By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP - A strategically located piece of property in this Butler County community will be developed as a retail shopping center.

Trustees late Monday unanimously approved a recommendation by the zoning commission to allow about 7 acres at busy Cincinnati-Dayton and Yankee roads, just off the Michael Fox Highway, to be used for a business planned unit development.

The change will allow for a retail center, called Yankee Shoppes, with likely 11 stores and two outlots, according to Bob Hutsenpiller, president of Hutsenpiller Contractors Inc.

His Hut III LLC purchased the property at a sheriff's sale from former owner Gene Luckey. Hutsenpiller will develop the parcel.

He has not heard from any residents throughout the zoning process. In 2001, residents halted an earlier rezoning with a referendum.

Administrator Barry Tiffany said the current owners met with him to work out a way to develop the controversial property. His advice was to implement screening and buffering.

The property has roads on three sides of it - Yankee Road, Cincinnati-Dayton Road and the on-ramp to the Butler Regional Highway.

"Obviously, I don't believe that the market would dictate that you would build any housing on this property. It would be very difficult to sell property with three roads surrounding (it)," said George Flynn of Hut III LLC.

Trustee Dave Kern commended the group for such an attractive proposal on an "awkward" property.

No tenants have been announced. Hutsenpiller said the two outlots could be used for restaurants or a child-care facility.