By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
PARK HILLS
Park Hills city council meetings will now start at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. as of Monday night’s meeting. They passed the second reading of an ordinance to that effect, although council member Sarah Froehlich spoke about possible reasons why people might not want the time changed. Council member Steve Elkins said that he has seen people get up and leave the meeting because when it starts at 7 p.m. sometimes it goes later into the evening. Council agreed to try the new time.
The second reading of an ordinance amending the noise ordinance was held. The old time was no noise from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday through Saturday. Due to complaints, this ordinance would change the time on Saturday and Sunday to 11 p.m. to 9 a.m., but Council member Froehlich maintained that if they do a time change on the noise ordinance, it ought to be consistent throughout the week. Mayor Kathy Zembrodt said she didn’t think it would be possible to enforce a ban on noise till 9 a.m. on weekdays because construction companies like to start early. So they compromised, and Saturday and Sunday will have a time restriction of 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., and the rest of the week will stay at 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. They also added the noise of the chainsaw and the noise of gas powered leaf blowers to the ordinance as being banned during those hours.
FLORENCE
Florence city council considered the first reading of an ordinance which is a change in concept development plan for a .69 acre site at 7673 and 7777 Burlington Pike. This would hold in place the original concept plan of a motor vehicle sales delivery/pickup business and add a cabin shed retailer and flower place. But when it came time to read the ordinance for the first time, no one made the motion to read it. Then council member Diane Whalen made a motion to reject the ordinance, but Mayor Julie Aubuchon said her motion would have to be a motion to move it to next week’s meeting, because a municipal order had to be approved which stated the findings of fact.
Whalen and the rest of council then agreed to wait until next week’s meeting to approve the findings of fact, but Whalen asked if the findings of fact could be read into the minutes for Tuesday night’s meeting, and it was. This was to give a basis to reject the ordinance next week, but since it was also recommended for approval by the Boone County Planning Commission, Florence will have to reject the commission’s recommendation next week by at least four votes of council.
The first reading of another ordinance was held which approves a zoning map amendment/change in concept development plan for a 2.06 acre site at 56-58 Cavalier Boulevard to allow for a 50,645 square foot four-story hotel called Woodspring Suites. Florence council voted in favor of the project.
Another first reading of an ordinance contains text amendments that regulate and define solar energy systems and battery storage facilities. Council member Angie Cable said the community spoke at the hearing that was held, and some changes were made, but she still felt that the rules made it more expensive for people to buy solar energy systems. Council member Lesley Chambers said the ordinance addresses a problem that doesn’t exist. Both members voted no on the ordinance but it still passed.
Mayor Aubuchon gave a state of the city address, and concluded that without change, there is no growth.’ She pronounced Florence as a vibrant, evolving city.’
LAKESIDE PARK
Lakeside Park city council held a public hearing about the municipal road aid fund, which was $53,000. No one came for the public hearing.
Rob Grimes came from the Blessed Sacrament Boosters to ask if the city of Lakeside Park would sponsor Blessed Sacrament’s athletic teams. They hold a Corn Roast on Friday, August 8, and the sponsorships start at $250 and go up to $5,000. Grimes also said out of 1,324 athletes, 48 percent are not in the city, and 18 percent are from Lakeside Park. Mayor Paul Markgraf said it was a good idea, but Attorney Greg Voss wasn’t present at the meeting so he told Grimes he would talk to Voss and get back to him.
Mayor Markgraf talked about drivers disregarding red lights and taking liberties with traffic law, to the detriment of pedestrians, and children on scooters and bikes. He exhorted people to be careful, to be aware, and said that parents need to talk to their children about being careful too.
He asked council if they would consider having the regular July meeting on the first Monday, July 7, instead of the second Monday which is the normal day, due to a conflict.
Markgraf read an ordinance for the second time which amends the ethics ordinance. Council member Cassi Schabell made a motion to have the city’s ethics members have an email address so they would be easier to contact, but although the motion got a second, it was voted down. The ethics ordinance passed, 5 to 1.
The budget ordinance had a second reading, with two minor changes, and it also passed 5 to 1. Council member Schabell voted against both issues.
Schabell introduced an issue that people had emailed her about, which was fencing on Applewood by the pool. She made a motion to change the fencing ordinance, which says all fencing needs to be less than 50 percent closed.
Mayor Markgraf said the reason the rule was the way it was is because if a police officer was chasing a suspect, that suspect could hide behind closed fencing and ambush the officer.
The motion died.
ELSMERE
Elsmere city council officially awarded their college scholarships to two students who just graduated. Addyson Landers, a recent graduate of Dixie Heights High school, has plans to attend the University of Kentucky in the fall, and wants to be either a nurse practitioner or an anesthesiologist.
Anna Donahue just graduated from Lloyd High School, and she would like to attend Northern Kentucky University to study business.
Both students received $3,000 and a special seal plaque from the city of Elsmere. Their names will be added to a plaque at city hall.
“You really feel good about the future when you go through all the applications,” Mayor Marty Lenhof said about the several students who applied for the scholarships. “They are all very impressive.”
Councilmember Gloria Grubbs announced the acceptance of the resignation of council member Serena Owen, the council member who didn’t attend meetings. She resigned before the special meeting last week that was held to address the six charges against her, to avoid having to deal with the charges. Owen’s resignation was announced, and Grubbs then said the city will advertise for any people who want to fill the position on Monday, June 16, through Friday, June 20.
COVINGTON
Covington city commissioners passed the second reading of an ordinance amending the city of Covington Neighborhood development code to allow recycling facility class 2 as a conditional use in the SI district.
They also listened to the first reading of the budget ordinance.
Commissioners passed an ordinance authorizing Mayor Ron Washington to execute a first amendment to the disposition and development agreement with the Covington Pointe joint venture for the development of Block A in the Covington Central Riverfront Development.
Several people in the Covington Fire Department were promoted, starting with the position of Captain.
KENTON COUNTY
The topic of the Site Readiness Initiative in Kenton County is still a hot button issue at the Kenton County Fiscal Court. Several citizens once again came to speak at the meeting, some saying the SRI is a mistake, and that they and their neighbors feel that they are under attack from their own government. A few people quoted an article that said Kentucky is losing 290 acres of farmland a day, and one told the court that their perspective was progress at any cost, and the people’s perspective was that the project was threatening to to them.
“You heard what we all said, but you didn’t listen,” said Carla Palmer. “Hear us! Listen to us! We do not want it!”
“Please Stop!” said Heather Grotehaus.
“The community is engaged, informed and united in opposition,” said Jessie Dalton. “We’re not going away.”
Commissioner Joe Nienaber said that they have about 15,000 people in the county, and they have heard from possibly 200. He said the court would like to hear from the other 14,800. He said the industrial movement is coming, and it has started in Boone County. Since it is coming anyway, he said the county needs to find a way to control it which is why they are contacting people.
TAYLOR MILL
Taylor Mill Commissioners passed the second reading of the budget amendment for last fiscal year, and the new budget for this fiscal year. They also passed the second reading for a personnel pay classification, as well as the ordinance for the codification of ordinances.
They passed a municipal order which formalized the policy for stormwater issue in the city. A resolution passed which formalized the city standards for ethics.
CAO Brian Haney asked if every had been informed that Republic trash pickup would not be happening on Wednesday.
Rumpke will be starting their contract with the city, and they have said they will keep all routes the same for 90 days.