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Land Use Report

Understanding the existing land use within the county allows the evaluation of current conditions of the county. This can be helpful to analyze long-term trends, to determine if past policy decisions are effective or to determine if completely new policies should be explored especially in a post Covid-19 world. This is especially important since Kenton County’s population has increased 6.1% from 2010 to 20201. The trends in land use also partially assist with transportation, community facilities, and utilities planning.

Figure 1 is a map of the existing land uses within Kenton County2. These include commercial/retail sales/services, agricultural, single-family residential, two-family residential, multi-family residential, HOA/common area, office, institutional, industrial, recreation/open space, transportation/communication/utilities, and right of way/vacant. Furthermore, the county is separated into different sub areas (see Figure 2) to further understand the land uses within the county2. The sub areas within the county are first ring suburban, rural, suburban, and urban. Each land use will be discussed based on the sub area location below.

 

The residential land use category includes land used for any type of residential dwelling, from mobile homes to detached single-family to multi-family residential.

Studying the trends of where people choose to live have a significant impact on every element of planning. Long term shifts in where people choose to live have an impact on the services that a city provides. New or improved roads, additional police and fire protection or recreational opportunities may be needed to serve the new residential development. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the trend is shifting toward a balance between residential community and privacy, specifically having space within residential areas that allow for pocket parks, walking paths/trails, and community green spaces3.

  • Urban Subarea – The urban subarea has an established but aging housing stock. A big issue for the cities in this area is property maintenance within the neighborhoods. New single-family home opportunities are rare in the urban subarea. However, opportunities for redevelopment may occur if demographic changes continue to show more interest in the urban areas. If redevelopment does occur, it should be done so without displacing current residents. Well documented national trends show a growing preference for walkable and integrated communities over the auto-dependent subdivisions of the past several decades, especially amongst young adults and older  adults3. There should be a focus on amenities that the Millennial and Baby Boomer generations find desirable.
  • First Ring Suburb Subarea – Most first ring suburbs have an established housing stock, with many being built post WWII. As with the urban subarea, property maintenance within the neighborhoods is an issue. Also, as with the urban subarea, the location of the first ring suburbs close to the amenities of the urban areas and access to the existing transportation facilities make this subarea desirable to accommodate Millennial and Baby Boomers. There may be some new development potential; however, with scarce land available new development may begin to focus on less desirable areas, such as the hillsides.
  • Suburban Subarea – Most new residential development since 2000 has occurred in the suburban subarea. Development has typically taken the form of low-density suburban subdivisions. While this type of housing has been desirable in the past, it has put an enormous strain on the transportation systems and on city budgets to provide services to a disbursed population. While the second half of the decade has seen a slowdown in new housing built, only time will be able to determine if this slowdown is solely due to the recession or if there is a true change in the preferences of homebuyers for the more urban areas, closer proximity to amenities, and other changes in lifestyle choices, such as the ability to age in place.
  • Rural Subarea – The rural parts of the county continue to see the sporadic development of new homes. Residents in this area of the county have expressed a desire to keep this area rural and ensure that new suburban development does not encroach into the rural area of the county.

 

Since 2000, land classified for agricultural uses has seen the most dramatic swings of any land use in the county. Overall, land in farms and average size of farms (acres) has decreased throughout Kenton County since the last comprehensive plan update and is still decreasing according to the 2017 Census data4.  Close to half of the land area of Kenton County lies outside of the Urban Focus Area. Heard many times over during the comprehensive plan update public input meetings, this area presents a unique opportunity for the county to preserve its rural heritage. The challenges presented by this include providing adequate community facilities and services to a spread-out community, and how to allow responsible growth for landowners who want to develop their land.

  • Urban, First Ring Suburb, and Suburban Subarea – These subareas have very little land area being used for agricultural uses. Converting land to large scale agricultural uses is not likely to happen within this area. A more recent trend nationally is urban farming where small livestock is kept by a property owner for their own consumption. As these endeavors are only accessory to a principal use (e.g. single-family residential), these activities will likely not be noted in the PVA assessment of the use, and will therefore not be easy to quantify using strictly land use data.
  • Rural Subarea – Within Kenton County, most agricultural production occurs on smaller farms operated as a supplement to the owners’ fulltime daily income. As such, there are few, if any, subsistence farmers in the county, or those who farm full-time as their only income. Most farmland in the county lies predominantly south of KY 16 in the Rural Subarea. This encompasses over half of the county’s geographic area and is characterized by more rural land development forms such as larger lots, rolling hills and fields, and generally supports farming operations and infrastructure such as barns and outbuildings. It should be noted that not all agricultural production is limited to this southern area, as smaller enterprises do occur in pockets of the northern areas; however, the most substantial farming efforts are in the south.

While commercial uses take many different forms and scales, the function they serve remains relatively the same. They provide goods and services demanded by residents. They provide places of employment, and they provide an economic base for communities through higher property taxes, sales taxes, and income taxes. What services are needed is based on the market area and demand. As demographics change, so does the demand for services and products. Scale is also an important factor. Local small services can be provided at a pedestrian scale and not present much of an impact on the surrounding community or roads. However, larger commercial areas with a regional market can have a large impact on a neighborhood and on roadway capacity. According to the National Association of Home Builders (2021), post Covid-19 pandemic trends include co-working spaces with virtual meeting room spaces rather than commercial centralized offices and agrihoods which incorporates agriculture into a residential neighborhood5. Furthermore, commercial businesses are also expanding their outdoor spaces following the pandemic’s social distancing requirements5.

  • Urban Subarea – The urban subarea has established commercial areas that are found in many different patterns. The established downtown areas provide a strong economic engine for the region with a higher concentration of jobs and services. There are also major thoroughfares that provide a number of auto oriented services for the transient public. On an even more local level, there are smaller diverse neighborhood centers that provide goods and services to meet the needs of the residents in the immediate area.
  • First Ring Suburb Subarea – Most first ring suburbs have commercial areas. Most commercial areas provide services that fill a specific niche. For instance, areas adjacent to I-71/75 and I-275 are more likely to have businesses cater towards serving the needs of the transient public. Regional shopping centers, office parks and medical campuses are also found in some first ring suburbs. Some commercial areas in the first ring suburbs have also developed in linear strip development, such as along Dixie Highway. This type of development, while meeting the needs of the area residents, can also have negative impacts on the transportation network by creating a more auto oriented suburban sprawl development pattern.
  • Suburban Subarea – Commercial development in the suburbs takes the form of historical downtowns and as big box suburban development. These two very different forms of development typically do not complement one another. The big box stores provide needed services and convenience to the residents, but tend to directly compete and undermine the local businesses in the historic downtowns. Another concern is how this type of development impacts the mobility networks. New commercial development, especially the big box type of development, can perpetuate congestion in an already automobile dominated area.
  • Rural Subarea – The rural subarea has several concentrations commercial activity nodes. These areas are usually focused around the intersections of major roadways in the county, where rural communities have historically existed (Piner, Visalia, Morningview, and Kenton). Services typically available at these locations include general stores, automobile service stations, and community facilities such as fire stations, and post offices.

Industrial land uses are an important part of the local economic base. They provide varied opportunities for employment and also typically have higher property tax rates than other land uses. Additionally, industrial uses are important because, by their very nature, they take raw materials, process them (thereby adding value) and export the final products to areas outside of this region. This economic process brings money from those other areas into Kenton County. The economy as a whole has been experiencing a period of deindustrialization for the past several decades. Industrial uses have been shifting from manufacturing and processing to warehousing and distribution. Industrial uses often have the most impact on the adjacent uses with truck traffic being the most common impact. In addition to high freight traffic some industrial uses also produce noise and noxious gases and odors.

  • Urban Subarea – The urban subarea has larger industrial land uses generally located along rail lines or on the Ohio and Licking Rivers. Smaller industrial uses are incorporated into the existing urban fabric along major transportation thoroughfares. These uses typically involve manufacturing and processing of materials, as opposed to warehousing and shipping (with the exception being along the rivers).
  • First Ring Suburb and Suburban Subareas – These subareas typically have industrial areas concentrated into larger industrial parks, with fewer standalone small industrial uses like in the urban subarea. Like the urban subarea, these industrial parks are geographically situated in areas with good access to the regional transportation networks, whether the interstate highway system or the rail lines. Because of this, some major industrial parks are located along the Kenton County/Boone County line.
  • Rural Subarea – The rural subarea has very little land used as industrial. The few uses that do exist are small establishments. Development of large areas for industrial uses is difficult because transportation access is generally more difficult, and urban services such as water and sewer are not extended to these areas.

Public and Civic land uses have remained constant over the course of the decade. Public and civic uses are important because the diversity and quality of the facilities, whether schools or parks, play a vital role in the quality of life within a community. Public and civic uses often form the core of community life and are a source of community pride. As the population increases or demographics change, the demand for amenities will also change, like police and fire protection, parks, and recreation opportunities. According to the National Association of Home Builders (2021), post Covid-19 pandemic trends include improved eco-friendly outdoor spaces that encourage outdoor activities and exercise to include improving multi-modal transportation5.

  • Urban Subarea – The urban subarea has all manner and sizes of public and civic land uses. Regional parks, neighborhood parks, schools, libraries, and religious institutions are all scattered throughout the urban subarea. Public and civic uses generally add to an area’s quality of life, increasing the ability to attract and maintain jobs and promoting different modes of mobility.
  • First Ring Suburb and Suburban Subareas – The first ring and suburban subareas also provide all types of public and civic uses. There are a few larger religious institutions and golf courses that may draw regionally, but most public and civic uses are oriented towards service the needs of the city or neighborhood in which they are located. Some cities, such as Crestview Hills, do not have parks within their city boundaries. Residents in these areas have their needs met by the facilities in the surrounding cities and region.
  • Rural Subarea – The rural subarea has fewer public and civic uses. Uses that are present include a lot of religious institutions and government buildings (post office, maintenance garages, etc.). There are a couple of religious institutions along KY 16 that are large enough to have a regional draw, but for the most part the public and civic uses exist to serve the local rural community.

PDS staff obtained public input from various community engagement efforts within the urban, first ring suburban, suburban, and rural sub areas of the county. PDS staff identified the subject areas within the elements for more in-depth community input and compiled them into a survey board. This survey board was available at various community events to intercept public input surrounding the comprehensive plan update initiatives. The elements and subject areas are shown in Figure 3. 

Each response was placed within a subarea, element, and subject area. The reoccurring themes were availability of housing for all incomes and generations, improving neighborhood parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities, and road improvements. The following was collected from respondents as the most important subjects per subarea:

  • Urban Subarea – Public input from respondents within the urban area had a strong interest in improving:
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • Neighborhood parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities Element)
    • The encouragement for mixed use neighborhoods (Land Use Element)
    • Pedestrian connectivity (Mobility Element)
  • First Ring Suburb Subarea – Public input from respondents within the first ring suburban area had a strong interest in improving:    
    • Neighborhood parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities)
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • Roads (Mobility Element)
    • Improve pedestrian connectivity (Mobility Element)
  • Suburban Subarea – Public input from respondents within the suburban subarea had a strong interest in improving:
    • Neighborhood parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities Element)
    • The protection of natural resources (Environment Element)
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • Roads (Mobility)
  • Rural Subarea – Public input from respondents within the rural subarea had a strong interest in improving:
    • The balance of preservation of agricultural land with new development (Land Use Element)
    • The protection of natural resources (Environment Element)
    • Roads (Mobility)
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)

Another round of public input was obtained by the consultants involved with the comprehensive plan initiatives. The consultants reached out virtually to various stakeholders within the subareas. The information gathered did not differ from the above community responses.

  • Urban Subarea – Stakeholder input from respondents within the urban area had a strong interest in improving:
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • The attraction of businesses that provide desirable work opportunities for a diverse community (Economy Element)
    • Better distribution of social services (Community Facilities)
    • The preservation of parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities)
    • Roads (Mobility)
  • First Ring Suburb Subarea – Stakeholder input from respondents within the first ring suburban area had a strong interest in improving:   
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • The attraction of businesses that provide desirable work opportunities for a diverse community (Economy Element)
    • Better distribution of social services (Community Facilities)
    • The preservation of parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities)
    • Roads (Mobility)
  • Suburban Subarea – Stakeholder input from respondents within the suburban subarea had a strong interest in improving:
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • The attraction of businesses that provide desirable work opportunities for a diverse community (Economy Element)
    • The preservation of parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities)
    • The encouragement for mixed use neighborhoods (Land Use Element)
  • Rural Subarea – Stakeholder input from respondents within the rural subarea had a strong interest in improving:
    • The support agricultural businesses (Economy Element)
    • The balance of preservation of agricultural land with new development (Land Use Element)
    • The protection of natural resources (Environment Element)
    • Roads (Mobility Element)
    • The availability of housing for all incomes and generations (Housing Element)
    • The preservation of parks, greenways, trails, and playgrounds for all abilities (Community Facilities)

Understanding the existing land use within the county allows the evaluation of current conditions of the county and proves helpful in policy decision making and the planning processes. By summarizing the existing land uses and public input obtained within Kenton County, decision makers can plan accordingly for their communities to ensure future generations can thrive. Public input is a driving factor for the needs of the community especially in a post Covid-19 era where the public is actively voicing the common national trends seen in modern community planning research.

  1. USA Facts. (2023). Our Changing Population: Kenton County, Kentucky. https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/kentucky/county/kenton-county/
  2. Kenton County Property Valuation Administration, Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, & LINK-GIS
  3. Bereitschaft, B. & Scheller, D. (2020, November 4). How Might the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect 21st Century Urban Design, Planning, and Development? https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/4/4/56
  4. United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2017).  https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Kentucky/cp21117.pdf
  5. National Association of Home Builders. (2021, September 10). Community Planning in a Post-COVID World. https://www.nahb.org/blog/2021/09/community-planning-in-a-post-covid-world/
  6.