- Developers propose 882 housing units on 78 acres near Longbranch Road in Union.
- Boone County Planning Commission weighing a zone change from farmland to residential.
- Concerns raised over traffic, density, and impact on local schools.
As the Union area continues to expand, developers are aiming to add more housing units to the bustling bedroom community. From 1960 to 2020, Union’s population increased from about 600 to over 7,000 residents, turning the city into a hotbed for suburban development.
On Wednesday, the Boone County Planning Commission held a public hearing for a zone change request for a 78-acre parcel of land located along Longbranch Road near Union. Specifically, the applicant, Grand Communities LLC, sought to change the area’s zoning designation from Agriculture 1 to Suburban Residential One/Planned Development.
If approved, the zone change would allow for the development of a dense new subdivision featuring a proposed 113 townhomes, 110 paired patio units, 259 condominium units and 400 apartments – a total of 882 units. The developer of the proposed housing units would be Erlanger-based Fischer Homes, the largest homebuilder in Greater Cincinnati.
The proposed subdivision would be located near Ballyshannon, a rapidly growing neighborhood on the edge of Union. The neighborhood boasts its own namesake middle school within the Boone County School District.
Although the proposed development is near Union, the land is situated in unincorporated Boone County and falls under the Boone County Planning Commission’s jurisdiction.
Amanda Webb, a planning and entitlement manager at Fischer Homes, stated that the proposed subdivision would include four types of housing: fee-simple townhomes with two-car garages accessible via rear alleys, aimed at first-time buyers and empty nesters with 3 to 4 bedrooms; paired patio homes with 2 to 3 bedrooms, offering front or optional side-entry garages; condominiums with 2 to 3 bedrooms in buildings of seven or 14 units, each with its own exterior entrance and some featuring garages; and build-to-rent apartments.
Webb mentioned that the developer is still working on the design for the complex’s amenity space, but they already have some existing concepts they’re considering.
“We’re still in the process of developing what our open space would be, but what we’re anticipating here would be, like I mentioned, the town center approach–a large outdoor area which could be used for pickleball,” Webb said. “We have some pickleball areas, lawn games and whatnot, gathering spaces, and then also a large gym, because that seems to be something that we’ve noticed the need for Ballyshannon, along with some type of clubhouse.”
Jason Wisneiwski, vice president of planning and entitlements at Grand Communities, stated that the construction of the apartments depends on the widening of Camp Ernst Road, an infrastructure project aimed at increasing the road’s capacity from two to four or five lanes.
“Just to be clear with everybody about the apartments, from our perspective, that use is appropriate if and only when Camp Ernst Road is realigned in a configuration similar to what we’re showing,” he said. “So it’s part of this process.”
Density was a primary concern raised by commissioners and community members alike. The land in question is currently rural farmland owned by the Riegler family, according to Boone County property records. The area is bordered by rural farmland to the west and subdivisions to the east.
Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen asked about how the development might impact traffic and the local school system, which he noted are already under stress. He also challenged the density projections for the project.
“You’re at 12.5 units per acre for the condos, you’re at 18.5 units for the apartments; I mean, the math doesn’t add up to me,” he said.
During the public comment period of the hearing, nearby homeowner Larry Klein expressed his concern to the commission that the proposed density might be excessive for the area.
“It’s a similar issue with density inconsistent with the comprehensive plan that’s only a year old and the housing type, it’s not farmland, and it’s a big jump to go from farmland to multifamily, as opposed to farmland to single-family detached on one or two-acre lots,” he said.
The next steps for the zone change amendment include a zone change committee meeting on Oct. 15. Following this, the full planning commission will review the request on Nov. 5.
