This week in NKY government meetings, Cold Spring will discuss restaurants proposed for the Cold Spring Pointe and Cold Spring Town Center developments.
Keep reading to find out what happened in local government over the past week and what you need to know for this week.
What happened last week in NKY government
Newport superintendent search advances with 12 applicants
Newport Independent Schools is considering 12 applicants for its next superintendent, following a special Jan. 7 meeting where the Board of Education outlined desired leadership qualities and introduced the superintendent search committee. The application window closed Jan. 5, yielding seven in-state and five out-of-state candidates—nine men and three women—including two current superintendents, three central office administrators, three principals and four others, according to the Kentucky School Boards Association, which is consulting on the search.
Read more about the new superintendent search here.
QuikTrip eyes former Frisch’s in Florence for 2nd Kentucky store
QuikTrip is seeking to expand into Boone County with a proposed convenience store and gas station at 6808 Burlington Pike in Florence, redeveloping the former Frisch’s Big Boy site at the busy intersection of Burlington Pike and Turfway Road. The Boone County Planning Commission held a public hearing Jan. 9 to consider amending an approved concept development plan for the two-acre, commercially zoned property, which would be QuikTrip’s second location in Kentucky. The plan calls for demolishing the vacant restaurant and constructing a 6,445-square-foot store with a fuel canopy, 14 fueling stations, and other amenities, while maintaining existing access points.
Read more about the QuickTrip here.
Campbell County to buy specialized equipment for AJ Jolly Lake project
Campbell County has approved seeking bids to purchase two major pieces of equipment—an amphibious excavator and a tracked rotating dump truck—to support the ongoing AJ Jolly Lake dredging and dam rehabilitation project, which is expected to continue through 2026. The $10 million project aims to ensure the long-term safety and stability of the 200-acre lake and its dam, which has suffered from decades of sediment buildup and declining water levels, and includes nearly $3.1 million in dredging work being done in-house to save money. County officials said purchasing the specialized equipment is more cost-effective than renting and provides long-term value for future projects.
Read more about the equipment purchases here.
How’s the progress on Erlanger’s Eons Park?
Early work on Erlanger’s Eons Adventure Park is taking shape, with city leaders and community members touring newly completed and near-finished areas around Houston Road and Sycamore Tree Lane, close to the site of the park’s October 2024 groundbreaking. The most visible feature so far is the dog park, where grading, drainage, sidewalks and a concrete pad for two paddocks are complete, fencing is forthcoming, and a large mural painted by Dixie Heights High School students now anchors the space, with a spring ribbon cutting planned.
Read more about the park’s progress here.
Sidewalk construction on Narrows Road in Erlanger moves forward
Erlanger is moving forward with long-awaited safety and infrastructure improvements to Narrows Road after city council approval this week, clearing the way for new sidewalks and roadway upgrades. Mayor Jessica Fette said the city has secured the required easements to construct a sidewalk from Brightleaf Boulevard to the Southwick development near the fire station, while also repaving Narrows Road from Brightleaf to Richardson Road. To improve traffic safety during and after construction, the city will add new three-way and four-way stops, reduce speed limits on affected streets to 25 mph, and adjust traffic controls. The project will be advertised for bids starting this week, with bidding expected to begin Jan. 29 and completion anticipated by the end of fiscal year 2026.
Read more about the sidewalk construction here.
Kenton County Planning Commission backs Ludlow Schools’ proposed indoor athletic facility
The Kenton County Planning Commission has endorsed a proposal from the Ludlow Independent School District to build a roughly 9,800-square-foot indoor athletic practice facility across from James Rigney Memorial Stadium on a half-acre site along Adela Avenue. Presented Jan. 6, the plan calls for removing an existing maintenance building and storage containers and replacing them with a public indoor practice facility featuring multiple entrances, pedestrian connections to surrounding streets, ADA-accessible ramps, and limited on-site parking. Although the property is zoned residential with a historic preservation overlay, public facilities such as schools and recreation centers are conditionally permitted, and planners said the project would complement nearby athletic amenities, better utilize the underused site, and serve as a connector between the stadium and Ludlow Memorial Park.
Read more about the indoor facility here.
Independence defers to police to address parking concerns
Independence city leaders are asking Police Chief Brian Ferayroni and his department to develop initial recommendations for revising the city’s parking ordinances after a resident raised concerns about inconsistent enforcement and unclear definitions. The issue was prompted by Manor Hill resident Dan Burgey, who argued that current language—particularly a provision prohibiting vehicles from being parked in “any one place” for more than 72 hours—makes enforcement difficult and conflicts with other sections defining abandoned vehicles. Mayor Chris Reinersman said the police department’s review would be the first step before the City Council considers broader changes, as Ferayroni noted existing contradictions within the code. No formal action was taken, but the council is expected to revisit potential updates to the parking regulations in the coming months.
Read more about the parking concerns here.
More renovations approved for Kenton County Schools
The Kenton County Schools Board of Education has approved a new round of major renovation projects totaling about $29.9 million at Taylor Mill Elementary and Ryland Heights Elementary. The Taylor Mill project, estimated at $18.1 million overall, is in the early design phase and will focus primarily on replacing the school’s aging HVAC system, along with a new roof and interior upgrades to bathrooms, classrooms and other spaces, with work expected to begin in the spring and last 16 to 18 months. Meanwhile, renovations at Ryland Heights Elementary—estimated at $11.8 million—are further along and include roof and HVAC replacements, interior updates to older portions of the building, and exterior improvements, with the district aiming to bid the project this month and complete construction by year’s end. District officials said neither project is expected to require student displacement.
Read more about the renovations here.
Whitewater Car Wash seeks approval to replace former Frisch’s in Burlington
Whitewater Car Wash is seeking Boone County Planning Commission approval to expand into Northern Kentucky by redeveloping a 1.4-acre site at 1731 Jones Circle in Burlington, where it plans to demolish a vacant former Frisch’s Big Boy and build a 4,375-square-foot automated car wash. The proposal, which includes a 126-foot wash tunnel, multiple pay stations and vacuum spaces, has drawn discussion primarily around traffic impacts near congested KY-18, especially given nearby retail activity. While some residents expressed concerns during a public hearing, project representatives and commissioners argued the car wash would likely generate less peak-hour traffic than the former restaurant use. After reviewing the proposal, the planning commission’s zone change committee advanced the project to the full commission for a Jan. 7 discussion, after which it could move to the Boone County Fiscal Court for final zoning approval.
Read more about the proposed car wash here.
What’s happening this week in NKY government?
Cold Spring City Council meeting: Monday, Jan. 12
The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at 5694 E. Alexandria Pike.
The agenda can be found here.
Fort Mitchell city council meeting: Monday, Jan. 12
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 2355 Dixie Highway.
Newport City Commission meeting: Monday, Jan. 12
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 998 Monmouth St.
The agenda can be found here.
Park Hills City Council meeting: Monday, Jan. 12
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 1106 Amsterdam Road.
The agenda can be found here.
Crescent Springs City Council: Monday, Jan. 12
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 739 Buttermilk Pike.
The agenda can be found here.
Campbell County Planning and Zoning meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 1098 Monmouth St. in Newport.
The agenda can be found here.
Boone County Fiscal Court meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at 2950 Washington St. in Burlington.
The agenda can be found here.
Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at 5272 Madison Pike in Independence.
The agenda can be found here.
Covington Commission meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 20 West Pike St.
The agenda can be found here.
Dayton City Council meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 625 2nd Ave.
The agenda can be found here.
Elsmere City Council meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 3921 Dixie Highway.
The agenda can be found here.
Florence City Council meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 8100 Ewing Blvd.
The agenda can be found here.
Walton City Commission meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 13
The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at 40 North Main St.
The agenda can be found here.
Bellevue City Council meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 14
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 322 Van Voast.
The agenda can be found here.
Taylor Mill City Council meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 14
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 5225 Taylor Mill Road.
The agenda can be found here.
Cold Spring Planning and Zoning meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 14
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 5694 East Alexandria Pike.
What you need to know: The commission will discuss two restaurant proposals at the Cold Spring Town Center development location (former DAV site) and one at the Cold Spring Pointe location (where Publix is locating.)
Read more about the Cold Spring Town Center here.
Read more about Cold Spring Pointe here.
The agenda can be found here.
Boone County Board of Education: Thursday, Jan. 15
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 99 Center St. in Florence.
The agenda can be found here.
Alexandria City Council: Thursday, Jan. 15
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 8236 West Main St.
The agenda can be found here.