HAMILTON — The Butler County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval Tuesday for a rezoning request that would allow developers to build a shopping mall, including a movie theater, in West Chester Township.

        That recommendation sets the stage for the developers to take their project to the township for final approval. The West Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals earlier rejected the developers' conditional-use request for a portion of their property on the northwest corner of Interstate 75 and Cincinnati-Dayton Road for the movie theater only.

        The developers, Neyer Properties and Steiner & Associates of Columbus, are challenging that decision in court. They also decided to seek rezoning for their entire piece of property. They passed their first hurdle Tuesday.

        The West Chester Zoning Commission will make a recommendation on the zoning request Monday. The township trustees will make the final decision Oct. 8.

        The proposed mall, West Chester Market Square, would include 575,000 square feet of retail space and 80,000 square feet of office space.

        The only objection to the zoning request at Tuesday's hearing came from Orla Collier, a lawyer for Continental Retail Development of Columbus. Continental Retail Development is planning a rival shopping mall, the Streets of West Chester, at I-75 and Union Centre Boulevard, and has been waging an aggressive public relations campaign against West Chester Market Square.

        Mr. Collier said Neyer Properties' project duplicates Continental Retail Development's and would violate the township's land-use plan.

        But officials of Neyer Properties maintain that their project complies with the plan.

        Robert Kramer, a West Chester resident, spoke in favor of the Neyer project.

        “It will help the property values in the whole neighborhood,” he told the planning commission.

        The township board of zoning appeals rejected Neyer Properties' conditional-use request for the theater because they wanted more details about the entire project and were concerned about traffic.

        Township Trustee Catherine Stoker said she's glad Neyer Properties is presenting a more detailed development plan.

        “I'm looking forward to a handsome development there,” she said.

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