- A proposal for Hebron Pointe North would build 365 apartments, townhomes and rental flats across 22 buildings on nearly 24 acres near Graves Road and I-275.
- Residents from nearby subdivisions raised concerns about traffic, school overcrowding, noise and the impact on neighborhood character.
- The Boone County Planning Commission will send the proposal to a zone change subcommittee for further review on March 18.
Dozens of Hebron residents showed up to the Boone County Planning Commission Thursday to share their opinions about the Hebron Pointe North development in Northwestern Boone County.
The public hearing was intended to allow input on a proposed zoning change that would make room for the development of a large, multi-building residential development.
Some Hebron residents expressed skepticism and concern over the proposed development’s impact in the surrounding area.
Hebron Pointe North is a joint proposal by Northern Kentucky-based Arlinghaus Homes, Fischer Homes and Berling Investments. The three developers are working together on the project to construct several apartment buildings and townhomes on nearly 24 acres at the intersection of Williams Road and Worldwide Boulevard, just off Graves Road near the Interstate-275 exit.
The acreage, split between two parcels, is owned by KJCAA LLC, a holding company affiliated with Arlinghaus Homes.
Understanding NKY’s housing shortage
A study of housing in Northern Kentucky has revealed troubling trends for housing in the region, with the largest need being for “workforce housing” for households earning between $15 and $25 per hour, with monthly housing costs between $500 and $1,500. The region needs about 3,000 more housing units to provide for people within that income range, according to the study. The demand for one- to two-bedroom rentals and owned properties consistently exceeds their supply, while supply for three and four-bedroom properties consistently exceeds demand. The study suggests that the region needs to build 6,650 housing units to support economic development in the next five years, which equates to 1,330 units per year. Read more here.
The development proposal outlines the construction of 365 residential units in total, including 304 ‘Garden-style’ apartments, 28 townhomes and 33 stacked rental flats. These units will be distributed across 22 buildings. The campus will feature 725 parking spaces. The proposal also outlined a centrally-located amenity area on the western portion of the campus, which includes a dog park, pickleball courts, swimming pool and clubhouse.
In recent years, the Graves Road exit on Interstate 275 in Hebron has become a favored location for developers, primarily for commercial projects. Located next door to the proposed development is The Shoppes at Hebron Pointe, a large-scale commercial development anchored by a Publix.
Construction on the site is underway. On the opposite side of Graves Road near the development site is Northern Kentucky’s first Wawa, which opened in February.
Regarding density, the proposal requested an increase from the permitted 12 units per acre to approximately 15.25 units per acre, resulting in 78 additional units beyond what the current zoning allows.
To advance the project, Grand Communities LLC, a land developer affiliated with The Fischer Group, has requested zone changes for two parcels: Area A, approximately 20 acres, would be rezoned from Graves Road residential and Graves Road commercial/planned development to urban residential two. Area B, about four acres, would be rezoned from suburban residential one, Graves Road residential and Graves Road commercial/planned development to urban residential two.
Jessica Fitzwilson, a representative of the developers, told the planning commission that the project’s stakeholders planned to remain invested in the development after its completion.
“The ownership team wanted to expressly emphasize the fact that this project is intended to be a long-term investment,” she said. “Their goal is not to lease up the residential community and sell it shortly thereafter, but rather to own it and operate it for the long term, ensuring that it remains a high-quality asset that reflects well in the community.”
During his presentation, Boone County Zoning Administrator Michael Schwartz highlighted several concerns raised by the planning commission staff, including the requested density increase and the effect of a multi-story apartment building situated near existing single-family homes.
Residents also voiced their concerns during the public comment section of the meeting. Tom McKee, a nearby homeowner, expressed worry that the development would affect the quiet residential character of the surrounding subdivisions.
“We’re starting to lose our identity as a nice residential community,” he said. “I hope you’ll take that into consideration when you make your final determination about the project.”
Other residents, such as Ben Chernoff, voiced concerns about overcrowding in local schools, namely Thornwilde Elementary.
“If there’s really no explanation for where all of these children will go to school under the proposed zoning change, it seems less appropriate than the current zoning change where we do know where children will go to school, and as others have said it already, there’s already a problem with overcrowding,” he said.
Additionally, residents expressed concerns about quality of life, such as noise, light pollution and effects on local traffic.
At the end of the hearing, Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen stated that the proposal would be presented to the Zone Change subcommittee for review. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18.
