Zoning › State preemptions › Kentucky

Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) — Designated Nature Preserves & T&E Habitat (KY)

Tracked preemption from the Kentucky overlay bundle.

Overview

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Effective
1976-06-19
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:KY
Other Kentucky preemptions
2024 HB 443 — Objective-Standards / Ministerial-Application MandateKRS 65.490 et seq. — Tax Increment Financing (Local Development Areas)KRS 67C / Ky. Const. §156a — Louisville Metro Consolidated Local GovernmentKRS Chapter 224A / 224.01-400 — Brownfield Voluntary Environmental RemediationKRS 100.348 — Manufactured Housing Anti-Exclusion & Parity (2025 HB 160)KRS Chapter 350 / SMCRA — Surface Coal Mining Regulation & Mountaintop RemovalKRS 146.200 et seq. — Kentucky Wild Rivers SystemKRS 224.71 et seq. — Wetlands & Waters of the Commonwealth (KPDES §401 Certification)

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

OR
  • parcel.in_designated_state_nature_preserve == True
  • parcel.contains_state_t_and_e_species_habitat == True
  • parcel.in_oknp_registered_natural_area == True

Preempted fields

2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
base_districts[*].nature_preserve_development_standardsoverrideoknp_perpetuity_protectionKRS 146.450: dedicated nature preserves protected in perpetuity; alteration requires governor-approved change of dedication and finding of imperative and unavoidable public necessity
review_typerequireoknp_t_and_e_consultationKY threatened & endangered species (KRS 150.183; 301 KAR 3:061) — consultation with Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources where state-listed habitat present

Citation

Authority source
KRS §§146.410 through 146.535 (Kentucky Nature Preserves Act); KRS §150.183 (T&E species); 301 KAR Ch. 3 (KDFWR endangered species regulations); reorganization of KSNPC into OKNP under EEC (~2018)
§ KRS §§146.410–146.535; KRS §150.183
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=39926

Research notes

Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP, formerly Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission KSNPC, reorganized ~2018) under the Energy and Environment Cabinet. 70+ dedicated nature preserves statewide (Bad Branch Falls — Letcher Co.; Blanton Forest — Harlan Co., one of largest old-growth tracts in KY; Pilot Knob — Powell Co.; Lilley Cornett Woods — Letcher Co.; Three Ponds — Calloway Co.; Brigadoon — Barren Co.). Pairs with federal ESA where federally listed species occur (Indiana bat, gray bat, running buffalo clover, Kentucky cave shrimp, etc.) — federal conflict check applies via USFWS §7 / §10 consultation for federally-nexused projects.