Madison County approves rezoning of 70.27 acres on College Hill Road over residents' objections

MADISON COUNTY, Ky. — The Madison County Fiscal Court voted 4-1 on May 27 to adopt Ordinance 2025-006, changing the land-use classification of 70.27 acres on College Hill Road from R-7/C-7 agricultural to UC-1 single-family residential.

The rezoning was presented by attorney Preston Worley on behalf of the applicant, College Hill Investments LLC, which described a conceptual plan calling for up to 92 single-family lots and said water and sewer capacity could be provided. Worley told the court the proposal “is an agreement with your comprehensive plan” and that a traffic study and letters from local utilities support the proposed development.

The zoning change followed a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Madison County Planning Commission and comes after the same property was denied rezoning by the fiscal court in 2022 and the resulting legal challenge. Worley said the current application includes new information — a traffic study, utility capacity analysis and updated engineering — that were not part of the 2022 hearing.

Why it matters: County officials and the applicant described the rezoning as a response to a stated county need for more housing. Opponents said the location and scale would harm the rural character of Waco, exacerbate traffic on KY-52/College Hill Road, increase flood risk and create public-safety risks for residents who rely on a single primary access.

What supporters presented: The applicant submitted a traffic study prepared by Vision Engineering that concluded sight distance meets standards, an unsignalized intersection would continue to operate at a level-of-service C and a turn lane was not warranted. The applicant also provided letters from Northern Madison County Sanitation District and Madison County Utilities indicating sewer and water could be extended to serve the site. Worley said the proposal is intended as low-density single-family housing within the county’s mapped urban corridor.

What opponents said: More than a dozen residents spoke at the public hearing. Common concerns included congestion on KY-52 and College Hill Road, collision history and emergency access; the potential for increased flooding associated with new impervious surfaces and a culvert noted in a state permit filing; and the loss of farmland and rural character. Resident Virginia Stevens urged caution, saying, “You keep adding houses, and you keep adding houses on 52. It's not just inconvenience. It could be a matter of life and death.” Several speakers said the planned single entrance and exit posed an evacuation risk during storms or crashes.

Court action: After public comment and discussion, the fiscal court took a roll-call vote: Master Bakken — yes; Master Combs — yes; Master Lockmiller — yes; Master Hughes — no; Judge Taylor — yes. The ordinance was adopted.

Context and next steps: The court record shows the property was previously the subject of a 2022 denial followed by a lawsuit. The circuit court earlier found the fiscal court followed required procedures in that matter, and the current application includes technical studies the court said it lacked previously. Approval of the rezoning establishes the land-use classification change; any subdivision plat, engineering, road or utility extensions must follow separate permitting and infrastructure processes before construction could begin.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the May 27, 2025 Madison County Fiscal Court meeting.