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Versailles rezoning request rejected

By Greg Kocher

GKOCHER1@HERALD-LEADER.COM

VERSAILLES --

In a 4-3 decision Thursday night, the Woodford County planning commission recommended denial on a rezoning that would bring stores to Versailles Center and a neighboring property. The recommendation now goes to Versailles City Council.

The rezoning proposal sought by property owner Rubloff Group Holdings would allow a Lowe's home-improvement store plus restaurants, motel, gas station and bank on the properties off U.S. 60 east of downtown Versailles.

The present zoning prohibits any retail space larger than 60,000 square feet. The zoning Rubloff wants would allow a 111,000-square-foot Lowe's plus a 27,000-square-foot garden center.

Opponents had said Rubloff's proposal would ignore the architectural design standards that resulted from a local task force's 18-month discussion in 2000-01 about what new development should look like and how it should be situated. Those design standards encouraged tree-lined sidewalks, two-story buildings with ground-floor retail and upper-floor apartments, and pedestrian-friendly spaces.

Rubloff said it couldn't find any potential businesses willing to meet those standards.

On a motion to deny the rezoning, commissioners Jim Boggs, Carl Ellis, Jim Hume and Ed McClees voted yes, while Tim Parrott, Chad Wells and J.D. Wolf voted no.