Petition regarding Bush Farm Retirement Community
I am a resident of Lake Forest or the Lake Forest Legacy community. I want to advise the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustment (“BOZA”) of the following:
1. I oppose the building height variance request being made by the retirement community to be built near Old Henry Road and Arnold Palmer Boulevard. The three story retirement community building should not be approved by BOZA because it is not in character with all of the surrounding properties in this residential community. The nearby residential buildings are single family homes and condominiums, all of which are low-density properties. Also, the adjacent commercial buildings across Bush Farm Road are only two stories tall. To allow a three story building on a residential street in this particular location is out of place and makes the area appear to be commercial, rather than residential.
2. Directly related to the building height variance request is adequate landscape screening along Arnold Palmer Boulevard. To help screen the extremely large 130-unit building, the developer should be required to provide a berm and landscaping along the west side of Arnold Palmer Boulevard that is at least equivalent to the quality, width, and height of the existing Lake Forest Legacy berm and landscaping along the east side of Arnold Palmer Boulevard. This is consistent with what was agreed to and approved by the Planning Commission in 2000 when much smaller and shorter buildings were proposed for this location. The entire berm and landscaping along the west side of Arnold Palmer Boulevard should be constructed to begin at Old Henry Road and should extend along the retirement community property line. The berm and landscaping should be completed during the initial construction of the retirement community. The berm and landscaping should be similar to the Lake Forest Legacy berm and landscaping that is across the street, so that it matures in a similar manner as the Lake Forest Legacy berm and landscaping.
3. Related to the height and scale of the proposed retirement community, are large existing landscaped berms along Bush Farm Road between Arnold Palmer Boulevard and Old Henry Road that screen Abington Ridge and the retirement community property. The developer should not be allowed to reduce the height, width, or plant materials of these existing Bush Farm Road berms. This is consistent with what was agreed to and approved by the Planning Commission in 2000 when much smaller and shorter buildings were proposed for this location.
Comment