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In the planning commission’s June meeting, the commission heard a request to approve the final development plan of two lots next to the Jessamine County Fire District station. 

The plan included access to a driveway, or an easement, on the fire department’s property, something that is in the deed for the property purchased by the fire district in 2001. However, Jessamine County Fire District Chief Danny Eads spoke, informing the commission that the front of the fire department’s property, and the back, is needed since there can be multiple engines leaving the station at once, or even firefighters coming into work while engines are leaving for an emergency. 

The representative for the property owner cited long lights and long lines of traffic from John C Watts Drive (home to many other industrial businesses) to Main Street as the reason they wanted to utilize the fire station’s easement access. 

Even though only one semi-truck a week driving in and out of the property next to the fire station was promised by the property owner’s representative at the meeting, a run-in with this semi could leave firefighters to be a few seconds late to a fire– which, with more synthetic materials in our housing causing quicker growing, larger fires, can be the difference between life and death. 

In the most recent planning commission meeting, at the end of July, a representative of the applicant/property owner had returned, but this time it was Greg Smorstad of Banks Engineering. He told the commission, “The plan has not changed since you saw it last time, but the owner has been in contact with the fire station and they have come to an agreement that the proposed access that we had shown to the fire station drive is no longer gonna happen.” Smorstad said, “everyone is in agreement,” with having the easement removed from the final development plan. 

The property owner and its shipments and any employees will be able to access the property through a “drive isle” that comes off of John Watts Drive nearby the easement, but it wouldn’t cross over the property line into the station. 

The planning commission passed a motion to approve the final development plan, voiding the easement access from the property deed from now on. 

The planning commission approved a final development plan for Foster Court lot 5 (the new Jessamine County Industrial Park off of John C Watts Drive), consisting of approximately 12.37 acres PVA parcel number #047-00-00-035.02 requested by Omega Ophthalmic. Omega is one of the first manufacturing facilities in the new industrial park to be announced by Frankfort. 

The representative for the property owner mentioned a zone-mandated double row of shrubs and trees since the industrial park will be against a neighborhood to its south. For Phase 3 of the industrial park, there are plans in place to try to acquire the neighborhood in the south for expansion of the industrial park. He asked the commission that if the property is purchased, if the development plan can forgo the shrubs and trees. Planning and Zoning Director Tim Cross said yes, but that the planning commission would need a certificate of occupancy before they allow it. 

In other news:

• The commission also approved a final development plan for 1004 Park Central Avenue consisting of approximately .720 acres PVA parcel number 067-00-00-145.00, requested by J&J development. This plan will restore Estes Auto Body, a business that was hit hard during the Jessamine County Tornado in April. Approved with the development plan was the condition that the plan must include 45 percent masonry on all walls of the building.
• The planning commission approved a zone map amendment for 115 Southview backside lot of Edgewood and Third Street. Zone Map Amendment R-3 multiple family residential to R-1T Townhouse residential district for approximately .84 acres PVA parcel number 058-20-14-017.00 requested by Tighe Property Management LLC. The nearby area is mostly also townhomes. The commission approved the amendment including off-street parking in the front of the townhomes, but that the development plans must address storm water drainage on site. The planning commission approved several other townhome zone changes.