A developer’s plan for an apartment complex is being met with resistance by some Boone County residents.
The project calls for Continental Properties to build 312 multi-family units on 20 acres along Paddock Drive between Richwood Road and Stirrup Lane, and Frogtown Connector Road.
“We would like to be given an opportunity where we can provide more one to two-bedroom high-luxury apartment products for people in Boone County,” Continental Properties Director of Development Cameron Miller said during Wednesday’s Boone County Planning Commission business meeting. “A lot of people do commute into Boone County to work from elsewhere. Boone County is looking at providing a little bit more one and two-bedroom units.”
As a national developer, Continental Properties has over 125 communities nationwide, Miller said, adding the company is involved with its projects from start to completion.
A housing study released earlier this year found that there are more jobs in Boone County than there is housing for those workers. It also found that the region as a whole is low on one- and two-bedroom units.
But just under two dozen residents spoke during a public hearing to address increased traffic, the potential for vandalism and crime, decreased property value concerns, noise pollution and compromised quality of life.
“Currently our neighborhood is a cut through,” Marcie Clark said. “Our neighborhood already can’t handle the traffic that we do get. This is a neighborhood where kids play and it’s supposed to be a quiet neighborhood, but it’s really a thoroughfare now.”
Dennis Kelly said the potential safety concerns an apartment complex yields need to be considered.
“My folks lived on east Lakeside on a dead-end street and loved it,” Kelly, who has lived in Boone County for 50 years, said. “It was quiet, there was no problems, everybody knew everybody – then somebody built 350 apartments at the end of the street. The police and fire runs with sirens increased 100% because before that time, there were none.”
Compromised property worth is at the forefront for Kevin Bonfield.
“Me and my wife moved up here from Nashville,” Bonfield said. “We’re from the area, so we’re happy to be back. I am kind of flexible in where I want to live and I’m worried about my home value going down because of these housing developments going in. And I will gladly move away.”
Traffic considerations, apartment complex off-street parking spaces, berms and a wildlife impact study are among the items that will be addressed during the zone change/concept plan committee meeting at 5 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the Boone County Administration Building Fiscal Courtroom, officials said.
If a decision is made after that session, the full Boone County Planning Commission could vote on the apartment complex plan request at 7 p.m. on Jan. 3. in the Boone County Administration Building Fiscal Courtroom to advance it to Boone County Fiscal Court for final consideration.