By Sheila McLaughlin
Enquirer staff writer

INDIAN HILL - City Council eased some restrictions for events at a proposed cultural-arts center on the 1927 former estate of philanthropist Julius Fleischmann off Blome Road.

But a lawyer for Greenacres Foundation, which owns the property, indicated Tuesday that the organization might push for more concessions.

C. Francis Barrett said he was still trying to make sense of the new conditions, and planned to meet with Greenacres board members this week.

Requirements set by council Monday included an increase in the size of gatherings to a maximum of 400 patrons, and an increase in the number of outdoor events with amplified sound from two per year to a dozen.

Those numbers came in far less than what Greenacres had proposed - a maximum of 1,000 patrons and 20 events with amplified music.

Council's decision Monday came after Greenacres appealed tighter restrictions the city planning commission had set to satisfy neighbors' concerns about potential noise and traffic.

Geenacres officials presented council Monday with a petition of support that included about 300 signatures collected at a recent chamber music concert and open house at the estate. The manor house, along with adjoining Winding Creek Farm, were donated by arts patron Louise Nippert and her late husband, Louis, who founded Greenacres.

Blome Road resident Gary Beck, who was concerned about Greenacres' plans, called council's vote a compromise.

"Whenever there is a compromise, nobody is completely happy," he said. "This wasn't about being for or against Greenacres. We all support their mission. It was a question about the intensity of the event activity which many of us felt was excessive."

Foundation officials had said that the events they proposed were needed to justify a planned $3 million restoration project.

E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com