West Chester Twp. trustees unanimously approved the matter Tuesday night during their regularly scheduled meeting. The resolution included 19 conditions, plus three more suggested by Trustee Vice President George Lang.
One addition by Lang was that no live or amplified music be permitted in the outdoor seating area after 7 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays or after 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
“This is consistent with the hours of the business, so in the event that people are there finishing their drink, I don’t want there to be a negative impact on the residents there late at night,” Lang said.
Lang also called for a photometric lighting plan be approved during the final development stage so that any outdoor lighting be designed to face downward and away from local residents’ nearby homes.
A third condition called for the denial or redesign of a right-out access along Cincinnati-Columbus because of the detrimental effect he said it would have on traffic attempting to exit Winwood Drive.
The plan previously approved in 2009 called for 21,500 square feet of development on the site, including a bank, two office buildings and a day care.
The restaurant’s new West Chester site will replace an existing location nearly a mile to the south at 11765 Lebanon Road in Sharonville, just south of Interstate 275, according to Garibaldi Rodriguez, president of operations for El Rancho Grande.
Trustee Vice President Mark Welch said he examined Butler County Engineer’s Office traffic studies for the intersection and that traffic 350 feet north of the Fields Ertel-Cincinnati Columbus intersection saw from 18,000 to just over 20,000 vehicles daily since 2005.
“As an engineer, I would say that the trend line for that is flat,” Welch said. “There hasn’t been an increase in traffic at that location.”
He cited traffic patterns in more heavily developed areas and more heavily trafficked roads, such as Tylersville Road, to build a case why El Rancho Grande would have a minimal impact on traffic along Cincinnati Columbus and Fields Ertel roads.
He also said a previous plan that would have seen the construction of office buildings and a day care would have actually added more traffic to the area.
Lang added those businesses also would have added traffic mainly during rush hours, whereas El Rancho Grande would, in general, have no impact on morning rush hour. Area residents heading out to dinner likely would do so at 6 or 7 p.m., at the very tail end or after the afternoon rush hour.
About the Author
