Dozens of residents packed the Boone County Administration Building on August 7th to oppose Silverman & Company's plan for a 340-unit luxury apartment complex near the Union-Florence border, ahead of an Aug. 19 subcommittee review that will shape the project's fate.
The Blue Ash, Ohio-based developer wants to rezone roughly 33 acres of unincorporated Boone County land near Old Union Road and U.S. 42, locally known as the "Witt and Streutke property," from a mix of rural and suburban classifications to Urban Residential One/Planned Development. If approved, the land would be annexed into Florence, according to LINK nky.
Union Mayor Larry Solomon told the Boone County Planning Commission that Silverman & Company had originally sought to annex the land into Union, but his city rejected the idea over traffic concerns. The Union city commission voted 5-0 against the project.
"Our conclusion has to be that the current infrastructure cannot support this project's incremental traffic, and the City of Union's position on this thing is unanimous – we voted five zero, that we had to show our position on it," Solomon told the commission.
The proposal would funnel all traffic through a single entrance on Bowman Way, which connects to U.S. 42 at an already-congested intersection. On July 30, Solomon told WCPO that the street cannot handle the additional traffic.
Silverman & Company vice president Ryan Silverman presented the developer's case, describing three- and four-story buildings marketed toward working professionals and empty-nesters. Planned amenities include an 8,000-square-foot clubhouse, pool, pickleball court and dog park.
Silverman hired Bayer Becker, a Northern Kentucky civil engineering firm, to prepare a traffic study that was initially approved by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The study recommended extending Bowman Way into the development and adding dedicated turn lanes.
Residents weren't persuaded. Homeowner Chuck Whitlock urged the commission to exercise "extreme care," accusing the developer of "shopping" the proposal among different cities to get it approved.
Trevor Nelson, HOA president of the nearby Orleans neighborhood in Florence, told WCPO on July 30 that he wants infrastructure in place before more apartments are built, specifically a direct connection from Long Branch Road to U.S. 42.
As we reported July 31, opposition had been building ahead of the hearing.
The Zone Change Subcommittee will review the proposal Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 5 p.m. After that, the full planning commission can recommend approval or denial at its next business meeting. Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen noted that Florence holds final authority over the project and could potentially override the commission's recommendation.
Silverman & Company already operates Florence Executive Center I and II on Meijer Drive and is developing a $67.2 million, 257-unit apartment project on Covington's riverfront.
