have the benefit of being close to the city but enjoy the rural life.
• The community has a strong engaged business minded population. Over 70 businesses are members of  EMMA (Elmwood-Murdock Merchants Association)

We NEED to...

• Improvement of the Main Street Buildings (seemed to be top on the list)
• Improve reliable high-speed internet service
• Affordable single family housing and rental options
• Recruit self-sustaining businesses to Elmwood (think Amazon negotiation but on a smaller scale)
• Reach out to Omaha/Lincoln event planners to make Elmwood the "half-way" point
• Contact bicycle, running, ATV "ride events" coordinators for a "stop" in Elmwood
• A multi-purpose facility that would house the library, village office, co-work space, rec area, community center
• Do a better job of promoting Elmwood (even though events are promoted, we can do better)
• Find our niche!

Due to the Bess Streeter Aldrich House, several AirBnB's in the area, the newly renovated park, Market to Market run, etc, Elmwood brings in a LOT of people. Now it's time to capitalize and generate some revenue. 

Attendees were able "Sticky note" and post what they liked about Elmwood, what they didn't. The boards filled up quickly. 

Midway during the open house, a moderated discussion was held with over 20 people in attendance. Many people left and they really missed out. It was a great discussion with a very insightful discussion with input from the Cass County Planning commission.

Several business development ideas were suggested and the overall consensus was "Elmwood is special, unique and whatever we do here needs to be different".

Business leaders in the area attended various Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and planning commission meetings throughout the state to gain insight and ideas of what we could do here in Elmwood.

Being only 1/2 mile from the "exact" center between Omaha and Lincoln has its advantages and disadvantages. Either city is close enough to go grocery shopping, although it was mentioned the Elmwood C-Store has pretty much all the "emergency - gotta have" items. They do a great job at essentials in such a small space.

Forgot someone's birthday, yes they do have cake mix and frosting. Trust me, I've picked it up there before. 

But, we need to hear from more people!

We want to hear what you like about your community, what could be improved, and what ideas you have. You can give your input with this interactive map. (CLICK HERE)

Is there a road that needs to be improved? A place where a business could be built? Empty, abandoned lots or areas that need cleaning up? 

Topics may include but are not limited to housing, roads/infrastructure, parks & recreation, city services & facilities, economic development, or future growth of the community. Your comments help us make more informed decisions about our community.

You can actually click on an interactive map and mark the areas of town you would like to see improvements, additions or future growth. It's pretty cool, check it out. Let's see tags all over the map!

Bess Streeter Aldrich House & Museum

The renovations to the original wood floors at the Bess Streeter Aldrich house are complete and gorgeous. My phone photos didn't turn out too good due to the bright sunshine and glare on the floor. So I'll go back this weekend and get some really good one of the floor. That means you just have to come back and read this next week.

But in addition, the theme for this month is Musical Instruments and sheet music. 

I do love musical instruments and the sheet music display at the top of the staircase of military sheet music is fascinating. 

There is always something new to see and learn. 

A hint of a new feature to the museum. Bess Streeter Aldrich will return in reenactment style, very much like Maxine Cline did many years ago. I'll update you later on who and when you can experience this new guided tour. Let's just say the person is delving not only into the personal life of Ms. Aldrich but also the local history and the time period. 

Did you know we have a Community Calendar on the website? 

 (click here or on the banner above to find the monthly calendar for the month)

 Preschool Story Time 

Thursdays 10:30 am

Ages 3-5 

Library cards are available for non-residents for only $10.00 What does this include? Access to the books, movies, and services at the library, PLUS e-books for your Kindle, or tablet reader. 

Spread the word about the Elmwood Public Library!

Visit the Overdrive website for more information on checking out electronic books and media. 
www.help.overdrive.com 

Library hours

Monday 3- 8pm

Tuesday 2-6pm

Wednesday 2 pm -6 pm

Thursday 10 am - 2 pm

Saturday 10 am - 2 pm 

  Then on Sunday St. Patricks Day, there will be an afternoon Big Band swing dance band. 

 Elmwood Community Center  

 Lots going on at the Community Center and even more planned for the future.

Make sure to get the Pancake breakfast in your calendar for the last Saturday of the month

Tai Chi Every Tuesday and Thursday

Tai Chi Every Tuesday and Thursday

Beginners Class
9:00 am
A low-impact program will help improve balance and memory
Everyone is welcome to come.

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The Elmwood Community Center provided daily lunches Monday through Friday for anyone who wants a good home cooked meal for a very reasonable price...$5 per person!

 Elmwood Christian Church Update 

St. Paul United Methodist Church
400 West G Street
Elmwood, NE 68349 

Sunday School (Sept.-May) 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship Services 10:30 a.m.

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 NEW ELMWOOD-MURDOCK SCHOOL WEBSITE

There is a wealth of information on the new Elmwood-Murdock website. It is updated on a daily basis by various teachers and department heads.    

Check out the calendar on the Elmwood Website

If the date is TAN (Beige) then there is something to do in town that day!! 

Send me Elmwood-Murdock events you would like me to place on the calendar at editor@elmwoodnebraska.com   

 Elmwood #LittleFreePantry

The Little Free Pantry is located between Hufstader Chiropractor, the Elmwood Meat Market, and the Village Hall. 

You may not get out as often, but people are still in need of emergency supplies and cupboards are bare in some Elmwood homes. 

Questions? Call 866.394.8336 or email info@nolimitsnebraska.com

We are currently serving hard ice cream in dishes.
we have 8 different flavors to choose from.

Elmwood C Store
402-994-3305

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