Councilman asks commission to reopen case of proposed east Louisville concrete plant | News | wdrb.com

2022-09-10 02:25:23 By : Ms. Florence Liu

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Neighbors of the Lake Forest neighborhood attend a night of testimony regarding their concerns over a concrete plant being built nearby, on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. (WDRB photo)

Work is already underway on Sunshine Concrete's plant on Aiken Road. It's located just across the street from a subdivision and Stopher Elementary School. A church also sits just down the road. (WDRB photo)

Residents were supposed to be notified before a public meeting in March, where the project was approved by the Metro Development Review Committee.

Residents were supposed to be notified before a public meeting in March, where the project was approved by the Metro Development Review Committee.

Neighbors of the Lake Forest neighborhood attend a night of testimony regarding their concerns over a concrete plant being built nearby, on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. (WDRB photo)

Work is already underway on Sunshine Concrete's plant on Aiken Road. It's located just across the street from a subdivision and Stopher Elementary School. A church also sits just down the road. (WDRB photo)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville Metro Council member said his neighbors were never notified about a proposal to build a concrete plant in the east end.

During a public meeting last week, several people from the Lake Forest neighborhood, which is close to the site of the proposed plant on Aiken Road, said they never received a notification from the developer about the plans.

Residents were supposed to be notified before a public meeting in March, where the project was approved by the Metro Development Review Committee.

The planning commission's Development Review Committee already has approved the concrete plant's development plan. It doesn't need a zoning change. The land is zoned for industrial use. As of now, the project just needs approval from the Air Pollution Control District.

Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-19, wrote to the Planning Commission Board this week formally asking for the case to be reopened.

In the letter, Piagentini said he wants the case reopened "to address serious concerns brought forward with regards to the notification process, which led to neighbors not being made aware of the proposed changes and our process not living up to the standards established by law."

He added that part of the process during cases such as this is to notify "Tier 1" residents, which includes creating a mailing list "at which point the developer mails the applicable notification out to those residents."

"The developer then confirms this was completed via a signed affidavit which is recorded in the file," he said.

Additionally, Piagentini said the record indicates that the "labels were provided and the developer filed the appropriate affidavit stating that they fulfilled their duty." However, he said, "whether by intent or accident," the notifications were not received. 

The councilman said that while a review may not stop the plant's construction, he wants to make sure neighbors are allowed to speak on the record about the project.

Piagentini said failure to address the problems could lead to lawsuits from neighbors.

To read his letter in full, click here.

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