The City of Union will take up electric bikes for the first time July 27, when commissioners meet for a special session at 5 p.m. at the Union City Building, 1843 Bristow Drive.
The e-bike discussion lands on the agenda after resident Ralph Shey raised the issue at the June 1, commission meeting. Shey, who lives in the Villas of Fowlers Creek, told commissioners that "young people riding their electric bikes through the Promenade development was also a concern," alongside complaints about missing stop signs and signage in the area.
Kentucky regulation 601 KAR 14:020 classifies e-bikes the same as standard bicycles, leaving cities like Union to set their own rules on where and how they're ridden. Whether Monday's discussion leads to a formal ordinance, a policy change, or simply an information-gathering session has not been announced.
The meeting's legislative business centers on Ordinance No. 2026-10, the second and final reading of the Union Acres rezoning. If approved, the ordinance would rezone roughly 22.2 acres at 9944 Old Union Road from a mix of agricultural, rural suburban, and town center designations to Suburban Residential Three/Union Town Overlay (SR-3/UTO).
Drees Homes, the applicant, presented the project at the June 1 meeting through Development Manager Matt Mains. The plan calls for 135 for-sale units: 29 townhomes and 106 condominiums on land between Hathaway Road and Old Union Road. The proposed density of six units per acre falls below the eight-unit maximum allowed under the Boone County Comprehensive Plan. A homeowners association would maintain building exteriors and handle snow plowing; the city would maintain streets. Only 10% of units could be rented.
The Boone County Planning Commission recommended approval. The ordinance received its first reading at the July 6 regular meeting.
Mayor Larry Solomon will preside. Commissioners John Mefford, Doug Bine, George Eldridge, and Kim Tuyn round out the five-member board. At the June 1 meeting, Commissioners Tuyn, Eldridge, and Mefford expressed support for the Union Acres development; Commissioner Bine reserved his opinion pending further review.
Also on the agenda is a Code of Conduct discussion, though the city has not specified what the review will cover.
The meeting is open to the public under the Kentucky Open Meetings Act, though attendees are not guaranteed time to speak.
Upcoming meetings
- Monday, August 3, 2026, 6 p.m. — Regular City Commission meeting, 1843 Bristow Drive
- Monday, August 17, 2026, 6 p.m. — Caucus/Commission meeting, 1843 Bristow Drive
