Planning commission approves plat for 18 North Port Converse Ave. with conditions; sets Dec. 18 public hearing on Midway Court parking

The Fort Thomas Board of Planning Commission voted to approve a late-added plat for 18 North Port Converse Avenue with conditions and scheduled a public hearing for a parking change at 12 Midway Court on Dec. 18. Commission members recorded unanimous 'aye' votes on both procedural motions.

Unidentified Speaker 2, a planning staff member, told the commission the drive leading down to the 18 North Port Converse Avenue parking lot "is currently owned by the school board" and that staff had coordinated with the board as part of a process to secure access to the larger lot behind the school parcel. Staff said recent maintenance work had been completed and the present step was to "finish up that piece" of the transfer.

During discussion commissioners asked whether the parcel was landlocked and how the boundaries align with a nearby retaining wall. Unidentified Speaker 2 said an alley leads up to Montvale and that the parcel lines preexisted and generally meet the edge of the upper and lower walls; the upper wall remains with the school board and the lower wall remains with the applicant. A commissioner asked whether a 20-foot width is the minimum for a flaglot; staff replied the current strip is the only available width and characterized the parcel as the last piece of access rather than a true flaglot.

Commissioners also flagged a title-block note on the exhibit plat labeled "not for recording." Unidentified Speaker 1 moved to approve the plat on the condition that the plans show a "land hook" on sheet L1 and that the exhibit plat "not for recording" note be removed; the motion was seconded and carried with an affirmative voice vote.

On a separate item, Unidentified Speaker 2 described a request to increase parking at 12 Midway Court for an owner who had purchased a rear parcel and worried a recorded easement could be compromised if vehicles blocked access. Staff said because the property is in the Central Business District the commission must hold a formal public hearing rather than resolve the request administratively. Staff initially mentioned scheduling the hearing for Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m., but commissioners agreed to set the public hearing for Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m. The commission moved, seconded and approved setting the hearing; staff said fuller drawings and renderings would be provided at that time.

What happens next: the commission approved the plat with the conditions noted and will consider public comment on the Midway Court parking proposal at the Dec. 18 public hearing, when the applicant must provide more detailed plans and renderings.