Townhomes Phase 2 seeks variances and stormwater permits; neighbors raise parking and private-road safety concerns

Oldham County planners on Feb. 19 reviewed a development plan for Oldham County Townhomes Phase 2 (TRC25-002), a proposed eight-unit addition on Victory Court Lane, and told the applicant the project will require variances and waivers, stormwater permitting and a landscape plan. Neighbors raised technical concerns including lot coverage, standing water at the construction site, parking and the safety and maintenance status of a privately owned access road.

Emily Estes of Heritage Engineering, representing the Sprigler Company, presented the Phase 2 development plan and said the 8-unit proposal would include a detention basin running along the rear of Phase 1 and Phase 2, sanitary sewer tie-in to the Victory Court extension and requests for a landscaping variance and a rear-yard setback variance because of the lot’s irregular shape. "With this phase 2 we are including storm water control which is a detention basin that will run along the rear of the property," Estes said.

Planning staff outlined items the applicant must address before building permits can be issued. Case manager John Hahn requested a legend on final plan submissions, notation of steep slopes over 30 degrees or a statement that none exist, acreage and square footage in the street right-of-way area, utility locations and easement notation, location of substantial trees (24" DBH or greater) or a note that none exist, fire hydrant locations, and an indicated size and location for required common open space. Hahn also reminded the applicant that the rear-yard setback variance must be heard by the Oldham County Board of Adjustments and the waiver from the perimeter landscape-buffer requirement would be heard by the Oldham County Planning Commission.

Stormwater and erosion-control requirements were emphasized by Jim Silliman, who told the applicant that because the combined development now exceeds one acre the project must obtain the Oldham County Stormwater Management and Erosion Control Permit and a state Division of Water KYR-10 permit. Silliman reviewed the proposed detention-basin design and recommended a low-flow concrete channel for outlet control if the basin is shallow and flat; he said infiltration designs could be accepted if supported by appropriate design calculations. "One concern we have is the shallow slope, the flat nature of the area. That detention basin, we would recommend it have a low flow channel concrete through to get the water out properly," Silliman said.

Utility letters noted service capacity: Louisville Water said infrastructure is present nearby but a new service application is required; MSD (sewer) indicated capacity in the area. The county also advised the applicant to prepare a landscape plan for staff review before a building permit is issued.

School-district calculations read at the meeting show Phase 2’s eight units would be expected to generate roughly one net student, with serving campuses identified as Harmony Elementary, North Oldham Middle and North Oldham High; staff reported a final district capacity rating of about 84.43 percent when this development is included.

Public attendees raised multiple technical concerns. Adjoining owner Kathy Pyle asked whether the project meets the R-4 50 percent lot-coverage rule; planning staff responded that the submitted plans show a proposed building square footage of 20,432 for a lot of approximately 1.14 acres, and that the building coverage is below 50 percent. Pyle also flagged Unit 16’s proposed 14-foot setback from an adjoining property and asked how stormwater and standing water during construction will be addressed; staff and stormwater reviewers said basin design and drainage calculations must address those concerns.

Other neighbors, including Don Mattern (1640 Victory Court) and James Trimpe (1664 Victory Court), expressed concerns about adding multiple driveways and cars onto Victory Court Lane, a privately owned road. County staff said the county cannot perform repairs on a private road and cannot issue public-road encroachment permits for private drives; driveway encroachment permits apply only to public roads. Planning staff advised that users will be notified when variance and waiver hearings are scheduled: the Board of Adjustments usually meets the third Thursday of each month and the Planning Commission meets the fourth Tuesday.

Discussion vs. decision: TRC comments are advisory technical reviews. County staff and agencies required additional submittals (stormwater permit, KYR-10 permit, landscape plan, plan notation changes) but the TRC took no final action at the meeting.

Next steps: the applicant must revise plans to address the checklist items, submit required stormwater and state permits and apply for a rear-yard setback variance (Board of Adjustments) and a landscape-buffer waiver (Planning Commission). Adjoining-property owners will receive mailed notice of those hearings when the cases are scheduled.