Planning and zoning bill breaks ground

Planning and zoning bill breaks ground February 25, 2025

Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, speaks on House Bill 18 before the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday. The bill would require local elected officials to have a say on new developments instead of leaving it solely up to unelected planning and zoning boards. A high-resolution photo can be found here.

FRANKFORT — A bill seeking to curb issues in the planning and zoning process at the local level advanced from the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday.

Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, is the primary sponsor of House Bill 18. He told the committee the bill would require local elected officials to have a say on new developments in single-family zoned areas instead of leaving the decision solely up to unelected planning and zoning boards.

Hodgson said multi-family dwellings and other developments are causing infrastructure issues, such as unsafe traffic congestion, in certain communities across Kentucky.

“Some suburban areas are seeing attempts to insert high-density apartments and development into these single-family areas, straining the infrastructure to the breaking point and fundamentally changing the quiet character of the existing neighborhoods forever,” he said.

Under HB 18, any density development project proposed in a traditional single-family home zone would be treated as if it were an amendment to the zoning map and would be required to be approved by the local fiscal court or legislative body.

Additionally, the legislation would create some development incentives for infill development in urban areas, Hodgson said. Another provision also provides a two-year extension on a moratorium on zoning district classification changes.

Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, said she is concerned certain provisions of HB 18, like the moratorium extension, may make the housing crisis in Kentucky worse.

“I think density is the key, and this concerns me that we are restricting local communities … This seems to go against a whole other effort that we’re up against in this state. Is there something else that I’m missing?” Stalker said.

Hodgson said he agrees there are areas that need density, but making sure the infrastructure to support it is crucial. There are highways in the state where emergency vehicles cannot safely pass through due to high traffic caused by high-density development, he said.

“(House Bill 18) doesn’t stop you from doing density development. You just have to have weigh-in and a vote by the elected officials,” Hodgson added.

Liam Gallagher, legislative director for Americans for Prosperity Kentucky, testified against the legislation to the committee. He spoke against a provision of the bill that would limit new leases of certain properties in single-family home zones and said the measure would hurt housing development and limit property rights.

Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, also said he has concerns about HB 18, but he agrees there are planning and zoning issues that need to be addressed.

“I am concerned from a development standpoint and want to make sure that there are incentives to provide housing and so forth,” Fleming said, adding he appreciates the effort but needs to clarify some things before moving forward.

Fleming recorded a “pass” vote on the bill.

Echoing Hodgson’s earlier comments, Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, said there are three major developments planned for a road in his district that cannot support the traffic.

“I’m thinking that my constituents support this very much because you are going to strengthen their position to push back against these developments that end with three-story apartments overlooking homes that have been in that neighborhood for 60 to 80 years,” Bauman said, encouraging the committee to vote “yes” on HB 18.

The House Local Government Committee voted 14 to 4 with two pass votes to send HB 18 to the House floor.

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https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/publicservices/pio/release.html#HB18022525