Developers withdraw plans to remake Lone Oak Golf Course into a neighborhood
Developers of a controversial housing development on a semi-private Nicholasville golf course will not move forward with the project, a lawyer for the developer confirmed Monday.
Bruce Smith, a lawyer for Lone Oak LLC, said developers decided Friday to pull their application for a series of zone changes for 130 acres of the Lone Oak Golf Course. The Nicholasville City Commission was expected to vote on the zone changes at its meeting Monday evening.
The developers wanted to put 200 single-family homes, 100 condominium units and 43 townhouses at 44 Club Drive and 140 Lone Oak Drive.
The Nicholasville Planning Commission voted 6-4 to turn down the zone changes on Oct. 28 after nine hours of testimony during two planning commission meetings. Hundreds of people who opposed the development attended the September and October meetings.
Smith declined to say why Lone Oak LLC, which purchased the property in May, decided to pull its application. Smith said Lone Oak LLC may return later with a different zone change application for the land.
“There may be a new proposal made sometime in the future,” Smith said in an email.
Bruce Simpson, who represented residents who opposed the zone change, said “the neighborhood is pleased the application has been withdrawn and it will continue to work diligently to preserve the golf course.”
The proposed zone changes from agricultural to mostly residential zones has been one of the most contentious zone changes in the county in recent years.
The fight over the future of the property started this summer when the city commission voted unanimously to annex the golf course into the city limits, despite strenuous objections from neighboring residents who opposed the property’s annexation.
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 11:48 AM.
