Bellemeade declines formal opposition to rezoning at 8210–8212 Whipps Mill; daycare debate continues

The Bellemeade Commission decided not to present a formal city opposition to a proposed rezoning at 8210 and 8212 Whipps Mill after a split vote at its May 12 meeting.

City Attorney Stephen Porter told commissioners that relatively few neighbors had attended the planning discussion about the rezoning and that a meeting on the matter was scheduled for May 15 at 1:00 p.m. Commissioners debated whether Bellemeade should register a formal opposition at that meeting. Commissioner Sandy Walker urged the commission to take an active, formal position against the rezoning and against locating new development close to the Shelbyhurst berm; she said she wanted the commission to "firmly oppose new development close to the berm so that berm area development can be delayed as long as possible and with as little impact on the city's residents as possible."

Commissioners Burt Deutsch and Cindy Oppel said the city's limited resources and goodwill with the planning commission should be conserved to address a separate proposed daycare development at the corner of Whipps Mill and Old Whipps Mill, which several commissioners said they opposed in principle. Mayor James Martin and other commissioners clarified that Commissioner Deutsch's planned outreach to Matt Rickets and Brian Lavin of NTS and UofL would be personal and not an official city position. Mayor Martin noted that Deutsch "understands that he does not speak for the City of Bellemeade collectively, but is only providing his own personal opinions and thoughts as an individual commissioner."

When Mayor Martin called for a vote on whether Porter should attend the May 15 meeting to present a formal Bellemeade opposition, Walker voted yes; Martin, Oppel and Brumleve voted no; Deutsch abstained. As a result, Porter will not present any formal opinion from the City of Bellemeade at the May 15 meeting but will monitor it remotely and report back.

The rezoning application and the separate daycare proposal remain active issues for the commission; Porter said he would find out whether a public hearing or formal application had been filed. Commissioners also discussed building heights and a berm buffer along the Bellemeade side of the campus during the conversation.