Florence council approves hotel zoning, adopts solar rules and fiscal and personnel changes; appoints board member

The Florence City Council on June 10 approved a series of ordinances and municipal orders, including a zoning change that clears the way for a WoodSpring Suites hotel, text amendments to regulate solar and battery storage, multiple budget and personnel amendments, and the appointment of David Arglier to the Board of Adjustment and Zoning Appeals. The council also voted to enter a closed session under Kentucky Revised Statutes to discuss pending litigation.

The actions bundle several routine and policy items the council had reviewed previously at committee and caucus meetings. The zoning change for a hotel was a second reading with prior planning-and-zoning review; the solar and battery-storage text amendments followed additional public hearings and a second planning committee review. The fiscal and personnel measures update internal budgets, add authorized positions and modify personnel policies.

Ordinance O-11-20-25, a second reading that passed by roll call, amends the zoning map to permit an Office 2 Planned Development (O-2 PD) concept plan for an approximately 2.06-acre site at 56–58 Cavalier Boulevard in Florence to allow construction of a four-story hotel listed in the ordinance as a 50,645-square-foot, 122-room WoodSpring Suites. The roll-call vote was six in favor, none opposed (Council members Wingo, Chambers, Wynne, Whelan, Schneider and Cable recorded “yes”). The ordinance text and exhibits are on file with the city clerk for exact development standards and conditions.

Ordinance O-13-20-25, approved on second reading, enacts text amendments to the Boone County zoning regulations as they apply in Florence to define and regulate solar energy systems and battery storage facilities and to identify zoning districts where such uses are authorized. The measure followed an additional public hearing requested by council and committee-level revisions. The roll-call vote was 4–2 (Wingo, Wynne, Whelan and Schneider voted yes; Chambers and Cable voted no). The ordinance lists the specific articles and sections amended; the full text and exhibits are available at the City Clerk’s office.

Budget and personnel measures passed by unanimous votes. Ordinance O-14-20-25 amends the fiscal-year 2024–25 budget to increase expenditures in the health and dental self-insurance fund to reflect higher bank service, administrative and claims costs. Ordinance O-15-20-25 adopts the fiscal year 2025–26 city budget across multiple funds (general fund, municipal aid road fund, infrastructure fund, asset forfeiture, health and dental self-insurance, aquatic center, golf course, and water and sewer funds). Ordinance O-16-20-25 amends authorized positions and pay plan to add a project manager (TID), three police officer positions and a director of human resources and creates job descriptions for the new roles. Ordinance O-17-20-25 updates the personnel policy manual to add seniority pay, educational incentives and to change pregnancy leave terminology to parental leave. Each of these measures passed on second reading by recorded vote, 6–0.

Municipal Order MO-9-20-25 approved the appointment of David Arglier to the Florence Board of Adjustment and Zoning Appeals to fill an unexpired term; the motion passed 6–0. The council then approved a motion to move into closed session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(c) to discuss litigation proposed or pending against or on behalf of the city; the motion carried.

Votes at a glance (key items recorded on June 10, 2025): - O-11-20-25 (zoning map amendment for 56–58 Cavalier Blvd; WoodSpring Suites hotel; approx. 2.06 acres; 50,645 sq ft; ordinance text lists 122 rooms) — Passed 6–0 (Wingo, Chambers, Wynne, Whelan, Schneider, Cable yes). - O-12-20-25 (change of concept development plan for 0.698-acre Burlington Pike site; Country Cabins) — Denied by council vote 0–6 (separate municipal order MO-8-20-25 adopts findings denying the request; see separate report). - O-13-20-25 (zoning text amendments to regulate solar energy systems and battery storage) — Passed 4–2 (Wingo, Wynne, Whelan, Schneider yes; Chambers, Cable no). - O-14-20-25 (FY24–25 budget amendment — health & dental self-insurance fund increases) — Passed 6–0. - O-15-20-25 (Adopt FY25–26 budget across multiple funds; general fund total available for appropriations listed in ordinance exhibits) — Passed 6–0. Exhibits are available at the City Clerk’s office; a garbled figure for one aquatic center exhibit in the meeting transcript is noted in the record and should be checked in the ordinance exhibit for the correct figure. - O-16-20-25 (personnel: add positions and update pay plan) — Passed 6–0. - O-17-20-25 (personnel policy manual amendments — seniority pay, educational incentives, parental leave) — Passed 6–0. - MO-9-20-25 (appointment of David Arglier to Board of Adjustment) — Passed 6–0.

The full ordinance texts and exhibits cited in council discussion are available for inspection at the City Clerk’s office, Florence Government Center, 8100 Ewing Boulevard, Florence, Kentucky, during regular business hours.

Ending: The council moved into closed session to discuss litigation after the stated votes and did not anticipate further business upon return.