Fiscal Court adopts zoning text changes tightening in‑family conveyance rules

Woodford County's Fiscal Court approved on second reading amendments to its zoning code that revise definitions and add new restrictions for "in-family conveyance" lots in unincorporated areas.

The joint motion covered Article 2 (definitions) and Article 7 (zoning districts). Squire Taylor and other advocates credited a lengthy public process and work by the planning and zoning commission; Taylor said the revised in‑family conveyance language "is gonna make a huge difference," and said a GIS analysis shows the change could save at least 1,000 parcels from being subdivided.

County Attorney provided a summary reading of the ordinance amendments. Among the substantive changes in Article 7 were a requirement that the applicant for an in‑family conveyance lot must be a Woodford County resident, submission of an agricultural use affidavit as part of the application, minimum lot size of one acre for conveyed lots, limits on how many in‑family conveyance lots may be created based on parcel size (one for 31–49 acres; two for 50+ acres) and holding-period requirements that the primary parcel be held for at least five years and the conveyed parcel for at least ten years after recordation. The amendments also prohibit properties owned by LLCs, trusts or estates from creating in‑family conveyance lots.

The county attorney noted both articles are final upon second reading and must be published in summary form within 30 days. The court recorded a single "nay" vote on the second reading; the ordinances were otherwise adopted and will take effect as the law of the county upon completion of required publication.