The Southgate City Council discussed the stage one plans for a residential development in the city that has received disapproval from some residents.
This comes after the stage one plans for 575 residential units in Southgate between Moock Road and I-471 at Fox Chase Drive in Southgate, requested by Grand Communities LLC, managed by Fischer Land Development LLC, was approved by the Campbell County Planning and Zoning Commission in November 2023.
The council heard the first reading of the ordinance for the zone change and, therefore, did not vote on the item—that will occur at their Feb. 7 meeting. They did, however, vote 4-2 to approve the findings in the administrative record compiled by the planning commission from its November meeting.
Council members Mike Lycans and Mark Messmer voted no. Southgate Mayor Jim Hamberg did not vote because he is not part of the legislative body.
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During the meeting, both residents and Fischer representatives addressed the council. As stated at a previous meeting by Southgate City Attorney Mary Ann Stewart, the council could only consider findings from the administrative record complied from the Nov. 14 planning and zoning public hearing. New information presented by the developer or residents could not be considered.
The community coined “Sunrock” comprises just over 85 acres and will include single-family detached homes, townhomes, carriage homes, paired patio homes, and apartments.
Southgate residents who spoke at Wednesday’s city council meeting were against the project. Their main points of concern were additional traffic on Moock Road and landslide/water runoff that could cause issues in the Woodland Hills neighborhood, located down the hill from the proposed development. The three speakers said they were all from Woodland Hills.
“Residents of Southgate and especially Woodland Hills do not want this development in their backyard,” Marana Harris said. “We’re going to be the people that are going to be directly affected—not any of you who don’t live in Woodland Hills or on Moock Road—but definitely the people in Woodland Hills, and I’m asking you to deny this development.”
Harris said she also spoke during the planning and zoning meeting, denouncing the project. One thing that remained consistent between meetings, she said, was her concerns regarding traffic on Moock Road.
Harris said during the meeting that there were 50 accidents on Moock Road between Nov. 14, 2022, and Nov. 14, 2023; however, Southgate Police Chief John Christmann said, according to the Kentucky State Police portal, which keeps records of all reported accidents, over four years from Jan 1. 2020 to Jan 9. 2024 there were 39 accidents on Moock Road.
Christmann said four of those 39 were at Fox Chase Drive.
A traffic study will be introduced in stage two plans from the developer should the council approve the zone change. Fischer Homes Chairman Greg Fischer said they completed the study, and it is currently under review by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and includes three intersections: Fox Chase Court and Moock Road, Alexandria Pike and Moock Road, and Licking Pike and Moock Road.
Woodland Hills Resident of nearly 40 years, Jan Bowman, also spoke against the development at the November planning and zoning meeting and the city council meeting, stating worries about traffic on Moock Road, hillside integrity, and a need to increase fire and police personnel with more development.
“Please, please, please, I beg you, do not put this through,” Bowman said. “We don’t want it.”
Bowman said she was getting feedback from people who said Woodland Hills received four to five fire/paramedic runs a day, which caused her concern; however, Southgate Fire Chief John Beatsch said they have maybe four to ten calls to Woodland Hills a year.
“I don’t expect that this development is going to cause a significant increase to us,” Beatsch said. “On the other hand, we are losing volunteers. That’s something that’s happening nationwide.”
Regarding residents’ concerns about water runoff and hillside slippage, Fischer said roughly 20 acres of the site would have water collected into their detention ponds and released into the existing drainage slower than it’s collected. Fischer said that will reduce peak flow by 15-20% of what it is today.
The site plans have four detention basins for water collection and would be inspected periodically by Sanitation District No. 1.
Woodland Hills resident Lucy Smith echoed some of the same sentiments as Bowman and Harris.
“The traffic, the water drainage, the hillside, the animals, everything that makes the community special will be affected, and just there’s no way around it,” Smith said. “So, what we’re asking as the residents of Woodland is you reconsider this and not allow it.”
Regarding the hillside slippage and the geotechnical report, Fischer said they have heard a lot from The Hillside Trust (advocates for responsible use and preservation of the region’s hillsides). Executive Director of The Hillside Trust Eric Russo addressed the planning and zoning commission with his concerns but did not speak at the Southgate meeting. Fischer said Hillside Trust has referenced other communities they have built, like one in Ludlow on a hillside, but he said this development is on top of the hill.
Further, Fischer said they would reduce the weight of the development by taking soil off of the top of the hill. The planning and zoning commission, along with their approval, put in a condition that the geotechnical report completed as part of the stage two plans include the evaluation and mitigation recommendations of any increased risk to the downslope properties caused by the development.
The development can also not exceed 580 residential units as a condition of the planning commission.
Paul Melville was the only council member to offer comments regarding the development. He said growing up in Southgate and being a part of the fire service has made him aware of flooding issues in the city. He said he also sees Southgate growing and a need for infrastructure to continue.
Melville said the city is currently looking to purchase a $700,000 bond for street improvements—something Hamberg referred to at the last meeting when discussing a need for the development.
“If you look around at the cost of road construction for outside contractors, it’s just phenomenal,” Melville said. “It was almost triple what we were building the streets for, and Southgate cannot do it on the budget that it has. So, the only way to do it is to look for projects that will bring in infrastructure or raise taxes, and that’s the last thing we want to do is raise taxes.”
The tax benefits that come with the approval of the development plans are $10 million over 40 years to Campbell County, $48 million over 40 years to Campbell County Schools, and $46 million over 40 years to Southgate. The site is estimated to be a $120 million-plus development.
Sunrock would be located in the Campbell County School District.
Melville said his final decision would be based on what would benefit people who live in all of Southgate.
Greg Fischer sits on the Managing Board of LINK nky, which oversees the business operations of LINK, but has no say in editorial matters.
