Planning commission OK’s Merritt Drive development
The Henderson-Henderson County Joint Planning Commission approved a revised development plan and a preliminary plat for a Dempewolf Properties development to be built on Merritt Drive.
The property in 2015 was approved for six lots. With Tuesday’s action, the planning commission approved an amendment for a 4-residence development in the lot zoned riverfront high-density residential.
The homes will be fronted by Merritt Drive and built in a bowl-like geography, hills rising on the other three sides of the property.
Next-door neighbor to the lot, Cass McKee who lives on Craig Srive, raised concerns about the stormwater runoff, sewage pumps that will move sewage to a higher elevation and the means for putting piles into the development’s ground for the homes’ foundation.
Matt Calvert, chief engineer with the Henderson Water Utility, assured McKee that the stormwater wouldn’t flood because the drain on Merritt, that currently is fixed to catch silt, will be changed so that water doesn’t back up there.
Calvert also said that the pumps will not be noisy and that if there were ever backflow, it would be only to the homes of the development, not any nearby residences.
Ray Nix, who was representing Dempewolf Properties, said the piles will be drilled into the ground, not pounded, which will not cause any structural damage to nearby residences.
Elevate’s site plan approved
The planning commission approved the site plan for living quarters that will include 48 apartments—32 single-bed units and 16 two-bed units. The approval is contingent upon Elevate completing $90,740 sanitary sewer bonding and obtaining encroachment permits from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the site that will be on Old Madisonville Road.
Julie Wischer, the executive director of Elevate (formerly the Hugh Edward Sandefur Training Center), said she hopes for a groundbreaking at the site in the second week of October. Read a past article about Elevate’s plans here.
Bishop gets an ‘A’ evaluation
Executive Director Brian Bishop scored a 92 out of 100 on the yearly evaluation of his job performance that was conducted by the members of the planning commission.
Commissioners were given a set of questions and asked to score Bishop in the ranges 100-90; 89-80; 79-70; 69-60; and below 60 in the categories job knowledge, judgment, interpersonal relationships, communication, coordination, planning and organization, adherence to policies and procedures, and orientation toward results.
With the rating, the planning commission approved a 2% merit-based salary increase. That will bring his salary to $107,569, Bishop said.
