Creation Museum seeks to expand, citing large crowds

The Associated Press

PETERSBURG, Ky. --Northern Kentucky's Creation Museum is evolving into a larger facility.
The museum will add 663 parking spaces, outdoor canopies and a maintenance building and will move its main entrance as part of a $500,000 upgrade. But the work won't begin until Answers in Genesis, the ministry that runs the museum, raises the funds, said Mike Zovath, vice president of museum operations.

The museum, which uses literal interpretations of the Bible to tell the earth's history, welcomed its 250,000th visitor five months after its opening on Memorial Day. The ministry had expected to get 250,000 visitors its entire first year. The larger-than-expected crowds left the facility with an overflowing parking lot, forcing staff to park miles away.

The Boone County Planning Commission approved Answers in Genesis' plans last week by an 11-1 vote. Commissioner Patrick Reynolds, the lone dissenter, said he was concerned that the new entrance would not meet the county's sight-distance requirements.
Zovath said he was satisfied with the commission's decision and hopeful that the Boone County Fiscal Court will follow the recommendation.

The museum's plans also include a retention lake and gated entrance for emergency and maintenance vehicles. Bill Moore, who lives near the museum's proposed gated entrance, is concerned about delivery trucks driving down his street as well as noise coming from outdoor activities at the museum. "I just don't want to see tractor-trailers coming in ..." Moore said.
The county also voted to limit the sound coming from the museum. The commission said sound for activities under the canopies cannot exceed 70 decibels, banned amplified sound under the canopies and said the canopy areas can be used for lectures but cannot be used as a stage or amphitheater.

Moore hopes the traffic changes will mean less disruption at his home next to the museum.
Now, 40 to 50 cars a day turn around in his driveway looking for the museum.
"It's a traffic nightmare trying to get out of your driveway," he said.

Information from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com/

Thanks Mark for the heads up!