HASTINGS, Neb. – After three city council meetings, a Grand Island-based developer has the green light to bring hundreds of housing units to Hastings. 

Innate Concepts initially proposed its 256-unit housing development plans to the Hastings City Council on June 10. The proposal passed, but didn’t get enough votes to bypass the rules and wave the two subsequent readings. On Monday, the council voted six to one with one abstention to pass the ordinance on final reading. The ordinance rezones about 44 acres of land southwest of E. 26th St. and N. Elm Ave. to allow for a housing development.

Council members Butch Eley, Jeniffer Beahm, Joy Huffaker, Shawn Hartmann, and Matt Fong all voted 'yes' each time they voted. Larry Consbruck voted 'no' in the initial meeting on June 10, but switched to 'yes' in the next meeting on June 24 after expressing concerns about flooding caused by storm water run-off on the plot of land. Marc Rowan shared the same concerns and voted 'no' all three times. Steve Huntley initially voted no before abstaining from the next two votes because he felt targeted by a fellow council member in an email.

With the council's approval, developers plan to build 11 22-unit apartment buildings, eight duplex units, and 55 single-family homes in three phases. 

Construction on the apartments is expected to begin this fall.