Friday, April 16, 1999
Ruckus raised over development
Plans call for multifamily housing, shops
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP — When Jack Anastasia purchased a lot in the Northridge subdivision last July, he did it because he liked the area's rural, upscale feel.
“It seemed like a nice quiet place to live,” he said. “My wife and I looked at the township's land-use plan and saw that the entire area was zoned single-family. That was one of the main reasons we bought the land.”
But a request by a Silver ton developer to rezone 103 acres less than a mile from his property to multiple-family and general business is giving Mr. Anastasia second thoughts.
“Had we known the township would consider changing the zoning of this area, we would never have bought the land,” he said.
Mr. Anastasia was one of several opposed to a proposed 764-unit development on Bethany and Butler-Warren roads.
More than 50 people packed the township's meeting chambers this week to share their opinions on the development with Deerfield's zoning commission, which was reviewing the case for the first time.
Hills Communities Inc. wants to build 284 apartments and 480 condominiums on 93 acres, with an additional 10 acres set aside for a shopping center. Company officials say the development is targeted for young professionals, retirees and empty-nesters.
Condos would range from $90,000 to $150,000, while the apartments would rent for around $600 a month, the developer said.
The plan has been sharply opposed by neighboring property owners, Mason City Council and Mason schools. They maintain the project would generate too much traffic for heavily traveled Bethany and Butler-Warren roads, and possibly crowd schools.
“We see this as a misuse of the township's land-use plan,” Mason Board of Education member John Reinhart told zoning officials.
“I just don't think 700-plus homes are needed in this area. The infrastructure can't deal with it and the school board would have a tough time dealing with it.”
Mr. Reinhart estimated the district would gain 220 students if the plan is approved. The Warren County Regional Planning Commission estimated between 165 and 175 students.
Glenn Brehm, vice president of land development for Hills Communities, defended his proposal by saying the development would only generate about 95 students.
He said the visual impact of the development's density would be about the same as Four Bridges, a golf course community in neighboring Liberty Township.
However, most residents didn't buy that explanation.
“You can't compare a 100-acre project like this to a 480-acre development like Four Bridges,” said Alex Tarasenko, president of Heritage Land Co. of Liberty Township. “That's like comparing apples and oranges.”
Said Ken Campbell, a Mason resident and co-developer of Heritage Club: “I have to congratulate Mr. Brehm for trying to defend the indefensible. But this has not been tried by any developer in the area that I can remember.”
Property owners argued the proposal missed the mark on local housing needs. Many said people living in apartments and condos are more transient and would not contribute to the stability of the community as much as people living in larger and more expensive homes.
“I think you'd be setting a bad precedent by allowing this,” said Wayne Matthai, a resident of Mason's Heritage Club.
Said Dieter Moeller of Mason: “I fully expect this thing to get turned down. But you never know which way the wind will blow with these zoning boards. We'll just have to wait and hope for the best.
Township zoning officials plan to discuss the rezoning proposal again May 10.
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