Highland View residents press Richmond commissioners to reject proposed multifamily rezoning
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Summary
Residents of Highland View presented a petition and oral comments opposing a proposed 16-unit multifamily rezoning, arguing it would be unlawful spot zoning and would strain a dead-end street; the developer and staff said Planning & Zoning recommended approval and the change reduces intensity from the current commercial zoning.
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Residents of the Highland View neighborhood urged the Richmond City Board of Commissioners to reject a proposed rezoning that would allow a 16-unit apartment building at the end of a narrow, dead-end street.
Jason Nuckols, a lifelong Highland View resident, read a petition he said was signed by every household on the street, arguing the multifamily rezoning would constitute spot zoning under Kentucky law and asking the city to "reject the proposed rezoning and preserve the single family residential character of Highland View." He and other neighbors warned of increased traffic, parking shortages and compromised emergency access if the parcel is rezoned and used as the sole entrance to the development.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the existing road and infrastructure were not designed for multifamily traffic, and several speakers described long family ties to the properties that they said should be protected from an inconsistent land-use change.
Developer and staff response: Mike Eaves, speaking for Spring House Land (the property's developer), said the site is currently zoned B-3 (highway business) and that the requested zoning is in fact "a reduction in that intensity." He told the board the developer proposed four single-family lots between the neighborhood and the apartment building to buffer residents and said the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the change following its Nov. 19, 2025 hearing.
What the board did: The ordinance affecting the site (Ordinance 26-01) was presented as a first reading; no final vote was taken at the special-call meeting. Mayor Blythe and staff said the item will return for final consideration at the board's Feb. 10 regular meeting, and staff promised to provide additional information the commissioners requested (access points, parking stipulations and Planning & Zoning findings).
Next steps: The matter remains pending; commissioners asked staff to confirm parking and access details before the Feb. 10 vote.