Richmond holds first reading of wide-ranging zoning amendments affecting hotels, industrial uses and medicinal cannabis

The City of Richmond Board of Commissioners on a first reading reviewed Ordinance 25-09, an amendment to the city zoning ordinance that reclassifies and adds numerous allowable and conditional uses across residential, business, public/semi-public, manufacturing and industrial zones.

Kevin Causey, director of planning and zoning, said the changes largely bring the city’s use charts into alignment with state regulations and with existing uses in the community. “We’re following, basically, state regulations,” Causey said. He told the commission staff had reviewed existing businesses and industry and adjusted conditional and permissible uses to reduce the need for rezoning or board-of-adjustments requests.

City officials said the intent of the ordinance is to streamline permitting and make commercial corridors more business friendly by eliminating some barriers and removing unnecessary conditional-use requirements. “This is an attempt to make sure that process is streamlined and that we don't have any bumps in the road,” Mayor Blunt said during discussion.

The proposed changes, as read into the record, include multiple chart updates across zoning categories. Selected changes cited by staff include: residential care facilities moved to conditional in R1A, R1B, R1C and B3 zones; hotels and motels changed to conditional in B2 and permissible in B3; public and semi-public uses amended to include schools, police and fire stations and government offices (conditional in PSP zoning); parks and playgrounds made conditional in portions of business zones; private recreation and sports centers conditional in PSP; private golf courses conditional in B4; certain health services (for example, physical therapy) permissible in B1; tanning salons and some business and personal services made permissible in B1; a number of automotive uses made conditional in B2; general merchandise and some retail subclasses reclassified in B1; veterinary offices conditional in B1 and permissible in B3; counseling and business/technical training permissible in B1; truck freight terminals conditional in B2 and permissible in B3; manufacturing entries adjusted (paper and related, leather production conditional in I1; agriculture cultivators permissible in I2); and several medicinal cannabis operations listed as permissible in I1 (producers, processors and safety/compliance facilities).

Causey said the ordinance is a first step and that staff expect additional housekeeping changes and map updates in future meetings. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about specific categories such as hotels and motels and about the inclusion of certain industrial uses to serve developers and the industrial park.

Because the ordinance was introduced on first reading, the commission will not vote on adoption until a second reading. The ordinance text as read notes it will be effective only upon adoption after second reading and publication under applicable Kentucky law.