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Boone County, KY

Where Serenity and Sophistication Come Together

• Boone County, It's a Great Place to Live, Work, and Play
• Two Families, Two Perspectives, Why We Call Boone County Home
• Growing Boone Seeks School Sites

Boone County, It's a Great Place to Live, Work, and Play         
by Elise Oppmann

Boone County is the crown jewel of Northern Kentucky.  Nestled among the beautiful rolling hillsides are communities offering the warmth and friendship found only in small towns, as well as the services and convenience of a city.  This combination of serenity and sophistication makes Boone county a compelling destination for visitors, businesses, and residents.

Whichever of the county's many assets plays the greatest roles in attracting newcomers is difficult to determine.  But regardless, it's working:  Boone County is the second-fastest growing county in  Kentucky.  Today, 70,000 people make their home here and more are coming every day.  Projections indicate the population will swell to more than 90,000 within the next quarter-century.  There's plenty of room for the expansion - the county encompasses 252 square miles - and with continued careful planning, the charm of Boone County's rural-urban mix will remain.

Three words describe Boone County most succinctly: Location, location, location.  With three interstates, two railroad lines, the Ohio River, and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, the county is well connected to the rest of the world.  The many transportation options continue to make this an attractive site for both national and international companies looking to reloacate or establish  operations.  And downtown Cincinnati is only minutes away, enabling Boone Countians to take full advantage of the many entertainment and educational opportunities the city offers.

But the attractions found north of the river are just icing on the cake for Boone County residents who find contentment in their own backyards.  The county operates one of the best park systems in the United  States, offering an array of programs and facilities, including four public golf courses.  Turfway Park Race Course, Northern Kentucky's leading tourist attraction, offers live and simulcast thoroughbred horse racing.  The arts council sponsors community theater, bands and choral groups for those who like to perform and those who prefer to sit back and enjoy a show.  Annual arts and crafts exhibitions and  competitions attract local, regional, and national artists.  And the festivals throughout the year attract, well, just about everybody.

Residents of Boone County also benefit financially from living here.  The county has the lowest property tax rate in Northern Kentucky.  The poverty level is less than 1 percent.  And as businesses  relocated here and new businesses get their start, more and more job opportunities are being created, keeping unemployment around a low 5 percent.

Boone County offers the accessibility and convenience of a major metropolitan city, without the congestion, pollution, or crime.  It offers the high quality entertainment, competitive shopping and expanded  services that are often not available in small towns.  It's truly the best of both worlds.

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Two Families, Two Perspectives, 'Why we call Boone County Home" by Elise Oppmann

Profile on Bruce Ferguson, Lifelong Resident of Boone County

Bruce Ferguson's Union farm has been in his family for 150 years.  And if he has his way, it'll still be in the family's hands 150 years from now.  He is a strong believer in the value of family traditions,  the importance of family ties and the responsibility a family has to its community.

In 45 years of marriage, he and his wife Beth, have lived in two houses - both of which are on the family farm.  They are busy designing their "retirement home," which will also be built there.  And three of their five children live on the farm with their families; the fourth will move into her parents' home later this year when the new house is completed.

The original 750 acres are now only 350;  Ryle High School and Lassing Point golf course occupy the half of the farm that once belonged to Bruce's brother.  But there is enough acreage left to house the Ferguson clan and still leave space for working:  Bruce raises cattle, grows Christmas trees, makes maple syrup and sells hay and firewood.

I've lived here all my life because this is the best place on earth.  You do't leave the best", he says.

At a time when farmland is becoming scarce and strip centers more common, Bruce worries that progress will damage the rural charm of Union and neighboring communities.  "People move here because it's a wonderful place to live - quiet, beautiful, natural - and then they overdevelop the land.  It's kind of like killing the golden goose.  We have to preserve our farmlands as much as possible to maintain the quality of life that we treasure."

But Bruce is not against planned progress.  He has been a major player in the growth of Boone County.  A life-long, sixth generation resident of Union, Bruce made a career of community service.  He began his public life as a member of the Boone County Board of Education in 1955, then served as County Judge Executive from 1963-1982 and again from 1986-1992.  He resigned the post in '92 when he was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Local Government by Gov. Brereton Jones.  He retired when Jones' term expired.

"I was fortunate to be in county government at a time of great change," Ferguson says.  "When I took office, we didn't have water service, a police department or a parks and recreation department.  And the jail had a capacity of 13 prisoners."

By creating a payroll tax - a move he blames for his four years out of office - Ferguson enabled the county to establish the needed services and build Boone Links golf course, Boone Woods Park, Central Park, and the  current county office building.

"The county population was 22,000 in 1963, and is more than 70,000 now.  But we're fortunate to still enjoy our country lifestyle.  I'm so glad my grandchildren live here and can enjoy the experiences  of the farm, too," he says.

"I like all of Kentucky, but I'm glad I live in Northern Kentucky.  I appreciate the convenience of the big city," he says.  "I can decide in the morning if I want to go to the symphony that  night, or if I want to have dinner in Frankfurt, Germany.  This is just a wonderful place to live.  Everyone should feel that way about their home."

Profile on the Iglesias family - Oakbrook residents of Boone County

When Manny and Laurie Iglesias first moved to Greater Cincinnati, they chose to live in Boone County because it was convenient.  Their jobs were nearby and friends lived in the area.  By the time they  decided o buy a house and settle permanently, they didn't want to look elsewhere.

Northern Kentucky was no longer the most logical place to live - they had taken jobs in Blue Ash - but they had come to love the beauty, convenience and people of Boone County.

We just knew we didn't want to live anywhere else," says Laurie.  "Everything we need or want is nearby and we are just minutes from downtown Cincinnati.  Yet we are living, more or less, out in the county.  And we knew we would be able to buy a larger, nicer home here than we would in any other part of the city because of the lower property taxes."

The Iglesias' home is in the Glens neighborhood of Oakbrook, the largest housing development in Northern Kentucky.  Situated on a flag lot well off the street, the house is nestled among the woods.  There  is even a small creek winding its way across the back of the property.  It's an ideal location for those who enjoy the outdoors.  From the privacy of their backyard, the Iglesias family can easily forget they are part of a large subdivision.  Both work for Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a Johnson & Johnson company.

"It's only a half-hour drive, and that's usually the amount of time I need to get ready for the day or to wind down after work," says Laurie, a senior financial analyst.

As a procurement engineer, Manny travels frequently and living just minutes from the airport makes it much easier to catch the early morning business flights.  "The last thing I want to do after flying  across the country is to get in a car and drive across the city," he says.

While cost and convenience were major factors in their decision to live in Boone County, Manny and Laurie were most concerned with quality of life issues.  The parents of two young daughters, Laren, 2, and Allyson, 9 months, they took into consideration the quality of the schools, low crime rate, active arts community, and the many parks, and recreational programs in the county.  Both enjoy being members of an active neighborhood association and Manny has served as a volunteer soccer coach.

"We both lived in big cities - Chicago and Atlanta - before coming here and we weren't ready to give up the many things a city can offer," says Laurie.  "But we were ready for the family-friendly  atmosphere of a small town and we found it here."

"I can't imagine living any place else," says Manny, who grew up on the beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico.  "We have good friends, good neighbors and a safe, quiet place for our girls to play and grow.  What more could we ask for?"

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Growing Boone seeks school sites, The KY Post Feb, 1999  By Debra Ann Vance

The Boone county Board of Education is in search of sites to build another elementary school to keep up with the county's rapid growth.

The school district has been growing by about 300 students a year - enough to pass Kenton County as the largest school district in Northern Kentucky.  Boone County is now the fourth largest school district in  the state, with an enrollment of 12,458 students.

"We would have to build an elementary school every two years just to break even," said Superintendent Bryan Blavatt.

"The problem is diminishing sites around the county.  The pockets where there's the greatest growth have the least amount of space.  So we're really in a bind."

The school district has two sites in mind for a new elementary school, which would open in August 2000.

Blavatt would not disclose either site, saying public disclosure could increase the cost of buying the property.

The school district is getting some help from Boone County Planning Commission in planning for growth.  When the commission reviews a major development, it notifies the school district of how many additional houses could wind up in an area.  The planning commission also asks the school district to write letters commenting on how a major development could affect the district.

"Our school district is saying we need to slow down here or we need to build more schools," said John Huth, a county planner.

Huth said the planning commission also tries to get developers to donate land for a school site when planning a major development.  For instance, Arlinghaus Builders is talking about building a residential development off North Bend Road in an unincorporated area of Boone County.

The subdivsion, on nearly 600 acres, would involve 1,275 homes, condominiums, and apartments.

The builders have suggested donating 14.7 acres of land for an elementary school that could hold 750 students.  The school could be open by the 2001 school year, if the zoning and a separate agreement with the  school district is approved.

"In granting them approval of a zone change, we're going to try to make it a condition that the develper donate a school site," Huth said.

The last new school in Boone County - Erpenbenbeck Elementary - was built that way.  The Erpenbeck family donated the 11 acres for the school.

The school is within a 466-acre tract that the Erpenbeck family is developing between US 42 and Mount Zion Road.  Part of the development is in Florence and part in Union.

Erpenbeck opened this school year with 580 students.  It now has well over 650, Blavatt said.  The district has 10 elementary schools, four middle,a nd three high schools. 

"Erpenbeck provided us a little bit of relief down in the southern part of the county in the Florence-Union area," Blavatt said.  "We haven't had any relief in the northern part of Boone county.

The district did add some classrooms to Stephens elementary; but Burlington  elementary and Goodrich elementary in Hebron are full.

The district won't see any relief soon.  The county is growing by 3,000 people a year, and the Kentucky Data Center projects the county to reach a population of 85,000 by 2000. Huth said.  The 1990 US  Cencus had Boone County with a population of 57,589.

From 1990 until 1998, the planning commission approved a 11,246 dwelling units, Huth said, adding new developing are already on the way this year.  Huth also said Boone County has 9,000 lots that are for sale.

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