Possible move to Blair, NE (Omaha, Glenvil: to buy, schools, living)

[jeepejeep]

Well momlady, it looks like another NY'er looking to get away from the crowds! I live on Long Island and it's a mess! Traffic is out of hand and it's just sooo crowded. I'm looking at Nebraska too but further west. Scottsbluff looks promising for me so far and I'm hoping to get out there to scout around this summer. Good luck to you!

[Steve_W]

I don't know about a couple generations seeing as how Hwy. 133 is full of subdivisions between Blair and Omaha (15 mi) but it is definitely a different city feel.

[ehenningsen]

There were no definitives on Omaha being able to or not being able to annex across county lines until Omaha attempted to annex Bellevue quite a long time ago.. This ended up in court and is the only city to block Omaha from annexing it, which the county line (mainly Harrison St) is the dividing line to where Omaha can and cannot annex.

Blair is in a different county called Washington county and is just under twenty miles north of the outskirt of north Omaha, which lies in Douglas County. Blair is also approaching 8,000 people and is really only 2,000 people away from completely sovereignty from being annexed by anyone, with the exception of 'a vote of the people.'

The only remaining cities in Douglas county that remain and can be annexed are:

Ralson
Waterloo
Bennington
Valley
Leshara
Venice
Elk City

Cities close by, but 'completely safe' from being annexed by the big momma:

Bellevue - Sarpy county nearing 55,000 people
La Vista - Sarpy county near 20,000 people
Papillion - Sarpy county very near 25,000 people
Gretna - Sarpy county very near 6,000 people
Springfield - Sarpy county very near 2,000 people (can be annexed by other
cities in Sarpy county)

Ashland - Saunders county near 2,500 people (right in between omaha and lincoln, and literally just a few miles from Sarpy county to the west, a few miles northeast of Lancaster
county where Lincoln sits, and about 5 miles north of Cass County)
Wahoo - Saunders county surpassed 4,000 people
Yutan - Saunders county surpassed 1,000 people (soon to experience
explosive growth with suburbia, right on Douglas-Saunders county line)
Mead - Saunders county with 500 people (about 4-5 miles west of Yutan )
Wood Cliff - Saunders county near 2,000 people (not a city, but a
very nice lakeside community that is about 10 miles south of Fremont and about 12 miles west of Omaha)
Cedar Bluffs - Saunders County near 700 people about 8 miles wsw of fremont and about 20 miles west of omaha
Valley View - Saunders County nearly 800 people about 2 miles s of fremont and about 16 miles west of omaha (not a city, but a golf community)

Fremont - Dodge County just over 25,000 people and is about 18 miles wnw of 204th and maple (formerly Elkhorn) just starting to see more and more growth
Inglewood - Dodge County just over 250 people and literally sits on the very southern border of Fremont and just north of the Platte river
Nickerson - Dodge County just over 500 people and about 7 miles north of Fremont or about 27 miles from Elkhorn and 45 miles from downtown Omaha

Arlington - Washington County about 2,000 people and about 6 miles East of Fremont and about 12 miles northwest of 204th and Maple (old Elkhorn)
Washington - Washington County about 200 people and about 6 miles nw of bennington
Kennard - Washington County about 200 people and about 9 miles north and little west of bennington
Fort Calhoun - Washington County about 950 people (growing and is the location of the nuclear power plant) about 9 miles north of the very northern fringes of Omaha
Blair - Washington County about 8,000 (growing) about 8 miles nnw of Fort Calhoun and about 18 miles from north omaha

I dont know the Iowa side, really haven't done much travelling there... Would like for someone to complete the Iowa Side

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

There were no definitives on Omaha being able to or not being able to annex across county lines until Omaha attempted to annex Bellevue quite a long time ago.. This ended up in court and is the only city to block Omaha from annexing it, which the county line (mainly Harrison St) is the dividing line to where Omaha can and cannot annex.

Blair is in a different county called Washington county and is just under twenty miles north of the outskirt of north Omaha, which lies in Douglas County. Blair is also approaching 8,000 people and is really only 2,000 people away from completely sovereignty from being annexed by anyone, with the exception of 'a vote of the people.'

The only remaining cities in Douglas county that remain and can be annexed are:

Ralson
Waterloo
Bennington
Valley
Leshara
Venice
Elk City

Cities close by, but 'completely safe' from being annexed by the big momma:

Bellevue - Sarpy county nearing 55,000 people
La Vista - Sarpy county near 20,000 people
Papillion - Sarpy county very near 25,000 people
Gretna - Sarpy county very near 6,000 people
Springfield - Sarpy county very near 2,000 people (can be annexed by other
cities in Sarpy county)

Ashland - Saunders county near 2,500 people (right in between omaha and lincoln, and literally just a few miles from Sarpy county to the west, a few miles northeast of Lancaster
county where Lincoln sits, and about 5 miles north of Cass County)
Wahoo - Saunders county surpassed 4,000 people
Yutan - Saunders county surpassed 1,000 people (soon to experience
explosive growth with suburbia, right on Douglas-Saunders county line)
Mead - Saunders county with 500 people (about 4-5 miles west of Yutan )
Wood Cliff - Saunders county near 2,000 people (not a city, but a
very nice lakeside community that is about 10 miles south of Fremont and about 12 miles west of Omaha)
Cedar Bluffs - Saunders County near 700 people about 8 miles wsw of fremont and about 20 miles west of omaha
Valley View - Saunders County nearly 800 people about 2 miles s of fremont and about 16 miles west of omaha (not a city, but a golf community)

Fremont - Dodge County just over 25,000 people and is about 18 miles wnw of 204th and maple (formerly Elkhorn) just starting to see more and more growth
Inglewood - Dodge County just over 250 people and literally sits on the very southern border of Fremont and just north of the Platte river
Nickerson - Dodge County just over 500 people and about 7 miles north of Fremont or about 27 miles from Elkhorn and 45 miles from downtown Omaha

Arlington - Washington County about 2,000 people and about 6 miles East of Fremont and about 12 miles northwest of 204th and Maple (old Elkhorn)
Washington - Washington County about 200 people and about 6 miles nw of bennington
Kennard - Washington County about 200 people and about 9 miles north and little west of bennington
Fort Calhoun - Washington County about 950 people (growing and is the location of the nuclear power plant) about 9 miles north of the very northern fringes of Omaha
Blair - Washington County about 8,000 (growing) about 8 miles nnw of Fort Calhoun and about 18 miles from north omaha

I dont know the Iowa side, really haven't done much travelling there... Would like for someone to complete the Iowa Side

That's a fantastic recap... thanks

[tpabes]

Like Steve said Blair is a different city, a bedroom community at the most, not a suburb. There are a lot of subdivisions inbetween, but they are mainly with huge lots (talking acres), so nothing close to a "city" subdivison, for lack of better words. The hills in between those cities also hamper that type of "city" subdivison. Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but these are the Ponca Hills that serve as a natural block to Omaha building north.

This is not a full recap but the major towns to me on the Iowa side and the populations are just a guess.
Council Bluffs- right across the river from Omaha, Pop. close to 60,000?
Missouri Valley- Across the river from Blair, Pop. 3,000?
Glenwood- Across from Bellevue/Plattsmouth, Pop. 5,000?

Glenwood and Missouri Valley are a little further away from the border than Council Bluffs.

[Steve_W]

Glenwood is around 8K - There are also many housing developments along Hwy. 275 between Glenwood and C.B. very similar to Blair...only much closer.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by momlady530

Dave,
Not being annexed into Omaha would be a concern for us. One of the reasons we want to move west is to escape endless suburbs and sprawl. I want wide open spaces, not 20,000 houses that look the same. Nebraska seemed to fit that requirement.

There is enough rural around the metro area that you will have lots of choices, especially if you want to extend you drive up to 30 minutes from the Metro. With that, there are lots of little towns and rural areas that won't be hit by any kind of sprawl for decades.

Look at everything from Omaha northwest out to Fremont, Omaha south down to Lincoln, and Omaha west to Wahoo. Use that Fremont, Wahoo, Lincoln as a general boundary around the Metro area and there are tons of choices that have no suburban or sprawl characteristics.

[momlady530]

Thank you all so much for the great info. Nebraska seems like a great place with obviously very helpful people. I think we would be limited in where we live as my hubby would be limited to a 30 mile or so radius around the plant, which by the way has an impressive safety record and is one of the most efficiently run nuclear plants in the nation. My fingers will be crossed hoping we get to go there! Thanks!
Wendi

[momlady530]

Originally Posted by jeepejeep

Well momlady, it looks like another NY'er looking to get away from the crowds! I live on Long Island and it's a mess! Traffic is out of hand and it's just sooo crowded. I'm looking at Nebraska too but further west. Scottsbluff looks promising for me so far and I'm hoping to get out there to scout around this summer. Good luck to you!

I would love to live out there, but my husband keeps reminding me that you actually need a job to get money. I've tried to convince him that we could live like the Pioneers, but he tells me that happened 150 years ago. Ho hum. Even eastern Nebraska has to have less sprawl than here.
Wendi

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by momlady530

Thank you all so much for the great info. Nebraska seems like a great place with obviously very helpful people. I think we would be limited in where we live as my hubby would be limited to a 30 mile or so radius around the plant, which by the way has an impressive safety record and is one of the most efficiently run nuclear plants in the nation. My fingers will be crossed hoping we get to go there! Thanks!
Wendi

30 minutes north and/or west of Blair you can be very rural without any threat of suburban or sprawl. North and west is moving away from Omaha and that 30 minutes is rural driving (little to no traffic).

Blair is in Washington County. Omaha is in Douglas County. Douglas is the county south of Washington.

Washington north of Blair is rural and will be for a long time. Burt County north of Washington County is rural and will be for a long time. Dodge County is west of Washington County and is primarily rural, except when you get to Fremont. The area between Fremont, Blair, and Omaha will grow next in that area, but still will be a decade.
With all of that perspective, take a look at these 7 towns - they will be rural for a long time.
I also gave you the link to each County website
The miles and directions are from Blair and these are highway miles, so well within your 30 minute criteria:

Washington County: Herman (11 miles N) & Fontanelle (16 miles W),
Burt County: Tekamah (18 miles N), Craig (27 miles NNW) & Oakland (33 miles NW),
Dodge County: Nickerson (19 miles W) & Hooper (27 miles W)

Here is a picture of the area North and West of Blair. Blair is in the bottom right corner (may need to click it to enlarge) - you should see each of the Counties and Towns shown: