Applicants seek conditional-use permit to reopen Harmony Hills swim club; parking, events and code history raised

Oldham County property owners Beth and Chris McBride asked the Oldham County Board of Adjustments on March 20 for a conditional‑use permit to operate a private swim club on a 4.27‑acre parcel at 1222 Cliffwood Drive in the Harmony Hills subdivision in Goshen.

The request covers reopening and renovating the former Harmony Hills swim and racket club, which applicants say has been vacant for about eight to 10 years. Staff said the parcel was previously the subject of multiple code‑enforcement complaints and a county health department case related to untreated pool water that could breed mosquitoes.

Why it matters: The board must decide whether the proposed private club is “essential or desirable to the community and not in conflict with the elements of the comprehensive plan,” language cited by the applicants' attorney as part of the legal standard. If the board grants the conditional use, the applicants still must obtain two waivers from the Planning Commission before construction and site work proceed.

Anna Barge, senior planner for Oldham County, said the property is zoned R‑2 and that, under the Oldham County Zoning Ordinance (identified in the staff report as Section 060‑040), private clubs and swimming pools are conditional uses in that district. Barge summarized staff’s case history and noted “the pool gates were open” in past inspections and that an August/September reinspection closed one of the code cases; she also said a later case involved untreated, uncirculated water creating a public‑health nuisance. On the record, Barge said staff mailed adjoining‑owner notices on March 3 and published a public notice on March 13.

The applicants’ presentation: Attorney Michael Swansberg of Swansberg and Smith, representing the McBrides, said the property first opened in the early 1960s as the Harmony Hills swim and racket club and was built with the neighborhood club model in mind. Swansberg told the board the applicants plan to renovate the existing clubhouse (proposed at about 4,500 square feet) and pool and add amenities including a splash pad, pickleball courts, a basketball court and batting cages for club members.

Engineer Emily Estes of Heritage Engineering described a concept that includes a proposed paved lot with roughly 50 parking spaces inside the property boundary. Estes said the county’s minimum required parking for the proposed uses is calculated at 68 spaces, based on clubhouse square footage and pool area, and that the applicants intend to seek a waiver of the minimum parking requirement and a waiver of the vehicular‑use buffer/landscaping requirements from the Planning Commission. Barge confirmed those waivers are under Planning Commission jurisdiction and will be heard next month.

Neighbors and community input: Barge reported the applicants submitted 37 letters of support, which the applicant began describing and locating on a map for the board. Several nearby residents spoke in favor during public comment: Ralph Matheson (HOA president, Goshen Hills), Joy Meyer (resident, 12207 Cloverdale Court), Jeff Jacoby (12205 Cloverdale Court), Paula Gish (12008 Cloverdale Court) and others. Supporters repeatedly described the site as a long‑standing neighborhood amenity and said most users historically arrived by foot or bicycle.

Parking, events and management: Board members pressed the applicants on how the club would manage larger events, particularly swim meets, which can increase demand for parking on neighborhood streets. Owner Beth McBride said the club will start in stages and that swim meets are possible later if membership grows; she said, “Swim meets is one of those things that is gonna come along as the property continues. ... I grew up as a competitive swimmer through high school.” McBride said if larger events are held she would return to the county to request additional parking or other permissions and that the club plans to enforce on‑site parking and turn away attendees if street parking becomes a violation or nuisance.

Lighting, hours and other controls: The applicants provided an operating‑hours plan and a lighting narrative. The engineering presentation described sensor‑activated lights for the courts and batting cages and said all lighting would follow the county ordinance; the applicants also said outdoor activity areas would be fenced and that they intend to preserve existing tree canopy where possible.

Unresolved records and next steps: Staff noted some inconsistency in the file about the date of one code‑enforcement action; Barge said she would verify whether the third enforcement case was recorded in 2022 or 2024. No formal board decision was recorded in the portion of the hearing included in the transcript excerpt. If the Board of Adjustments approves the conditional use, the applicants will need Planning Commission approval of the two waivers (parking minimum and vehicular‑use buffer landscaping) before site work proceeds.

Quote: "Those waivers are heard by the Planning Commission," Anna Barge, senior planner, told the board. "They'll be heard next month." Beth McBride, the property owner and applicant, said, "Swim meets is one of those things that is gonna come along as the property continues ... I grew up as a competitive swimmer through high school."

Ending: The hearing included multiple neighbors speaking in favor and questions from board members focused chiefly on parking and potential event management. The board will continue its review at future meetings; the applicants’ waiver requests will be considered by the Oldham County Planning Commission next month.