The Edgewood city council denied a zone change request at a special meeting on Wednesday.
Liberty BBQ was a concept developed by former local attorney and media personality Eric Deters. He had hoped to see a zoning map amendment approved by the city for the properties at 990, 996, and 998 Dudley Road, near where the road meets Madison Pike. The space is currently occupied by an office building where an insurance firm operated previously.
The Kenton County Planning Commission voted in favor of recommending approval to council by a vote of 10-4.
But when the issue came to city council last month, it was deadlocked on changing the zoning from professional office to highway commercial, required to allow a drive-thru restaurant. Deters also plans to construct a new office meeting that he said would host the law firm and media company that he owns.
The vote, taken twice in the same meeting last month, was 3-3. The mayor can usually break ties, but not on zoning matters.
On Wednesday night, though, all seven council members were present.Â
Unlike previous meetings at the planning commission and city council, no one from the public was permitted to speak on the matter.
Councilman Dale Henson, who voted in favor of the zone change in December, said that he changed his mind after watching the planning commission meeting where he said that he heard conflicting testimony on whether the business fits in the city and county’s comprehensive plan.
Henson was joined by council members Jeff Schreiver, Joe Messmer, and Darla Kettenacker in voting against the change. Council members Ben Barlage, Kim Wolking, and Rob Thelen, who was absent in December, voted to support it.
The zone change failed by a vote of 4-3.
After the meeting, developer Steve Berling voiced his disappointment.
“They wouldn’t let us talk,” he said. “I didn’t think that was fair.”
