by Greg Kocher, [email protected] – A proposed mixed-use development on the eastern edge of Versailles includes acreage for a new hospital as well as single-family homes, light industry and retail businesses.

Most of the 400-acre development would go on Edgewood Farm — outside the urban service boundary of Versailles, although Versailles City Council expressed its intent in August to annex the property along U.S. 60.

 A nearly 30-acre parcel at the corner of U.S. 60 and Paynes Mill Road is designated for professional office use, and would be where developer CRM Companies of Lexington “is seeking to locate a new hospital,” according to a narrative filed with the preliminary development plan last week.

CRM Companies has “a preliminary letter of intent for sale and development” of that parcel for the hospital, the narrative says.

“This plan includes large parcels which will be devoted to a new hospital location, to replace the aging facility in Versailles, which will create the opportunity for a number of high-paying jobs in the health care profession, one of the fastest growing segments of the American economy,” the narrative says.

Bluegrass Community Hospital in Versailles, a 25-bed facility on Amsden Avenue, is owned by LifePoint Hospitals Inc. of Brentwood, Tenn. Tommy Haggard, chief executive officer for the Versailles hospital, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Most of the Edgewood Farm land is currently zoned for agricultural uses, but CRM Companies seeks to rezone the land for apartments, single-family houses, highway businesses, light industry and professional offices.

The 400-acre mixed-use development would be between the new Kroger on U.S. 60 and Paynes Mills Road. A rail line is on the northern edge of the property and would presumably provide rail access to a portion of the development in the northwestern corner designated for light industrial uses.

Woodford County’s 2011 Comprehensive Plan would have to be amended in order to change the urban service boundary. That boundary has not been expanded since 1997.

The planning commission’s technical review committee looked at the preliminary development plan on Tuesday and sought a variety of routine changes. If those changes are made by Jan. 27, the planning commission might consider the development plan as early as its Feb. 11 meeting. It would be up to the planning commission to decide whether it wishes to recommend rezoning to city council, which would have the final vote on rezoning.

The preliminary development plan also hopes to attract major retailers, “such as Target or Wal-Mart, and other highway businesses such as a motel, a stand-alone restaurant, or movie theater (some of which may require a conditional use permit),” the narrative said.

Wal-Mart had considered another site on the southern edge of Versailles near the Blue Grass Parkway for a superstore in 2014 but then withdrew its development plan when problems arose with the state Transportation Cabinet. Pattie Wilson, planning director for Woodford County, said Tuesday that she has heard nothing more from Wal-Mart about any interest in locating in Versailles.

Since the new Versailles Kroger opened in July, several other new businesses have opened, such as Burger King and AutoZone, or have announced they will open, such as Bojangles.