By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
Florence city council passed the first reading of an ordinance approving a change of concept development plan, the first step to clearing the way for a 56,000 square foot grocery store that could possibly be a Publix.
During a special meeting Tuesday evening, with two council members absent, the vote was 3 to 1 in favor of the change in concept development plan, in a Commercial two/planned development zone.
The site is 11.82 acres located on the northeast corner of the US 42/Farmview Drive intersection, and the southeast corner of the Old US 42/Farmview Drive intersection, involving both Florence and Union.
This change will allow a grocery store that is 56,000 square feet, and will have an attached liquor store, as well as a drive through pharmacy. There will also be two out lots for retail, service and possible eating and drinking establishments.
“So this development is broken down into three different lots,” said CAO Joshua Hunt at the meeting. “I spent a dedicated amount of time going through the traffic study that was presented, and then also some of the in-house city road improvement that will take place before the project is complete, mostly on Old US 42.”
He said he talked to Councilmember Lesley Chambers about traffic concerns that she heard from residents, and he addressed a few of the concerns himself. Councilmember Chambers was the lone ‘no’ vote. Councilmembers Gary Winn, Patricia Wingo, and David A. Osborne voted yes. The second reading will be in February.
Hunt asked if there were questions, and hearing none, the vote was held, and the first reading passed.
A cadre of people associated with the grocery were at the meeting, including one person from Bayer Becker, but did not speak. Bayer Becker is the engineer on another grocery project, in Independence.
The Independence grocery store, also possibly a Publix, is set to be located at the intersection of Madison Pike and Harris Pike. It is reported to be 19.93 acres, and the grocery store will be 48,387 square feet, with a 3,200 square foot liquor store and a 12,600 square foot retail building.
Both the Florence/Union location and the Independence location are being pursued by Crosland Southeast, a developer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, who has built stores for Publix in the past.
The Florence/Union location is across the street, and down a little from the Kroger gas location, which is about a mile down the road from the relatively new Kroger Marketplace store, so the new grocery will be very close to the Kroger store.
A third location in Northern Kentucky, Cold Spring, has taken steps to annex 27 acres to provide a location for a grocery store at Cold Spring Pointe as well as providing a plan for up to $80 million in bonds to finance the project. That store is scheduled to be 48,840 square feet, and the site will have other retail space and eateries around it.
Midland Atlantic Properties is the developer on the Cold Spring project. Midland has also been involved with Publix stores in the past.
Publix has not formally confirmed any of the three locations, according to CAO Hunt.
The new grocery should open in 2025.