By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
BOONE COUNTY
Boone County Commissioners listened to the first reading of an ordinance approving a zoning map amendment from Employment Planned Development, EPD, to Commercial Services, C-3, and a variance changing the height of any building on the site to be 70 feet instead of the 53 feet in the present zoning so that the developers can build a 5-story Marriott hotel on a 20-acre site on the north west side of Frogtown Connector Road, not far from where the previous plan for a hotel was approved.
Commissioner Chet Hand made his feelings clear on this subject and issued a direct warning to the Planning Commission.
“I want to be very clear to the Planning Commission, and hopefully they’re listening, that we should not see another one of these come to us, in direct conflict with the Comp Plan,” he said. “They need to get their act together on that one, and they need to come back at it with other project proposals that are in line with the Comp Plan.”
He said in light of the other discussions they have held on this hotel, as well as the last hotel, and talks about what the Comp Plan specifies as the correct projects to be located in what places, he did not expect another, even bigger, hotel project to be placed before them two weeks after he had threatened to have the entire Planning Commission fired for approving projects that are in direct conflict with the Comprehensive plan that is supposed to be their gold standard for direction.
Two conditions were agreed to and signed off on by the owner. The first is to change the plans back to a four-story hotel, and the second is to limit the height of the building to 53 feet.
The second reading of the ordinance will be on June 17.
Another ordinance had a first reading which clears up some language on animals and fowl, matching certain laws with penalties, and clearing up language for animals that are dangers to the communities, and considered vicious. It also amends the licensing of animals, and once the law passes, people are not required to license their animal. They can register their animal for no cost, and that helps the county match lost animals back to their owners, but since the compliance rate for the licensing was less than 15 percent, Commissioner Hand suggested that they do away with the mandatory part of the licensing and allow people to register their pet instead. What is still mandatory is the rabies vaccine, and that is a state requirement for all dogs, cats and ferrets in the state of Kentucky. Owners have to have proof that their pets have a rabies vaccine. This ordinance will have a second reading on June 17.
FT. MITCHELL
A resident, Dave Hentz, came with a list of things he wanted addressed by council. Garbage on the railroad tracks was the first thing, and Mayor Jude Hehman said he would look into the matter. The next item was kids riding motorized scooters, and he told council that ‘somebody’s going to get clobbered,’ citing instances where people in cars can’t always see the scooters because they go so fast.
Again, Mayor Hehman said that the city has discussed this item for years and have not found a solution. hen Hentz wondered if they could put a bocce ball court in the park. He said it doesn’t take up much space, and it really helps those who are too old for volleyball, tennis, or pickleball. He cited one that is in an Erlanger park, and said they told him it was created by a Boy Scout as an Eagle Scout project, so he thought maybe they could include a scout looking for a project. He also offered to donate a bocce ball set if they do create one at the park, and Mayor Hehman said he would take him up on the offer.
A representative from RedTree Investment group gave a presentation on what Redtree offers and how they invest.
An ordinance was read for the second time which prohibits through truck traffic on city streets. The GPS map companies will be notified about the new restriction.
Mayor Hehman gave a budget address for the new year, looking forward, and building on what has been done so far. He said this budget is intentionally conservative.
The first reading of the budget was held, as was the amended budget for the last year.
People were invited to comment on the Municipal Road Aid fund.
EDGEWOOD
Council member Jeff Schreiver objected to an item that was on the agenda at the Monday night meeting. An ordinance pertaining to credit card usage fees was on the agenda, and Schreiver said council had discussed that item and voted it down in a previous meeting, and according to Roberts Rules, which most government meetings adhere to, it should not have come back on the agenda.
CAO Brian Dehner clarified that any council member who voted for the issue, which was to reject the fees on the credit card usage, could bring it back. Council member Dr. Scott Spille wanted it back on the agenda, because at the budget caucus meeting, it was agreed to have CAO Dehner come up with a policy on credit card usage and fees, and then Attorney Frank Wichmann advised that it should be an ordinance instead of a policy.
Schreiver was not at the budget caucus meeting, and although he knew it was discussed at that meeting, he felt the discussion needed to be at a regular meeting, not a caucus meeting. He motioned to take it off the agenda, and the motion was seconded, but the vote was against him and it stayed on the agenda.
When it was time for the ordinance to be discussed, things became lively. The issue is that whenever a resident pays for something at the city building with a credit card, not a debit card, the city is charged a 3 percent fee. The city wants to pass that fee on to consumers and with the proceeds from the money gained from these transactions, the city wants to fund future efforts to recruit firefighters for the fire department.
Schreiver said he was against the idea because it will discourage some people from using their credit card and force them to use checks again, which puts a work burden on the staff. He said there should be other ways to try and recruit firefighters. Dr. Spille said that most people will go on using their credit cards because it is easier, and they can absorb the extra 3 percent fee. The fee would be charged on credit card payments for city taxes, but also for payments for activities that residents take part in within the city.
Schreiver made a motion to table the issue, and with a vote, the issue is tabled for now.
Officer Clayton Dunaway was honored for graduating from the police academy, and joining the Edgewood police force full time.
A proclamation was read honoring Carolyn Spille, who died at 99 years for her service to the community.
INDEPENDENCE
Independence council members considered an ordinance which would amend a previous ordinance which specifies what businesses can and can’t be located in a certain area. The old 5/3 Bank cannot be another bank for four more years, but the owner had some interest from someone who would like to turn it into a liquor store, so he asked council for a change in the ordinance which currently does not allow a liquor store in that place.
Three residents who live in the area, one of them Dave Shafer, a former council member, came to protest having yet another liquor store a short distance away from two others.
Council member Carol Franzen directly asked David Quast why she should vote for another zone change for him when three other times he asked for and received the change and nothing happened with the properties.
“We put stipulations in about what can go in there and now you ask me to change my mind,” she said. “when people still don’t want it.”
Mayor Chris Reinersman asked council if anyone wanted to make a motion to have a first reading of the ordinance to amend the previous ordinance, and no one wanted to make the motion, so it died.
Officer Aiden Stuckey was sworn in as the newest police officer in the Independence police force.
Mayor Reinersman brought up the splash pad and said the new estimate for the pad, plus a place for the parents to sit while the kids play, Is $1.1 million. The city has, as of the new budget, approximately $600,000, and they are hoping to get a grant worth $250,000. Reinersman said that leaves a shortfall of about $350,000, and they are trying very hard to figure out ways to raise the money. However, they want to open the finished splash pad on Memorial Day of 2026, and they are running out of time for that to happen. Council member Franzen made a motion to take money out of the general fund if they can’t find another way to raise the money and council agreed in a vote so that they can put the project in motion.
ERLANGER
Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette read a proclamation honoring the Lloyd High School Varsity Basketball team Tuesday night at the regular council meeting.
Andy Videkovich, from the Planning and Zoning Commission, came to talk about the Cave Run map amendment. He said the developer for the 1.94 acre area is planning a 10,000 square foot office building with 61 parking spaces. It is currently zoned residential mixed and it needs to be Neighborhood commercial. It received a favorable recommendation from the commission with two conditions.The first reading of an ordinance passing the map amendment was read.
A grant for $40,000 for the Kentucky Product Development Initiative is still in the works for a property on old Erlanger Road. If the grant comes through, the city will have to contribute $8,000. The resolution was approved by council.
FT. WRIGHT
Ft .Wright City Council voted to increase the salaries of the mayor and council after the next election in January of 2027. The mayor’s salary will be $8,000 per calendar year, and the council members’ salaries will be $3,300.
Council also passed an ordinance changing the way hotels and motels register their customers. This ordinance takes the place of another ordinance.
Mayor Dave Hatter told council they were probably going to go with Rumpke for garbage pickup, if they voted to accept the finished contract. He was disappointed that the city only received one bid when the offer went out, but he said Rumpke has done a very good job. He again reminded everyone that ‘we live in a place where we can put stuff on the curb and it magically goes away.’ The price will go up from $17.99 per unit to $23 per unit, but it isn’t too intense for a raise. CAO Jill Bailey said the problem with only one trash collecting company responding to requests for bids is something the entire Northern Kentucky area is dealing with. Council voted for the finished contract.
The matter of SD-1 requesting easements for Edna Lane was tabled, possibly until later this month, when the city will have a special meeting to pass the second reading of the new budget.