The developer behind a planned 3 million-square-foot commercial, retail and industrial development in Louisville conceded a public vote over the proposal late on Tuesday.
Brue Baukol Capital Partners, a Denver-based developer, purchased the 389-acre site at U.S. 36 and Northwest Parkway in 2020 and convinced the Louisville City Council to approve its “Redtail Ridge” plans in 2021.
Then a group of concerned citizens forced the City Council to reconsider, which ultimately sent the issue to the April ballot. Unofficial returns late Tuesday showed a measure to approve Redtail Ridge lost, 3816 votes to 3450.
Some opponents, including Louisville Mayor Ashley Stolzmann, had hoped a “no” vote would force Brue Baukol back to the drawing board.
But in a statement, Brue Baukol said it would pursue a redevelopment of the land under a 2010 City Council-approved plan. That project would have a smaller footprint, but it does not contain several sustainability concessions, like electric vehicle chargers, solar farms and 93 acres of open space.
“We are obviously disappointed that residents have rejected the superior sustainability and open space standards contained in the Redtail Ridge plan,” Brue Baukol said in a statement. “We will respect the will of the voters and, and therefore, we will not seek further zoning adjustments or amendments.”
As CPR News reported last week, neither the 2021 plan or the 2010 plan contains what some say Louisville needs the most: housing.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the description of how the development question was added to the ballot.
