Planning commission initiates zoning text amendment to comply with House Bill 443; separate investigation of corridor business lot-coverage requested

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Planning Commission on Jan. 30 initiated a substantial zoning text amendment intended to bring the local zoning ordinance into compliance with Kentucky House Bill 443 and to update references to KRS 100. Staff described the draft text as changes across multiple articles of the zoning code, with substantive edits proposed for definitions, development-plan procedures, vehicular use areas, and several commercial and mixed-use zone provisions.

Tracy Wade and other planning staff briefed the commission on the scope: changes to Article 1 (definitions), Article 6 (zone-change and amendment procedures), Article 16 (vehicular use areas, including drive-through and pick-up window clarifications), Article 21 (development-plan procedures), Article 23 (expansion areas), Article 28 (mixed-use zones), and several commercial-zone sections. Staff said the edits aim to standardize procedures across zones and make the code consistent with HB 443’s requirements; staff said mailed notice to neighborhood associations would go out in February and the item is expected to go to public hearings in March.

Commissioners discussed the timeline and next steps. Staff told the commission they plan to post the draft text to the planning commission website, assign a case number in Accela, and run the review through the zoning committee and then the full commission in March; staff said the usual schedule would allow the Planning Commission to forward a recommendation to the Urban County Council in time for adoption before the July 1 implementation deadline. Commissioners requested additional work sessions to review implementation details and potential unintended consequences.

Separately, Commissioner Nickel asked the commission to initiate a second, targeted text amendment to investigate removing the corridor business (B3) zone’s minimum lot-coverage requirement (Section 820.I). Nickel said the 30% minimum lot coverage can make redevelopment of small commercial parcels economically unviable and suggested a study of whether removing that specific requirement would better support reuse of vacant and underutilized sites. Staff and several commissioners agreed that large, HB 443-driven changes should remain on the fastest track but that Nickel’s proposal could be initiated as a separate ZOTA so staff can study it without jeopardizing the HB 443 timeline.

Motions: Commissioner Penn moved to initiate the HB 443 compliance text amendment; Commissioner Wirth seconded and the motion passed. Commissioner Nickel’s initiation to study corridor-business lot coverage was seconded by Commissioner Barksdale and also passed. Staff said their expected March schedule for commission hearings supports meeting the council review window prior to the July 1 statutory implementation date.

The initiation does not change code text by itself; it opens the formal review process (public notice, committee review, hearings) and authorizes staff to prepare the draft and outreach materials. Commissioners emphasized they will return for further work sessions and community engagement before recommending final language to the Urban County Council.