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Jeffersontown council denies Bluebird Luxury Lofts development after public hearing
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing that included technical presentations and nearly four hours of public comment, the Jeffersontown City Council voted 7–1 to deny the revised development plan for Bluebird Luxury Lofts, a proposed 161-unit, four‑story apartment complex at 10619 Watterson Trail.
Jeffersontown City Council voted 7–1 to deny a revised development plan for the Bluebird Luxury Lofts project after a public hearing featuring technical presentations, developer testimony and extended public comment.
The proposal before the council was a revised detailed district development plan for a roughly 5.5‑acre site at 10619 Watterson Trail (Resolution 860, Series 2026). City planning manager Steve Russi summarized the application as a multifamily plan in R‑7 and OR‑3 zoning that requests a waiver of an internal landscape buffer; the developer had reduced building heights and unit counts from an earlier submittal. Russi told the council the plan proposes three four‑story buildings totaling 161 units, about 205,000 square feet and 267 parking spaces, with commitments for on‑site open space and additional tree plantings.
The council’s denial motion cited findings in Chapter 11 (Part 4.7.3) of the land development code; the roll‑call vote was recorded in the meeting minutes and resulted in seven votes in favor of denial and one opposing vote. The council recessed for deliberation and returned to announce the outcome; no final permits were issued that night.
The hearing included expert testimony: Jeffersontown public works director Jimmy Franconia and traffic engineer Diane Zimmerman discussed drainage and trip‑generation methods, and a county/state affidavit from Representative John Hodgins about the long‑term funding status of a Watterson Trail widening project was submitted to the record. The applicant’s team — attorney Cliff Ashburner, developer Aaron Phillips and civil planner Derek Triplett — offered mitigation commitments including over‑detention (the team said it would reduce 100‑year runoff by 50%), frontage sidewalk repairs, and a developer‑funded left‑turn lane on Watterson Trail tied to certificates of occupancy.
The council’s action does not preclude the applicant from returning with revised materials or pursuing appeals allowed under local or state law. The public hearing record and the council roll‑call will be reflected in the official minutes.
