An amendment to the zoning ordinances of Hopkinsville were passed at the Hopkinsville City Council meeting to include new regulations involving solar panel farms and a municipal order involving sidewalks was passed.
This amendment to the zoning code of Hopkinsville—which was passed unanimously by council— regulate certain aspects of solar farms in the City of Hopkinsville, including a minimum amount of feet the panels must be located away from adjacent property lines, creating a decommission expectation and more. Tom Britton with the Zoning Commission explained that it does have a variance application that solar energy companies could fill out to get an exception to their particular project.
During the ‘other’ agenda item, Councilmember Travis Martin put forth a motion for a municipal order that moves $45,000 from the interfund to go towards construction of a sidewalk on Gateway Lane.
The order itself did not appear on the agenda, but City Attorney Doug Willen explained that it falls within legitimate orders, despite failing to pass at a meeting in September.
The order passed 8-to-4, with councilmembers Phillip Brooks, Kim McCarley, Alethea West and Patricia Bell voting ‘no’.
Also approved was an ordinance on first-reading that updated language to the transient room tax, clarifying what lodgings fall under the definition of that three percent tax in the city limits.