Published: April 20, 2009 09:24 am      

Duplex apartments proposed on Oak St.

The London-Laurel County Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the addition of six duplex apartments to be constructed on the southwest side of Oak Street.

Developer Jason Handy asked the commissioners Thursday for permission to build the units.

Commissioner Bruce Yandell said the additions would bring additional traffic onto a small street.

The commissioners unanimously voted to turn the matter over to the London-Laurel County Board of Adjustments for a conditional use permit.

The commissioners also reviewed the property of Jacob Edwin and Edmonia Hackney at 502 S. Main St. for a zoning classification. City Building Inspector Doug Gilbert said the property is residential, located in zone C-1 Central Business Zone and can be reused for residential and related uses. The property does meet the requirements of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

Jeffrey House of the Timberwood Development Corporation in Murphy, N.C., met with the commissioners to discuss a preliminary plat review for a gated community on old west KY 80 next to the Rockcastle River.

“The main hurdle with the resort community would be the water line,” House said. “We would be on the farthest end of Laurel County. We are going to try to get water from the water line that feeds Livingston. Donta Evans gave me an estimate to supply the correct water to that subdivision of $241,000. That is not in a rural subdivision’s budget. You all may know more about a grant or whether that’s even feasible or would the stimulus money supposedly coming to towns whether that was even on the docket to be one of the items to put in. Donta Evans said he was having his engineers look at how much capacity the city could give us based upon the existing lines knowing that in the future, the other one (to Livingston) would be upgraded.”

The company owns 147 acres of land, with 20 usable lots along side the river. There will be a total of about 40 lots in the subdivision.

Commission President Dane Gilpin brought up a recent experience with another out-of-town developer who wanted to make a gated community in Wood Creek.

“He left a bad taste in the commissioners’ mouths,” Gilpin said. “He left before he finished.”

House said he appreciated the input from the commissioners.

The next step for him is to bring a preliminary plat to the meeting, Gilpin said.