La Vista Growing - Soon to be 5th Largest NE City?

[Coyote]

City staff relfects on success

The city of La Vista has come a long way since Rita Ramirez first stepped foot in the area as a little girl.

Ramirez and her family moved to La Vista in 1961, a year after it was first incorporated as a village. Ramirez has remained a lifelong resident of the city and currently serves as city clerk.

"As with the world, there have been many changes in La Vista since 1961," Ramirez told members of the La Vista Area Chamber of Commerce last week."

Ramirez and City Administrator Cara Pavlicek were guest speakers at the chamber's monthly lunch June 30 at the La Vista Library.

"In that first year, there was no mayor or City Council, no city hall and no full-time employees," Ramirez said. "Park View Boulevard was called Easy Street and children went to school in houses."

Now, La Vista is the state's fastest growing city and is a full-service municipal organization providing administration, community development, emergency medical services, fire, library, police, public works and recreation services.

Pavlicek, who has worked for the city for almost nine years, said she's proud of how the city has developed and is excited for the future.

"I'm very proud to work for the city," she said. "I'm very impressed that we are able to provide the high quality of services and the most amazing thing is that we are able to provide those services at a reasonable cost to property owners."

Pavlicek said the owner of a home valued at $100,000 is paying about $41 a month to support city services, such as police and fire, snow removal, library, community center, community development and the administrative services.

"That is less that most people's cable bill," she said.

She said the city is also lucky enough to have a good sales and occupational tax base to help fund city services as well.

The city also has a bright future in those areas, Pavlicek said, thanks to two major economic development announcements.

Earlier this year, the city of La Vista learned that it has been chosen as a site for a 600,000 square-foot Oriental Trading Company warehouse. Construction of the facility will begin soon, Pavlicek said. There are also two additional construction phases planned for the facility at the southeast corner of 114th Street and Giles Road. In the end the warehouse and distribution facility will be the largest building in Sarpy County.

Shortly after the OTC project became public, city officials also announced that La Vista was teaming up with John Q. Hammons on an Embassy Suites hotel and conference center project in the Southport West Development at Interstate 80 and 126th Street. The hotel and conference center will join PayPal in the Southport development. The city will pay for the cost of construction of the conference center as part of the plan.

Pavlicek said she is confident those two developments will not only help attract visitors to the city, but also other developments.

She said some of the interest that has been expressed is from people wanting to bring in restaurants or stores that are unique to the area.

Pavlicek said she is glad the city has been able to protect that area for quality projects.

"It is important that the ground not become a truck stop, but a place for high quality development," she said.

In addition to those business projects, Pavlicek said, the city has also been able to attract some quality housing developments.

The latest is Cimarron Woods at 96th and Harrison streets. At 220 acres, it is the largest residential development the city has approved, Pavlicek said.

The project is a unique one for the city, not only because of its size, but also its make up, Pavlicek said.

"There is a significant amount of green space set aside in the development," she said. "The developer calls it a golf course community without the golf course."

Work on that project is in the beginning stages now, Pavlicek said. She said housing construction could begin later this year. In the end, there will be about 500 lots.

Not only has the city come a long way when it comes to development, but it has also come a long way in value. La Vista's current assessed valuation is $500 million. That number could be as high as $1 billion with the developments currently underway, Pavlicek said.

The population in the city is also expected to reach 30,000 in the coming year, which would make La Vista the fifth largest city in Nebraska, Pavlicek said.

"The city has really changed and has come a long way," Pavlicek said. "I have to give the City Council and Mayor (Harold) Anderson a lot of credit for that."

[omahaismyhomaha]

$41 that's not bad.

[papiostud]

so does this mean La Vista will be over taking Papillion in population in coming years?

[eomaha]

That fellow is a little off on his facts... La Vista was close to 14,000 with the last census estimate (Papillion was approaching 18,000). I don't doubt they could become the 5th largest city... but it's going to take a few decades.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

"The population in the city is also expected to reach 30,000 in the coming year, which would make La Vista the fifth largest city in Nebraska"

Whoa!!! They must be talking about some major anexation or something, because they're talking about more than 100% population growth in a years time. That's virtually impossible. This guy either has his numbers wrong, or we're all in for a big surprise!

[Brad]

Last I heard is that as soon as LaVista can grow west enough to meet the other development already west of about 132nd street it can annex everything south of harrison. Right now that would make LaVista run from 65th street to 192nd street. It would be one funny shaped city ONE mile wide and TEN miles long!

[RyaninOrangeCounty]

I think I remember hearing about an agreement made when I still lived in Omaha about 5 or 6 years ago between La Vista, Papillion, and Sarpy County that states La Vista may grow to the west as long it stays north of the current boundary line it shares with Papillion.

I wonder if there's been any talk about whether these cities are interested in updating the agreement to define where Gretna's eastern limits would be.

[GoWest]

I seem to remember reading that La Vista was in line to eventually annex Chalco when the got over there. I doubt that they are close enough for that yet though. But when they do expect a large population jump for them. I think something like 10,000 +.

[Coyote]

Annexations anticipated in 2007-08 budget

The main focus of La Vista's proposed budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year is the anticipated annexation of the Val Verde and Southwind neighborhoods.  The annexation of Val Verde, at the southwest corner of 96th Street and Giles Road, along with the annexation of Southwind, located at the northeast corner of the intersection, is expected to add nearly 2,300 people to the city's population, taking it to 17,987. According to the most recent U.S. Census, La Vista was the third-fastest growing city in Nebraska in 2005 with a population of 15,692, a 34.1 percent growth rate.

How's that for a thread revival!

[Brad]

How's that for a thread revival!

Nice, 3+ years!

[almighty_tuna]

Holla!

[Coyote]

Annexation advances in La Vista

The La Vista City Council moved forward with the annexation at a special meeting Tuesday night. One more vote is needed before the annexation is final. The annexation could be approved Sept. 4. If it is, it will go into effect Sept. 14.