By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Trustees agreed Tuesday to allow a mall developer to drop his zoning request for a lifestyle center and movie theater - a project many have complained would hurt competing developments.

Last month, the West Chester Zoning Commission granted rezoning for a 675,000-square-foot center on the northwest corner of Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Interstate 75 with shopping, restaurants, a cinema and offices.

Trustees, who were likely to overturn the decision, didn't get that chance after the developer abruptly yanked his request at the Oct. 8 meeting.

On Tuesday, Trustee President Jose Alvarez chastised the township's zoning board for approving the rezoning, saying it bucked West Chester's vision plan. The plan states that Union Centre Boulevard, not the Cincinnati-Dayton road interchange off I-75, is the location for such development, he noted.

"The message has to be sent internally as well as throughout the community. Zoning is here to stay... if someone in zoning doesn't have the heart to limit use and follow a plan, then I think they are in the wrong line of business," Mr. Alvarez said. "To argue that they should allow willy-nilly development in multiple parts of the town does not care one iota whether one development fails and one stays vacant for 10 years."

The project's developers, Neyer Properties Inc. of Evendale and Steiner & Associates of Columbus - had announced as tenants Galyan's sporting goods store, Showcase Cinemas and a Jeff Ruby steakhouse.

But Steiner has since abandoned the projectGalyan's is likely to emerge at a new mall proposed for Deerfield Township.

Earlier this month, Neyer President Dan Neyer yanked his rezoning request. Trustee Catherine Stoker said Tuesday she has high hopes for the 75-acre parcel.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.