Florence City Council February 24

FLORENCE CITY COUNCIL  24Feb26

Business Meeting 

Presiding Officer: Mayor Julie Metzger-Aubuchon 

Council members present: Ms. Patricia Wingo, Ms. Lesley Chambers, Mr. Gary Winn, Ms. Diane Whalen, Mr. David Schneider, and Ms. Angie Cable 

Video available

Numbers below do not correspond to the published agenda. 

(5) Presentation – Chief Jeff Mallery – Recognition of Robert Nelson

• Recognized Robert Nelson for 23 years in the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). 
• Supported events, behind-the-scenes help, and reliable for officer focus. 
• Enhanced safety, community bridges; humble, enthusiastic. 
• Plaque by Sergeant Riley; group photo with VIPS. 
• Chief Mallery noted Mr. Nelson’s brownies. 

(6) Ordinance O-2-2026 – Second Reading 

• Adopts concept plan change in C-2/PD/HDO district for 1.55-acre site at Houston Road (Jagger’s with drive-thru). 
• Planning/Zoning review; developer agreed to conditions. 
• No new hearing; based on prior record. 
• Approved 6-0 roll call.

(7) Ordinance O-3-2026 – Zoning Text Amendments

• Adopts amendments for commercial parking, freight terminals, etc., in Boone County zones. 
• Regulates definitions, districts; prohibits in C-2/C-3; allows in I-1/I-2. 
• City additions:
  • Berming requirement to block unsightly items at the truck terminal,
  • No greater than 2-high container stacks,
  • 100-ft setbacks
  • Screening
  • No residential adjacency
  • Arterial access
  • Approved 4-2 roll call (Dissenting were Councilwomen Chambers and Cable) 

ZONING ORDINANCE DISCUSSION

Councilwoman Wingo talked about how the planning committee was given limited parameters to consider. Ms. Wingo basically seemed to leave the impression that the Planning Committee was not allowed to “think outside the box.” Councilman Winn stated he agreed with this point. (Please note that Mr. Winn is the other half of the City Council planning committee and has ties to ReMax as a real estate agent, thus giving him a vested interest in zoning issues.) Councilwoman Chambers mentioned the need to address truck parking in the area and questioned the need for Florence to be more restrictive than the county.

(8) Ordinance O-4-2026 – Insurance License Fee Rates

• Amends to 4% on premiums; quarterly collection. 
• Annual review process per KRS. 
• Reduces from 5%; ~$1M annual revenue loss, but surplus collections are in hand. 
• Amended “may” to “shall” for mandatory evaluation.
  Councilwoman Whalen was quite supportive of this measure and seemed to be the driving force behind the reduction.  Councilwoman Whalen:
  • Suggested changes to the wording of the Annual Review for the Tax Rate
  • Suggested the wording of SHALL vs MAY so the council in the future would be required to do an annual review.
  • Council verbally concurred with making the wording SHALL.
• Councilwoman Chambers thanked Councilwoman Whalen for her diligence on this issue.
• Approved 6-0 roll call. 

(9) MAYOR’S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Community guide mailed/online: events, operations. 
• Books and Bottles: Feb 27, 6-8:30 PM; speakers Wes Brown, Michelle Bennington; $10 tickets. 
• Children’s program: Feb 28, 10 AM-noon; story time, puppet show. 
• St. Patrick’s scavenger hunt: Mar 6-17; 9 symbols; email photos. 
• Police Citizens Academy: Mar 25-May 13; Wednesdays 6:30-9 PM; apply online. 

(10) OTHER

• Councilwoman Wingo thanked Director Hall for his department’s work in the cold weather and how the work was the type Ms. Wingo felt she could not personally do; therefore Ms. Wingo was glad the employees were people who could do that kind of work, especially when it came to water main breaks.
• Councilwoman Chambers expressed her thanks for the city’s assistance helping the business Lita’s Tacos get up and running again on Houston Road
• City Council candidate Mr. Joe Berkshire praised tax cut, deer removal, Lita’s Tacos reopening, noting his perception the restaurant was standing room only in its new location; criticized library meeting, urged review of library minutes/spending, expressed concern about library finances/branch redo; attended “love potion” class. 

Also present at the meeting: mayoral candidate David Rose and City Council candidates Shari Kilmer, Joe Berkshire, and Jim Leach.