CRESCENT SPRINGS, Ky.
- Opting not to build a joint park with neighboring Villa Hills, city officials instead will begin talks with a Cincinnati company to build a health care center on a controversial piece of land.
City leaders voted 4-2 twice at a meeting Monday: one vote rejected an offer by Villa Hills to build a joint park at the Buttermilk Pike and Collins Road intersection; the other gave initial approval to sell the 9.4-acre Baldwin property, where both cities have been negotiating for a collaborative park since early 1996.
Final approval of the $430,000 sale of the property is expected at a 6:30 p.m. public meeting on Nov. 24.
City council's decisions followed pleas by more than a dozen residents to approve plans to build a joint park with Villa Hills.
''I find it very disturbing that they would not vote what the citizens want,'' said Jim Collett of Crescent Springs, one of many angry residents who left the meeting after the decision was made.
Said Villa Hills Councilwoman Mary Koenig, who attended the meeting: ''I'm certainly disappointed. . . . I feel bad for the residents.''
Crescent Springs opened the land up to bids after Villa Hills failed to purchase the property for $495,000, an amount that would have been used to repay a loan used to buy the land.
Instead, Villa Hills offered to pay about 60 percent - $300,000 - with Crescent Springs contributing the rest.
Under the agreement, CareSpring Health Care Management, which owns property in Fort Thomas and Cincinnati, would build a 120-bed facility. It would also donate 4.1 acres to the city to develop a recreational area.
The 2 1/2-story, 70,000-square-foot facility would include a 40-child Montessori school for children ages 3 to 5. The entire facility would provide about 145 full and part-time jobs. The sale of the property, however, is contingent upon the following criteria being met by CareSpring:
An additional $30,000 to pay for the costs of playground equipment, walking trails and - or relocation of the Kenton County Veterans Memorial.
Responsibility for costs to develop and pay for the extension of the road with sewer and water, and costs of a title transfer of the property.
Other proposals discussed Monday for the site were:
- YMCA of Greater Cincinnati wanted to build a recreational facility. No details of the proposal were given.
- Toebben Limited, which proposed to build single family homes, offered to pay $502,000 for the site.
- Wessels Properties Inc. wanted to buy the land for $495,000 to develop a 200-unit, four-story assisted living retirement center and recreational facility. The 130,000-square-foot project requested financing for the project through bonds issued by the city; property tax abatements for 15 years, and afterward the city would take over maintenance of the recreational facilities.
Crescent Springs Councilman Ken Robinson said he voted for the plan by CareSpring because it ''provides $30,000 a year for the city through taxes. Plus, they are not asking for a tax abatement.'' Mr. Robinson also said he likes the idea that the developer would donate 4.1 acres to the city to develop a recreational area.
