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Jake’s Farm withdraws proposal for Boone County development, may submit new plan with fewer units


By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter

As soon as Judge Executive Gary Moore opened the fiscal court meeting earlier this month, Tom Breidenstein, an attorney for the Jake’s Farm Real Estate Development LLC project, told the court that they were withdrawing the project from consideration.

“Over the last few days the Jake’s Farm team has been closely reviewing the Planning Commission’s recommendation, a recommendation that was made on February 15 of this year,” he said.

“In light of the planning Commission’s recommendation, we re-evaluated the mix and the density of the proposed dwelling units that we had planned on the site. We concluded in our discussions internally that we could significantly reduce the number of dwelling units for this property. Therefore in our
preparation we prepared a new plan a new plan that showed a significant fewer number of dwelling units for this property.”

Site of Jake’s Farm proposed development

But he realized that in light of the significant change, in discussion with County officials that it is too significant a change, a change that hasn’t been vetted in the public hearing process.

“In light of that significant change, we have decided to withdraw our application,” said Breidenstein. “We will be re-applying very soon with this new plan with a significantly reduced number of dwelling units.”

They apologized for any inconvenience.

Judge Moore reminded the commission that the Planning Commission had recommended against the project 9 to 4.

The ordinance on the agenda specified a denial of the request of Jake’s Farm Real Estate Company LLC for a zoning map amendment from Agricultural estate (A-2) to suburban Residential One/planned Development (SR-1/PD) for an approximate 34.84 acre area located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Richwood Road with Schmidt Lane.

“The original plan called for 220 units, and they revised it to just under 200,” said County Administrator Jeffrey Earlywine. “These are all condominiums, with some town houses. The project is in the neighborhood of Steeple Chase and Triple Crown, which is why residents from that area came to the meeting.”

Residents had indeed come to the meeting prepared to protest this project.

When the request was withdrawn, one resident asked if they have to start all over again, with all the procedures. Judge Moore told her that if the company wants to submit a new plan, then, yes, they will have to start over from square one.

Another resident asked if the planning commission voted 9-4 against the zone change, why were they having this discussion? Judge Moore said everyone has the right to come before the Fiscal Court to see if the court would take the recommendation of the planning commission or go against the recommendation, which could happen. He also noted that if the court did nothing, the recommendation of the planning commission would then go into effect.

A resident spoke up saying that she was sure that they knew about the decision to withdraw before the meeting, and she commented that they could have saved everyone the time of attending the meeting. Several residents had come with the intent of speaking against the project.

A resident wanted to confirm that the company cannot do anything on that site right now because their request was denied, unless they were to do something in line with the agricultural zone, which is what is is zoned currently. The judge confirmed that was true.

Commissioners voted to accept the company’s withdrawal of the request.

Judge Moore addressed the residents: “If you came here to protest the project, you’re leaving with a win,” he said. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”


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