Traffic and safety were on the minds of several at a Boone County Planning Commission public hearing on June 4.
The reason? Erlanger-based Longbranch Development, affiliated with Fischer Homes, wants to revise a development plan for a 185-acre subdivision off Hathaway Road, also known as Woodvale, that would reduce the number of single-family lots and eliminate street access to Hathaway Road for the subdivision.
Several residents worried that the elimination of the planned access to Hathaway Road would balloon traffic throughout the neighborhood, making it less safe for homeowners. Many residents at the public hearing lived in Ballyshannon, a rapidly growing neighborhood off Hathaway Road.
Amanda Webb, a planning and entitlements manager for Fischer Homes, presented a revised development plan to the planning commission that reduces the number of homes from 499 to 464, adds stormwater management areas and includes a future dedication for Camp Ernst Road.
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Webb said Fischer Homes remains committed to completing the first phase – up to 150 homes – maintaining internal road connections, and potentially dedicating right-of-way for future improvements. Furthermore, Webb stated that Fischer Homes was open to continued discussions with the commissioners and residents.
In a rebuttal, Terry Painter, a resident of the nearby Ballyshannon neighborhood, questioned the concept development change request, saying that the area is already congested with traffic.
“I’m really surprised as to why they want to eliminate that,” Painter said. “There’s already a very large amount of traffic going on right now–those poor people on Donegal (Avenue). I mean, between construction traffic and trend and just regular residential traffic–it’s getting very heavy.
Another Ballyshannon resident, Laura Sherland, expressed concern that increased traffic could lead to safety issues in the subdivision. She called the removal of the access a “detriment” to the neighborhood.
“On the most serious note, on Donegal, many families are walking their dogs,” she said. “There are so many children in the neighborhood riding bikes, scootering, crossing the street to head to a friend’s house, or retrieve a toy that has ended up in the street, we doubled the issues that already exist on Donegal, by removing the planned additional halfway access for Woodvale. Someone might get hurt.”
According to documents provided by the planning commission, the Union Fire Protection District noted that the removal of the Hathaway Road entrance would result in a three- to five-minute increase in response time. Additionally, the Boone County Public Works Department stated they would like to see the access remain.
Boone County Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen admonished the request, expressing concern about the adverse impact it could have on emergency services response times.
“I don’t know, I am diabolically opposed to this,” he said. “And once again — and I feel for you all in the audience — you buy your homes; this is another switch-and-bait thing by developers.
Looking forward, the planning commission plans to meet with Fischer Homes, county staff, and the county engineer to assess the revised development proposal. Commissioners are requiring a full traffic impact study, more details on road access and connectivity, and a more precise timeline for project phasing, specifically regarding the Camp Ernst Road connection.
The commission is considering postponing the June 18 zone change committee meeting if the requested information isn’t provided in time. Before making a final decision, several commissioners stated that they needed more data on traffic, safety, and the impact on the neighborhood.
