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Consultants preview Blue Sky Small Area Plan; recommend sidewalks, stormwater amenities, 30% outdoor‑storage cap and a 50,000‑sq‑ft data‑center threshold
Summary
Consultants presented a draft Blue Sky Small Area Plan for roughly 300 acres that prioritizes walkability and safety, clarifies industrial zoning (30% outdoor storage in I‑1), and proposes permitting minor data centers under 50,000 sq ft while prohibiting larger centers countywide 'as proposed.' The team asked the commission to review posted drafts before a June 11 public meeting.
Consultants from Tunnels, Mangler, Walsh and Associates previewed the Blue Sky Small Area Plan during the planning commission work session, describing a roughly 300‑acre area anchored by vehicle logistics and light industrial businesses and noting the site’s steep topography and aging infrastructure.
Sam Castro, the lead presenter, said the plan arose from the Urban Growth Master Plan and emphasized that "a lot of the recommendations in here are really health, safety, and welfare recommendations, first and foremost." He told commissioners the area is home to more than 100 businesses and is not a single large, flat redevelopment opportunity because it has nearly 130 feet of grade change across the site.
The team said near‑term priorities (5–10 years if funding is available) include adding a 10‑foot sidepath on outer streets and a 5‑foot sidewalk on the inner loop, improving the central stormwater pond as a public amenity, and making targeted intersection changes such as a three‑way stop at Cutter’s Hill to reduce high‑speed truck turns. The presentation also noted short‑term activation ideas, including food trucks and seating around a boardwalk near the stormwater area.
Caleb Rasico, who walked commissioners through draft zoning text updates, said the consultants aimed to remove nested zoning, define low‑impact versus high‑impact industrial uses based on measurable off‑site impacts, and clarify outdoor storage limits. "Businesses in I‑1 would in fact be able to have up to 30% of the lot area used for outdoor storage," Rasico said, adding that screening and buffering requirements would apply.
Rasico also addressed data centers: the draft defines a "minor" data center (under 50,000 square feet) that could be allowed in industrial districts by special use permit, and — "as proposed" in the draft — larger data centers would not be permitted countywide. Commissioners pressed the team on power reliability; Sam Castro said Kentucky Utilities is aware of the outages and that some employers may help fund localized improvements.
Commissioners asked about site specifics during Q&A. One commissioner asked how much of the site is taken up by automotive auction sites; Castro estimated nearly 100 acres between the two largest operators. Staff told the commission the draft plan and redline language will be posted online and that the item will be scheduled for the June 11 public meeting for further review (the draft text itself will enter the normal ZOTA and public‑review process later).
Why it matters: Blue Sky is an established industrial pocket with many small employers; the plan’s changes to zoning definitions, outdoor‑storage limits and data‑center rules would shape what types of industrial and office activity the area can host and how future public‑realm investments are prioritized.
Next steps: staff will post the full draft and redline language for public review and bring the item to the June 11 public meeting for commission review; subsequent ZOTA (text amendment) steps and public hearings will follow.
