Acting on the recommendations of the Smart Growth

Acting on the recommendations of the Smart Growth Taskforce he formed last year, Kentucky Governor Paul Patton (D) has announced a package of legislation to promote orderly growth statewide. The legislation does not attempt to mandate zoning in the many counties that have no ordinances, but proposes tax credits for rehabilitating historic properties, for new construction in historic districts, and for building affordable housing in distressed neighborhoods. Patton’s plan also would ensure that the state locates its facilities in consultation with local communities and establishes design guidelines for such buildings. State Rep. Jim Wayne of Louisville has introduced a separate bill that would mandate planning and zoning in every Kentucky county. Between 1982 and 1997, growth in Kentucky outpaced the national average by 27 percent, giving the state the second highest percentage change in developed acres per person in the US, according to the Kentucky Long Term Policy Research Center.