The Covington comprehensive land use and rezoning planning process is coming to an end, but not without concerns.

After two years of public hearings and suggestions, Villavaso and Associates is due to present its final draft to the City Council on Dec. 15.

But some property owners are concerned over the elimination of many of the city’s multi-family-zoned areas, changing their use to single-family residential. This has led to steps to examine the process used to create the maps and plans the City Council will consider. Vincent Wynne Jr., attorney for the Reicke family and others who own Covington land currently zoned multi-family, has requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act to determine the amount and type of public involvement in the process, among other things.

“We are asking for an extension of the Dec. 15 date until we can examine the documents and determine the amount of input the public has had,” said Wynne. “If the extension is not granted, we will file an injunction.”

Wynne said many of the city’s real estate investors bought property to develop into multi-family housing. By changing the zoning to single-family residential, it is as though the city is “taking their property rights.”

Information requested by the attorney includes all documentation of meetings, meeting minutes, drafts of maps including any with notations, advertising of meetings, meeting sign-in sheets and any and all contracts between the city and Villavaso and Associates and any subcontractors involved in the plan.

Wynne said his clients simply want to determine the reasoning behind eliminating so much of the currently zoned multi-family residential areas and transforming them into single-family zoning.

The process of developing the comprehensive land use and rezoning plan began in May 2006 with meetings in seven zones of the city.

The land use was completed first, then meetings were again held to consider zoning issues.

Although attendance varied in the meetings, some included heated debate and concerns over issues such as density, traffic, property values, industrial, institutional and mixed use near residences, and preservation of green space.

The inclusion of overlay districts for signage and historic properties is also included in the proposed comprehensive rezoning plan.