The Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission's formal record spells out why it voted 5-0 to recommend denying the 249-unit Copper Ridge development in Anderson Township.
The commission's written recommendation, now part of the September meeting packet, states the formal basis: staff found "consistency with the adopted land use plan is required" and the proposed zone amendment "is not consistent with the adopted land use plan." The RPC voted on the recommendation Aug. 6, as we reported Aug. 27.
Commissioners Okum, Mallow, McCarthy, Mattei and McBride all voted aye. Member Jain was absent. Okum moved the denial and Mallow seconded it.
The project, proposed by applicant John Bayer of Bayer Becker on behalf of Copper Ridge LLC and other landowners, calls for 249 detached and attached dwellings on roughly 108 acres on the north side of Batavia Pike, west of Eight Mile Road. It would require rezoning from "AA" Residence to "A-2 CUP" Residence-Community Unit Plan.
Fourteen residents spoke against the project
The meeting record lists 14 members of the public who spoke against Copper Ridge during the nearly three-hour hearing, which ran from 12:45 p.m. to 3:38 p.m. The record lists no one speaking in favor.
Residents raised concerns about traffic, stormwater flooding along Dry Run Creek, hillside stability, sewer contamination and the plan's use of a shared private drive as an emergency access road.
"My concern is the scale and density of this development," said D. Stricker of 8138 Batavia Road. "The developers portray our shared private drive as a public road to be used for their needs."
S. Kazee of 8136 Batavia Road told commissioners her property had been contaminated and that the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) could not confirm whether contamination remained. She said MSD crews had been on site with trucks for four weeks, with four more weeks of work ahead.
C. Carey of 3392 Hickory Creek Drive said MSD did not meet required timelines to notify the EPA and the public about an active sewer issue. An EPA official told her he could find no record of MSD sending any notification, she said.
Anderson Township Planning and Zoning Director Paul Drury told the commission the proposal conflicts with the township's future land use plan, an issue first raised at a July 2025 open house. Drury noted that in 2016, residents in the area pushed back against transitional residence zoning, and the township changed it back to single-family.
What happens next
The RPC's recommendation is not the final word. It now goes to the Anderson Township Zoning Commission, which will hold its own hearing and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The trustees make the final decision on the zone change.
A Zoning Commission hearing originally anticipated for Aug. 24 was cancelled, according to a township notice posted Aug. 19. No new hearing date has been set.
