Sunday, April 11, 1999
Zoning plan's critics expected to fill hearing
Controversial development drawing fire
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP — Officials expect a full house Monday when the township's zoning board reviews a controversial proposal for a 764-unit development near Bethany and Butler-Warren roads.
Hills Communities Inc. of Silverton wants the township to rezone 103 acres from single-family residential to multiple-family planned unit development and general business. The company plans to build 284 apartments, 480 condominiums and a commercial shopping center on the land.
“I expect there will be a number of people coming out to speak in opposition of the rezoning,” said Deerfield Township Administrator Hazel Dotson. “I think we'll probably see (representatives) from the (Mason) school board, residents from Heritage Club and maybe a few others.”
But Mason city leaders, the most vocal critics of the proposed development, won't make a cameo.
“We've clearly expressed our concerns and how we do not approve of the development because of its density. They are aware of that,” Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer said.
Although the development would be in Deerfield Township, the plan has drawn fire from Mason officials and school leaders. They say the development would increase traffic flow, add students to an already crowded Mason school district, and ruin the area's rural, upscale atmosphere.
“We have some very serious concerns about this development's impact on the district,” Mason Board of Education President Russ Carter said last week. “We are definitely opposed to it.”
The district stands to add at least 175 students if plans are approved, officials estimate.
Statistics show Mason City Schools are already averaging about 454 new students a year.
Township leaders say city and school officials are “jumping the gun” by presuming the development will be approved as proposed.
“I think that's the one thing I've taken the most offense to in recent weeks,” Mrs. Dotson said. “They're talking as if the zoning board and trustees have already decided that they are for (the development), when they haven't expressed an opinion at all.”
Trustees President Tom Raga said developers typically ask for more in their proposals than they actually expect to receive.
“And most of the time they don't get that much,” Mr. Raga said.
This is not the first time Mason and Deerfield leaders have clashed over multifamily developments. The two were at odds most recently over an apartment development on Mason-Montgomery Road across from the Procter and Gamble research facility.
The Warren County Regional Planning Commission recommended on March 25 that Deerfield planners reject the proposal based on its density of 8.25 units per acre. The average density of surrounding developments is three to four units per acre.
“Placing that many multi-family units in that area would be unprecedented and undesireable,” Robert Craig, Warren County's director of planning, said.
Mrs. Dotson, who also sits on the regional planning board, agreed there are some aspects of the proposal that are not favorable.
“I was not totally against the 10-acre commercial shopping area,” she said. “It at least would give those people out in that area a place to go to get a loaf of bread.”
She said the zoning board will consider all facets of the plan before forwarding its recommendation to trustees, who are scheduled to review the matter May 18.
“I hope we can find a happy medium,” she said.
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TRISTATE DIGEST
Zoning plan's critics expected to fill hearing
