Committee approves zoning text amendment to allow limited commemorative packaged liquor sales at Keeneland

The commission recommended approval on May 7 of ZOTA PLN Zoda 26-0003, a narrowly tailored amendment to the zoning ordinance to clarify that horse racetracks in the agricultural (AR) zone may sell packaged commemorative liquor in accessory gift or visitor centers.

Planning staff explained the existing ordinance allows racetracks to "serve" alcoholic beverages but does not clearly permit sale of packaged bottles. Jeremy Young said the proposed text corrects that gap so that Keeneland — which had been selling commemorative bottles in a downtown Mercantile location that closed — can transfer or use a packaged-liquor license at the racetrack's gift or visitor shop as an accessory to the racetrack conditional use.

Nick Nicholson, counsel for Keeneland, said the change is intended only to allow limited sales of commemorative bottles in an accessory retail setting and emphasized Keeneland will not operate a package store or facilitate sales that would enable individuals to take bottles into unsecured areas during race events. "This is for the commemorative kind of Maker's Mark bottles," Nicholson said, adding the activity would remain subject to the racetrack's conditional-use review.

A member of the public raised broader concerns about how site-specific ZOTAs are initiated; commissioners discussed those statutory and ordinance boundaries before moving forward. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the zoning-text amendment to the planning commission.

Next steps: the recommended amendment will proceed to the planning commission and then to the legislative body as required by ordinance.