Madeira planning commission to consider 184-unit luxury apartments

This evening at 7 P.M. at Madeira City Hall, the City of Madeira Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on a request for a rezoning and concept plan approval for a 184-unit residential development on the former Kutol Products Company manufacturing site at 7650 Camargo Road.

Griewe Development Group and North American Properties have submitted the proposal for Camargo Commons, $17 million-$20 million luxury apartment complex that would include six three-story buildings, three townhouse buildings, a 300-space parking garage, a clubhouse, pool, patio, and pet park. The one- and two-bedroom apartments would rent for between $1,000 and $2,000 per month.

The existing vacant factory building and two small houses would be razed.

The site's current zoning is manufacturing, with a central business district overlay. The rezoning would change it to Main Street Core District, which would match the zoning to its east. Other surrounding land uses include manufacturing and single-family residential.

Since the proposal was first announced, some residents have expressed concerns that the project's density doesn't mesh with the low intensity residential land use pattern specified in the Madeira Land Use Plan, adopted in 2006.

But a Planning Commission staff report says that there are two major benefits to the plan: It replaces a vacant factory instead of existing residences, and it adds much needed residents adjacent to the city's business district.

In a March 21 story in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mayor Rick Brasington agreed that the proposal deserves more study. Officials with Madeira City Schools, the Madeira Police Department, and the Madeira & Indian Hill Joint Fire District have assured him that they can handle the additional residents, he said.

The Planning Commission is expected to make two motions – a recommendation to City Council on a map amendment for the zoning change and concept plan, and a text amendment restricting the site to residential use.

David Ballweg, architectural review officer for the city, recommends conditional approval.

Following Planning Commission action, City Council will have three readings of any related ordinances before taking a vote, with at least one more public hearing.

Kutol Products, which manufactured hand soap and soap dispensers at the site, moved its 135 jobs to Sharonville in February 2011.