NKY Port Authority approves new policy requiring projects to adhere to local jurisdictions’ standards


Staff report

The Northern Kentucky (NKY) Port Authority Board of Directors approved a new policy Tuesday that will require development projects on behalf of private users to follow local jurisdiction standards.

“The NKY Port Authority has followed local development standards in our current projects in the City of Covington,” said J.B. Lind, NKY Port Board Chair.

“This policy passed unanimously because we as a board believe partnership with our local communities is integral to the Port’s success as an economic development tool for Northern Kentucky.”

The full policy reads:

In exercising its statutory capabilities to benefit facilities operated by private users, the Port Authority shall require that such users comply with the development requirements applicable to other privately held facilities in the applicable jurisdiction or political subdivision. In addition, the Port Authority will continue to proactively work with communities in which it has active projects to schedule regular updates, as appropriate, with staff and the governing body. 

BE NKY Growth Partnership activated the NKY Port Authority in 2022 with funding from the Build + Elevate NKY investor campaign. As an initiative of the campaign, the NKY Port works to identify, control, prepare, and promote sites for subsequent private commercial and industrial development and redevelopment that exceeds community employment and wage targets.

A managed entity of BE NKY Growth Partnership, the Northern Kentucky Port Authority was formed as a Special Purpose Governmental Entity by the Fiscal Courts of Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in 1968 under the provisions of KRS 65.510 to 65.650.

The City of Covington’s commission has been critical for some time of the Port Authority’s lack of adherence to the “requirements of Covington’s Neighborhood Development code, historic preservation standards, public real streetscape design standards and infrastructure requirements.” The mayor had suggested a resolution from the commission but later put the resolution on hold because discussions between the two entities were “progressing.”

With the Port Authority’s action Tuesday, that issue appears to be put to rest.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *