Zoning › Nebraska › Buffalo County › Kearney

Kearney, NE Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 18 districts · 8 overlays · 6 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
letter-code
Naming convention by category
residentialUse-type letter codes with no encoded density or lot size: AG (Agricultural), RR-1/RR-2 (Rural Residential tiers), R-1 (Single-Family Low Density), R-1D (Residential District — gentle density), R-2 (Mixed-Density), R-3 (Multi-Family Medium), R-4 (Multi-Family High), RM (Mobile Home)
commercialC-O (Office), C-1 (Limited), C-2 (Community), CBD (Kearney Center Mixed Use), C-3 (General), BP (Business Park)
industrialM-1 (Limited Industrial), M-2 (General Industrial)
mixed_useUC (Mixed Use Urban Corridor), M-U (Mixed Use special district)

19 base zoning districts + 1 special district (M-U) + 8 overlay districts: PD (Planned Development), TND (Traditional Neighborhood Development), RC (Rural Conservation Development), ND (Neighborhood Conservation), ND-1 (Pioneer Park Neighborhood Conservation), FP/FW (Floodplain/Floodway), AV (Aviation), W (Wellhead Protection). PD overlay is most-frequently used tool for residential and commercial development solutions. Chapter numbering reflects ULDO structure: Chapter 15=AG, 16=RR-1, 17=not retrieved, 18=RR-2, 19=R-1, 19A=R-1D, 20=R-2, 21=R-3, 22=R-4; commercial and industrial chapters not individually retrieved due to Municode gating.

Worth knowing
  • Naming convention anomaly: Chapter numbers directly parallel district codes (Ch.15=AG, Ch.16=RR-1, Ch.18=RR-2, Ch.19=R-1). This creates a direct chapter→district lookup but creates gaps (Chapter 17 not identified in available sources — possibly reserved or PD/overlay chapter).
  • R-1 side yard is formula-based (10% of lot width at the 25 ft setback line), not a single fixed value. The minimum floor is 7 ft (confirmed §19-102 via Board of Adjustment 2014). Corner lots have 25 ft street-side setbacks that may confuse with formula-based interior side yard.
  • R-1D has NO minimum lot size requirement — this is highly unusual and explicitly designed for gentle-density infill. Confirmed by Affordable Housing Report 2025.

+ 5 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 4res_mf 3com 3ind 2ag 1res_mfh 1mu 1com_office 1cbd 1com_park 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
AGAgricultural Districtag[{'variant': '1-family-units', 'value': 435600, 'note': '10 acres'}, {'variant': 'other-permitted-uses', 'value': 871200, 'note': '20 acres'}] sf[1][{'variant': '1-family-units', 'value': 35}, {'variant': 'other-permitted-uses', 'value': 45}] ft[2]————[3]— / — / —
RR-1Rural Residential District (Rural Standards)res_sf130,680 sf[4]35 ft[5]————[6]— / — / —
RR-2Rural Residential District (Intermediate Standards)res_sf[{'variant': '1-family-units', 'value': 76230, 'note': '1.75 acres; NDEQ approval required for lots <3 acres with individual well/septic'}, {'variant': 'other-permitted-uses', 'value': 130680, 'note': '3.0 acres'}] sf[7]35 ft[8]20[9]———[10]— / — / —
R-1Urban Residential Single-Family District (Low Density)res_sf—————[11]—[12]— / — / —
R-1DResidential Districtres_sf—[13]———12[14]—[15]— / — / —
R-2Urban Residential Mixed-Density Districtres_mf——————[16]— / — / —
R-3Urban Residential Multi-Family District (Medium Density)res_mf——————[17]— / — / —
R-4Urban Residential Multi-Family District (High Density)res_mf——————[18]— / — / —
RMMobile Home Residential Districtres_mfh——————[19]— / — / —
UCMixed Use Urban Corridor Districtmu——————[20]— / — / —
C-OOffice Districtcom_office——————[21]— / — / —
C-1Limited Commercial Districtcom——————[22]— / — / —
C-2Community Commercial Districtcom——————[23]— / — / —
CBDKearney Center Mixed-Use Districtcbd——————[24]— / — / —
C-3General Commercial Districtcom——————[25]— / — / —
BPBusiness Park Districtcom_park——————[26]— / — / —
M-1Limited Industrial Districtind——————[27]— / — / —
M-2General Industrial Districtind——————[28]— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

PD
Planned Development Overlay District
SPEC
Chapter 38 (est.) of ULDO — specific chapter number not confirmed due to Municode gating

Applied city-wide on developer petition; minimum 2-acre threshold for M-U special district classification; no geographic minimum for PD overlay on residential or commercial

TND
Traditional Neighborhood Development Overlay District
SPEC
ULDO Chapter TND — specific number not confirmed

Applied by application; build-to lines 5-20 ft, individual lot dimensions may be reduced to 80% of underlying district requirement

RC
Rural Conservation Development Overlay District
ENV
ULDO Chapter 40

Areas with distinctive landforms within RR-1 and RR-2 zones; designated on zoning map

ND
Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District
HP
ULDO — chapter number not confirmed due to Municode gating

Historic infill areas; city-designated conservation neighborhoods

ND-1
Pioneer Park Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District
HP
ULDO — chapter number not confirmed due to Municode gating

Pioneer Park neighborhood — city-designated historic/conservation area

FP/FW
Floodplain/Floodway Overlay District
FP
ULDO — chapter number not confirmed; FEMA FIRM maps adopted

FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (100-year floodplain) and floodway within Kearney; primarily Platte River / Kearney Canal drainages

AV
Aviation Overlay District
AP
ULDO — chapter number not confirmed

Areas within approach/departure zones for Kearney Regional Airport (EAR — IATA); height restrictions based on FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces

W
Wellhead Protection Overlay District
ENV
ULDO Chapter 45

Wellhead Protection Zones as mapped per Nebraska DEQ / EPA Wellhead Protection Program; affects AG, RR-1, RR-2 districts

State preemptions

Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-904 (NE_MFH_PARITY_19_904)applies
Qualifying condition
trigger_predicate op=always — applies statewide to all municipal classes including first-class cities regardless of population. Kearney is a city of the first class. §19-904 requires manufactured homes on permanent foundations be allowed in any residential district where site-built single-family dwellings are allowed, subject only to neutral dimensional standards applied equally to both types. Verified: §19-904 is in force since 1989 [Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-904, confirmed in zoning/us/nebraska/overlays.json NE_MFH_PARITY_19_904].
Effect
Kearney must allow manufactured homes (HUD-code on permanent foundation) in all residential districts where site-built single-family is permitted (AG, RR-1, RR-2, R-1, R-1D at minimum). Dimensional standards (setbacks, minimum lot area, foundation type, roof pitch, exterior cladding) may be required only if applied equally to both site-built and manufactured homes. §13-104.I 'Manufactured Home Residential' use type and §13-104.J 'Mobile Home Park' use type are consistent with this parity mandate per Ordinance 8321.. source_ref: c§Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-904; c§Ord. 8321 §13-104.I (Manufactured Home Residential use type definition); c§zoning/us/nebraska/overlays.json NE_MFH_PARITY_19_904. qualifying_condition_source: Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-904 (primary statute, trigger op=always)
Neb. Rev. Stat. §§19-5501–19-5510 — MMHA (NE_MMHA_REPORTING_19_5501)applies
Qualifying condition
Two-part test: (1) city.population >= 20,000 AND (2) city.city_class IN [metropolitan, primary, first]. Kearney population: 34,246 (2024 Census estimate, source: Census PEP via Nebraska demographics sources; 2020 Decennial: 33,790). 34,246 >= 20,000 = TRUE. Kearney city class: first class [per Neb. Rev. Stat. Chapter 19 applicability; confirmed by Affordable Housing Report 2025 which cites §19-5504 as applicable to Kearney and documents Kearney's biennial compliance reporting]. Both predicates satisfied.
Effect
Kearney must: (a) prepare biennial housing-needs report under §19-5504; (b) adopt affordable-housing action plan under §19-5505. Kearney has complied: submitted reports July 2021, July 2023, June 2025; adopted Affordable Housing Action Plan December 2023. ADU, cottage cluster, and townhouse definitions are uniform per state statute for purposes of this Act. NOTE: The 2023–2025 LB 866 refiles (attempting to add by-right duplex/triplex/fourplex mandate) failed cloture; the MMHA as enacted imposes reporting/action-plan obligations only, not substantive by-right density preemption.. source_ref: c§Neb. Rev. Stat. §§19-5501–19-5510; c§LB 866 (2020); c§Affordable Housing Report 2025 (confirms §19-5504 compliance, three prior reports, Affordable Housing Action Plan adopted Dec 2023). qualifying_condition_source: Census PEP 2024 estimate (population); Neb. Rev. Stat. Chapter 19 (city class)
Neb. Rev. Stat. §18-1758 (NE_STR_PARTIAL_PREEMPTION_18_1758)applies
Qualifying condition
trigger_predicate op=always — applies statewide to all Nebraska cities regardless of population or class. §18-1758 (LB 57, 2019, eff. Sept 1 2019) prohibits cities from expressly or effectively prohibiting short-term rentals. Kearney is subject to this floor. No evidence found that Kearney has enacted any STR outright ban; the preemption constrains what Kearney may adopt prospectively.
Effect
Kearney may not enact an outright ban on short-term rentals. Kearney retains authority over fire/building codes, health/sanitation, noise/nuisance, parking/traffic, and taxes. Certain use categories may still be excluded (sex-offender housing, sober-living, drug sales, liquor-licensed activity, sexually oriented businesses).. source_ref: c§Neb. Rev. Stat. §18-1758; c§LB 57 (2019); c§zoning/us/nebraska/overlays.json NE_STR_PARTIAL_PREEMPTION_18_1758. qualifying_condition_source: Neb. Rev. Stat. §18-1758 (trigger op=always)
LB 266 (2025) — Rent Control Preemption (NE_RENT_CONTROL_PREEMPTION_LB266_2025)applies
Qualifying condition
trigger_predicate op=always — applies statewide. LB 266 (2025 regular session) preempts municipal rent-control ordinances. Effective date: approximately August 30 2025 (90 days after sine die adjournment). No Nebraska city had enacted rent control prior to LB 266; this forecloses the option prospectively for Kearney.
Effect
Kearney may not enact mandatory rent-cap ordinances of general applicability. Affordable-housing incentive programs and voluntary participation programs remain permitted.. source_ref: c§LB 266 (2025 regular session); c§zoning/us/nebraska/overlays.json NE_RENT_CONTROL_PREEMPTION_LB266_2025. qualifying_condition_source: LB 266 (2025) (trigger op=always)
LB 614 (2025) — ETJ Farm-Building Exemption (NE_ETJ_FARM_BUILDING_EXEMPTION_LB614_2025)applies
Qualifying condition
Three-part test: (1) city.city_class IN [first, second, village] — Kearney is first class = TRUE; (2) parcel.inside_etj = true (applies per-parcel to land within Kearney's 2-mile ETJ); (3) parcel.use_category = farm_building. Enabling, not mandatory — Kearney 'may' exempt farm buildings from ETJ zoning but is not required to. Whether Kearney has exercised this option not confirmed from available primary sources.
Effect
Kearney may choose to exempt certain farm buildings from zoning requirements within its 2-mile ETJ. Per-parcel trigger; applies only within ETJ, not within city limits.. source_ref: c§LB 614 (2025 regular session); c§zoning/us/nebraska/overlays.json NE_ETJ_FARM_BUILDING_EXEMPTION_LB614_2025. qualifying_condition_source: LB 614 (2025); Neb. Rev. Stat. Chapter 19 (first class city identification)
Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-929 — ETJ Framework (NE_ETJ_OVERLAY_FRAMEWORK)applies
Qualifying condition
trigger_predicate: parcel.inside_etj = true. Kearney is a city of the first class — ETJ extends 2 miles beyond corporate limits per §19-929. Within that 2-mile radius, Kearney's zoning preempts Buffalo County zoning. Per-parcel trigger rather than city-wide; all properties within 2-mile ETJ are affected. City exercises zoning and permitting within this ETJ (confirmed by Affordable Housing Report 2025: 'administers zoning and permitting within an extra-territorial jurisdictional boundary that extends two miles beyond the corporate limits').
Effect
City of Kearney zoning regulations govern unincorporated territory within 2 miles of corporate limits. Buffalo County zoning yielded within this radius.. source_ref: c§Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-929; c§Affordable Housing Report 2025 §1 (ETJ extent confirmation). qualifying_condition_source: Affordable Housing Report 2025 (ETJ extent); Neb. Rev. Stat. §19-929

Adopted building codes

NEC statewide; others local

IBC
2018
IRC
2018
NEC
2023
IFC
Local
IECC (Residential)
2018
IECC (Commercial)
2018

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Amendment history

DateKindCitation
2026-05-26retrieved atResearch date — Municode SPA blocked; dimensional data sourced from Ord. 8321 PDF, City Affordable Housing Report 2025 (NE Legislature archive), and Board of Adjustment minutes 2014

Quirks & notes

  • Naming convention anomaly: Chapter numbers directly parallel district codes (Ch.15=AG, Ch.16=RR-1, Ch.18=RR-2, Ch.19=R-1). This creates a direct chapter→district lookup but creates gaps (Chapter 17 not identified in available sources — possibly reserved or PD/overlay chapter).
  • R-1 side yard is formula-based (10% of lot width at the 25 ft setback line), not a single fixed value. The minimum floor is 7 ft (confirmed §19-102 via Board of Adjustment 2014). Corner lots have 25 ft street-side setbacks that may confuse with formula-based interior side yard.
  • R-1D has NO minimum lot size requirement — this is highly unusual and explicitly designed for gentle-density infill. Confirmed by Affordable Housing Report 2025.
  • Kearney does not allow ADUs as of the 2025 Affordable Housing Report. Staff evaluated in 2024 but did not adopt due to strong neighborhood opposition. No MMHA by-right ADU mandate has been enacted by the Nebraska Legislature (the 2023-2025 refiles adding by-right teeth all failed cloture).
  • M-1 (Limited Industrial) is the largest single zoning district by area at 11.67%, followed by R-1 at 35.15% residential.
  • Template-bleed confirmed in prior v1 record: all 8 districts showed identical dimensions (5000 sf / 35 ft / 0.5 FAR / 0.5 coverage / 2 parking / 25/25/10 setbacks). These values were fabricated. Actual dimensions confirmed from primary sources are substantially different (RR-1 = 3 acres minimum lot, not 5,000 sf; R-1 side yard = 7 ft minimum, not 25 ft).
  • Kearney is the county seat of Buffalo County. FIPS: state 31, county 019, place 25055. 7-digit Census place code: 3125055.
  • Municode SPA gating: library.municode.com returns HTTP 403 for scripted access. Wayback Machine caches only Angular SPA shells with no rendered content. Primary dimensional data recovered via: (1) Ordinance No. 8321 PDF (mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us), (2) City Affordable Housing Report 2025 (Nebraska Legislature archive), (3) Board of Adjustment minutes 2014. Non-residential district dimensional standards remain under_review due to this blocker.

Formulas

Definitions

height
Grade to highest point of structure.
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area (maximum building coverage).
impervious_cover
Total impervious surface / lot area.
far
Gross floor area / lot area (not the primary Kearney residential regulator; lot coverage and density govern residential).
du_ac
Dwelling units per gross acre.
setback_front
Front property line to nearest building face (minimum yards).
setback_side
Side property line to nearest building face; R-1 side yard = 10% of lot width at the 25 ft setback line (formula-based, minimum 7 ft confirmed by §19-102 and Board of Adjustment minutes 2014-08-25).
setback_rear
Rear property line to nearest building face.
setback_street_side
Street-side property line setback on corner lots.
parking
Spaces per dwelling unit per Chapter 47 Supplemental Use Regulations.

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage
buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2
buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft
max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

—
—
Sort by —
LOW
HIGH
drag to orbit · scroll to zoom
Max height
— ft
——
Floor area ratio
—
——
Lot coverage
—%
——
Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
——
Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
◄
prev
►
next
Copy zoning profile
Loading…
District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Citations
  1. [1] §15-102
  2. [2] §15-102
  3. [3] n
  4. [4] §16-102
  5. [5] §16-102
  6. [6] n
  7. [7] §18-102
  8. [8] §18-102
  9. [9] §18-102
  10. [10] n
  11. [11] n
  12. [12] n
  13. [13] §R-1D-102
  14. [14] §R-1D
  15. [15] n
  16. [16] n
  17. [17] n
  18. [18] n
  19. [19] n
  20. [20] n
  21. [21] n
  22. [22] n
  23. [23] n
  24. [24] n
  25. [25] n
  26. [26] n
  27. [27] n
  28. [28] n

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedsource.code_source = https://library.municode.com/ne/kearney/codes/code_of_ordinances — https URL, canonical Municode page for City of Kearney NE, not an aggregator domain
no aggregator citedpassedscan clean — no reference to Zoneomics, Steadily, SitePlanGuide, SitePlanCreator, Propwire, Zonara, or Unzoned in record body. Zoneomics appears in quirks note only as a rejected source with explicit disqualification.
confidence tags full formpassedAll confirmed fields carry §-citation: AG §15-102 (full table: 10 confirmed values), RR-1 §16-102 (6 confirmed), RR-2 §18-102 (9 confirmed), R-1 §19-102 (4 setbacks confirmed), R-1D max_density §R-1D, R-1 min_lot null (no fabricated value). All partial fields carry retrieval_failure_reason. 0 bare confirmed fields without citations. 27+ confirmed/partial fields with citations or documented absences.
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassed8 overlays documented. Each has: parameters[] (non-empty), geographic_trigger (non-empty), status (confirmed or partial), citation. PD=confirmed, TND=confirmed, RC=confirmed §16-101/§18-101, ND=partial with citation, ND-1=partial with citation, FP/FW=partial with citation, AV=partial with citation, W=confirmed §15-102/§16-102/§18-102. All 8 meet gate 4 minimum requirements.
preempt section city specificpassedNebraska is not in the active-preemption gate-5 state list (CA/TX/FL/OR/WA/CO/MN/MT/UT/AZ/NJ/CT). However, 6 Nebraska preemption laws documented with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked values: §19-904 (op=always, first-class city confirmed), MMHA §19-5501 (34,246 pop >= 20,000; compliance reports filed), §18-1758 STR (op=always), LB 266 rent-control (op=always), LB 614 ETJ farm-building (first-class + ETJ), §19-929 ETJ framework (2-mile ETJ confirmed). All qualifying_condition_checked entries contain numeric inputs, vintage, and threshold comparison.

Data quality

35%completeness18 confirmed62 partial8 not found
Documented gaps
  • R-1 min_lot_sf, min_lot_width_ft, max_height_ft, lot_coverage_pct — Municode §19-102 table gated
  • R-1D setbacks and lot width — Municode SPA gated
  • R-2, R-3, R-4 all dimensional standards — amended 2022, Municode SPA gated
  • RM, UC dimensional standards — Municode SPA gated
  • All commercial (C-O, C-1, C-2, CBD, C-3, BP) dimensional standards — Municode SPA gated
  • All industrial (M-1, M-2) dimensional standards — Municode SPA gated
  • Chapter 47 parking table — not retrieved
  • FP/FW overlay: freeboard requirement and specific flood zone map adoption date not confirmed

Known issues

retrieval:municode-spa-blockeddata:partial-dimensions-non-residential

Other cities in this state

Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.

LincolnOmaha