Wilmore council hears staff on fee hike and state's KRS 100.348; approves first reading of manufactured-home ordinance changes

Planning and zoning staff told the Wilmore City Council that proposed changes to the department's fee schedule could substantially increase permit revenue and help reduce a departmental deficit, while a separate state law change will require local compliance on manufactured homes.

Staff provided figures showing the department collected about $148,000 in permit fees between July 1, 2025, and March 20, 2026, and said applying the proposed rates to that period would have raised total receipts to roughly $240,000 (about a $90,000 increase, or ~61%). Staff cautioned that this is based on past intake and may not extrapolate precisely to future years.

Separately, staff outlined changes coming into force July 1 under KRS 100.348: "qualified manufactured homes" will be allowed in single-family residential zones notwithstanding local prohibitions. The staff presentation described the state's functional standards referenced in the transcript (examples discussed in council: minimums of 900 square feet, at least 20 feet in width, affixed to a permanent foundation, and five years old or newer at placement). Staff said these provisions mean planning and zoning will be legally required to permit qualifying manufactured homes in residential zones even if local ordinances currently limit them; however, private deed restrictions and homeowners associations remain enforceable through civil remedies, not through planning and zoning.

Council discussed how Wilmore currently accounts for roughly 7% of planning applications and of the office's revenue, and whether fee increases would shift the city's contribution to county planning costs. Council members questioned enforcement consistency and noted past concerns about approvals that may conflict with deed restrictions; staff reiterated that the office enforces the city's ordinances and does not enforce private deed restrictions.

The council approved the ordinance on first reading after a brief discussion. The transcript does not include a roll-call vote tally with individual member names; it records a collective voiced approval. No final adoption (second reading) was recorded at this meeting.

Next steps: the ordinance requires a second reading and final adoption to fully amend Wilmore's zoning text; staff and council members indicated they would continue discussions about fee impacts and intergovernmental coordination with the county.