Dozens of people poured into the Boone County Planning Commission chambers last month for a public hearing — hoping to convince the members to vote against a zoning amendment in unincorporated Boone County.
The proposal would allow a 340-unit luxury apartment complex between Florence and Union, which Florence would annex. Florence city administrator Joshua Hunt signed a letter of recommendation for the amendment as part of the application.
But for many Union and Boone County residents, luxury housing is not a priority. The hearing drew residents, elected officials, school board members and a state representative.
“I think that's a short-sighted vision for Boone County and this area,” resident Chuck Whitlock said. “I would encourage you, when you think about development and residential spaces, that you would have in the back of your mind longevity.”
Planning Commission Chairman Charlie Rolfsen said the complaints were misplaced.
“When you're looking at us like ‘the ball is in your court, this is all on you,’ it's not on us,” Rolfsen said. “We don't have final say on anything.”
Rolfsen is referring to the Boone County zoning amendment ordinance. When an amendment request is submitted to the planning commission, it must go through a recommendation process before moving onto the fiscal court, or any city government, for final approval. The recommendation by the zoning commission is just that — a recommendation.
“The city of Florence has final say,” Rolfsen said. “They can override just like Union can override anything we do, [the] city of Florence can override.”
Now that the proposal has moved past the planning commission, it will be forwarded to both the Boone County Fiscal Court and the city of Florence’s administration. Even so, the city of Florence is likely to make the final decision.
“It's been the policy in the past that if the fiscal court, if Boone Fiscal Court knows that there is an annexation underway, the fiscal court will take a step back and let that city take the lead in that process,” said Director of Zoning Michael Schwartz.
Whoever ends up voting has 90 days from the planning commission’s recommendation date to make a decision.
“But if it gets close to that 90-day statutory limit, the fiscal court will ultimately have to take action on it,” Schwartz said.
The Boone County fiscal court administration hasn't announced which entity will decide, and declined to comment at this time. The city of Florence did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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