Council approves budget amendments; OKs zoning regulation updates
Councilman John Kelley gestures during a discussion at Tuesday’s meeting of the Bardstown City Council.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 10 p.m. — The Bardstown City Council gave final approval to changes to the county’s zoning regulations governing craft distilleries and bourbon storage, and the size of event facilities in agricultural areas at its meeting Tuesday.
Councilman Dick Heaton and City Attorney Tim Butler examine documents prior to the start of Tuesday’s Bardstown City Council meeting.
At the council’s Feb. 28 meeting, Planning Commission Director Janet Johnston-Crowe told the council the zoning changes create two separate classes of craft distillery.
According to the new regulations, a Type I craft distillery will allow 50,000 gallons of bourbon production annually, and would be allowed in a business zoning classification. A Type II craft distillery will be allowed up to 500,000 gallons of bourbon production per year.
Both classes of craft distillery will be prohibited from having more than four barrels of distilled spirits stored on site. Craft distilleries will need to store their bourbon at another warehouse site.
The new regulations also increased the size of event facilities in unincorporated parts of the county zoned A-1 Agriculture. The current rules require a minimum size of 2,500 square feet, which is too small to accommodate the allowed 300 guests. The changes increase the facility size to 4,500 sq. ft.
The changes also allow distilled spirits storage as a conditional use on agriculturally zoned property of 50 to 100 acres in size, in unincorporated parts of the county. The change will require an applicant to participate in a public hearing during which adjoining property owners will have a chance to express any concerns they may have.
BUDGET AMENDMENT. The council gave initial approval to a group of amendments necessary to the city’s Fiscal Year 2016-17 budget.
The amendments to the budget adjust line items due to changes in revenue, income or expenses within department budgets. The budget changes also reflect the new revenue created by the increased occupational tax rate and the city’s reduced contributions to the joint city-county E911 agreement.
The budget amendment also reflects the delays the city experienced in its project to install smart electric and water meters in its utility service area. According to Tracy Hudson, the city’s chief financial officer, the smart meter project was delayed by issues with the contractor. The delays mean the project wasn’t completed until this fiscal year.
ETHICS BOARD APPOINTMENT. The council unanimously approved appointing Jim Taylor to the Joint Ethics Board for a three-year term. Taylor replaces the vacancy left by Otis Ballard’s departure from the board.
NEXT UP. The council next meets 7 p.m. next Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at the council chambers next to the rec center on Xavier Drive.
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