Barren County directs planning commission to begin drafting land‑use regulations for unincorporated areas

The Barren County Fiscal Court voted to direct the county planning and zoning commission to begin drafting zoning and land‑use regulations for the unincorporated parts of the county, the court announced during its July 21 meeting in Glasgow.

A magistrate moved the directive and it was seconded; the chair clarified that the vote starts a process rather than enacting zoning immediately. A planning commission representative said the commission has authorized Kentucky Stewart LLC and consultant Reese True to help craft the draft language and recommended three planning commissioners — Thomas Groves, Bobby Bunnell and Ricky Houchins — will attend meetings to oversee the work. “We’ll begin the process,” the representative told the court, adding that the effort will include preliminary drafts and public review ahead of hearings expected in September and October.

The planning commission explained the ordinance will list many permitted and conditional uses rather than targeting a single use, and it noted statutory constraints such as the Kentucky Right to Farm Act, which exempts typical agricultural practices from zoning restrictions. The consultant who will assist on the project was described as the primary drafter of a recent House bill dealing with data centers and alternative energy use; that bill did not become law, the representative said.

The court approved the motion and then nominated two magistrates — Tim Coomer and Marty Kinslow — to serve as the magistrate representatives to the drafting process; their nominations were approved by the court. The planning commission representative said the commission expects to have a bare‑bones draft ready in August for public review and a fuller public hearing process later in the fall.