Despite a recommendation for denial from planning staff, Murphy’s Investments received unanimous approval Thursday to rezone property on KY 81 — clearing the way for a major expansion that will consolidate its trucking, excavating, and transportation operations into a single site. Company leaders said the move is driven by rapid growth and a need for more space.
Attorney Travis Holtrey, speaking on behalf of Murphy’s Investments, Murphy’s Excavating, and Murphy’s Transportation, said the businesses have outgrown their current West 4th Street location and need space to consolidate operations. The proposed use for the new site at 3010 KY 81 includes a 10,000-square-foot facility for equipment maintenance and operations, along with 2,000 square feet of office space. Holtrey said approximately 30 employees would report to the site daily, and 20 trucks would be parked overnight, with 15 in regular use.
“We’re just growing,” said Jamie Murphy. “The trucking business is growing quite a bit, and we need more employees, more offices, more parking. That’s the biggest thing — not just the trucks, but the guys driving them.”
Murphy said the company has operated in Owensboro for about 25 years and wants to remain rooted in the community.
“We want to get everything in one spot for communication, just to make it easier,” he said. “Right now, our lot is completely full of trucks. The guys are literally parking a block away and can’t safely get inside.”
OMPC planning staff recommended denial of the rezoning request, citing concerns that the proposal does not comply with the comprehensive plan and noting that surrounding properties are zoned agricultural or residential. However, Holtrey argued the site is flanked by two major public entities — Daviess County Public Works and the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport — both of which carry out industrial-type operations despite their agricultural zoning.
“There can be no reasonable or credible rebuttal to the fact that [Public Works] is serving an industrial use,” Holtrey said, citing stockpiles of storm pipes, construction equipment, and large-scale operations on the neighboring site.
Murphy acknowledged that he expected initial staff resistance but was hopeful the commission would consider the full context.
“We already knew it was going to get denied off the bat,” he said, “but we were hoping with some logical reasoning it would pass. We’re not trying to be a burden.”
The only concern raised ahead of the meeting came from nearby property owner John Kuegel, who was concerned about drainage. Holtrey said that the issue could be addressed during site development.
Taylor Franklin, district permit engineer with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, indicated a traffic study was not required due to the scope of the project.
OMPC Commissioner Irvin Rogers made the motion to approve the rezoning, with a second from Bill Weikel. The motion passed unanimously.
Murphy said that while the property has now been approved for rezoning, the company likely won’t break ground for at least a year.
“We’ll probably start working on plans very soon, but it’ll be a year at least before anything really happens,” he said.
The applicant agreed to all conditions listed by staff, including a single access point on KY 81, setbacks, buffering, and compliance with all applicable site development regulations. There is a 21-day window for an appeal to be filed.
