This week in NKY government meetings, Fort Thomas will discuss a request for qualifications for a forensic audit and hear a presentation of the 2024-2025 annual financial report.
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
Bellevue moves to curb bamboo spread with proposed ordinance
The Bellevue City Council held the first reading of a proposed invasive plant species ordinance Wednesday night after residents raised concerns about the rapid spread of bamboo. Ordinance 2026-01-02 would adopt the Kentucky Invasive Plant Council List—including all bamboo species and severe threats like kudzu and Japanese honeysuckle—while formally defining the city’s “Massachusetts Rule,” which allows property owners to cut vegetation back to their property line even if it kills the plant. Existing invasive plants would be grandfathered in under strict conditions such as required containment fencing and possible $200 fines for overgrowth, with property owners also liable for removal costs if plants spread onto public land. Bamboo would face especially strict limits, as it could not be replanted once damaged or removed. City Attorney Dave Fessler noted the ordinance was modeled after Newport’s regulations, and a final vote is scheduled for Feb. 11.
Read more about the ordinance here.
Chick-fil-A approved for Cold Spring Pointe development
Cold Spring Planning and Zoning unanimously approved plans on Jan. 14 for a Chick-fil-A with a drive-thru at the Cold Spring Pointe mixed-use development across from the Meijer Shopping Center. The 1.49-acre site will feature a roughly 5,000-square-foot restaurant with 70 indoor seats and 16 outdoor seats, double drive-thru lanes, and internal access from within the development, which already includes projects such as Publix, Five Below, Wawa, Chase Bank, Hobby Lobby, and Marshalls. Developers plan to begin construction in the spring with a targeted fall opening, aided by overlapping zoning and building plan reviews to accelerate the timeline. Officials said Chick-fil-A’s internal traffic design is intended to keep drive-thru stacking on-site, improve pedestrian safety, and prevent congestion from spilling into surrounding businesses.
Read more about the Chick-fil-A here.
Dayton city council hears presentation on fostering
Dayton City Council’s Jan. 12 meeting highlighted Northern Kentucky’s growing need for foster families, with representatives from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services sharing data that shows 8,692 children are in out-of-home care statewide, including 172 in Campbell County alone. Jennifer Wehe and Tiesha Elmer have been visiting communities since August to raise awareness about fostering options, which include traditional foster care as well as relative and fictive kin care, where children are placed with family members or trusted adults they already know. Both options require background checks, fingerprinting, and training, and offer supports such as per diem payments, adoption tax credits, and tuition waivers. Officials also encouraged residents who cannot foster to help by donating items, especially gift cards for teens, or by spreading awareness, emphasizing the importance of keeping local children in Dayton whenever possible.
Read more about the fostering presentation here.
Gold Star, 7 Brew approved for Cold Spring Town Center
Cold Spring Planning and Zoning unanimously approved plans for a Gold Star Chili and a 7 Brew coffee shop at the Cold Spring Town Center development, located at 3725 Alexandria Pike at the intersection with Industrial Road. The approvals add to a growing list of tenants at the site, which already includes McAlister’s Deli, First Watch, Cincinnati Children’s, and The Christ Hospital Health Network. The 7 Brew, approved for Outlot B, will be a roughly 743-square-foot prefabricated building on 0.86 acres with limited indoor seating, outdoor seating, a walk-up window, and two drive-thru lanes plus a bypass lane designed to handle more traffic than the Newport location, addressing prior congestion concerns. Gold Star Chili was approved for Outlot C and will feature a 2,623-square-foot restaurant on 1.11 acres with seating for about 60 people, a drive-thru, and a shared internal driveway connection with 7 Brew, a design element city officials said they encourage to improve site connectivity.
Read more about the developments here.
Boone County selects firm to design safety improvements along Camp Ernst
Boone County has selected Cincinnati-based firm Gresham Smith to design safety and capacity improvements along 4.11 miles of Camp Ernst Road, from the Pleasant Valley roundabout on KY 237 to KY 536, in response to increased traffic from residential growth. Chosen from four bidders following a competitive RFP process, Gresham Smith will handle roadway design, supporting studies, cost estimates, public engagement, and utility and environmental impact reviews for what county officials say is the most hazardous road in Boone County, based on a local road safety plan evaluating multiple risk factors. The project builds on a 2025 agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which committed $1 million toward design work and allowed the county to manage the project, with hopes that full reconstruction will be included in the state’s six-year road plan. County officials estimate construction could still be four to five years away but emphasized the importance of beginning the design process now to address long-standing safety concerns.
Read more about the safety improvements here.
Residents call for an end to ICE cooperation in Kenton County
Several Northern Kentucky residents urged Kenton County Fiscal Court on Jan. 13 to end the county detention center’s agreement to house ICE detainees, citing concerns about community safety, fear among immigrant neighbors, and recent high-profile incidents involving ICE nationwide. Five speakers called for termination of the county’s 287(g) agreement, which allows local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, noting Kenton County only began housing ICE detainees last year, later than neighboring counties. While commissioners did not directly respond, County Jailer Marc Fields reiterated that detainees are treated the same as all inmates and emphasized the financial benefits of the program, which brings in significantly higher daily reimbursement rates from the federal government and has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars since implementation. Commissioner Joe Nienaber later praised the operation of the detention center, underscoring the divide between residents’ concerns and county officials’ focus on facility management and revenue.
Read more about the residents call to action here.
Newport considers changing portion of Central Avenue to ‘Ovation Way’
Newport officials are considering renaming a roughly 90-foot stretch of Central Avenue, located between West 3rd Street and the floodwall, to Ovation Way to better align with existing signage and street names within the Ovation development. City staff said the section is already commonly known as Ovation Way and that the mismatch has caused confusion for drivers, navigation apps, and mapping systems, an issue made more urgent by the recent closure of the 4th Street Bridge. The city commission held a first reading of the proposed change at its Jan. 12 meeting, emphasizing that the roadway would remain a public right-of-way and not be transferred to the developer. Officials and commissioners noted the limited scope of the change and said the update would improve wayfinding and consistency as redevelopment continues in the area.
Read more about the road name change here.
What’s happening this week in NKY government?
Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday, therefore city council meetings originally scheduled for this day have either been canceled or rescheduled to Tuesday.
Fort Thomas City Council: Tuesday, Jan. 20
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 130 North Fort Thomas Ave.
What you need to know: The council will hear a presentation of the 2024/2025 annual financial report (audit.) The city will also discuss a request for qualifications for a forensic audit. Fort Thomas Mayor Andy Ellison will give a state of the city address.
The agenda can be found here.
Campbell County Board of Education: Tuesday, Jan. 20
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 51 Orchard Lane in Alexandria.
The agenda can be found here.
Covington Commission caucus meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 20
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 20 West Pike St.
The agenda can be found here.
Erlanger City Council meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 20
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 505 Commonwealth Ave.
The agenda can be found here.
Florence City Council caucus meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 20
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 8100 Ewing Blvd.
The agenda can be found here.
Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 21
The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at 1098 Monmouth St. in
Newport.
The agenda can be found here.
Fort Wright city caucus meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 21
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 409 Kyles Lane.
The agenda can be found here.
Southgate City Council meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 21
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 122 Electric Ave.
Villa Hills City Council meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 21
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at 719 Rodgers Road.
Ludlow City Council special meeting: Thursday, Jan. 22
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 51 Elm St.
The agenda can be found here.