Truck staging and truck parking have been on the minds of the Boone County Fiscal Court throughout the month of April.
Specifically, the court has confronted questions about how to solve the county’s truck parking issue, which stems from its burgeoning logistics sector generated by cargo movement along Interstate-75 and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
During a meeting on April 8, the court kicked off a discussion about whether to alter — or create — a new definition of commercial parking within the Boone County Zoning Code. The fiscal court first instructed county staff to research the definition change in December 2024.
The issue stemmed from a 2022 request by Chavez Properties to restripe its parking lot at 631 Petersburg Road. Chavez Properties owns and operates Fast Park & Relax near the CVG. Martin Chavez, the company’s managing partner, told the fiscal court that all types of vehicles are allowed to park in their lot, including cars, pickup trucks, commercial vehicles, and semi trucks.
Ultimately, the planning commission denied the request to restripe the lot on the grounds that truck parking was not a permitted use, according to Chavez. The commission then recommended that Chavez obtain a special use permit to be considered a truck stop despite not fitting into the prototypical definition of a truck stop.
Fast Park is primarily used for long-term personal vehicle parking for people flying out of CVG. Typical truck stops often feature large convenience stores, gas pumps and parking for commercial vehicles; think Love’s or Pilot/Flying J stations.
“I personally think that saying that there is no problem and there is nothing to do about it – at least at this juncture, is perhaps not necessarily the full explanation,” Chavez said.
More recently, Chavez was instructed that in addition to the special use permit, Chavez Properties also needs to get the parcel rezoned to Industrial-1. Currently, Fast Park is zoned as Commercial-3.
I-1 designates areas for light industrial uses, including wholesale and warehousing, as well as manufacturing, assembly, and processing of materials that do not create significant pollution. Essentially, the purpose of an I-1 district is to support industrial activities outlined by the county’s comprehensive plan.
“My only point here is that we’re just looking for a little bit more clarity, a little bit more consistency,” Chavez said. “We’ve got a business that employs people. We’re a member of the community and we want to continue that long-term partnership, but we need, like any business, like any stakeholder, we just need a little bit of visibility, a little bit of clarity on what we have to do in order to become compliant.”
Loren Wolff, an attorney representing Chavez Properties, said she believed the easiest short-term fix would be for Boone County to include trucks and cars within the zoning code’s definition of commercial parking.
The Boone County Zoning Code defines commercial parking as facilities intended or used for the off-street parking of operable motor vehicles on a temporary basis, other than accessory to a principal use.
Commissioner Chet Hand asked if there could be a commercial truck specific definition created in the short-term to solve the issue brought forth by Chavez Properties.
“I’m very interested in trying to come up with a solution for them (Chavez) in the short-term, so that’s why I’m wondering, maybe out future conversation could address two things; what do we think the long-term solution should be, and secondly, what are some creative solutions for the Chavez property in the short-term,” Hand said.
Michael Schwartz, Boone County’s zoning administrator, suggested that the zoning code would be updated after the county adopts a new comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan is currently being updated. Once approved, Schwartz said the zoning code will be improved, allowing for the new definition Hand inquired about.
Timing became a focus of the deliberations. Schwartz stated that he felt as though the issue could be resolved after the comprehensive plan is adopted, which he expects could take around one year to complete. Regarding Chavez Properties, Schwartz felt it was appropriate for the company to go through the usual special use permit and the zone change process.
Ultimately, the fiscal court’s goals are to create more truck parking while avoiding an overly burdensome regulatory environment. In addition, the fiscal court wants regulations on where truck parking will be allowed in the county, which can be achieved through updating the zoning code. Still, the issue comes back to timing.
The following fiscal court meeting on April 22, Boone County Administrator Matthew Webster said the court could follow the schedule suggested by Schwartz, or make a motion to direct staff to initiate its own zoning text amendment that would eventually go through the planning commission and fiscal court’s approval process.
Hand and Commissioner Jesse Brewer publicly favored creating a new classification.
“If we know we have a defined, specific need – parking trucks – let’s create whatever that zoning classification or conditional use is in order to have that. However, we get there, that’s my thought on it,” Hand said.
Webster said he would invite Schwartz to a future meeting in order to discuss details about a potential new zoning classification for truck parking.
