By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FORT THOMAS - One of Northern Kentucky's most prominent and prolific residential developers wants to build a new subdivision of more than 100 homes in this Campbell County suburb, and some people don't like the idea.

The Fort Thomas Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 8 p.m. todayat the city building on plans submitted by The Fischer Development Co., a homebuilding company based in Crestview Hills that has developed more than 30 residential communities throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Opposition has emerged from tiny Woodlawn, a city of just 268 people that abuts the development site.

Terry Rasche, a former mayor of Woodlawn, organized a meeting over the weekend in which he collected the signatures of 30 residents he says are against the project.

Most live down the hill from where the project is planned and fear water runoff will get into their homes and yards, and worry about increased traffic and the loss of wildlife and trees.

"We have a nice, natural setting here," Rasche said. "That's why a lot of people live here and moved here. But now we're going to have homes 35 feet from our back doors where now we have a nice wooded area."

Fischer has submitted preliminary plans for Villa Grande at Fort Thomas, a 46-acre project of 107 homes that would be built on a wooded, hilly area between Chesapeake Avenue and Waterworks Road.

Though final plans are still being drafted, the homes are expected to sell for $250,000 to $300,000, with many having views of downtown Cincinnati, said Fischer Vice President Larry Sprague.

Fischer has an option on the property and is awaiting planning commission approval before moving forward with more definitive plans, Sprague said.

The property is zoned for single-family residential development, said Fort Thomas City Administrator Jeff Earlywine. That means the sole authority for approving or denying the plans rests with the planning commission.

City council becomes involved only if a zone change is request, Earlywine said.

The commission is not expected to make a decision at tonight's meeting - that will likely come at the Jan. 21 meeting - but will hear comments for and against the project, Earlywine said.

Rasche said he has been told by members of the Fort Thomas Tree Commission, which is required to review the city's development projects, that 4,300 trees will have to be cut down to make room for the new homes.

Sprague confirmed that about 4,000 trees will have to be cut but said the development will incorporate the natural setting and topography of the land and leave untouched many of the trees on the property. He also said measures are being taken to control water runoff.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com