A developer is eyeing a lot near Oakbrook Road and Burlington Pike (KY 18), but the Boone Co. Planning Committee feels there may not be enough space for the retail complex and its desired amenities.
Returning applicant Akram Othman requested additional planning committee approval during a recent zone change meeting. In 2020, Othman was awarded a demolition bid for the crumbling Hunter Road and Hetzel Drive in Hebron to be converted into commercial services with a parking facility. He is looking to develop a 4.8-acre commercial complex that he is calling Burlingbrook.
There were no changes made on Othman’s request since the last zoning meeting on Sept. 7. Planning commission board member Alaina Hagenseker advised Othman to help him craft a better blueprint.
Boone County engineer Daniel Rice relayed to Hagenseker that the parcel does not have frontage space along Oakbrook, but adjoins a county-owned property. Rice also strongly suggested a traffic impact study requirement, due to pre-existing traffic issues on Oakbrook and on Burlington Pike.
The driveway access from Oakbrook does not meet Section 3230 of the Boone County Zoning Regulations due to the maximum commercial zoning grade being 8%, which is not feasible on Othman’s current plan.
Cardinal Engineering, of Wilder, produced Othman’s original plan, but told the planning committee they are no longer working on this project or for Othman. All concepts previously drawn up by Cardinal were preliminary and many of the changes Othman requested were not compensated for.
“There haven’t been answers provided for the access issues and we need to know more,” Planning Committee Executive Director Kevin Costello said. “The current design does not accommodate the proximity to Oakbrook’s entrance.”
“I cannot construct a new plan without commercial approval or account for an engineer changing the use, as their design may change,” Othman said.
The planning committee motioned to move Othman’s deadline from Oct. 7 to the next zoning meeting on Oct. 19. A final decision on Othman’s plan will come at the business meeting on Nov. 2.
“If we have to act right now, we are going to turn you down because there’s not enough detail to approve this, but you can differ and give yourself more time to answer these questions,” Planning Committee Board Member Janet Kegley said to Othman. “You won’t lose the money that’s already put down because you can come back at a later date with the right information.”