This committee will focus on zoning codes, regulations and ordinances as they relate to goals of the rural subarea. Meetings arranged on an as-needed basis.

Chair: Kathy Donohoue. 

Listed below are the adopted text amendments that the zoning committee proposed. Planning and Development Services (PDS), Judge Knochelmann and Kenton County Commissioners have been most supportive.

2017 Rural Commercial Text Amendments - Recommendation V

Recommendation 5 of Direction 2030 called for review of Rural Commercial (RC) zones in unincorporated South Kenton. PDS worked with the zoning committee to update RC ordinances. Learn about the Rural Commercial Regulations Amendment (PDF).

For Rural Commercial regulations, visit the website.

2018 Industrial Buffers - Recommendation V

Industrial buffer requirements existed in the zoning regulations for industrial land abutting residential property but not agricultural land. The zoning committee worked with Fiscal Court, builders and PDS to create buffer protection for agricultural lands. a list of native green buffers was developed. Farmers have the option to work with developers to use raised earth and embankments as buffers instead of plantings.

These regulations are found in several sections of Kenton's zoning regulations. For adopted regulations, visit the website (Article IX section 9:23-24 & Article X section 10.22 I- 27P)

2018 Short Term Rentals - Recommendation V

Short term rentals have become a contentious issue in many Northern Kentucky municipalities. Some residents of the agricultural zones have found short term rentals to be a valuable source of supplemental income, particularly due to the rural viewscape. Ordinances for the agricultural zones needed to be clarified and updated for our unique community. Short term rentals are now a permitted use in A1 and A2 zones. Applications must be made through PDS.

Learn more about the ordinances on the website. 

2023 - Agritourism Amendments    

See above listing under Agricultural Economic Growth Committee.

Current Focus

Residential - Recommendation V

 The zoning committee has worked on this most difficult of tasks since 2016.  The need to protect our rural lifestyle and heritage has been repeatedly stated on surveys, in public meetings and in Direction 2030.  There are no easy answers for how to do this while protecting property rights and allow for growth. 

The zoning committee has identified several development models that we believe move beyond the traditional suburb. Fiscal Court and PDS have agreed to work with us on regulations that would allow and incentivize these types of developments. A description of these models is given below.

• Rural Development
  • Regulations for this type of development were developed by PDS in response to the community's desire to protect rural heritage and landscape. One such development is Bentley Park on Staffordsburg Rd.  Lots are a minimum of 2 acres instead of the usual 1-acre minimum. Roadways and sidewalks do not have to meet typical standards and so are savings for developers to offset increased lot size.
• Conservation Subdivisions
  • Conservation regulations already exist in Kenton County Zoning for the A2 zone but not A1. These standards need to be updated. In this style, clustered homes are set back and hidden from the roadway view. Viewscape and shared open land are preserved. 
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)  
  • Similar in concept to a conservation subdivision; a specified agricultural area is surrounded by clustered homes. Residents benefit from fresh local produce and meats. One such community being expanded now is in Aberlin Springs, Morrow, Warren County, Ohio. (KY Enquirer,7/30/2016) Learn more at: Aberlin Springs.
• Sliding Scale or Mixed Lot Size
  • On the 2016 survey, 37.4% of respondents preferred this development model. It allows builders to take advantage of varying lot sizes. The aim is to reduce density by offsetting 1acre homes with larger desirable lots.