The Martin Chronicles has learned that Mayor Mike Martin is now attending the Northern Kentucky Area Planning & Zoning Commission (NKAPZC) meetings in place of the city’s zoning administrator. That might be a perfectly fine move if Martin had a solid handle on what he was saying and doing.
Many residents might not be aware that there is a new residential development planned for Collins Road. Several houses are going to be built on what was once the Felice property.
Villa Hills has an ordinance in place that requires the developer to construct not only the streets, but also the sidewalks, in any new development. Evidently, the developer of these new homes has requested a variance or exemption regarding the city’s sidewalk construction requirements.
Witnesses are uncertain about exactly what Martin told the NKAPZC. Martin’s comments to the commission were garbled and unclear.
Despite the fact that city council recently expressed their opinion that the developer should build the sidewalks as the ordinance requires, some thought Martin may have been expressing support for the commission to vote to grant the variance to the developer.
Other observers thought Martin may have simply been struggling to say that the taxpayers would foot the bill for construction of additional sidewalks on Collins Road.
Here is the real problem. Zoning Administrators must be well trained to perform their jobs correctly and in the best interest of the residents they represent. They are also required to take several hours of continuing education credits every year to stay up-to-date on changes in zoning regulations. Martin has done none of that.
We know that Martin has had it out for the zoning administrator now for several years. Those efforts date back to Martin’s early days as a council member in 2005. Ill will was clearly a factor in Martin’s recent fumbling presentation to the NKAPZC.
Martin’s personal issue-driven actions are simply not in the best interests of the residents of Villa Hills. This has become a consistent pattern of behavior by the mayor.
