The Boone County Planning Commission approved a concept development plan and several variances that will pave the way for a new commercial development near Richwood Road.
The request was made on behalf of Richwood Development LLC, a holding company owned by Boone County resident Milanben Patel, to allow for the development of an approximately 28,000-square-foot commercial complex with five buildings. The vote took place at a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, July 3.
The area in question is 5.4 acres that encompass 460, 468 and 476 Davis Lane – just off Grand National Boulevard and Richwood Road in Walton.
“The committee concluded that the proposed change is consistent with several goals and objectives, making the finding that the scale of development will provide for neighborhood-oriented uses that will benefit the growing residential area,” Boone County Zoning Administrator Michael Schwartz said.
Schwartz went on to say that the project’s compact design allows for fluid pedestrian movement between the buildings.
The plan, designed by Erlanger-based civil engineering firm Viox & Viox, outlines space for five commercial buildings ranging from approximately 10,000 to 2,200 square feet. The largest building on the prospective complex features two patios, both over 1,500 square feet. The second largest building, at over 8,500 square feet, also has two smaller patio spaces.
The other three buildings on the complex are significantly smaller, ranging around 2,200 to 3,200 square feet.
During a planning commission meeting on June 6, Copperwood Realty Agent Brian Davis, who represented the Patels, said they wanted the site to be used for higher-end retail, such as Starbucks, Chipotle, or brick-and-mortar banks, that will cater to the neighborhood and nearby senior population. The proposed development will be located next to Provision Living at Crown Ridge – a senior living facility.
As of now, there are no confirmed occupants for any of the buildings, according to Davis.
The planning commission attached multiple conditions to its ruling. One such condition limited the development to one fast-food-style restaurant with a drive-thru on the complex.
In February, the planning commission tried to attach a similar condition to a zone change request made by Myers Y. Cooper Company – a Cincinnati-based property developer – that planned to build three commercial buildings near the same site. Ultimately, the zone change request was denied.
Another condition was that a traffic impact study be provided with the project’s first major site plan submittal. Past proposed developments near the site have been scrutinized due to potentially negative impacts on local traffic.
Planning Commission Vice Chair Corrin Gulick questioned the aforementioned Myers Y. Cooper project because, in her words, the developers would not agree to certain conditions that would mitigate traffic along Richwood Road.
Going forward, the project’s concept development plan must be approved by the Boone County Fiscal Court before being finalized.
“I’d like to recommend approval for the Richwood Development concept development plan,” said planning commission member Janet Kegley. “Also for the variance – so the concept development plan will go forward to fiscal court and we (the planning commission) are the final say on the variance.”
