By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

AMBERLEY VILLAGE - The owner of the former Crest Hills Country Club has gone to court over a proposed housing development for the 133-acre site.

The Ridge Club filed a lawsuit this week against Amberley Village in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. It seeks to force the village either to buy the property and keep it a park or to change its zoning to allow housing to be built.

The lawsuit says council's refusal to change the property's zoning is illegal and violates the Ridge Club's constitutional rights. In asking the court to force Amberley Village to pay damages, the lawsuit says council's actions thwarted a possible $7.6 million sale of the property to Hal Homes Inc. of Blue Ash., which wanted to build 90 homes on the site.

A majority of Amberley Village Council wants the property to remain undeveloped and twice turned down zoning change requests by Hal Homes. This issue has split the community and drawn hundreds of residents to various council and planning commission meetings.

Amberley Village Vice Mayor Mark Muething, who voted against the zoning change, disputed the allegations. "I believe what we did was right and didn't violate their constitutional rights," he said.

Mayor Charles Kamine, who also opposed the development, said the village will try to resolve the dispute amicably while preparing for a court fight.

After council voted last month to reject the developer's request, residents who had placed "Keep Crest Hills Zoned Park" signs in their front yards removed them.

But in response to the lawsuit, many residents have placed the signs in their front yards again.

"I am sorry they feel the need to sue Amberley Village, but we're ready for them," said Susan Glazer, a member of the Save Amberley Village Committee.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com