The Hopkinsville City Council approved on first reading Ordinance 2-2025, which amends the city zoning map to assign three zoning classifications to a 366-acre property at 3645 Russellville Road known in the ordinance as the Heltsley (Heltsley/Heltzley in transcript) Farm.

The ordinance, filed as zoning application R24-10-1 by John Heltzley (listed in the ordinance as Heltzley Farms JNR LLC), designates 111 acres as I-1 (Light Industrial District), 241 acres as AT-1 (Agricultural Transitional District) and 14 acres as B-4 (Arterial Commercial District) as the property transitions from west to east.

Applicant John Heltzley addressed the council during public comment before the ordinance reading. He said the parcel has been the family farm since the 1940s and that Community and Development Services (CDS) recommended the zoning change in a report dated Nov. 25, 2024. Heltzley told council members the rezoning request is “in agreement with the Hopkinsville Christian County comprehensive plan,” “justified by recent economic and physical changes” and “consistent with the established development and zoning patterns for the city.”

Heltzley also said he and his team had discussed air easements with the airport to ensure adequate approach surfaces for runways: “we've entered into discussions with them about air easements for the airspace above our property to ensure that they have adequate approaches into and out of the airport runways.”

After the ordinance was read, a roll-call vote was taken and the council approved the ordinance on first reading. The ordinance text cites Community and Development Services’ favorable recommendation from its Nov. 25, 2024 meeting. The ordinance will require a second reading and publication according to law before it becomes effective.

No detailed development plan or construction permits were approved at the meeting; the ordinance changes only the zoning classifications for the parcel. The ordinance includes a clause stating that if any portion of the ordinance is held invalid, the remainder remains in effect.