Tuesday, March 09, 1999
Planners reject Cold Spring hotel
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLD SPRING — A regional planning commission has said a $20 million commercial development shouldn't be built at its proposed location, giving hope to residents of a Cold Spring subdivision fighting the project.
The Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, which performs planning and zoning work for Cold Spring, has issued a report saying a development that includes a conference center, 100-room hotel and restaurants is not consistent with the city's long term comprehensive zoning plan.
Developer Jack Morris, who lives just outside Cold Spring in Campbell County, has asked the city for a zoning change so he can build the project — planned for 18.2 vacant acres at the northwest intersection of the AA Highway and U.S. 27 — on land zoned for houses.
“The proposed (zone change) would allow commercial development to occur within an area recommended for residential development,” William Bowdy, the executive director of the area planning commission, said in the report.
Mr. Morris did not return phone calls to his home to comment.
The report was sent to Cold Spring Planning and Zoning Chairwoman Sam Smith. It recommends against changing the zoning on the property to allow Mr. Morris' project.
“That states the case about as good as you can,” said Keith Van Meter of the Sturbridge neighborhood, a leader in the community's effort to stop the project.
“But we're still taking our case to the city Wednesday night. And we feel we make a real good case.”
The Cold Spring Planning Commission is scheduled to hear Mr. Morris' proposal, as well as the residents' objec tions, during a Wednesday night hearing at the city building.
The city commission, made up of local residents, will take the area planning commission's recommendation into account but is not required to agree with it.
After hearing 20 minutes of testimony from both sides and a five minute rebuttal from each, the commission will vote whether to recommend Mr. Morris' plan to the Cold Spring City Council.
Reached Monday, Ms. Smith would not discuss specifics of the zone request nor how she intends to vote. And she professed to have no idea about the zoning commission's issues or sentiments.
“There are four new members” on the seven-member commission said Ms. Smith, who is also the head of the Campbell County Republican Party.
“This is our first big vote. I don't know where people are heading with this,” she said.
The residents are working a grass roots campaign to win support against the development. They've circulated petitions, put up yard signs, knocked on doors, staged three town meetings and compiled a 40-page report of legal, engineering and planning documents that lays out their opposition.
The 15-or-so members of the opposition's organizing committee believe they must turn out a big crowd at Wednesday's meeting to show city officials that widespread support for the project does not exist.
“We've done a lot of work,” said Paul Waters of Town Square Circle in Sturbridge. “But we know how important it is to get the people there Wednesday night.”
Residents say the project does not fit in with their neighborhood, which is adjacent to the site. It will also devalue their property and create traffic, safety and noise problems, they charge.
“You work hard for a home and a lifestyle, and then somebody comes in and just tries to change it,” Dave Bertram said during the three-month-old opposition group's regular Monday night strategy meeting.
“That's not right. And that's why we're fighting this.”
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