The Campbell County Planning and Zoning meeting tonight was the second meeting held to discuss the proposal made by Maronda Homes for a 98-home housing development at 10743 S. Licking Pike.
Unlike the first meeting, the commission approved the zoning change and stage one development to move forward to the Campbell County Fiscal Court.
Commissioner Justin Verst made the motion to forward the plans to the Campbell County Fiscal Court with approval for the zone change and stage one plans. Verst made two conditions to go along with his approval. The first being the applicant must present their stage two plans to the Planning and Zoning commission, and the developer must abide by their promise to install sidewalks on both sides of the street.
The Maronda Homes representatives approved Verst’s conditions. Commissioner Mike Williams seconded the motion. The motion passed and will now be in the hands of the fiscal court for approval.
Attorney Steve Megerle represented approximately 50 residents of the surrounding area of the development were in opposition.
“The plan on its face was not in compliance with the county zoning ordinance for a cluster development,” Megerle said. “The lots are too dense. They’re almost double what the comprehensive plan calls for and almost double what the zoning code says. The minimum size lot in this is one-quarter of an acre. There is expert information given from a different planner who has been retained. We’re disappointed, but this is just the recommendation to the fiscal court, and they have the final say about what to do and whether or not they want homes crammed in rural Campbell County. Almost 100 houses on 10 acres.
“The next steps, the three county commissioners, Judge/Executive will have a vote on this,” Megerle said. “They have to act on it in the next 45 days. And the folks are very upset. They moved there for a rural lifestyle, and they will take this every step, including a zoning appeal, because this was an error on its face. And if necessary, go to Campbell Circuit Court at some point in the future should the fiscal court adopt this recommendation that flies in the face of the zoning code.”
Both commissioners Verst and Williams asked Attorney Matt Smith if the development fit within the comprehensive plan would if the board be required to approve it.
Smith said if you find the development to fit within the comprehensive plan, generally, it is to be approved. Furthermore, the commission would need ample reasons to deny the development if it fits the comprehensive plan.
Campbell County Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Minter said the criteria for the stage one plans were comparable to what they see in other plans, and it meets the minimum requirements set by Planning and Zoning. Minter said that based on the information Maronda Homes presented at the meeting on March 8 and the continued meeting on April 12, she was satisfied with the stage one plan and considered it sufficient.
“In general, I don’t think it’s the best cluster development I’ve seen, but I think it’s an adequate utilization of our regulations to leave the wetland areas alone, Verst said. “Those are the areas that are hardest to develop and most expensive to develop—the areas where you’re going to have the most problems with sinkholes and settling foundations. Clustering the houses together allows you to spend your money fixing the soils underneath the house in a smaller area versus having to stabilize an entire area of wetlands.
“In general, I think I find that this is a reasonable application of a cluster development,” Verst said. “The roadways infrastructure is there; the utility infrastructure is there. I can’t find anything in the comprehensive plan that tells me this is an inappropriate use of the property.”
Verst mentioned soil stabilization because that was a common concern in the public commentary. During the last meeting, most of the worries came from traffic issues and overpacked schools in the area. While those concerns were reinstated, they were not the most relevant in this session.
“The density of the area is not fit for the amount of homes proposed for the acreage,” Alexandria Pike resident Sandra Snell said. “Squeezing a cluster of homes on a hillside above a wetland area is only asking for the devastating results over time for the homebuyers and for our neighborhood. This area does not warrant a zoning change, and I am opposed to it.”
Camp Springs resident Anna Zinkhon echoed Snell’s concerns.
“This soil is going to create problems, and these are first-time homeowners that have no clue what they’re going to be buying, Zinkhon said. “And we need to really make sure with all the geo problems that are going to be encountered and have to be corrected through construction that we’re doing the right thing for these first-time homeowners; they’ll be sitting ducks.”
The representative for Maronda Homes said they hired a geotechnical expert who works in the area and is familiar with it, who then dug around 18 feet deep where they hit bedrock. The geotechnical engineer tested different core borings of soil, and no water infiltration was found in the cores. This testing tells the developers what types of footings will be required and the over-excavation that needs to happen. The Maronda Homes representative said the soil would not be a concern during development.
Minter addressed the concerns about schools being at overcapacity, saying she had meetings with the Campbell County School district members. Their only comment was that they requested a school zone be placed on Alexandria Pike should the development move forward.
The following steps for this proposal will be taken to the Campbell County Fiscal Court; however, as Megerle said, South Licking Pike and Alexandria Pike residents will not let the development plans pass without a fight.
