GLASGOW, Ky. — Members of the newly formed Barren County Land-Use Committee met for the first time Thursday to review a proposed zoning ordinance drafted by the Joint City-County Planning Commission.

Planning Commission Director Kevin Myatt walked the committee through the 102-page draft in about two hours. The draft outlines regulations for different types of land use across the county.

The push for zoning came as some residents called for a moratorium on data centers. Barren County Attorney Mike Richardson said the county could not impose a moratorium without legislative backing.

The proposed zoning ordinance would give the county a framework for regulating land use, including where certain types of development could be located and what requirements they would have to meet.

“This ordinance is intended to provide a balanced framework for managing growth, while preserving the county’s agricultural heritage, protecting private property rights, encouraging responsible economic development, and for the health, safety and welfare to the citizens,” Myatt said.

The proposed ordinance would create 10 zoning districts: agricultural, rural residential, single-family residential, multi-family residential, high-density residential, rural business, general business, light industrial, heavy industrial and public.

The committee

The committee includes five citizens and two magistrates appointed by Barren County Judge/Executive Jamie Byrd: Billy Beckham, Eric Snyder, Jamie Pendygraft, Josh Morris and Sheila Steenbergen.

Magistrates Tim Coomer and Marty Kinslow also serve on the committee.

Planning Commission Chairman Tommy Gumm appointed three Planning Commission members to the committee: Thomas Grubbs, who will serve as chairman, along with Bobby Bunnell and Ricky Houchens.

Beckham and Coomer were absent from Thursday’s meeting. Beckham had a prior scheduling conflict, while Coomer was attending a required conference, Myatt said.

Questions range across proposed regulations

Much of Thursday’s discussion focused on how the proposed regulations would affect residential and rural areas. Myatt said the Planning Commission is working to make many of the regulations as least restrictive as possible.

“Right off the bat, rural residential will be our predominant zoning classification for our county,” Myatt said. “We’re trying to make this as low-impact to our county citizens who are already experiencing that type of level of freedom — that is doesn’t change.”

Committee members asked questions about several parts of the draft ordinance, including net metering, residential enterprise uses, gun ranges, tiny homes, cell towers and farm implement businesses.

“We’re trying to write this as being the least impactful as we possibly can onto our citizens, but at the same time, provide some protection for our other individuals that live out there, too,” Myatt said.

About a dozen citizens attended Thursday’s meeting, which ended with a public comment period. No one in the audience commented.

Myatt said the Planning Commission will handle the due process requirements, including public input, before the ordinance moves forward.

Those who could not attend can submit comments in the following ways:

• Email: barrencountyplanning@gmail.com
• Mail: 200 S. Green St., Suite 201, Glasgow, KY 42141
• In person: Joint City-County Planning Commission Office, 200 S. Green St., or Barren County Fiscal Court, 117 N. Public Square, Suite 3A.

Data centers and associated structures

Reese True, the consultant hired by the Planning Commission, also presented draft language for regulating High-Intensity Technological Infrastructure, or HITI, which includes developments such as data centers and solar farms.

The separate HITI section is about 88 pages long, Myatt said.

“There’s some very stringent requirements that’s put in for these types of uses that they’re going to have to meet,” he said.

The HITI developments would only be allowed in Heavy Industrial areas as conditional uses. That zoning classification provides locations for manufacturing, industrial and related uses that involve potential nuisance factors.

Myatt said the draft language would be posted on the Planning Commission’s website Friday for the public to review. He said he did not have enough time to post it before Thursday evening’s meeting.

The Land-Use Committee will discuss the HITI section at its next meeting.

How the zoning would work

The proposed zoning regulations include permitted, prohibited and conditional uses.

Permitted uses would be allowed in a specific district without additional approval, while prohibited uses would not be allowed. Conditional uses would be allowed only after consideration and approval by the Board of Adjustment.

For example, in the proposed multi-family residential district, single-family and multi-family homes would be permitted uses.

Manufactured homes and bed and breakfast establishments would be conditional uses and would require approval from the Board of Adjustment.

No industrial uses would be allowed in any residential zoning district.

What happens next?

The Land-Use Committee will meet again Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. The section covering developments such as data centers and solar farms will be discussed at that meeting.

Myatt and his team will also review any changes recommended Thursday and have them prepared for review at the next meeting.

A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. during the Planning Commission’s meeting. The commission is expected to vote on the zoning ordinance that night.

If the Planning Commission approves the zoning regulations, the ordinance will be forwarded to the Barren County Fiscal Court for adoption after the commission approves its minutes in October.

Ordinances require two readings by the fiscal court before they become law.

The earliest adoption of the zoning regulations would likely be November.

If the zoning ordinance is adopted, enforcement of the regulations will fall to Barren County’s code enforcement officer, a position currently held by Marcus Thurman.