INDEPENDENCE - Summer might be over, but that doesn't mean the chocolate chip cookie dough has to stay in the freezer.

Especially when the city gives the thumbs up to the construction of a United Dairy Farmers store on Centennial Boulevard due to open early in 2009.

City council ratified the construction plans of an eight gas pump UDF complete with interior and exterior ice cream parlor at their regular meeting Monday Oct. 6.

The outside eating area will have "extensive landscaping to create an outdoor environment, which I think will be very nice," said John Johnston, architect for the project.

Space for another vendor is also being built into the store and could house businesses such as a pizza parlor or a sandwich shop, said Tim Kling, director of real estate for UDF.

"We've seen a variety of businesses that work well with us," Kling said, adding any business interested in high traffic of customers would benefit by using the space.

While council was happy to get the UDF project started, two provisos were included in the resolution; to ensure the UDF was open for business in one year as well as the need for discussion concerning the store's roof color.

Councilman Mike Little wanted a guarantee the UDF would be built in 12 months, citing times before when council would approve construction plans but two or three years would go by without development.

"We'd like to have it opened and operating right now," Johnston said in answer. "We're committed to going with that project."

The second stipulation is continued discussion over the UDF's roof. Described by Mayor Chris Moriconi as "UK blue," the planned roof could possibly clash with the roofs of other buildings in the area, predominantly red.

"It does kind of stick out like a sore thumb considering the rest of the development around it," said Council member Mary Pat Behler.

The UDF representatives will return to next month's council meeting with examples of possible roof colors in shades of green and blue, not red, because Mobil, whose gas UDF distributes, has a blue logo.

Source: http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20081007/NEWS/810070309/-1/recorder