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Richmond commissioners approve two rezones on Barnes Mill Road for multifamily housing
Summary
The City of Richmond Board of Commissioners approved two ordinances on second reading to rezone two parcels on Barnes Mill Road to R-3 multifamily residential. One ordinance passed unanimously after removing an inadvertently included lot; the other passed 4-1.
The City of Richmond Board of Commissioners on March 11, 2025 approved two ordinances rezoning property along Barnes Mill Road to allow multifamily apartments.
The board voted to change zoning for a 0.68-acre parcel at the corner of Barns Mill Road and Robins Drive from R-1A single-family residential to R-3 multifamily residential (Ordinance 25-07). The board also approved rezoning 1.58 acres at 818 Barnes Mill Road from B-3 highway business to R-3 (Ordinance 25-08).
The rezoning requests had been recommended by the Richmond Planning and Zoning Commission after a public hearing on Jan. 22, 2025. The ordinances adopt the planning commission's written findings of fact and direct the city planning director to update the official zoning map. Both ordinances state they become effective immediately upon enactment following second reading and publication in accordance with applicable Kentucky law.
Commissioners discussed site specifics for the smaller Barnes Mill/Robins Drive parcel after staff confirmed the listing inadvertently included an adjacent Lot 6 that had not been part of the public hearing. City staff said Lot 6 will be removed from the ordinance; they described Lot 6 as an existing buffer next to a single-family home and said developers had no current plan to build on it.
Staff told commissioners the 0.68-acre parcel could be engineered to hold as many as nine apartment units under the city's ordinance but that project engineering may reduce that to about seven units. Officials said the rezoning proposal includes adding off-street parking routed through Robins Drive to serve the new units and to provide additional parking for nearby existing apartment buildings, which staff said should reduce ingress and egress pressure on Barnes Mill Road.
Ordinance 25-07 passed on a unanimous roll-call vote. Ordinance 25-08 passed 4-1; Commissioner Newby recorded a dissent. The ordinances include deed and plat citations in the record: for the 0.68-acre parcel, Deed Book 847, Page 610 and Plat Book 2, Page 117; for 818 Barnes Mill Road, Deed Book 859, Pages 353–359.
Planning staff noted that the zoning of the area is largely nonconforming today and that the R-3 change is intended to align Robins Drive with surrounding small multifamily development. Additional site-plan and engineering review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff will be required before construction.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 25-07 (rezoning at Barns Mill & Robins Drive): outcome approved; recorded votes: Commissioner Cole—yes; Commissioner Goble—yes; Commissioner Newby—yes; Commissioner Brewer—yes; Mayor Robert Blythe—yes. Ordinance 25-08 (rezoning at 818 Barnes Mill Road): outcome approved; recorded votes: Commissioner Goble—yes; Commissioner Newby—no; Commissioner Brewer—yes; Commissioner Cole—yes; Mayor Robert Blythe—yes.
The board did not provide construction plans or developer timelines during the meeting; staff said site engineering and planning commission review remain outstanding and must occur before any building permits are issued.
