What you must understand
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The initial expansion, to make room for online pickup orders, was approved in June.
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The approval will expand the overall square footage but reduce the total parking spots
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The exact reasoning for the expansion beyond company trends is unclear
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This week, the Kenton County Planning Commission granted a second request to expand the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter on Valleyplaza Parkway in Fort Wright.
The action comes after an expansion was already approved in June. The lot will eventually have fewer parking, even though the expansion’s square footage is almost twice as much as the original proposal.
In June, the commission authorized a preliminary development design for a 4,973-square-foot addition to the southeast corner of the building. The main goal of the enlargement is to establish a waiting area for clients who have placed online orders.
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According to county documents, the new proposal increases the area to 8,146 square feet, which is more in accordance with the most recent company standards. As a result, the parking area would need to undergo significant modifications. In reality, the new concept design would reduce the overall number of parking spaces approved in June, which also called for a reduction of the store’s present 831 parking spots, even if it would enhance the number of new pick-up and delivery spaces.
In order to accommodate the additional pick-up places—which will number 45 instead of the existing 24—the total number of parking spaces would be reduced to 774. Delivery vans would also have access to two EV charging stations. The design also calls for road-striping, attendant signage, and the removal and replacement of a drive aisle along the store’s side.Current circumstancesJune saw the approval of new suggested amendments.A total of 183,917188,890192,063 square feetAdding a building (A4,9738,146)Parking spots total: 831804774Pick-up spaces total: 243145Parking that is mandated by law614630640Kenton County Planning and Development Services provided the data. Nathan Granger’s chart | LINK nky
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Existing conditions |
Approved in June |
New proposed changes |
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Total square feet |
183,917 | 188,890 | 192,063 |
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Building addition |
n/a | 4,973 | 8,146 |
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Total parking spaces |
831 | 804 | 774 |
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Total pick-up spaces |
24 | 31 | 45 |
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Legally required parking |
614 | 630 | 640 |
Paul Ryan, the Park Hills representative on the commission, questioned County Senior Planner Patrick Denbow about why the business had asked for an expansion just two months or so after the original approval. Denbow didn’t know and gave the task to the representative of Carlson Consulting, an engineering firm based in Tennessee, but he didn’t know either.
Carlson Consulting’s Jared Hutchinson added, “I can’t really speak to that either.” We were contacted in a sort of way and told, “Hey, we want it this size.” That’s pretty much all I know for now, although they have been doing that on a regular basis.
Despite this, it didn’t appear to bother the commissioners.
According to Commission Chair Brian Dunham, the increase still represents a comparatively tiny fraction of the building. There is still a lot of extra parking. Both the client and the local population will benefit more from it. There, it is completely suitable for such kind of use. Therefore, I have no problems with it.
Rep. Jeff Bethell of Fort Mitchell stated, “I know it doubles the size of the previously planned expansion, but I don’t think it’s a big change compared to the overall facility.”
At the meeting, there were no public comments on the matter.
Rep. Gailen Bridges of Bromley remarked that no one seemed to care.
The approval passed unanimously.
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