By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
FLORENCE
The city of Florence might be the home to a Wa Wa gas station. Plans were unveiled at the Florence Council meeting this week. The plans to put a Wa Wa gas station on the corner of US 42 and Hopeful Church road on the site of the Blue Pantry had been given to council to examine beforehand.
Todd Morgan, senior planner with the Boone County Planning Commission, formerly presented the plans which had been approved unanimously by the Boone County Planning commission with 9 conditions.
The intersection is difficult, with the jug handle installed by the state, resulting in some people who are not familiar with the area not knowing how to negotiate the intersection, but if the project goes through, it is liable to be more confusing, at least at first. City Administrator Josh Hunt took a turn explaining it, along with Morgan, and the developer and a representative from WaWa sang the praises of the new project.
The area is 3.8 acres and the 6,372-square-foot planned station will have 8 islands with 16 gas pumps, and 53 parking spaces. There will also be room to install EV charging spaces in the future.
There is a right in/right out access on US 42, and full access planned for Hopeful Church Road. It will operate 24 hours a day. A public hearing was held on July 5 by the Boone County Planning commission.
Council member Diane Whalen said she appreciated the time that was spent on this project, and all the documents that came to the council members. Morgan said they are required to look at the project in terms of the Comprehensive plan, and that is the first priority. Whalen expressed concern over traffic in the area. Hunt said that what usually stacks up traffic is people who travel from Weaver Road to Hopeful Church road and immediately want to turn left into the strip mall on the corner, despite the fact that it is a right in/right out entrance and people are not supposed to turn there. He said they are in the process of trying to extend the concrete median farther down the road, and installing the yellow ballards so that people would have to run over the ballards to get into the strip mall.
Hunt explained that there is a deadline for the vote by November 4, but he put it in front of council early in case there was some confusion, or opposition. He acknowledged that the first concern is traffic, but he reminded them that the city doesn’t own the roads. He said he thinks it will be a safer intersection with the WaWa gas station. He also said if council splits their vote to 3-3, the commission’s favorable recommendation will rule.
Council member Whalen said people are still upset about the jug handle, but it does what it was intended to do, move traffic from east to west more easily. Still, with all the development in Union, she said people are going to ask council members ‘Why? Why did you approve that?’
Commissioner Lesley Chambers was also concerned about people’s reaction to an approval by council.
No action was taken at this meeting. If Council would decide to vote against it, a finding of facts would have to be submitted. An ordinance will be drafted for the next council meeting, and nothing will be final until after the second reading of the ordinance in October.
PARK HILLS
Kenton County Commissioner Joe Nienaber came to the Park Hills Caucus meeting Monday evening to propose a project that he wants to do along with developers Greg Berling and Mark Zimmerman. Nienaber explained that he and Zimmerman were looking for something along Dixie Highway to have more space for his business. Since that search was futile, Berling came up with a townhouse project on the Szechuan Gardens property.
The project , however, would require a zone change that would allow increased density for single and multi-family homes. The plan calls for 19 townhomes, or duplexes on the site.
The other part of the project is to possibly reroute Arlington Road, a project that has been mentioned in other plans for the city.
Mayor Kathy Zembrodt explained that the city can make the zoning fit if they make a few minor changes to the Z21 zoning that will come before Kenton County PDS next Thursday, but they would have to make the changes before Thursday, so Mayor Zembrodt called a special council meeting on Monday evening, at 6 pm. Zembrodt said that council is split on the idea.
TAYLOR MILL
Taylor Mill commissioners met on Wednesday morning to discuss how they were going to put together a dual celebration for the 70th anniversary of the city, as well as the 250th anniversary of the country.
They have decided that July 10 would be a good day for the celebration, but then ideas were tossed around as to what to have at the evening event. As for entertainment, they have tentatively decided one name band would be good, and they would like to have something special for the children. Nothing was decided about children’s activities. Food trucks were discussed also.
Commissioners want to officially put some money into the budget for the event at the next commission meeting. They also want to encourage donations, as well as sponsorships, and they are hoping to put together some sponsorship packages, so that people are encouraged to buy the packages.