Calvert City officials are closer to annexing Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park in hopes of bringing alcohol sales to the State Resort Park.
City leaders expect to introduce a long-planned annexation ordinance within the next few weeks.
Calvert City Mayor Lynn Jones says city leaders hoped to introduce the ordinance in mid-April but there have been some delays in getting the proper paperwork from the Kentucky Parks Department.
“The state is now reviewing their deeds to give us the metes-and-bounds description, which is the engineering description for the property to be annexed, so we’re now waiting on them to complete that task," said Jones. "They were somewhat setback by the unavailability of their surveying team and their engineers to get that earlier on but they’re now working on that. It’s being evaluated as we speak.”
Along with the metes-and-bounds description, the state will be sending a letter of request for annexation, effectively waiving the 60 day period for public comment usually required for city ordinances.
If the city approves annexation, KDV businesses will be eligible to apply for liquor licenses thanks to a 2011 law allowing state parks to sell alcohol by-the-drink in communities that were already wet or moist.
Jones hopes that amenity for will help to expand expanded marketing for the park, which will in turn boost tourism to the area.
"We don't care too much about that revenue," said Jones. "Its the amenity and the proof of the park to market itself and make it available to larger groups. We're excited to provide the amenity to them in order to make that happen."
Jones says barring any delays, the city plans to give the ordinance its first reading at the next council meeting May 12th and follow up with a second reading at a special meeting within 72 hours.