Hopkinsville City Council approves rezones, grant match for greenway and several ordinance updates

Hopkinsville City Council on May 6 approved two rezoning ordinances on second reading, authorized a city match for a federal trail grant, and advanced multiple city-code changes on first reading during a meeting where council also passed several municipal orders and executive appointments.

The council voted to rezone 30.78 acres at 3125 and 3165 Katy's Road (ordinance O-8-2025) and 14.4966 acres at 4526 Lafayette Road (O-9-2025). Council approved the ward-map amendment (O-10-2025), the Hopkinsville Small Business Commission ordinance (O-11-2025), the landmarks and historic districts ordinance (O-12-2025) and the updated ordinance fine schedule (O-13-2025) on first reading. The council also approved municipal orders including designation of citation officers (MO 17-2025), authorization to accept and commit a 20% local match for a Transportation Alternatives Program grant (MO 18-2025), renaming Second Street Park as Fred Atkins Park (MO 19-2025), declaring surplus public-works property (MO 20-2025), and a grant agreement for the L & M Depot incentive (MO 21-2025). An executive order appointed three members to the Human Rights Commission.

Why it matters: the TAP grant match will enable phase 3 design and construction of the Hopkinsville Greenway — a project council and staff described as connecting the bypass area to Tie Breaker Park and the water park — while the zoning and code updates change how development and enforcement will operate across the city.

Most significant actions and outcomes - O-8-2025 (3125 & 3165 Katy's Road rezoning): Passed on second reading. Motion to adopt carried by roll call. The ordinance reassigns 30.78 acres into AT-1 (agricultural/transitional) and R-2 (single-family residential) as described in exhibit A. (See actions array for vote record.)

- O-9-2025 (4526 Lafayette Road rezoning): Passed on second reading. Ordinance zones 14.4966 acres as R-4 (multifamily residential) following a Community & Development Services recommendation.

- MO 18-2025 (Transportation Alternatives Program grant): Approved. Council authorized up to a 20% local match, capped at $1,383,002.69, for a total estimated project cost of $6,916,346.10 and authorized the mayor to sign grant documents.

- O-10 through O-13 (ward map; Small Business Commission; landmarks/historic district language; ordinance fine schedule): Advanced on first reading after individual roll-call votes in which council members voted to pass each ordinance to first reading consideration.

- MO 19-2025 (park renaming): Unanimously adopted; Second Street Park will be named Fred Atkins Park.

- MO 21-2025 (L & M Depot incentive): Approved: council authorized the mayor to sign a grant agreement of $87,500 with Real Marks Holding, Inc.

- Executive Order 27-2025: Appointments of Kristen Middlebrook, Jack Shaw and Andrew Trochey to fill unexpired terms on the Human Rights Commission were announced; no council action was required.

Council procedure and roll calls: the meeting record shows roll-call votes for several ordinances and municipal orders. Where roll-call names were recorded in the transcript, all recorded votes were affirmative. Items either passed on second reading (O-8, O-9) or passed/advanced on first reading (O-10–O-13) as noted above.

What’s next: rezoning ordinances take effect after passage and publication as required by law; the TAP grant acceptance requires execution of federal and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet documents and funding commitments within the match cap authorized by council. First-reading ordinances (O-10–O-13) will return for subsequent readings as required by the city code.

Votes at a glance: see the actions array below for each formal motion text, recorded mover/second (when reported), roll-call vote records and outcomes.