BURLINGTON, Ky. — The Boone County Planning Commission denied a proposed zoning change for an apartment complex to be built on Frogtown Connector Road.
Residents packed the house during a planning commission meeting Wednesday night, voicing their opposition to one item on the agenda: the request for a zone change that would allow for the development of 312 multi-family apartment units along Frogtown Connector and Richwood Road.
A representative for the landowners spoke in favor of the plan.
“The existing zoning is inappropriate, the proposed zoning is appropriate,” he said.
However, community members voiced their concerns about over-developing and current traffic issues in the area.
“Somebody told me while they were walking in here today that the truck traffic was backed up onto the interstate,” resident Kurt Drotleff said.
“Every day,” another resident added.
Some feel new developments would only make traffic congestion worse.
“Another 600-plus cars and even more people in the area will make the Richwood Road interchange dangerous and potentially impassable,” Drotleff said.
Travis Reid, who lives along Frogtown Road, attended Wednesday's meeting.
“They’re building things before the infrastructure is put in place. It’s a never-ending battle here,” Reid said. “I’m not against growth, but it’s gotta be controlled and contained.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has plans to expand Frogtown Road to three lanes. KYTC said the goal of the project was to make the road safer and improve traffic flow. Construction has not started yet.
“What scares me is we’re a decade away from Frogtown being widened, which should’ve been widened 10 years ago,” Chairman Charlie Rolfson said.
Other board members voiced concerns that it wasn’t the right time to add the apartments.
In the end, the planning commission voted against the project. Seven board members voted against the zoning change while six voted for it. It now goes onto Boone County Fiscal Court.
“They can agree with our denial, or they can override it, and they will be final say,” said Rolfson.
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