An adult-oriented business near a county park. A new truck stop that backs up to an established, quiet neighborhood. Residents worried about the noise from a proposed outdoor music venue.
These scenarios and many others involving zoning and new development can cause tensions to run high in a community, especially when people feel their quality of life or property values will be negatively affected.
KRS Chapter 100 authorizes counties to adopt planning and zoning ordinances to guide development that reflects local priorities and values. Effective planning and zoning can be essential tools for shaping a community’s future; helping counties manage growth, protect property values, attract investment and preserve the unique character of their communities.
As of 2025, 58 Kentucky counties have adopted planning. Forty of those counties have also implemented zoning regulations. State law does not require counties to adopt planning or zoning, giving each county the flexibility to decide whether these tools are the right fit for their community.
Planning
Planning is the process of setting a community’s long-term vision for how land should be used in the future.
To begin the planning process, a county must establish a planning commission. While counties may form their own commission, state law encourages creating joint planning commissions with cities to promote coordination across jurisdictions.
Once established, the commission must prepare a comprehensive plan that serves as the community’s blueprint for future development. Developing the plan requires extensive research on population, economic activity, and community needs. This plan must include:
- A statement of goals and objectives
- A land use plan
- A transportation plan
- A community facilities plan
- Provisions for any military installations of 300 acres or more
After both the planning commission and fiscal court adopt the land use plan, the county has the option to enact interim zoning regulations (effective for no more than 12 months) All required elements of the comprehensive plan must be adopted within one year of enacting the interim regulations, at which point the county may adopt permanent zoning regulations.
Zoning
Zoning is the legal tool that puts planning into place. These regulations, adopted by local ordinance, can be valuable for protecting public health and safety, ensuring orderly and predictable growth, preserving neighborhood character, supporting economic stability, and aligning infrastructure investment with development.
With zoning districts in place (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural), rules can be set for what can be built in each district. The zoning process can separate incompatible uses, protect natural resources and farmland, and provide predictability for residents, businesses and developers.
A local zoning ordinance also establishes the process for rezoning requests, conditional use permits, variances and enforcement. Requests for rezoning or conditional use permits go before the planning commission, which holds a public hearing on the matter.
The planning commission votes to make a recommendation of rezoning approval, approval with conditions, or denial. The county fiscal court or city council makes the final decision on whether the rezoning request is approved.
P&Z Training
KACo regularly hosts one-day training classes to help county leaders get the most of out of planning and zoning. These training events explore best practices and current land use topics from around the state and beyond.
For more information about P&Z training events, contact KACo Member Engagement Manager Sydney Blodgett at sydney.blodgett@kaco.org.
