Shepherdsville council approves personnel change, amends budget reading; rejects one rezoning and tables others

Shepherdsville City Council took a series of administrative and land‑use actions Tuesday, including a unanimous appointment to the city’s ethics board, adoption of a technical annexation correction, approval of a personnel reclassification for Parks and Recreation, and a first reading of an amended budget. The council voted down one rezoning application and tabled at least one other zoning ordinance; the meeting also produced a text‑amendment resolution to define transitional housing as a permitted residential use.

Appointment and personnel changes The council approved the appointment of Ron (Ronnie) Perkins to the city’s ethics commission. Perkins introduced himself at the meeting, described a 24‑year military career and recent work in human resources and professional development, and was sworn into the ethics board after a unanimous council vote.

On personnel matters the council adopted an ordinance amending the city’s pay‑classification plan to reassign one public‑works position into Parks & Recreation as a full‑time parks and recreation assistant director. City staff told council members the move was an internal shift to support park programming; the ordinance passed on a recorded roll call.

Budget and audit housekeeping The council gave first reading to an amended fiscal‑year budget ordinance intended to correct prior carry‑forward figures and align resources for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. City staff said the change moves unused American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and updates carried‑forward amounts so the city’s audit will reflect correct balances. The ordinance will require a second reading before it takes effect.

Zoning actions and votes The council adopted Ordinance 025034, described as a technical correction to a prior annexation ordinance to make acreage and parcel‑identification numbers consistent with the licensed professional land surveyor’s legal description. The measure passed following a motion and roll‑call vote.

A separate rezoning, Ordinance 025035, that would have changed about 0.982 acres at 632 Old Preston Highway South from AG (Agricultural) to B‑1 (Highway Business) failed on council vote. City staff later noted the vote rejected the ordinance and the council then considered a separate ordinance to override the Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission’s recommendation on the same property.

Council members approved Ordinance 025037, which rezoned approximately 2.94 acres on Charles Hamilton Way from AG to B‑2 (Central Business) with restrictions adopted from the planning commission’s docket; a different Charles Hamilton Way rezoning (Ordinance 025036) was voted down.

Where council members opposed a planning‑commission recommendation, members introduced separate override ordinances (for example, Ordinance 025039 and 025040) to exercise the council’s authority; one of those override items was later tabled indefinitely by council motion.

Transitional housing text amendment The council passed a resolution proposing a text amendment to the joint zoning regulations to define “transitional housing” as a residential use permitted in single‑ and multi‑family residential zones, subject to standards such as occupancy limits consistent with building and life‑safety codes, supervision requirements, limits on nonresidential accessory services, and design standards so buildings retain a residential appearance. The resolution cites federal fair‑housing and disability‑accommodation laws as background and asks the Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission to consider the proposed text change.

What happens next Several zoning items remain subject to further hearings, county reviews or follow‑up motions. Staff identified follow‑up tasks including finalizing easement language on developer sites, coordinating annexation of county parcels and pursuing second readings where required. The council’s amended‑budget ordinance will return for second reading at a subsequent meeting before taking effect.

Votes at a glance (key items) - Appointment: Ronnie Perkins to Ethics Commission — motion, second; outcome: approved and sworn in (unanimous). - Ordinance 025034 (technical correction to prior annexation ordinance) — motion, second; outcome: approved. - Ordinance 025035 (rezoning 0.982 acres at 632 Old Preston Hwy from AG to B‑1) — motion to approve failed (outcome: defeated by council vote). - Ordinance 025036 (portion of Charles Hamilton Way to B‑1) — motion to approve; outcome: defeated. - Ordinance 025037 (Charles Hamilton Way to B‑2 central business, 2.94 acres, with restrictions) — motion to approve; outcome: approved. - Ordinance 025038 (amend pay classification: add full‑time Parks & Rec assistant director) — motion, second; outcome: approved. - Ordinance 025039 / 025040 (text/override ordinances related to earlier rejected rezoning items) — introduced; 025040 was later tabled indefinitely by council motion. - Ordinance 025042 (amended FY2024–25 budget) — first reading given; second reading scheduled. - Resolution 2025‑03 (transitional housing text amendment to permit transitional housing in residential zones with standards) — motion by Councilmember Bonnie Enloe, second by Councilmember Jennifer; recorded outcome: approved (council recorded majority yes, one no vote).