LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- All along Brody Lane, a residential street just a short walk from South Hurstbourne Parkway, there's plenty of concern from neighbors like Linda and Donald Provost.
"We do have concerns," Linda said from a chair on her front porch. "We've lived back here this long, and I think we have a right to voice our opinion."
Brody Lane is a quiet, dead end street right now, but soon, it could be one of the four access points to a massive development behind the nearby Meijer.
"If they come right on our roadway right here — on Brody Lane — it'll be backed up," Donald said.
A rendering of the Hurstbourne Commons assisted living facility. (Source: RJ Thieneman)
Developers are calling it Hurstbourne Commons and say the 70-acre field behind the grocery store could soon sprout homes, an assisted living facility, town houses and apartments — 701 living spaces in all.
A few houses away from the Provosts, Timothy Queenan has a similar reaction to the plan.
A rendering of a Hurstbourne Commons apartment building. (Source: RJ Thieneman)
"It's too dense," he said. "That's too much stuff that they're trying to put into 70 acres."
Neighbors like Queenan say it would change the quality of life there by diverting more traffic onto narrow neighborhood streets in a part of town that's already busy.
The location of the proposed development behind Meijer. (WDRB Photo)
About 365 of the neighbors signed a petition which forces Louisville Metro Council leaders to hold a special meeting to hear their concerns. The city is still in the process of scheduling a hearing and is still trying to figure how how and when to safely accomplish that in the middle of a pandemic. A date and location should be set during a virtual meeting of the city's Land Development and Transportation Committee on July 23.
Meanwhile, developer R.J. Thieneman Company is tired of waiting and is also ready for that hearing and for the city to green-light the project already delayed because of COVID-19. Cliff Ashburner, a real estate attorney who represents the developer, says the design is very good and the traffic impact will be minor.
A rendering of a Hurstbourne Commons town home building. (Source: RJ Thieneman)
"The site design ... is an attempt to fit this puzzle piece into the neighborhood," he said during a recent meeting.
Neighbors aren't so sure and say it's time for the city to hear their voices too.
Related Stories:
- Major development planned for land behind Jeffersontown Meijer
- Neighbors share concerns with developer seeking big project near Jeffersontown
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