Boone County Fiscal Court has approved the purchase of 296 acres of land from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
The court reviewed the deal on Tuesday during its regular meeting. Commissioners voted unanimously to purchase the acreage from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for $1.18 million, according to County Administrator Jeff Earlywine.
The land is part of England-Idlewild Park, a public park and dog park located in Burlington, and Boone County government intends on keeping it that way, Earlywine said.
Boone County has designated part of the property as the site for its countywide animal shelter. Earlywine said local leadership is planning a groundbreaking for the Boone County Animal Shelter “later this summer.”
During budget discussions in May, members of the fiscal court reviewed computer renderings of the inside of the shelter. The design featured indoor/outdoor dog kennels and separate areas for adoptions and drop-offs.
During that May 12 meeting, the facility was designed as “very utilitarian,” designed to “meet the health needs of our animals but not be extravagant.”