FORT THOMAS — Members of Fort Thomas City Council and city administration will have a busy January as they wrestle with proposed new zoning ordinances, zoning map changes and creation of a design review board.

        It's the nuts and bolts of setting standards for the look of the downtown Fort Thomas business district.

        “We're looking for other tools in the toolbox,” City Administrator Jeff Earlywine said. “We've been working on this for over a year. The new (zoning) ordinance has more changes than prior zoning updates, and that has to do a lot with proposed changes in the central business district in areas like signage, design and color.”

        City officials and a group of residents and business leaders known as Fort Thomas Forward have been working for about a year on plans to redevelop the central business district.

        A $12 million redevelop ment plan that would replace an entire block facing North Fort Thomas Avenue near the city administration building with a new city center project was shelved when a team of consultants told the city last August the plan would be too expensive.

        Mr. Earlywine said the streetscape portion of the Fort Thomas Forward plan, which would eliminate utility poles and overhead wires and possibly move all utilities underground along Fort Thomas Avenue, will continue as funding becomes available.

        He said the city will apply for a state grant to help defray the anticipated cost of

        about $700,000 for the streetscape. The city had hoped to receive a $323,000 grant last year, but the money was not awarded.

        The Fort Thomas streetscape is similar to one that has been under way for several months on Monmouth Street in Newport. The Newport project includes all new sidewalks and landscaping, as well as removal of utility poles and overhead wires.

        The new zoning changes are aimed at helping the city's existing businesses, Mr. Earlywine said, and at the same time attracting new ones.

        That should be good news to Tim Gabennesch, owner of Midway Cafe on South Fort Thomas Avenue across from the Veterans Administration nursing home and one of the founders of the Fort Thomas Business Association.

        Mr. Gabennesch has been at odds with the city administration for some time over what he has perceived as its emphasis on the business district on North Fort Thomas Avenue while ignoring the businesses on South Fort Thomas Avenue.

        “We're in the original business district, one of the oldest and most historic parts of the city, and the city can't forget about us,” he said recently.

        Mr. Earlywine plans to address the Business Association members at their monthly meeting Jan. 24 and outline the zoning changes.

        One part of the zoning change ordinance calls for relaxed off-street parking requirements. “Some businesses can't expand because they can't provide sufficient off-street parking under current zoning,” Mr. Earlywine said.

        Another proposal in the ordinance would create a “sunset” provision for all signage in the business districts that is presently non-conforming. The city would take an inventory of all the signs in the business districts, notify the owners who have non-conforming signs, and give them a time limit of probably five to seven years to change to a conforming sign.

        A separate ordinance will create a design review board to provide a higher standard of review for buildings within the central business district, including the Midway section.

        “The design review board would deal with areas such as building facades, colors, signage and styles. The review would be done before City Council considered any requests for changes, upgrades or additions to existing structures.”

        He said the new ordinances will be presented to council members at today's meeting, but probably won't be discussed until the Jan. 22 meeting.

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