The Oldham County Fiscal Court on Feb. 20 denied by a 7-2 vote an amendment to its zoning map that would have allowed an automotive repair shop in La Grange.
Christian Brothers Automotive sought the change for 2107 Highway 53, which would have moved the land from C-1 local business district to C2 community business district.
Blaine Anderson, who owns Crystal Lake-front property and was representing the Crystal Lake Club, spoke in opposition. Anderson noted 15 residents had spoken at the zoning meeting in opposition. He said the area is “environmentally sensitive” as it would drain toward Crystal Lake. He also noted the company, which is a national company, has had environmental issues at the other of their locations across the country.
Karen Rose Huntstigger questioned the location of the “digester.” She was referring to the HIDD, which is described as “an advanced hydrodynamic vortex separator that provides impressive and reliable removal of fine and coarse particles, hydrocarbons and floatable debris from surface water runoff, delivering high levels of stormwater treatment over a wide range of flow rates.” Ziebell noted the location for her on the maps.
Nelson Lemon questioned, “why do we need this?” He said there was no one speaking for the zone change except for the company. He asked the court to “turn this thing down, we don’t need it; there’s not a person who lives there that “wants this thing.”
John Talbott from Louisville-based Bardenwerper, Talbott and Roberts, PLLC Attorneys answered comments made by those opposed, saying, we are “talking about ifs and buts.” He said Christian Brothers have built facilities numbering “280 over 40 years” with no negative impacts at any of the facilities. He referred to a report on the facilities that those opposing the facility had referred to concerning “pollutants potentially contributing to impairment” and there were none. He said “could we have more issues” of traffic and environment or could you have any issues? I guess, yes, it’s on an average.”
Ashley Ziebell, a civil engineer from Grant Rapids, Michigan said developers had used information from the “Institute of Transportation Engineers.” She said they do nationwide studies of different kinds of businesses and planners for CBA had used it for automotive businesses. Talbott also noted a question had come up in the zoning meeting if there are any homeowner association requirements for homeowners doing maintenance on their lawnmowers and cars, which there are none. She said those would pose more of a threat than the CBA facility and it is “bound by federal state and local regs which are severe in penalties,” where the individuals are not. She said the opposition’s concern is not reasonable nor based in anything of any logic ... it is certainly not based on anything based on any facts or any expert opinions, none. It’s all just ‘we’re worried ... ’ ”
Talbott noted employees of CBA at the proposed facility could earn $50,000 to $100,000. He said CBA is a “good company” and the “risk of pollutants is nil.” He ended by saying he could not “defend against ghosts.”
After the hearing, District 4 magistrate Kevin Jeffries moved to deny the zone change, stating, “There has not been social economic changes in that quadrant since the approval of the last comprehensive plan update which was four years ago.” His motion was seconded. The approval was denied in a 7-2 vote.
Judge-Executive David Voegele addressed the business explaining it is welcome in the county. He said many other sites in the county would be more appropriate for the business and they would be more than welcome to locate there.