INDEPENDENCE, Ky. — A planned 124-unit condo complex in Independence hit a significant roadblock Thursday as Kenton County's planning commission refused to recommend the land it would sit on be rezoned.
A couple dozen people from the Heartland neighborhood showed up to the meeting to unanimously condemn the project, citing concerns about the potential for increased traffic in the region, a change in the single-family home consistency in the neighborhood and more.
"We're going to be looking at these buildings behind our houses, looking at our backyards, or front yards, not looking forward to that," said Sueanne Lovell after the meeting.
HRezo Engineering's Jim Bertram argued the condo complex beside Madison Pike and Heartland Blvd. would provide much-needed housing stock in the area and lead to increased economic activity in the downtown Independence district.
During public debate, many commissioners felt the project was too far outside of the region's strategic plan for development. leading to much of the dissent.
In an 11-8 vote, the commission voted to recommend Independence City Council not award the requested zoning variance.
Bertram and other developers refused comment after the commission's vote.
Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman said before the meeting that many of the concerns he initially shared with people from the neighborhood had been calmed in meetings with developers.
Still, he said it would be up to a vote of the council, and not him, whether to advance the proposal.
Reinserman said it often takes time for the commission's formal recommendations to reach them so it's unlikely they would consider the rezoning at Monday's meeting. He said it's more likely that council would take the matter up in March or April's meetings.
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