test those are the kind, if you know anything about raven run, you'll know they spent a lot of money to get rid of honeysuckle and a lot of people trying to preserve areas try to get rid of it. It is an invasive species and that's the jungle that has grown up in the areas that appear to be trees, tree covered today that were not there in 2002. Now I'd like to turn it over to phil. He is going to talk. One other thing I would like to mention where we are tonight, a lot of the issues that bill mentioned or at least some of the issues bill mentioned that occupied a lot of time with the planning commission, the development plan items, location of streets, layout of lots in relation to streets, all paths, bike ways, walk ways, that is a, those are all development plan items under state law and according to the ordinance. Now I'm not putting the conditional zoning conditions in that category the things to the exact location of a pathway, the flay tur of the streets, those are development plan items not part of the zone change. >> good evening. I'm phil, with H.R. Green and land planner. Done a lot of work in kentucky and in about tent states around the country and also in a lot of growth boundary cities like lexington portland, boulder, colorado, miami, minneapolis. The reason I mention that is there are common themes that come out of urban growth boundary cities. there are not many other cities like that in the united states. First of all maximizing infill sites this is truly an infill site. There are not many pieces of property like this left in the city. Usually we have to knock down buildings or something like that. Many cases we are getting rid of golf courses and turning them into development. This is a unique opportunity all of us need to be aware of that in the concept of urban growth boundary if you debit develop it and do higher density and have population, it goes to the outer edges. You have beautiful horse farms here that I've visited from the time I was a kid that are awesome. The whole concept that you guys have created which I applaud you for is to keep the population and growth within the urban service boundary to grow the urban core. That's a great concept. This site is perfect for this. Providing a mix of housing mentioned by staff. This is going to have apartments, town homes, single family detached, retirees, millennials, families. That's exactly what you would want in infill property so you are trying to reduce vehicle miles traveled. I flew over atlanta this morning and looking at the sprawl capitol of the world and there are extending sewer lines and roads out to the ends of the earth around thrant you don't do that here. you make the most of it, maximize the potential of it. The last thing I'll mention on the slide is density. A little over seven per acre. With my working in the other cities, I know lexington is lexington, this is not another city but in relationship, six to 18 units per acre in other cities is common density. You are on the lower end of that range with this development. Again to make the most of the urban core. Last thing I want to talk about is land use. Locations and transitions you know, open here, commercial and attached product in the areas. We placed the apartments adjacent to that. Good planning to have relatable uses. As you go through here, actually open space next to some of the family detached areas right in there. And in areas like this, we have existing trees there and existing trees down through there, most of which will be preserved as good transitions. We have town homes over in this area, which is, you know, from commercial apartments to town home to family natural planning sequence there. You have the school is the center piece. That's going to be an awesome amenity to this area I have never worked on a property with three sides having a natural buffer. There is always development around infill property. You have three or four sides that's a lake and natural buffer. that's ideal for a development like this. Matching the lot to the adjacent existing here. There are eight lots adjacent so it's very similar. Less in terms of density in that area. So we have done our best to plan this logical transitions put them in the right spots and I would just strongly encourage you to think about the bigger picture in terms of the infill site and making the most of it because there are not many properties left within the urban service boundary. With that I believe nick is up next. >> I'm going to speed through this rapidly but I want to walk you through history on the property with regard to the comprehensive plan recommendations. Bill said in 1967 this was, we believe it came inside the urban service area recommended load and residential. That changed in 1973 when it became recommended for low, medium and high density residential. 1980 that switched right back to low density and every plan since 1988, 96, 2001 and 2007, it was a blend of low and medium density residential. For you all to know, the low tends to be up to five units per acre and the medium is five to 10 units per acre. As staff indicated right now we are at just above seven units per acre. In 2013 with this we went away from the comprehensive plan or with this comprehensive plan we went away from the future land use map. It is no longer a map based plan and one of the main reasons for that is that this community decided to stick with the urban service boundary as is. How many times have you heard we are growing up. We are not growing out. In order do that, you all were given flexibility. You were taken away the map that was rigid in nature and given the flexibility in order to look at issues like density and zone changes. What are we actually providing? This is an ree and ror development r-3 and r-4. We are expanding housing types. The comprehensive plan tells us how do that. We want die verse neighborhoods. We're providing a much needed middle school at the very heart of this development and most importantly, this is a major infill opportunity. It's been stressed before. It's going to be stressed throughout this. With the growth of lexington's population and the kind of housing stock as is, we have to take advantages of situations like we have here of 90-acres of vacant land inside the urban service boundary since 1967. Luckily the examine gives us strategies how do that. It makes sure this body and the planning commission has flexibility in housing types and densities. It allows us to provide a mix of housing types and densities and tell us to allow higher density to achieve critical mass residential. You all heard from the housing demand study that was done. We have low vacancy rates. We've had an increase in jobs since 2002. But what is very interesting is with that increase in jobs has come a decrease in fayette county workers living in fayette county. We are under 50% of fayette county workers living in fayette county. That means more traffic. It is very clear looking forward we have a population increase. Population increase means more houses and what was done in the study has projected it out in two different ways. How much housing stock do we need to add to batch this growing population. If the rates stay at the existing 51.5 home homeowner, or if they go to 54 which is traditionally where fayette county lied and most of the region lies, regardless you need a lot more single family and you need a lot more apartments. It is not true that there are vacant apartments throughout this town. The last thing I want to call on the examine it specifically calls for the need of a middle school. Fayette county observed where they need that spot. Right in the middle of giant radius bubbles. Here is the map district. If you look with jesse clark, southern, I can't read that. We are going right in the middle. Mr. Leer talked about eferl of r-3 and r-4 adjacent but I figured I would show you exactly. r-4 next to the r-4. R-4 across the water from this property. It's right across to an r-3, the r-4 is right from the r-3. There is a major chunk of r-3 right along squires road. The reason why I went this large is not to try to pull in as many circles as I possibly could but it was to show what is going on at the other reservoir. If you look up top there are major chunks of r-4 zoning on the reservoir that's closer to in town. So any type of argument that is saying that r-4 or higher density is inappropriate due to location to the reservoir is simply erroneous because it already exists here in town I'll hand it off to diane zimmerman with the traffic impact stud agree good evening. I'm diane zimmerman high meadows kentucky. I prepared the traffic study that is part of this zone change application and the highlights what we wanted to highlight from this study are the trip generation of this development and we thought it was important to break the residential trip generation from the SCHOOLth so you could see the morning peak hour residential will generate 293 peak hour trips with the school, aadditional 486 for a total of 779. The P.M. Peak hours will generate 366 trips with the school adding 144 for a total of 510 for me what is the most interesting part of the study is the multiple access points traffic has to get to the major highway system in lexington with 35% going out toward alumni drive and 35% going toward richmond road and then 50% going up e side and I can't read that one now either it makes for a nice disburgs and significant part of infill development. >> I want to tag on to the last point. This is a slide, a relatively typical development scenario around the lake where often access is limited. This happens to be one I'm familiar with. I drive it every day. Mr. Parma you'll recognize it. It's out on lake shore drive passed henry clay high school. A gated entry that can get out. Everybody else has to go past henry clay high school or take a circuitous route when it is crowded at henry clay. It is 600 some units, apartments, single family detached, every type of housing, patio homes and the like. That's not atypical. Many, many of them have one way in and one way out that is not an issue. Even has more cut through traffic than this neighborhood. This is highlighted more than what diane did. That shows you all of the different ways in and out of this area of town or almost direct routes to major arterials, two to richmond road, two to man o' war, and a single turn and you can go south on kenesaw as well. We understand the traffic is concern to the neighbors. We understand that there is cut through traffic. Probably most of us in that part of town have used it. Some, but. but the school is the big traffic generator out here and as we do with henry clay high school, you learn that two times a day during the school year that you take an alternate route. That's what people will do. History has shown that people will take an alternate route in the half hour timeframes twice a day when they need to avoid congestion around the school. >> my name is tom kimerer. I'm a forest scientist and botonist, chief scientist of venerable trees incorporated with concerned with the ancient woodlands of the bluegrass. One of the reasons we are in favor of ball homes and this project, we think infill is incredibly important for the urban service boundary. We are going to retain all healthy native trees that ever larger than three inches in diameter. We are going to retain all the snags, snags are standing dead trees and as long as they're not a safety hazard, we are going to keep them because they're very important wildlife habitat especially roosting habitat almost every time. I probably spent more time than anybody else on this property and almost every time the herons are sitting in the trees. We are going to conserve those and this is by agreement with kentucky american water also. We all know there are birds on these lakes. These birds do not interact with the shoreline. They're not going to be for the most part nesting in the trees. Not suitable habitat for most birds. These birds wander a lot. We see eagles all the time. We are probably seeing the same couple eagles over again and we see them on all the water courses. These reservoirs are basically a connected set of wed lands or water areas that the birds move around a lot. That's all have I to say. >> I want to conclude by taking you back if I could just a few qliedz to one that shows the buffer area in relation to the historic tree. That's the historic water line of trees. As you can see, the buffer area, let me go one more back. The red line is the inside of the buffer area, so everything between that and the white line, the white line is the property boundary and the lake linings the green line as I said earlier. If you look at the distance between, I'm sorry between you can see in virtually every case there is a greater distance between the property line and the water that's where the bufferrer is and you also know that the buffer is on the inside , the inside. Now this is again the historic tree line, the buffer is on the inside of the trees that you see along the boundary of the property. The other thing that I would point out that is in your packet, there are three letters from kentucky american, the last of the letters addresses something that came up in the planning commission hearing. There was a letter from a gentleman that was presented by the opposition that talked about land, pesticide, the kinds of chemicals people put on their yards. Kentucky american said it has already had to deal with this. This is a watershed of thousands of acres. They already treat for that sort of thing and this development would represent a.26%. >> does the opposition wish to cross-examine on any issues or just do your presentation. >> cross-examination. >> but you need go to the microphone please. >> nathan billings. Billings law firm for the opposition. Have I two cross-examination. Is anybody here from kentucky american water here to testify. No. I only have one Mr. Kemmer if you would come back up to the stand. Have you inspected the entire... >> Mr. Billings, even though there is only one mic, you need to get close to it. >> is that better, sir. Mr. Kemr. >> you inspected the entire 90-acres. >> some of it is so dense in honeysuckle it is hard to get through but I've done a fairly thorough sampling. >> is it your testimony that your free survey that you filed at least into the planning commission record is true and accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge and ability? >> to the best of my knowledge. I didn't inspect every tree so it wouldn't surprise me to find a few tree species that I might not have noticed. >> if there are trees that would be significant under the definition of article 26 that are not noted in your report, your report would not be accurate? >> my report was also reviewed by the urban forester and he and I are in substantial agreement about what is on the property and what is to be done. Again if we missed a couple of trees here and there, you know, we have not developed the final tree protection plan. That's not part of this part of the process. >> if there was a cherry tree on this property that would be in close competition to a state champion, would it be reflected in your report? >> there is a large cherry tree on the property. >> did you measure it. >> I don't remember the measurement. >> is it in your report? >> I don't recall. >> did you notice any sink holes in the property. >> that's not my job. >> I didn't ask you that. Did you notice any sink holes. >> I'm not qualified to make that judgment. >> that's all. >> then you can proceed to present Mr. Billings. >> clesh, could you start the clock again in. >> I think we used up a little bit of time. >> whenever you are ready, sir. Okay. Vice mayor kay, ladies and gentlemen of the urban county council, planning staff, Mr. Sahly, Mr. Leer, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Ball, Mr. Wood goodwin ladies and gentlemen of the audience, my name is nathan billings, it is my pleasure this evening to represent before you the east lake neighborhood association and hundreds and hundreds of individuals who have responded with respect to the zone change. I have limited time tonight and so I will try to keep my comments as close as I can to 30 minutes knowing that there are numerous people from the audience who also would like to comment at some point. First is I think it's important to note tonight that we are not here to oppose a development like a lot of neighborhood associations are. It's typical in my experience and I represent both owners, homeowner associations and I represent developers, that normally when a homeowner association or neighborhood association gets involved, it means that people are saying no development, no change the land, we don't want anything constructed. I'm pleased to tell you tonight that's not our stance. I'm actually excited tonight because we have, tonight, one of the few remaining large parcels of land in the urban service boundary and your decision tonight will create a legacy for the citizens of fayette county into the future. That legacy May be what ball homes is propose which had we don't think is good enough and we don't think is in agreement with the comprehensive plan, or that legacy May be a great development that allows a lot of the elements that ball homes has proposed but enhances them in a win-win situation. Specifically each of you has a notebook in front of you with 25 tabs, if you wouldn't mind opening that on the left-hand side is a proposed set of conditional zoning restrictions I'll make recommendation to you. >> with your enthusiasm and interest, please retrain from applauding. Thank you. >> second is a C.D. Of which the photos and the powerpoint will go on as well as additional photographs I won't have time in 30 minutes to submit tonight. The comprehensive plan has already been submitted. The greenway pass mer plan -- master plan, green space plan, the city of lexington and fayette county power lexington report from 2012; article 26, ordinance 32-2016. Section 1271 of the subdivision regs. The bicycle and pedestrian master plan, October 2016 storm water manual, the June 2016 storm water quality management program. The 2013 kentucky american water lexington service area comprehensive planning study. In addition, I have a number of scholarly articles and research from the university of kentucky, kentucky department of forestry, usda, and other forestry wildlife environmental and development groups. I have an expert letter from Dr. Dan potter from the university of kentucky who testifies in a copy of his letters is in your binder. And the full traffic study that was prepared in 2011 by lfucg by brad frasier with the city dated July 2011 on the squires road corridor study and we are going to come back to some of those studies in a second. Obvious to say this zone change hearing is not about a simple powerpoint, it's not about what I can say in 30 minutes or the applicant can say in 30 minutes. This zone change has a lot of information, a lot of information that's behind it. Primarily thee issues I am going to talk to you about tonight. Number one is density. Number two is conservation easement and number three is the trail easement. I have a five-year-old and seven-year-old and as we go to school every day over the last year, I have been teaching them the seven habits of highly effective people by steven covey. Habit number four is think win-win. Although when I talk about that with my kids it's usually things like how to share at the lunch table or when you are playing kick ball on the playground how everybody gets to play. As I thought about my approach to this, I realized that really when I was engaged in this last October, the neighbors and I really approached this from a think win-win process. We didn't sit down at the beginning and say absolutely no development. We are going to oppose it no matter what. We didn't sit down and say there shouldn't be any building on this lot. What we said was opposing any development isn't realistic here. This is 90 acres inside the urban service boundary. It needs to be developed. It should be developed. But at the same time great development doesn't necessarily maximize the number of lots that a developer can put on a development plan at the current proposal is in agreement with the comprehensive plan. Wonderful thing about practicing law is sometimes we have to use double negatives so let me put it another way. The zone change application does not agree with the examine. If you look at tab two, you'll see a multiple colored imprint out of our analysis of the zone change proposed with each, not selected three as their handout does, but each analysis of the comprehensive plan. At left we believe that only five of the 49 recommendations are partially satisfied. Candidly sometimes they partially satisfy a recommendation. At other times they Miss The boat all together and sometimes just not relevant. In contrast, 48 of 49 recommendations are not satisfied in whole. That's 98% failure rate. So, for example, when somebody refers to the current school model as allowing partially loaded streets and says well current school development doesn't require single loaded treats around the school that May be factually true but that doesn't mean that the comp plan doesn't recommend slowedded streets. single-loaded. I do land use as a significant part of my practice. Some of these I had never heard of and when I went through, I found significant correlations with the examine and what they say. Is my guest most people in fayette county don't know they exist and it May be that you all's council because this is only one small part of a larger job you have is aware of the manuals and what they say. So I'm going to attempt tonight to summarize some of those. Tab 3 in the books gives a brief overview of the comprehensive plan historically going back to 180. Mr. Leer is correct, this has been recommended for development for a long, long time. What is notable about the plans knowing you are not bound by the maps, they give input and guidance into what is being sought today is that the vast majority of the property is single family residential at four units per acre. Not seven. Second there is a tract for medium not high residential, medium residential which would be eight units per acre. The scope of that parcel is not the same as what they are proposing tonight it's about half it is consistent that it would be a school or common park community center throughout the comprehensive plan history. So in some, there is 134 background that says this should be single family residential with low density of four units per acre with a small area of maybe 10 or 12 acres of medium density up to eight acres per acre. I'll come back to that. At the end of tab 3 two historical articles going back 120 years talking about the importance of this lake to lexington and its residents. Density. What are we proposing? We believe there should be a maximum of 328 dwelling units on the property that would be developed. The gross acreage of that is less than 70 units. Tab 4 if you look at that describe to you the statistics that ball homes has. Here is the problem with the r-3 and r-4 zones if they're not limited for density. They can come back and significantly increase the density on this parcel. That's not acceptable. There is no r-3 zoning adjacent. They have a little, some single family homes next to it. Very small parcels therefore we believe that restricting density is appropriate and necessary under the comprehensive plan even if you don't accept my number of 32 units per on the property you should impose a development restriction for density. It doesn't matter how we develop it, it is going to cause more traffic jobs. We are not here to say don't add another single house. We are understand that is not realistic. We are not asking for that. If you look in tab five what was interesting in the slide they showed you, they didn't actually show you the change in ratings of streets that their survey showed. We think their report is right. When you look at it, 10 of 24 of the intersection will be worse, six will become failing. In the mm peak six will be worse 10 will be failing. The traffic there has doubled in less than six years. This is going add at the current proposal 1500 vehicles a day adding two trips. You have a thousand plus residents. You have win 00 school staff, 300 to 400 cars and 20 buses. Now this is the interesting thing is Mr. Leer put up a map that he said well, look at all the ways out of this development and he had this fingerly map that showed all these fingers. Tab 25 at the end of the book. I added it later. Apples to apples comparison. If you look at tab 25, there are two ways out of this development. Not 10, not 12, not 16 as the map shows. It's the exact same number he showed for his area by henry clay. I dare say if henry clay came today with two ways in or out, the council would not approve that. I don't think you should do it for 500. I'm not saying don't approve it. I'm saying let's put a limit on the density. Knowing lit have a negative impact. Tab number 6, squires road and richmond road. As a matter of fact while we were doing the zone change hearing we had three dents in less than 60 days in December and two in January in fact one of them occurred while one of our members was out there reviewing traffic in preparation for the zone change hearing in January. Another one happened the night before and knocked out power. Again if you look at tab 25, it shows you apples to apples comparison of the number number of egress and ingress of this development. Tab number 7, we believe that lexington has been significantly overbuilding multifamily and underbuilding single family. We agree that ball homes slide on density supports us. If you look at the 25 year housing projections I've pulled data from l-bar, the housing study, the pva, hay maker bean and the kentucky data center. Housing projections we need 972 single family and 822 multifamily. This funds over half of the multifamily for a single year but only one sixth of a single family. The current l-bar inventory rate is 1.74. Same as January. What that means is that we have a shortage of single family housing in fayette county. And this project can help change that by not overbuilding multifamily but put a density requirement and asking the developer to come back with more single family. What is our solution? 328 dwelling units. There is approximately 70 gross acres to develop. If you take 50 acres of single family four units per acre of 232 units. If you take 12 agers of multifamily which is was we believe the historic plan documents estimate, eight units per acre would be 96 units to a total of 328. That would give you a gross average density of 4.5 units per acre. The second issue is the conservation buffer. Let me clarify really what we are talking about here because this is not always make sense. If you look at the maps on the inside of the binder, there is a copy of the development plan. The red boundary is the zone change boundary. The pictures they showed you where the water was various depths from the tree line is when the water level is down during the winter and isn't the ordinary water level. You saw somewhere between 30 and 40 feet of mud there. That means it's not the normal water level. The normal water level, bushes, trees grow up to the normal water's edge. Our proposal is that when you come in from the property boundary, signified in our proposal by the double dark green line, you create a 50-foot conservation buffer. This is different than what ball homes said of only 25 feet. And in fact you will also hear, this I believe from a resident elersly tonight this is what elersly approved the zone. There is a distinction that in that zone change the tree limit was an inch and a half caliper tree to be preserved, no the three inches. and one of the reasons why is because at three inches you can bring in heavy equipment which compacts soil and causes other problems whereas at one and a half inch you have to use non-damaging ways to deal with vegetation. Further, our proposal doesn't seek to protect all of the things like the pear or bush honeysuckle that are invasive species. Those things can be thinned out and replaced. In fact if you look at all those, those are on the far inside of the property which is exactly where the houses and school are going to be built. That's what we want to happen. It's the outside of the property where you saw the tall significant tree stands and tree lines we are trying to preserve. If you look at tab 8. In the 2002 greenway master plan, it identified this area as being environmentally sensitive. It contains sink holes, 100-year flood plain, significant tree stands and other things. As a matter of fact I believe you'll hear from somebody tonight who has been out there and seen the sink holes that exist, seen the significant tree stands. The reason that if you look to the second slide of tab 8, a conservation buffer has been proposed and you will see it in your slide as a light green, is because they knew in the exterior of the property there were areas that should be preserved and not built upon. If you look at the third slide in tab 8, it's another picture of the greenway in the proposed trail. If you look at tab 9 there is a summary of a plethora of lfucg documents concerning the conservation buffer. These documents collectively establish the need for reparian zone or conservation buffer area. Some of them recommend 100-foot buffer area. Some of them are silent. Some of them recommend a calculation use like the storm water manuals. What our experts and other people have said is that a 100-foot buffer from the water's edge, not from the property line, from the water's edge is important. Look at tab 10. Two of your own lfucg entities have suggested a 100-foot buffer. Number one the tree board submitted a letter recommending it and tim qairy the urban forester submitted an email where he identified the tree stands that should be protected subject to thinning invasive species. If you look at tab 11 there are opposition groups that are in favor of our conservation proposal. This includes dave leonard who I believe will be here tonight, julian campbell and others. Let me make no mistake. This zone change hearing is not just an environmental issue it's just a component. It's also about don't do development that's irresponsible. It's about doing both, it's about understanding there are areas out here that the city has said are environmentally sensitive and we should protect by conservation buffer and our proposal seeks to do that while allowing the developer to still maximize lots. It seeks the win-win I talked about earlier. I have a number of articles that I encourage you during your discussion to review them. Consistently across the board, all of these recommend a minimum of 100-foot buffer between a water's edge tab 12 are photos of wildlife, additional photos on a disk. Tab 13 May be one of the most important and I reference it at the beginning of the conservation buffer discussion. Like this zone change, the elersly delong zone change 15 years ago was hotly contested and debated. Went through the zone change process and they ended up here in this room that night until about 2:00 in the morning if I recall from the 34eu7b9s correctly. It May have been longer. At the end of the day what the council did was it approved a 50-foot buffer zone from the edge of the property boundary zone change in that conserved all trees, preserved all trees greater than one and a half inch except for dead disegossed or invasive species. That proposal works wonderfully. Go out there today in the back of the homes. It's beautiful. Great development great homes, great environmental considerations. It's a win-win. So we are proposing the exact same thing that you already done before. Adopt the 50-if the conservation easement you did at the elersly delong. Tab 14 is a quick summary of the kentucky american water planning guide. It's great for them to submit a letter that contradicts their own report and I wish that they had been here tonight what was interesting in the process is since October kentucky american water has refused to appear at a single hearing, committee meeting or even talk to us. Their response the whole time was you go talk to ball homes. Well that leaves us in a pickle because we don't have the ability to actually investigate or talk to or cross examine or discuss with the party by whom this development will affect more than anybody else as a single party. Why? I think they just want to sell the land. And there is nothing wrong with that but you would think at least they would want to be part of the discussion. Again that report found issues about runoff, pesticides, herbicide, night rate issues. Those things are confirmed by Dr. Potter's report at tab 19. Tab 15, recently you all heard zone change at monticello and winding creek. It's you are not bound by that decision. That case has been here at least twice and maybe three times for zone changes. Planning commission approved that 8-1. You all rejected the zone change and I think appropriately. Unlike that case we are not asking you to reject the zone change. We are saying the current proposal doesn't satisfy the comp plan but with some changes we are suggesting it can be approved. Mr. Leer also talked talked about he had been at the property and seen the distance out there. Great to testify what he has seen. If you look at tabs 16, we have measured, tabs 16 and 17 are instructive. We have gone and measured using gps coordinates the distance of the normal water line and property lines of the neighboring associations at elersly, east lake and shore side. All of those have an average of 249 feet from the water's edge to the property line. 249 feet. We are suggesting 40% of that. However if you look on tab 17, ball homes proposed development has a distance of average of 24 feet. Now I understand that the water level is going to change as the reservoir drops over the winter and especially this winterer when we didn't have any snow to fill it up and fills back up over the spring and summer with rains. But if you use the normal water mark it's an average of 24 feet. So our proposal simply let's create the 100-foot buffer zone all of the experts and academic research says we should. It's a given of approximately and I say approximately because it will vary based on where you are distance between the waters edge and property of 24 feet. You add in a 50-foot tree preservation area like the one awe proved at elersly gets us 75 feet. The next part is a 25-feet trail easement. So if you look at tab 18, you will see our proposed solution which is 24 feet from the water line to the property, 50-foot conservation buffer and the 25-foot trail. That's a total of 100 feet. Tab 19 is Dr. Ann potter's letter. Again all of the exhibits are up here into the record. What is our proposal then? We've proposed a 50-foot conservation easement buffer prohibiting the placement of buildings and structures and preserving existing trees and size of one and a half inches except for dead, diseased or hazardous trees. The same thing you did at elersly. Next is the third issue is the trail system. Our proposal is simple. You have seen the map. You've seen the dotted line where they said not hypothetically where the trail should go. It's where the trail should go. Bob kennedy the President Of east lake worked for division of planning when that plan was approved. He said it has been in the works for 25 years to get it approved and is not intended to go through an apartment building. I want to be clear what was said earlier. Their proposal is for the trail to come along the sidewalk along the street, go through the apartment building come up the street and then continue on. That's not a trail. That's called a sidewalk. [Laughter] If you look at tab 10, the tree board, they have said they support the trail system. If you look at the greenway master plan tab 20, if you look at the bicycle and pedestrian and master plan tab 20, empower lexington plan tab 21 and bluegrass cycling club over a thousand members in fayette county whose board voted in favor of what we are suggesting which is tab 22, all of them say adopt the trail system that is proposed on a map as part of the comprehensive plan. If you look through... Here is existing trails in fayette county. Beaumont, chilesberg and brighton east. They work wonderfully, some of them have fences some some of them don't. One of them was built by ball homes with great success. These are sidewalks. This is a south broadway sidewalk at the lex, heys boulevard at the boulevard apartments. That's what they are proposing to be the trail. That's not a trail. So their proposal doesn't agree with the comp plan and doesn't agree with the supporting documents the comp plan relies upon. As an example I was in tennessee this past weekend for easter and my wife went out on a walk on the trail and said there is a great trail system down here i just walked the dog on. We went out and took photos of the trail. Now I understand this trail isn't going to be exactly like this one in fayette county because we have different land issues, et cetera, but it gives some ideas. You have a trail with preserved tree canopy, you have a trail connecting a newer neighborhood with an older neighborhood. Greenway trail connecting the apartment complex and trail adjacent to a waterway. That's a well defined trail that somebody had a vision for and a plan for and they said we can do it. So our solution is create a 25-feet trail easement on the inside of the 50-foot buffer. Yes that does require a total of 75 feet from the zone change line. That May require, well it will require the development plan to be revised. I understand that's not before the urban county council and those don't come before you all but it happens where zone changes get approved but the development plan has to be changed to comply with the zone change. Tab 24. I don't think anybody tracks these statistically, but this is this zone change has received significant publicity and public involvement. I dare say most of you all have probably read dozens of articles, op-ed pieces, opinion pieces, a thousand letters in opposition up here. I don't know how many are in attendance here tonight, 100 or 200 maybe. What I know is that if this wasn't important to the people of fayette county, which means it should be important to you, there wouldn't have been that many people do stuff. And again these people aren't saying don't do the development. They're not saying don't let the zone change happen. I think what they're saying resoundingly is we have a comprehensive plan that incorporates a lot of different other plans for lexington. And in fact what we should do is require the developer to develop in accordance with those plans sm density should be limited to 328, conservation easement and 25-foot trail immediately adjacent to that. I don't know if you all have heard of jim collins. One of the leading researchers, writers. When he studied good companies vs. Great companies he came down to something that he recognized great companies understand there is a tyranny of the or. Great companies understand there is the genous of the and. Genius of the and. My hope is that you can embrace the genius of the and so lexington and this development can be great. Thank you. >> if thank you. Does petitioner wish to cross examine at this point. Mr. Leer? And just so everybody knows. As soon as this is finished we are going to take a 10-minute break. I'm sorry. >> he has no questions. he was giving me a hard time. >> I didn't change my mind I just want to walk up here and say I wasn't going to cross examine him. >> we appreciate that. He had me sweating for a minute. >> I don't think so. >> we'll take a 10-minute break and come back and take public comment. This May take another minute or to. We can't start until we have everybody on council who has been in the hearing back in. We have two people still out. I have a list of everybody who signed up if you wish to speak come to the podium and you have a maximum of three minutes. If you wish to yield your time to someone else, you need to tell me that and who you are yielding it to and I'll make the note. If you basically have had your opinion already expressed and you don't need to come to the microphone, you can just say I pass. I've got a bunch of sheets. I'm going sheet by sheet, top to bottom and I'll ask the next person or two to form a queue up by that part of the podium behind the speaker so that when I call your name, you are ready to come forward. I will remind you that it is my responsibility if this is repetitive commentary, I'll interrupt and ask if you have something new to say. We don't want to restrict you from expressing your opinion but we also don't want to keep going over the same issues. So, having said all that, the first person on the first list is suzanne bat and then ramashb. I need three-minute clocks. >> my name is suzanne and I live at 1,000 rain court in lexington. The buffer of trees surrounding the peninsula plays a critical role in protecting water quality and habitat and serve to shield our existing neighborhood from the noise and light pollution that will come produce any new development. The tree buffer has to be protected andn't current development plan fails do this because it divides the flood plain and the buffer among individual lots where homeowners will be free to cut trees for better waterfront views. Secondly while the planning commission has required the 25-foot buffer beyond the property line, area will be retained by kentucky american water is variable and extremely narrow in places making the 25-foot buffer inadequate for water protection and wildlife habitat. Finally ball homes has stated plans to substantially remove and thin the buffer with heavy equipment and there is no guarantee or mandate that the planting will recur. A buffer without trees is purely illusory and non-functional. Where would the dplan ever apply if not here the greenway master plan envisions the pe nips la will be covered by conservation greenway, walking trail, the comprehensive plan calls for public greenways to connect neighborhoods to parks, for making parks a priority for infill development and protection of sensitive environmental wildlife areas. The habitat and the green space for this vision exists on the peninsula right now if bee just don't cut it up and cut it down and lock it up in private lots by wrapping this proposed neighborhood with a 100-foot greenway of the rye pairian trees, we can turn this typical ordinary development into a model community that will be an asset for the whole city where everybody can come out and enjoy the woods and wildlife and it would compliment the legacy trail and town branch commons and move us forward of being a visionary and green and inviting city. This is a sensitive wildlife ecosystem where bald eagle, wild turkey and fox are in this city. It deserves special consideration and protection if any development is to occur here. It will be a terrible and permanent loss for the city if the current development plan is approved. Any protection of the rye pairian trees and wildlife must be mandated and ensured now and not just for us to hope that it will be done right in the future. At a minimum please adopt the conditions that we've asked for today and I thank you for the opportunity to speak. >> thank you. >> I live with suzanne at 1,000 rain court amishbhat. I'm concerned with the tree buffer for main reasons. Ball homes wants to use mechanical equipment to remove existing trees that might be invasive trees or that they don't like. If you use mechanical equipment, it compacts the soil, the soil erosion and there won't be any regeneration of trees. So we cannot have mechanical equipment used if you want to have a buffer there. The second reason for my concern about the buffer is the conditions proposed by the planning commission do not say anything about replanting. It talks about removal of trees but nothing about replanting. I'm concerned how would we have a buffer if we didn't replant trees. Third issue most important issue is that ball homes is planning to subdivide this even if it is created, May not exist very long because individual homeowners are now going to control the buffer so is ball homes going to tell individual homeowners that they cannot cut down trees in there I backyard because part of the buffer in are they going to tell them they're not allowed to mow because it's part of the buffer how this is going to work in practice. Who is going to police what happens in 50 or 60 individual home backyards. That's... This is why the comprehensive plan says that the bleft way to protect conserve greenways is to be public owned by the city or homeowners association. The best way to protect the buffer would be if we had a trail so that there is a clear boundary between individual homes and the buffer. The trail along the buffer, and the reason for that, the reason they have said is that according to them, kentucky american has said that we don't want a trail there because people might walk down the trail or whatever and dump chemicals into the lake or something they're concerned about that but if you look at the map they v. In fact the road goes to the water on the northeast side. They're not really concerned about it. If they were that concerned they would not have proposed a road that goes over the water in the northeast part of the development my request is that you have them put in a trail that acts as a buffer for the buffer and have substantial buffer. There is your only opportunity to make a change. No you know if this passes without the changes there is no guarantee this will happen in the future. Thank you. >> we are speaking in support of the east lake neighborhood association, one of our members tonight and I'm going to concentrate on theme d and the 2013 comprehensive plan. Theme d is improving a desirable community. Goal one of theme d is to work to achieve an effective and effective transportation system. Interestingly in that, includes walk ways, greenways and other strategies other green ways and walk ways are important, and a trail is better than a sidewalk. Let's face it. Goal 3 from theme d calls for the protection and enhancement of the natural and cultural landscapes that give lexington fayette county it's natural identity and image. Interestingly on the same page as goal 3 is a picture what have looks to me like the beaumont trail system which is highly successful and is right next to houses. And includes a lot of trees and buffering. It's desirable. Beaumont is a very desirable neighborhood. In theme d a survey on what attaches people to place and kentuckians are very attached to place. One would be social offerings including places to meet, I think a trail is, from my knowledge of trail systems is a good place to meet people. Openness and esthetics including physical beauty and green space. The 2013 theme plan related to the zone change includes the following on page 84. Walkability is important. Trail is better than a sidewalk. Context sensitivity on page 85 says that natural resources that are sufficiently buffered for their protection is desirable. The applicant in this case doesn't sufficiently buffer the reservoir area. Page 85 development should encourage walking and bicycling and natural areas enhance the walking experience. Says that in the comp plan. The greenway master plan is cited on page 86 and provides the framework for trail development in fayette county and calls for the trail along the reservoir the 2009 comprehensive parks and master recreation plan on page 90 of the comp plan calls for linking parks with greenway trails. That's what the neighborhood wants to do. Finally on page 23 of the comp plan it suggests a hard buffer between incompatible uses enabling the possibility of a green belt buffer and traits and then goes on to talk about the reservoir. They're usually not specific in the comp plan but that seems to be. >> I need you to wrap up. >> I am wrapped up. Thank you. >> thank you. >> marilyn siler, 3228 cool water drive. What more there is to say? I speak of the eventual destruction of a mighty oak that was probably a sapling when my master son relations and extended family settled in lexington during the latter 1700s and when my fourth grade grandfather preached to settlers in log cabin steps away from this very building. I predict probable eventual of that old burr oak because I can show you a sign in lewis county where a major road was redeacted in order to ostensibly save an in a chept tree that no, sir more. And much closer to home I can show you a street called magna oak not far from cool water drive that no longer has the huge oak I fondly remember and the circle built around it. The plans to put a semicircle around the peninsula's burr oak rooted in lexington's rich history will most certainly be its death sentence, for the people eventually owning the land where the tree grows will either not not have the knowledge, inclination or resources to save it. A very wise man once said when we destroy something created by man we call it vandalism. But when we destroy something by nature, we call it progress. Most of the people in my neighborhood are sadly resigned to the March progress. We have been asking with what little negotiating power we thought we had and emails, facebook postings, petitions, the number by the way I believe has been unprecedented in lexington's history. News articles, editor dwral cartoons, letters to the editor and editorials in the "herald-leader" for the water company and ball homes to think out of the box in order to protect our reservoir's water and wildlife settled into the unique area. This reservoir was constructed for lexington's benefit. Do you think the water currently being pumped in from other areas will be sustainable forever? If so I have a bridge to sell you in new york city. Our polite appeals, I believe unprecedented in lexington's planning commission sometimes stormy hearings has been met with a barrage of lawyers who I respect, by the way and stony silence about negotiation. Lexington May need more housing and a new middle school but does it all have to be squeezed into a reservoir locked peninsula simply because that's the last big area available for massive development? If lexington needed so much housing, why weren't lands housing failings brick and mortar stores designated residential. How many gas nation stations and mattress stores does lexington need? Ansel adams proclaimed once destroyed, nature's beauty cannot be repurchased at any price. In your heart, I know you think he was right. >> thank you. Next is Ms. Hensonry then steven rice and bob kennedy. >> good evening wendy henry. 1210 cool water court. Can I have jeff hold this sign for me? Thank you, jeff. On would like to talk about a little bigger picture here. This right here has been designated for a school. There is no plan to build a school. That's a possibility. Fayette county has no intention of building a school here for sure. It's possible. Possible. So let's say they decide not to build a school here, 20 acres up for grabs. What if it looks like this all around it? (Inaudible) This area right here has been described as town homes. Not for much longer. They're being demolished as we speak. And what is going in here in what is it zoned for? Dense apartments multilevel apartments will be built right here. What is right here? Apartments. yeah, not a coincidence. So the density of this is really greater than it even looks when you realize that right here next to right here is another big development that will be built. Unlike the school that May not be built. So I just wanted to point that out. Thanks. >> thank you. >> steven easement rice. Lexington. I serve as the President Of the audubon study for the protection of wild birds and animals incorporated established in 1911, we have advocated for over 105 years on behalf of wildlife and the protection of its habitat. Enjoyment of wildlife for many people is an important measure of their quality of life and a good indicator of a healthy environment. The reservoir property is unique for the diversity of animals reliably found nowhere else in lexington. Over 117 different species of birds have been seen on the grounds including bald eagles, wild turkeys, ego receipts and herons, fox, meaning mink and deer. It is harder for these species to exist in lexington. On behalf of the audubon society of kentucky, I ask special care be taken to protect the rye pairian woodlands that protect the habitat for the wildlife exist there. We favor the conservation greenway and trail called for in the comprehensive plan which would allow public access to bird watchers and others who enjoy passive nature recreation and which we believe would be widely used bnd mi lexingtonians. Because many birds require large trees within a substantial forested area. Saving the canopy would help to ensure that these species do not disappear from this area. Therefore we believe the individual home owner lots planned to run through the tree buffer create a situation in which it is impossible to protect the trees from being cut for water front views that, and the only way to truly protect the habitat buffer is to ensure it is publicly owned and separated from individual lots by the trail system. Preferably by a fence. We need conditions set on a development plan mandating any trees and bushes cut be replaced to the same dns at this with the native trees and bushes. A buffer without trees and cover will drive out the wildlife. Members of the audubon society of kentucky have enjoyed bird watching in this area by private invitation from the water company for many decades and would be extremely saddened to see this special habitat degraded. By protecting the existing tree buffer in a broad greenway, the enjoyment of our native wildlife can continue for future generations. Thank you. >> next would be been kennedy and then albert kelly and greg doyle. >> bob kennedy 3296 buck horn drive. I once worked for the division of planning from 1976-2001. I was the npo chief for 14 years and was involved in many traffic impact studies, long range transportation plans, et cetera. Wrote the first lexington comprehensive bicycle lan in 1982. Left planning in 2001 and went to palmer for seven years before retiring. This traffic study basically we agree with it for the most part, squires road has almost doubled since 2011 to and 80 adt and growing there. May be collector streets in fayette county that have this much traffic but they're examples of poor planning. We, if you have that volume, you sure don't want it and it's growing. I think an example was given almost up to 10,000. You are talking arterial volumes. Scwiers richmond road, louisville service in 2016 and f for 2022, no build and build. Squires at the intersection level service e meaning at the development center section level service eastbound in the A.M. And westbound in the P.M. That's not good. That's bad. And it doesn't include the already existing apartments on squires circle right now that is going to be torn down and redeveloped. Traffic already in a problem in this neighborhood. You if you live there, you know it. Frequent driveways. It's a residential collector. So these problems will get much worse. cut through traffic is avoiding man o' war. I've seen drivers drive over curbs, utility strips, et cetera to get around a crash. So this is not going to divert traffic. There have been 20 speeding tickets within the last five years and 53 total crashes. Nine crashes between east hills and dewey drive and nine between berkman way and richmond road. This bike trail has been planned since the 1990s. Greenway buffer along the lake front with the bike ped path are necessary for a a context sensitive design. Are we to see the partially completed bike facility blocked forever? Making a imlor fied swaik won't work. All other neighborhoods reat much all the other neighborhood as round the lake, at least on this side of richmond road have significant buffers have the comprehensive plan worth the pay ber it is written on. Trr things that couldn't have been insisted on due to lack of ordinances or other enforcement mechanisms. So the staff's recommendation of the approvals7 is in spite of non-compliance. >> I need to you wrap up. >> anyway. As a neighborhood association we are just wondering what the value is of the neighborhood association. If we provide this much input we just want a context sensitive design. Thank you. >> I'm albert kelly 204 elers whether I park boulevard one of the subdivisions discussed earlier. I'm not opposed to the development on the site. I live in a similar dense development of homes, town homes and apartments. However I am recommending the same conservation buffer as my subdivision which is a 50-foot conservation buffer that protects all trees greater than a foot and a half. My subdivision opposite jacobson park is on the other side of the reservoir. Was included in the 1996 expansion of the urban growth boundary and was vigorously opposed sat. A compromise was reached in the subdivision plan that we all know was approved and executed. It includes in this plan where provisions for large conservation areas along lake elersly. Property posed development is not keeping with the dplan for the site or the area in general. It is a started linning contrast to all development adjacent to lake elersly at the at this time. It all has significant conservation areas that buffer development from the lake. Ball development has no provision for protecting the existing trees or vegetation. There is no meaningful conservation areas along the lake in this plan. Presently this peninsula is a highly visible piece of lexington real estate and is part of a natural gateway entrance to lexington on richmond road. There is no other area in lexington with such a beautiful combination of parkland, lakes dense tree conservation land all in one location. It currently serves as a main entrance to lexington from I hch 75. Sets the tone for the complete community experience for visitors coming into the city. This last remaining land on a reservoir in lexington should be developed with care. This is not a decision for just our lifetime, but for the future of lexington. Development all along the other reservoirs in lexington has been done thoughtfully over the years and with significant protection of trees along the water's edges. All these developments include significant untouched conservation areas along the water's edge. This proposal does not. Thank you. >> next is greg doyle and bridget aber nethy. >> I would like to yield my time to dave leonard. >> I'm bridget abernathy. 262 del mar avenue. I'm the chair of the lexington tree board. I am going to say a few words about tree preservation and tree protection. We all know that this area is not a pristine stream side forest that we see if our lovely appalachian woodlands of kentucky but a rye perrian buffering a well designed scientific term used to describe the location between water bodies and upland areas. It's very simple term well establish rye pairian buffer slow water flow and floodwaters that capture runoff trap and filter pollutants such as sediments, nutrients, herbicides and pesticides heavy metals, road salts, recycled nutrients and erosion and provide the critical habitat in the corridors. Cause property damage such as bank erosion, reduce water quality, sauce sedimentation and soil compacks and soil improductivity. Removing trees and other vegetations and operating heavy equipment should be avoided in the riparian buffer zone. Heavy equipment used in the buffer zone causes the soil compacks compaction and can increase the risk of trees being blown over during storm events. Trees scraped or damaged by heavy equipment use May not show signs of stress until years lair. To protect the integrity of the lake side riparian buffer research supports that small and invasive species would have to be removed with hand held tools and equipment. Herbicide use to control the bush honeysuckle and others in this ecological sensitive area would need to be used in the most careful manner to avoid contaminating the water. Trees of substantial sides and density need to remain in tact no matter their species. A 25-foot buffer does not provide adequate protection. Seeing that the this area has little effect on water quality is missing the point. Maintaining the existing buffer which varies in width, establishing some additional buffer, conservation easement and also a trail access easement and possibly establishing a fence to prevent homeowners from earlting the area. This is a opportunity to work toward a solution with sound practices, to help improve our community. Thank you. >> mary jane wanky. And then elizabeth wagner. >> I live at 301 shoreline drive. The impact of the ball homes plan development as proposed is irreversible. The expansion of human activity and construction in the natural environment will result in the reduction, isolation and subsequent disappearance of wildlife habitats on the peninsula. The use of pesticide and herbicides will cause an overall deterioration and disruption in the wildlife ecosystem. I'm not going to belabor the point of all of the different wildlife that lives on the peninsula. We've all heard about that and other people have addressed that. The lake and various species of fish will be irrepbly harmed by runoff and debris. The birds and aquatic life will suffer the fragmentation of their habitat and ecosystem. The future construction, fuel emissions from increased automobiles, waste generation, water and air pollution will caution not only the wildlife but all of us who live in the area to be victims of environmental stress and this will carry into the future and cannot be undone. we, as you can see, are resolute in our effort to retain the present quality of life and character in the community around the reservoir. In a year of most unsettling political activity and volatility, we must have faith that our local government will truly hear and prioritize our concerns. We respectfully ask the council to approve and adopt the zoning restrictions put forth by the east lake neighborhood association. Thank you for your time and attention. >> thank you. >> elizabeth wagner. >> I'm elizabeth wagner and live at 1,000 fog court. I probably won't be using any of this because of what has already been said but to go on the record I'm in favor of everything that has been said in opposition to the current plan as stated by ball homes. I've lived on this lake back up to it 33 years. I moved here from chicago in 1984 and thought I had died and moved to heaven. We were told that my husband's job would no longer be available unless we wanted to move to cleveland just after two years and he said foregoat get the job. We stayed in lexington, started a job and invested in this community and we have not been sorry sm however one time I went to harrington lake right after we moved here and I was shocked by the debris, the tree limbs, the twigs, just absolute plastic garbage all along the edge floating in the lake and as soon as I heard about this development going to happen in our area that's you will I could picture. All about the 100-foot buffer I agree with all of that. I even think we need have the fence go completely around the entire lake we have lived with that fence the whole time. Relatives that come from all over say how can you stand not going on the lake, I said I can stand it because it's peaceful. It's clean. There is no debris. This is a college town. We would have parties and bonfires and everything else. But even with the fence and all of the care that kentucky american water has had over this area for the last 30 some years since I have been here, we still, at night, are wakened up sometimes by flash lights and things people that have snuck between our homes, crossed over the fence, gone down about it lake, doing God knows what and we call the place. But how are the police going to be able to maintain security for the homeowners and all the people living in the area when or if there is public access to the lake. I'm not in favor of anyone being able to access the lake. I think the fence needs to be maintained. We only have one chance, as everyone has said, to preserve this beautiful area. I'm a former biology teacher. I was teaching on the first earth day in 1970. I've told many students about how they must live a mantra of a life that is environmentally sensitive I really ask you today to consider this and listen to all the people that are here that have put their hearts into this effort. Please listen and do the right thing. >> before I recognize anybody else, I want to give people a chance... And I will run through the list as I said, but before I do that, I want to give people a chance to show their support for things that have already been said and again hopefully we can avoid simply repeating these things. So I'll give you a brief kind of a summary of what I think has been said and see if people agree what what has been said in opposition. The first has do with a couple related things. The trail itself and where it goes. The greenway, homeowner control of the problem with homeowner control. How many people think that those are things that you also would like to speak to or care about? Just put your hands up. The next group of things I've got is the size of the trees that need to be taken into account the greenway itself, the potential problems with mechanical equipment and the preservation of the burr oak. How many people share those concerns? >> I appreciate that you have never seen this. >> Mr. Chair, he is out of order. >> Mr. Maloney, I've had a conversation with both counsels about a way to proceed so that we can give people an opportunity to express their opinion without necessarily having people go over the same ground. This was one of the ways in which we want to do it and then we'll get back to having individual comment. If you would like to overrule my decision as the chair I'll entertain a motion for you to do that. Thank you. It seemed like you were objecting. But if you are not then we'll proceed. Yes ma'am. >> I think the council members are just confused about what is going on because are we still intending for these individuals to still speak? >> I will return to the list and people can speak as they have planned or they can pass if they feel they've had their opinions expressed. >> is there a reason why we can't just do that as we call their name? I mean we are taking more time talking about this but it is... It is a different turn than we've seen and I know I wasn't aware this was a process that we were going to just go into so... >> I actually have two more questions for the group which I would like to ask and then we'll return to individual comments. >> okay. >> again, in the absence, I don't want to unless someone makes a motion to overrule and we can discuss that, I'm going to proceed. >> I'm just not... Yeah I'm just not sure what the point is if people are still going to intend to speak and just going through the roll they can say whether or not they want to speak as we were doing. I was just trying to get some clarification. >> I understand. The next one is real simple. Density. How many people think it's too dense? And then traffic. How many people think traffic is an issue. And then finally the question of whether there really will be a school built. How many people that's uncertain? That's my list. I'll return to the list of speakers and again, I you are welcome to come as you planned or you can pass or you can say you agree. Next would be chris mary ann crawford and lin napier. I'm chris lane 309 green river court. A lot of people are talking talking about preserving things. I just want to preserve my life and my wife's life as we walk up and down squires road. I agree that the traffic is heavy. I disagree with Miss Zimmerman's numbers about 35% going here, 15%. 100% is coming out 100% coming back in. Two ways in, two ways out. As my wife and I walk around the maish I don't know how many cars dictated in the homes. I would say an average of two but we count three, four and five. So the traffic is going to be huge, again two ways in two ways out and now what wendy was talking about, the squires lake town homes they're not being demolished right now. Right now the tenants are not having their leases renewed so ball homes can tear those down and rebuild. There are 15 units back there right now so 60 people I don't know if near going to connect that to the existing road where the other town homes are. I agree that the school has not been approved so what happens there in if it's not, you get more homes. If seven homes per acre another 140 toams, 280 mar cars going out one way coming back in one way and I don't know if Miss Zimmerman knows what a cut through is but if you go out there at 7:00 in the morning, 90% are going this way, 5:00 90% coming this way and my wife and I have to have our heads on a swivel as we dart across the street. I agree that there has to be a development there. But you have the chance to do the right thing. Ball has the chance of making this a showcase development. Thank you. >> thank you, next would be mary ann crawford. And then kim napier. >> good evening. I come to you as, excuse me, a resident of 300 squires road since 1999 with my husband kenneth crawford who is a retired corrections officer of fayette county of 20 years so we've seen a lot of changes to say the least. We used to have a beautiful view in our backyard and I expect we still will. Right now there are lots of generators and humming and big pipes going everywhere and you see deer coming and jumping and heading into the residential area which I've never seen before. So wildlife is being scattered. I've watched them for over 20 years. I've saved some of them. I've watched a mother duck get run over because of the traffic on squires road and hatched the eggs and sent them to a sanctuary. But the area is very highly trafficked as you well know. I know I'm repeating what we want to avoid but as someone who lives in a house, right at the corner of cove lake and right where the reservoir starts and ends at richmond road, the accidents are horrific. I mean we just had a death the other day, but also the traffic increases in the mornings like they were saying and at 5:00 it backs up so really starting around 3:30 because there are buses that drop off children. There are children in the area that having to be picked up by parents because this is a dangerous road. I noy they tried to have a speed bump added to this three way, two way actually cove lake and squires road right across from my house because of kids getting on and off the bus in that general vicinity. That is a major concern. Due to stewart hall, we again have been there since 1999 and it was never perfectly quiet because now it is crazy it never stops really and you might come at 3:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon and get by quickly but with the plan that ball homes has, I don't see how it's possible to handle the amount of traffic with only two exits out there is no way because it's backing up at at 5:00 past our house. I've got a porch and I got chairs, feel free to come and take a look. Thank you. >> for 30 years I was a firefighter in this city and there is a word that we use that's called conflagration. It happens in a forest fire. Fire creates it's own wind. When you put houses or apartments so dense like some of the apartment buildings on nicholasville road it looks great in the daytime when everybody is at work but go over there at night time figure out how we can get in there and save people it's a tough situation. Conflagration is traffic we deal with. I know you get tired of hearing that so I'm not going to mention that again. Thanks for your time. >> thank you. Jeff. >> I'm jeff heron. 3205 buck horn. I know council for the petitioner. Their job is to say whatever it takes to get things passed. I did want to address a few of Mr. Leer's comments. I take exception to him feeling like he has a special connection to our neighborhood based on his locale. I tutored a girl on the island when I was in college but that doesn't give me any special connection to it. We were told that ball homes compromised with this plan but not with us. We've come to ball homes. We shared concern about density. The next map we saw was more dense. We shared concerns about the buffer, the next map came back with an old buffer that made it look better an out of date flood plain. It has been said that we enjoy our neighborhood and it is presumed that we would appreciate another neighborhood by the same developer. But one point about our neighborhood is that it was built r-1 low density with a nice trail with a fence around the lake. Do those things and I'm sure we would appreciate the new development. We, the community, are, I like to say, rational, educated folks. We mourn the loss of this property, but we didn't come out with pitch forks and torches. We came out and said let's try to make this the best that we can. I'm asking that you look at this as an opportunity for a win-win and provide us with the few considerations we are requesting. Thank you. >> thank you. Helen bourne and then phil, I can't read the last name. St something. Is there a phil. >> yeah and thn clay sutherland. >> hello, I'm helen bourne. My husband and I moved here about three years ago and i really don't want to be here today, however when we finally found a home... And thank you for challenging, doing what you did before because I know you are trying hurry this along but you need to be impressed with how serious we are about what you might do to us. So giving us a chance to speak is important. Anyway. We moved here about three years ago and we were told the place across the lake from us was a bird sanctuary and that's what sold us on the house. To find out it's not is really disappointing because I do love wildlife and birds. To tell you I just retired from the military as a sergeant major. I worked as a medical nco and met my husband in korea who was working with the red cross and retired with 40 years and I retired with 35. So we've lived in a lot of places and we've lived in cultures a lot more dense than this but had a better understanding of the environment they lived in and the protection of animals. Especially germany which owns the water company. Has a great deal of conservation. They have greenway crosses over their audubon so deer can cross over and the horse riders and everybody else. They have fences they built to protect the frogs from getting on the road which originally built to protect people from skidding when they hit the frogs and when they built the wall to keep the frogs out, they discovered the birds returned because the circle of life came back. When we came to the last meeting here, we were sort of discouraged with the fact that it seemed like it was all set in stone what you are going to do and you are going do it even no matter what anybody says. This piece of property is a natural habitat, has waters on sides and makes the boundary of the wildlife living there. The wildlife have the right of our protection of their life. I amaze when I see the squirrels use cables to go ais cross the highways. They're learning how to live. The property, this vacant lot which is now a jungle is not empty. It's got life in it. When major cities, chicago and new york built major parks they built them with the intent that they would support the wildlife living there including the people who came there for rest and relaxation. Lexington needs a wild air to come to. Lexington into eds to look at why these cities who outgrew their parks built them to begin with before there were other places there. They had understanding that there is something valuable in a green space. When ball homes build these houses they built houses but they're now homes to people. They came to the meeting and choose tiesed the people who came and complained about what was going on in their neighborhoods and they were dismissed. a young woman complains about the concern of safety for her children well she should have known they were going to put a road there because there is a road there. She should know that. Really? The people live have a right to a what is going on in their neighborhoods and they're not saying don't do it. I'm saying don't even build. I'm the other pendulum people. Don't build because you are going to build beyond and then what is going to be left there? >> I need you to wrap up. >> all right. >> I guess I am finished. I'm just really sorry that I didn't know that what I was told was not true. It's my mistake. Thank you. S. >> clay sutherland. And then theresa sutherland. >> clay sutdzer land 116 p turkey foot road here in lexington. Proud educator in the great city of lexington I come before you asking each and every one of you to consider the enormous impact of your vote. I hope you stand up for what is right even if it's not the easy thing to do. As we try as educators each day to teach our kids, your actions show a lot about your character. What will your vote signify to our children whose future you will be impacting? What you vote to stand up to a bully or allow them to continue to have its way in our city no matter the cost to our environment and the people lit affect. I respectfully ask you to vote no to the ball homes proposal and consider the alternatives here tonight thank you very much for your time. >> thank you. >> theresa sutherland then addison, hosea and league wagner. Lee wagner. >> good evening. Thanks for meeting with all of us and listening to all of our concerns tonight. I'll try to make mine brief but my biggest fear is that you all don't have direct facts on everything. One of the things I think somebody has already talked about it you don't have the correct facts about the trees that are on the peninsula. The other thing was it was said that the school is the have piece of this plan but that school is no the a definite. The school board has not approved it so how can this school be the center piece of this plan. It was also said that by building this middle school here that it will relieve the traffic that goes out to edith hayes. That's great. We have gridlock now so we'll get the gridlock from edith hayes. I don't think that's a good solution to this plan. What else was said was that you can find another way out. Well I'm on hunter's point that comes on squires. I'm at the bottom. There is no way out. I don't have a boat. I can't get on the reservoir so we can't find another way out. And the gridlock is there. If you travel it you'll see it. It's there. The comprehensive plan that talks about protecting our environment and safety, you put 2,000 more cars on that, it's going to affect everybody. I've lived there for 32 years, the employees of the kentucky american water company have said nothing would ever go on that property because of the way it would affect the environment. The way the runoff from houses would affect the water quality. It's not just our water quality. It's your all's water quality. So you all would be drinking the same water that we all do. If houses go on there and you have runoff and you have chemical runoff. So just think that is something that needs to be addressed and la of thely again I think it was talked about once before but not really as part of the plan that you all have been talking about but up there in the squires circle ball homes owns the town homes and they won't be there so that's more density that's not even been talked about in this plan. So just different things I think need to be considered. You all have a big detition to make deficit -- decision to make tonight once it's made, it's made. It's final and it affects all of us. So I wish you well in making your decision. Thank you. >> thank you. Mr. Hosea. >> my name is addison hosea and i live on hunter's point drive borders the western point edge of proposed development neighborhood surprisingly not built by ball homes I support nathan's suggestions and hope you will, too. The comprehensive plan also has a goal to engage the residents of lexington fayette county in the planning process. Ball homes has over the past few months heard us voice our concerns over density, over soil, tree and water environmental protection, over traffic and other issues. Their initial reaction to our concerns in January was to add more homes. Nothing they have said done or acknowledges us or our concerns or that we even exist. This is not a charming excenturies at this or attitude of a developer who is concerned with engaging residents in the plan process. This is steam rolling wk help enhance the natural landscapes that give lexington the unique identity and image to quote from the comp plan. We who must live with this development want a better plan. City council should expect a better plan from ball homes and ball homes can produce a better plan. Thank you. >> lee wegner and then sena and sharon wesley porter. >> my wife spoke before. We came to lexington 33 years ago and came down with the coal company. When some of the council members, some of the speakers came up to chicago, to give us the dog and pony show to move to lexington they said come to lexington because you don't have to lock your doors. It's so safe there. They said that lexington is going to be the coal capital of the world these things came and went they were false statements. We came down, saw a good place to live, just to give you an idea what happened with us, we moved on a country road in chicago in the suburbs, 12 years later that country road was five lanes of traffic, fire trucks, police cars, high school, housing development, all around us. So when we had the opportunity to come here, and I have to say I was the last person in the company to say I was coming to lexington and I was the first one to say I'm not going when you are moving out. And I was offered a position. I stayed here, I opened up three ace hardware stores to support the community and one of the complaints we always had in the stores was with customers coming in and the problems they had I said who built your home and it was ball homes. So they didn't have a good reputation. I don't... >> sorry, sir, couple rules it's inappropriate to they can baffle you with all the paperwork and I'm sure you are going to read this to make your decision but the common sense thing when you have 800 people and I'll say, will it me say one thing because you did this before, can I see a show of hands of anybody that would, want to accept that proposal that is up on the board. Can I see a shoaf hands? Anybody? I think the people have spoken right here. Thank you. >> thank you. Sinay shoe is not here, sharon wesley porter and then daniel smathers. >> I live at 391 south eagle creek drive. What these maps show and what has been presented totally supports the conclusion that there is a lack of access to this area that is going to be developed. I suggest you personally experience squires road and squires circle during the high traffic areas, the traffic studies presented are not consistent with actual conditions that we experience every day. And I am appalled that any suggestion to route this traffic through the neighborhood streets of beaver creek and eagle creek and east hills where children are at play, would even be considered. Referencing past developments or other cities is a very poor way to support this development. You have the opportunity to save this green space and our neighborhood. Ball homes and kentucky america water company have a financial interest only. Voting yes shows another rubber stamp on big money. We are the people that will be forced to live in these changes that affect us and all of these negative ways. We elected you into your office to represent us and we are asking you now to vote no for this zoning change. Thank you. >> thank you. Daniel and then libby king and brenda olfield. >> thank you, I live at 508 east main street. And I have a degree from cte in accounting and I wonder why my question is about finance and it seems if we consider finance and development at the same time, we would realize that, for instance, in brazil, the water company saved $80 million by keeping their water clean. I feel kentucky american water could have saved easily the amount they are going to make on these 90-acres by using good water practices and I was driving behind a water company truck and he is flipping a cigarette butt out the window and they say they're for the environment. >> again I'm going to have to interrupt you. The question of the water company is not at issue here. >> thank you sir. That's all I have. >> thank you. Libby king. >> hello I'm libby king I live at 3199 duly drive. World class city. That's a phrase many of us use to describe our beautiful city it's a phrase I think even mayor gray has used. We've heard people talk tonight about legacy and looking at the big picture. Well the hundreds of people who have shown up tonight, showed up at the planning committee who signed the thousand letters, our vision is to have a world class city but we have to depend on each one of you. So with that in mind, ask yourselves what, in the proposal by ball homes as it stands right now, what in that proposal helps us become a world class city? Thank you. >> thank you. Brenda and then. >> I'm going to be really quick. >> I'm having trouble with one of the names. Beata popkin. >> the has been a real experience for me. My name is brenda olfield I live at 304 lake bend court and I've been married for 15 years and have a great opportunity to live at this great place but I know ball homes specially because we do a lot of work with them and what I think we need to do, we all know we need to do development we know I'm a former agriculture teacher. I love the land but what I have, I've got all these notes but what I want to say to awe you will. I think you need to listen to what everybody has said because in my neighborhood after the meeting that we had and I was so impressed with everybody that spoke, wow this is great. These people are really, really interested in their community. I think we need to work with ball homes. I think we need, they want to do, they want us to have places to live but I want ball homes to listen to what we've said. And say let's make this work because we need places for people to live. I love to look every morning, we were on the waiting list for 10 years to be a member of the lake elersly fishing club. I love to fish. I have a fence all around. I'm concerned that there is not going to be fences around the entire lake because we take care of that lake. We are worried about the water and the fish but I enjoy it. I would like to see a great big trail a place for people, other people could experience this beautiful place but I want us to work with ball homes and I want us to not make a decision tonight we need to decide that we want to work together and make this work! We are all upset. We all have these stacks of mail. Unfortunately I didn't get time to send an email but I think we need to make it work. Thank you. >> please no applause. Please. Please hold your applause. Thank you. Renee denton and james halderman. >> squires is a very small street. There is not even room for people to park on either side. There will be only two inlets and outs for this whole subdivision and they will both be coming on to squires. Also the school that's proposed is the magnet school so most of those kids would not be bussed in. There will be additional cars of parents because most parents drop off to magnet schools because they come from out of the area. And I'm asking that you please vote no on the r-4 for the apartments. U.K. Has built lots more dorms and when I managed apartments most were student rentals and there are lots of dorms and there are lots of brand new three story apartment buildings being built around winthrop, nicholasville road by cost costco and if the density was less it would be more manageable and the squires road bike path is a wonderful path. It would be great if it went around the lake and intersected with jacobson park. It would be a great asset to the city. >> james halderman and anthony, I think brucart and christie shelton. >> james halderman 3182 dewey. I just felt compelled to come down here and ask you personally to please not r-4 us down there. The attorney for the balls pointed out there are numerous r-4 zones in the near vicinity and he pointed out that we have a wonderful neighborhood and we would sure like to keep it that way. May I ask a question. A brief very brief question. >> you can ask a question. >> since the school is not approved yet, are you able to put in writing that the land for the future school development be left open and undeveloped and not have apartments put on it? That's a yes or no. >> someone May choose to question it at some point. >> I see. That was my question. Can the council or should, or will the council dictate in the paperwork that if the school not built now that they leave the land open for the future for the school? >> I will take that as a suggestion for council to consider. >> do that? Thank you for listening. >> thank you. Anthony. >> anthony 524 rosemont garden I live in the southland drive area of lexington, not in this particular area. I'm the President Of the central tral kentucky audubon society, national chapter of the sorry the local chapter of the national audubon society. As you know we are a century old, longer than that, organization dedicated to protecting birds and habitat. I know that some of that has been mentioned but I wanted to open with a quote give you a few stats and maybe submit something more into evidence if that's something that I can do. Thomas lovejoy, professor of environmental science and policy in george mason university recently said and it has been quoted and requoted over and over again if you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the big problems in the world. And I believe that we have an opportunity to do that here, to take care of the birds and consequently to take care of most of the big problems, at least in lexington. It's has been mentioned there are over 175 species of birds there. What has not been mentioned is nine of those birds are on the 63 species national audubon has targeted specifically for conservation action. The birds that are on decline and birds that we can save. Many of listed on the state of the birds report that comes out every year ranks every species in the united states from a one being less common than robin, a robin is actually a five. To 20 being more extinct than an ivory billed with an 1. Some of the birds that exist in this area is 14, 15, and we've a chance to protect this area if we maintain the riparian buffer. With regards to riparian buffers , in January of 2000, the army corps of engineers this is not new science, completed a study called with the riparian zones for birds. I have a copy of it here. They surveyed 12 different peer reviewed reports, all of which recommended the very shortest of here is a 40-meter buffer which would be 130 feet. We are not asking for 130 feet. We are asking for 100 feet from the water line. We are asking for some protection for that buffer. Even the army corps of engineers recommends 100 feet in this report. Even if avian habitat isn't the goal, other people have mentioned a longer buffer is reasonable. I know that they submitted a number of reports that said for runoff, for pollution for anything along those lines even minimizing soil erosion. 100 feet is standard. We have a chance here to live up to the opportunity that lexington has and make this a model community which protects not only the people that will be there but the wildlife that already is thank you. >> thank you. Next christie shelton and olivia and scott heinz. Christie. Shelton olivia raftery? Scott heinz. Carol pinkston yields. Julian campbell. >> and now for something completely different. I'm actually from england but I have been a citizen of this great country for a few years. I have been here for 40 or 45 years, ph.D. In 1980, wood lapd ecology of the essential bluegrass and 180 comprehensive plan got a small appendix with a map there that I put together so I have some long track record here. I just want to sum prize please read this. It's quite interesting. Pass it round. I'm just going summarize a handout here. My main comments directed to inaccuracies and erroneous statements and misleading statement in the tree inventory which ball homes paid for on the property. They're serious enough where you should set it aside and deny it. Basically dave will talk about this in detail I hope. There are several big trees on the property that were not mapped. It looks like really there was no systematic of big or significant trees on the property. We found this cherry which is 62 inches across, probably the biggest cherry tree in the state. dave has the numbers. There is no map of the whole area which shows all the significant big trees. Just a small protection area in the report. Maybe he has got the data but didn't show it. There is no real detail about the aging of the trees. We need more scientific basis for how old the trees are. Second point is there is a series of comments in the report about water related issues simply not accurate. And it's not clear to me as an attorney whether there should be a wetland survey for example but this is inadequate what we have in the report. And he says there are no sink holes there is at least one. There are few streams. He said there are no wetlands. There are wetlands. He said there is no riparian, we can debate what we mean by that. But there are microriparian zone and no discussion of the whole idea of ecological pros and cons of a buffer zone. We need to get that better flushed out and one thing I'm going to mention, the idea of crack willows being an alien is mentioned. And I think really that's wrong because there is no crack willows there. Someone has been smoking crack. I mean this is the black willows which is a very common tree around the lake and it cracks off like that and there has been confusion with the european thing that also cracks but we have a native black willows there not the crack willows. Last, there is a statement at the end of the inventory report which talks about some kinds of trees being not attractive and safe. It's a blanket opinion. That's not a scientific statement. He talks about locust, black locust, hack berry and black walnut not safe or attractive. That's an opinion that is really not based on any sort of scientific theme that I can make out anyway. Sorry for the mess. That's all have I to say. Thank you. >> thank you. Next would be dave lanard and mark tower and tom krueger. You have been yielded three minutes so you have six minutes. >> I doubt I'll need all that. Hopefully not. So thank you for the opportunity to speak vice mayor and council and friends. I live at 37 plumber road lexington, not in lexington but stamping ground, work mainly in lexington and my shop is in just over the county line in woodford county right out old frankfort pike. We do a tremendous amount of work here. I have been working on trees in lexington, taking care of them for 44 years now so I have a pretty good feel for the trees here. And I have done several significant tree surveys on different properties because I've been hired by different engineers to work with the sewer program that lexington is working with and including some on this property. So ball homes has offered a plan. The plan I think has some problems. We found, I need my slides up if we can do that then I can, if you will just move those or do I have a something to move them? Thank you. Significant trees on the peninsula. Sure. Okay. I'll try this and see what we get. Oh boy that's really readable. So definition of significant trees in article 26, if you can't read that, a healthy tree that qualifies under one of the more following criteria. The trees american elm, burr oak, kentucky... It goes on and says the tree has a minimum dbh diameter breast height of 36 inches. We go on with and we get to the tree listed as a state or national champion then we bet to some more about harboring wildlife which is great. In a one of hour long survey julian campbell and I found several trees that meet this criteria. The report shows one with several progeny of the tree, the burr oak. And some of the things I wanted to bring out the comparison made to the jefferson reservoir and this lake and reservoir. And he talked about how these are transer to birds and they kind of use all of the wetland complex around there and the -- just -- and I know you guys know this, but, the habitat around jacobson park reservoir is far inferior to the habitat around reservoir 4. and if presentation voir 4 had around it what jacobson park does, there there would be far fewer birds. It was mentioned 175 bird species. I'm not even sure if that resonates just how many different bird species that is, and that is at best, that is a conservative estimate, a very conservative estimate. As was mentioned a few times. Bird watchers have only very restricted access to that place because it has been owned by the water company, so I would say that number is potentially very likely to lull. And so, those were my comments. Thank you. >> >> thank you. Next would be tom krueger. I find who did the traffic count turned it off. The traffic, it is way wrong. I'm not going get it into. The second thing I want to point out is, ball homes developed east lake. They had a set back of 150 feet buffer zone. What I don't understand is, why are we allowing them to have a 50 or 75 foot zone when it should be 150? That's all I've got to say, thank you. >> thank you. Martha kohegan. >> sorry, one other thing. [Laughter] >> they keep talking about the school board doesn't know a thing about it. So what's the big deal about the 20 acres in the school? Hey, folks school is not going there. bye. >> thank you. Martha and judith and don pratt. >> thank you for letting us make our comments. I live at 420 gibson avenue. I'm not in the area under discussion. I'm not anywhere near it. I just have a question for the developers about the wildlife. If this proposal goes through, what is the responsible plan for the hundreds of displaced animals? Maybe the birds can get away and go and make new nests when the trees are felled and the nests are destroyed. But, what about the ground animals? Are they going to be captured and relocated? The deer, wild turkey, fox, raccoons and rabbits, possess sums, squirrels, skunks, field mice. Will they attempt to disperse and scatter for shelter into the surrounding home yards under the sheds and into basements? Will they run out into the streets and traffic? What's the responsible plan for removing animals that can't run like the lizards, frog, turtles and snakes, maybe you have a plan of some kind to destroy them and get them out of your way. When you add a large amount of imperiatable surface to an area especially one that is vulnerable, the storm water flooding then you'll increase storm water problems, and heat island effect from all the houses and the hard surface. So, what we know is that, in the long run, sometimes developments like this cost the city on and beyond the tax revenues generated with long-term maintenance of infrastructure. So we have to ask why we would trade a system that May create some long-term problems when we could have something better. And, in regard to the wildlife which many people have mentioned tonight, ball home developments is preserving some of the green space and the trees but probably not enoughj7 to support the wildlife. And so what we May be trading is starlings for trees for eagles. Eagles need the kind of habitat that we see now on the peninsula. Starlings are adapter birds and we'll probably see more startlings. Am I finished? >> yes, ma'am. >> we ask you strongly consider the request that many, many people have made for the modifications that I think we could be proud of. >> thank you. >> don pratt. >> >> I'm don pratt. 210 walton avenue, but hopefully not for long. Last night, I watched a film on the kentucky river. And in that film was the sound of rain on trees. It is a sound I have not heard for many days, probably years. We want to educate those kids in the middle school, take them to the woods to listen to trees. You want their souls to feel? Let them have that opportunity. And they will learn something they will not learn in the classroom. i've seen too much destroyed and I've seen too little good replacement. The questions I want to ask are of planning and zoning. Where can we really build up well and see development in this community that is outstanding. And, with ownership possibilities for single families in those residents. Not just corporate rentals. Ball homes, can you do without the profits do you really need that much more profit? Bill here, you can take less money the next time when you represent them? Or another person that has a lot of money to pay for your kind of salary and the testimony of the different type of peoples that you bring in? I was amazed at the presentation of this community and their lawyer. I compliment them and I couldn't see what he had to say. I say, let's do something better, not less. Thank you. >> thank you. That concludes the list of people that I have who have asked to speak. And before we proceed we'll take another ten-minute break. And when it's half frozen or otherwise thought to be safe that they'll fall in. There isn't a swimming pool in the city that isn't fenced so why would we not fence this lake which is the greatest attractive nuisance to children that I could imagine. I favor 100-foot buffer but I strongly knowledge that it has to be fenced and that is a matter of safety, not esthetics or anything else. I believe it has to be fenced. So and the other, one other thing I'd like to say because I followed on the heels of so many outstanding statements that I hope council will take the opportunity to consider all the scholarly papers and statements that have been submitted tonight before you make your decision. >> next would be next is staff additional comments. Mr. Sahly. >> there are three issues I would hope to address with you and I thank you for the opportunity. The first was the conversation about density in the proposed development the proposal on the development plan totals 501 dwelling units between the mixture of townhouse, multifamily and single family detached. In doing the math, that works out to a density of 5.59 dwelling units per net acre and that does cover the school site, I believe, about I my calculations. The neighborhoods have asked that you restrict the density to 328 dwelling units for comparison, and again by my rough math that's 3.66 dwelling units per net acre just for comparative purposes. The second item that I had hoped to aaddress with you, Mr. Billings conditional zoning restriction that he has offered to you, item c, which is toward the bottom of the page, there is a lot of discussion in that wording about timing of different things developing on the property. The concept of timing is possible but, in my experience it's almost always been done as a restriction on the development plan. And rarely if ever done through a conditional zoning restriction. The very last sentence of c by my review would qualify as a potential conditional zoning restriction zoning if you were interested in that but as far as conditional zoning goes, restricting timing of things through conditional zoning is very difficult so I think I would encourage you maybe to maybe not consider that. The third thing, there was a question about the possibility of the school site of 20 acres in the center being an open space. In the past on a few occasions the council has restricted the use of property based on areas depicted on a development plan and so that, again, that is an area depicted on the development plan that could possibly have conditional zoning restrictions. But if you recall my early comments in tonight's hearing when I shared with you the planning commission and the planning staff's recommendation about conditional zoning, I refaced that by saying every time conditional zoning is employed, there is a requirement that a finding be made to do so. In this case, I've not heard anything tonight that would seem to present itself as a finding to eliminate the use of 20 acres of the property through a conditional zoning restriction if that makes sense. There has to be a finding any time you employ conditional zoning. So I wanted to remind the council of that as well. Thank you. >> thank you. Next would be petitioner's rebuttal? >> thank you, I'm going to run through a number of things fairly quickly. I'll play off what bill said and I want to add one thing to it. Screening and buffering does not include a trail. A trail is not a condition that can be imposed in conditional zoning. I say that with some knowledge as I think you know I wrote the statute. I sponsored the statute. I passed the statute and helped put it on your books. A trail, and as I said at the outset, the location of the trail is a purely development plan item under your ordinance. The same would be said for attempting to impose a conditional zoning restriction that took a 20-acre parcel and said you can have zero development on it. That will never fly as a conditional zoning condition. And even council for the opponents has not argued that we ought to be able do that. The school board has this site as part of the facilities plan. They went to the agency, the kentucky department of education that's a multistep process. They proposed this site. They got preliminary approval which is what you get in the first instance. They came back as a result and wrote a letter to kentucky american. this letter is being sent to communicate the interest of the fayette county public schools in purchasing a parcel of kentucky american water for use in constructing a school facility. So this school site is as far along as you would expect it in this process so the notion that there is never going to be a school site there is simply at odds with both their facilities plan and steps they've taken up to this point. Compliance with the comprehensive plan. The only thing, I don't want to go through the myriad of things that Mr. Billings threw into his exhibit except that I will say this: the planning staff, which participated in the development of the comprehensive plan and the planning commission, which adopted it and has a primary initial responsibility for reviewing applications and acting on them voted 8-1 that this proposal is in agreement with the comprehensive plan. Distance to the water. It was suggested that we fudged because there is all this space out that we are counting that was in the low pool area. I can tell you, I'm under oath, I took my measurements out there and the water is up against the trees now, in fact it's too high. It's up against some of the trees on the edge. That area that you saw on the earlier photographs that existed at low pool was not what we measured to. So the suggestion that our measurements are off because we included this beach looking area are simply incorrect. I've got two quick overheads, well, that's not good. Let's pull it down. What I will tell you, you see it in the book that you've got there of one of the books, you will see Mr. Kimerer's picture in the back of the book. One of the last slides that he took is a view from this property that we have looking toward east lake. You can see the character of the lake front at east lake. It's got almost no trees on it either by the reservoir or in many of the yards, the owners of which have been here to complain that they're going to lose their view of our trees. I'm sorry if that doesn't, but we've had people talk about you can always plant your own trees. You've had people talk about the value, if you look at the first slide we had, you would see that the tree line along all sides of the lake was very much similar back before development began. So it just so happens that this one is the last one in but most of the tree lines across the lake in the developed area have been eliminated. Kentucky american... Yes, sir. >> you've got about 10 seconds left on a five-minute rebuttal. >> all right. I'll catch some of this in followup there are three kentucky american letters in there. They do not a fence is appropriate in this location. The other distances where there are fences they did not own the property at the time they were developed. So those are old property lines and that's the reason for the more significant setbacks. >> thank you. Mr. Billings, rebuttal. >> vice mayor kay, ladies and gentlemen of the council, Mr. Sahly, staff, again, Mr. Leer, Mr. Nicholson Mr. Ball, Mr. Goodwin, members of the audience I have now four minutes and 40 seconds to try to summarize four hours and 7 minutes of testimony and to rebutt that. >> if I May intrude. >> rebuttal of evidence. You'll have a chance to recap. >> there are five points that were raised... Six points raised in the last 10 minutes of the rebuttal. On density Mr. Sahly gave you numbers that included the 20-ache school property. If you turn to tab 4 in the books, you will see two charts that says ball homes proposed density. The first chart is what is in the most recent proposal by ball homes and you exclude the 20 acres. That's a total of 6.64 or 6.6 p net. The second chart is the one that actually shows ball homes justification in their written proposal which is 7 units per acre. Under either of these scenarios you exclude the school and it's clearly more than four ache units per acre. Number two. The proposed zoning restriction, you can pull out my proposed zoning restriction. I understand Mr. Sahly does not like my first sentence of subc. let's just add the last sentence of subc. I think that the conditions in d give you more than sufficient reason based upon the evidence, testimony, disumentsz, most of which you probably have not even seen or read tonight because of the volume of material to support a decision that we've recommended to approve the zone change with these proposed zoning conditions. Or absent the zoning conditions it's not in agreement with the plan. Number three on the school. I don't know what fayette county public schools is doing. I've not suggested that you restrict the 20 acres. What I've suggested is limiting the density of the entire boundary serves as a precaution that if the 20 acres is not a school it protects the future. They could come back with another zone change to increase density but the density we proposed serves as a protection if it is not developed. We are not asking somebody to build the trail. That's a different question. What we have asked for is for a trail easement to be created. That's an important distinction that was left out of the rebuttal a minute ago. We are not asking for the developer to spend money to build a trail. They might understand the value it would bring to their homeowners and cities like they have in the other number of dessmentsz. We are not asking them to be forced by you all tonight we are asking you to require as a conditional zoning restriction which is appropriate, to create the buffer, the easement for that trail system. The examine, if you turn to exhibit 2, you will find a comprehensive comprehensive review of the comprehensive plan. That didn't quite make sense like I intended it but it came out anyway. You will see a summary of where it doesn't meet the comprehensive plan. We have vetted facts, we have vetted plans, we have vetted manuals, their hearing didn't rely on any of the other things. They've pulled out three sections from the comp plan and tried to wholly rely upon those and ignore the rest; that stack of documents that you all have adopted for the city. Number 6, the issues about distance, if you turn to tab 17, it's great for someone to come up here and say in person they've been to a place and measured 60 feet in one area. What we are telling you is we've actually done the math based on gps and have coordinates that show you based on each of those distances, there is one that is 60 feet. We are not disputing that but we are also tell ug other places it's 0 feet 5 feet or 10 feet. On average we come up with 24 feet. I'm not telling you that is going to be to the precise calculation but I'm telling you it is much more reasonable data to rely upon than Mr. Leer's personal testimony that he has been out there and he thinks it's 60 feet. with that, I told you tonight that I was cans sighted. A little bit fearful but excited. A zone change is not a small event. This zone change is a huge event for fayette county. You all have a choice tonight is it going to be the tyranny of the or or will you all embrace the genius of the and. Thank you. >> thank you. >> there was always some time for summation if you wanted to add anything. That seemed like your summation. You're good. Do the proponents want to summarize? Again not new evidence just, yeah. >> sure. This is more a time for big picture and that's what I'm going give you because that's really what is at stake here. One is history. Other developments around the lakes in fayette county with no fences have worked well. Wildlife exists there in abundance. The same wildlife except for the deer and the turkeys that exist this o this property. History shows that other quality neighborhoods not far from this one and all over lexington have functioned very well with the same mix of housing types that are proposed for this property. The win-win that was mentioned earlier, what is proposed is not a win-win for the property, for the development of the property or for the community. 100-foot buffer eliminates 40 some single family residential lots. The number of units that they suggest is 173 below what is proposed and that leads me to the third big picture item and some of you have heard me say this before. Those who say we have a world class city because of what we've done with our rural area, preserving it are almost never in the room when we have neighborhoods near to a bypass tract who don't want something built on the last remaining tract near them. Even though it's to be built by the same entity that built the neighborhoods that they love maybe we'll never solve that because you are sure going to hear from those people when the time comes to talk about whether we expand the urban service area boundary. Now you May not think it's a big deal. This is one tract of land. But they want to suggest that everything ought to be built at less than five units and acre. We are not going to build up instead of out at 4.5 units an acre just eliminating the units that they propose to eliminate and if, let's assume that wherever these other 170 some units go, the same attitude persists that has permeated the discussions tonight, that means we are going have to find another 38 acres of land somewhere to put those same number of units. You know we need, you've seen the housing study. You know we need to provide for additional single family homes and additional apartment homes. You know that. you commissioned or participated in the study that said that. That's what this is about. This is one of those watershed not inappropriate term to use, watershed moments where we come face to face with what we've seen we want to do as a community. Use flexibility, integrate housing types, put the density at appropriate, not a draconian level as a way to help us grow up instead of out. The planning commission saw that and they recommended approval. We respectfully request you do the same. Thank you. >> thank you. At this point if council members have questions of staff, petitioner or opponents please log in. Just to remind you after a round of questions, after all questions have been asked, two things. First both the petitioner and the opponent will have an opportunity to rebutt any new evidence that is brought out by the questions. Not to go back over old ground. New questions. And then I will declare the hearing closed and then council members will be free to make motions about the matter before us. So first, I got all kinds of people signed up. Here we go. Council member gibbs. >> thank you vice mayor. I'd like to bring bill up to the microphone and I don't imagine we'll finish this in five minutes. We'll have to come back later. >> I have a bunch of questions. Need clarification on some things. For one thing the present proposal is 501 units. That's roughly 5.6 units per acre. >> yes. >> but that includes the 20 acres for the proposed school, is that correct? >> I think is that correct. >> so if you took out the 20 acres, what would the actual density be? >> we can do that math. >> okay. >> other questions. Let's see. 20 acres for the school. Is the school board insisting on 20 acres. Can they do it any less? >> our understanding that is that the local and state requirement is a minimum of 20 acres for a middle school today. We obviously have some in town that are older that don't meet that but I understand that's for a new school. >> Mr. Leer said we would lose 40 units if we put in 100-foot buffer but I'm kind of curious about the size lot for the r-3. My calculation, you said the average proposed single family was 55 feet x 125 feet which comes out to a footprint of 6900 square feet. What is the minimum for an r-3? >> the minimum r-3 is 2500 square feet for single family detached unit. >> they could shrink the sides of the lots and get the same number in if they so choose. >> if you did the buffer it would be the depth of the lot although yes it would be the width. >> they could still have r-3 in the same number of units should they choose. Council member gibbs, to answer your question. The density calculation without the 20 acres 7.30. >> and I think I heard that earlier, didn't I? Another thing. Bill, I'm still confused on the buffers. So ball homes is proposing 25 feet, is that correct? >> yes. >> now there is a proposal somebody wants, the other side wants make it 75 plus 25, is that correct? And something related to that before you explained it, Mr. Billings and Mr. Leer seem to have a disagreement about putting the trail in like Mr. Leer said you can't mandate that and Mr. Billings said you are not necessarily mandating it but leaving open the possibility if you have a wider border. >> I think to answer the last question first, the issue was whether the council through a conditional zoning restriction could mandate it's construction. And I would agree with both of them, I'm not sure, I know we have not had a condition like that before but I'm not sure that meets either the use buffer historical cry criteria. >> if we chose to go with 100 feet it would open up the possibility of a trail through there but we could not mandate it. >> that's accurate. >> the 100 feet if I can go back to that. My impression of the neighborhood's proposal was a 25 plus a 50 total 75. Not 100. That was my understanding. >> is that right Mr. Billings? Is that right. You are talking about 75, not 100? Where did I get the 100 number. >> May I vice mayor? Yes, council member gibbs. This is where the discussing the buffer is probably the most complicated portion of this and I probably did a poor job of explaining it. What our proposal is that there is a 75-foot buffer created by the conditional zoning ordinance which includes a 50 if the tree conservation buffer and immediately interior or adjacent 25-foot trail easement buffer for total of 75. When you add the approximate or the average 24 or 25-foot depth on the outside of the property line gets to you 100 feet but as far as ball homes property we are capturing as much as we can on the water side to minimize how much property is being taken but still be the minimum that what all of our research says is should be required to accomplish some of the things we've talked about. >> thank you. That helps. >> thank you. Council member mossotti. >> thank you vice mayor. If you don't mind coming back up to the podium. Thank you. With the planning staff's measurements consistent with the petitioner's measurements kerning the buffer zone? >> we have to be careful when you use the term buffer zone. As Mr. Billings just answered there is really two areas an area on the water's edge to the property line. >> I'll take that question first. Was that consistent with the petitioner? >> I think it is pretty consistent. The planning staff measured I think as close a point as maybe 25 feet and the furthest distance about 100 and a shoreline that's going to do this all the way around however many acres that is? >> okay. And I've got google maps up here and I'm trying to find the fence that exists. Where does the fen currently exist? >> I have not been on the site. The only fence I'm term personally aware of is along the frontage of squires road and then there is a fence on the very northern part of the property. I'm not able to tell if you there is a fence separating the subject property from the water or the sliver of land around the water. >> I'm assuming that's kentucky american water fence. >> it is. >> and that line is fairly recently created, only in the last couple of years. That line did not exist to my knowledge before that. >> give me that location again please? >> I'm trying to find on it. The two areas I know. again squires road is here. Squires circle intersection here, squires circle around stubbing into the property here. There is a fence here along the line and there is a fence here along squires road. I'm certain there are fences there. >> that would be kept there, correct? >> yes. Throughout the development or not? >> it would not be possible to keep the fence here because their plan is showing a relocation of the road way and this was a recommendation of their traffic study so this fence would have to be relocated in some fashion. Plus the fence I think is really to secure the entirety of the property. If the property were developed, the need for a fence would be gone. >> thank you for now. That's all vice mayor. >> thank you. Council member plomin. >> thank you vice mayor. Obviously this is an infill and redevelopment and I'm a big proponent of that. I would question is it the right infill and redevelopment. I think a lot of issues have been brought up tonight and also the idea about growth and is this the smartest growth and use of this area, so with that said, a couple things I was also going to mention is that we are getting ready to put into committee a way to look at better engagement between developers and neighborhoods. >> council member plomin if you have a yen comment you can hold those. This is questions only. >> this is a question. So we had some of the neighborhood folks tonight talk about some experiences. I was wondering Mr. Leer, and Mr. Nicholson what was the process that was gone through and the timetable on the process? >> help me understand what part of the process you are talking about? >> I believe they were talking about the neighborhoods were talking about a knew months ago, I just didn't know when all of the communication with the neighborhood began and how many meetings there were or what was the process? >> I was not in attendance. I know there was one neighborhood meeting, Mr. Nicholson attended the neighborhood meeting. There was a fair amount of communication after that back and forth with their legal counsel, Mr. Billings. >> so one neighborhood meeting and then communication back and forth via the legal. >> essential will I as soon as we filed we scheduled a meeting once we learned that east lake was represented and I think we met shortly after we filed. >> okay. Thank you. >> council member scutchfield. >> thank you vice mayor. Bill, I think most of these questions will be for you. One of the things that was brought up was that this school that will go in is different from what we've done in other places? Loirlly. >> frontages? >> yes. The staff early on in our review and we probably had at least two meetings with the applicant, maybe a third, maybe more, about this very issue and the school as itself focal point of a neighborhood, the staff and I think I showed you the comp plan reference earlier, has a electronic prerchesz for those -- preference for those types having street frontage. The staff and developer really narrowed our differences as this plan evolved. This is probably the third or fourth generation development plan that went to the planning commission from the initial filing. As you can see on the school site now probably 50 to 60% of the property proposed for the school does have street frontage. Obviously that's not what williams brown is but it is one of the better examples probably in the last 50 years for a school here locally. >> I guess I'm wondering because I'm concerned you have elementary, the new school elementary built, all of these have roads all around them built directly into neighborhoods. Did you all take into account what the parking is around that area when a school is having an 8:00 A.M. Event which they have or they have a graduation where you have 800 parents that bring grand parents in and everything and how that parking is going to affect this area? >> very much so the staff did and that's why you saw the transportation staff recommendation that either the streets that front on the proposed site be collector street width or that that issue be looked more closely should the rezoning occur at the time of the final development plan and that's with, for instance a school like ace in our history. >> because I know cars were threatened to be towed and were ticketed on ace's streets. >> and that was an issue we learned from because they're the streets that were approved first and the school came in later. >> we talked about improvements on squires. What is the current width of squires? >> according to the development plan a 60-foot right of way with a 40-foot pavement curb to curb. Their frontage their half is unimproved. The northern side is center line to curb. The southern half is no the that wide. However the remainder of the road through hunter's point subdivision and dewey drive and greenboro drive, I would expect 60 and 40. >> how wide is squires road at richmond, squires road to the service road directly from the signal is fairly wide. It's improved on both sides, probably, I would guess the same width maybe wider because it's commercial on one side. From that point to where it starts to curve and head back towards going over the lake, again, we are dealing one I improved property on both sides. Narrows significantly beyond that commercial service road heading in a south westerly direction. >> so can those improvements be done without buying or purchasing property from existing homeowners? On squires where you all said you would be doing improvements on squires? >> on the subject property that's before you? >> yes. The development plan actually shows the developer will improve and relocate that short portion of squires on this end. Here it's just a stub street. There is one off site intersection recommended and I think the study is silent as to who would make that. It's an existing street. I presume it would be the urban county government responsibility. >> the squires road from richmond road bordered by residents, businesses who are getting ready to put a sidewalk in there so you are not going to be able to expand that at that point because you also have the lake and bridge right there. >> exactly. It does narrow. >> and that is ours. >> and then the other, I had a couple questions I'm going to try. What is the average width of the existing properties in the neighborhood. >> the lot widths? >> uh-huh. >> the r-1 d zone in hunter's point requires minimum 60-foot wide lots, so same with green bow and dewey drive. I expect those to be 60 or wider. The other in r-3 and r-1 t and even the one in the r-4, there is no way to know because those widths are not mandated by the zone. The developers of those chose to develop wider lots than that. It would take detailed analysis to answer your question. >> thank you. My time is up. Thank you. >> council member fred brown. >> bill, just stay there let me ask you when you all had this under planning and then it went to the commission did tim query, was he involved did y'all have questions for him? >> as I recall Mr. Query did attend the technical committee meetings on this and perhaps even the subdivision committee of the planning commission meetings. >> my understanding he is not here for us to back up some... >> I don't think so. >> alluded to looking at the property and the trees and that type of thing. >> the preliminary subdivision... Or pardon preliminary development plan, the requirement out of the zoning ordinance is that a detailed tree inventory be done. Again should the property be rezoned at the next stage of the development, then the requirement would be a tree preservation plan for some of the larger species. So at this point it's negotiate. >> who gets involved in that? Planning commission? Will that be part of the development plan? >> it will. we. >> yes. >> we will not see it again. >> prior to this I meant to comment on and commend the people out here attending, the civility of the property owners representing and others that are interested in this. I think great, I appreciate that. Being on the council and we hear a lot of zone hearings and, you know, it's nice to be able to get the type of discussion and the intelligent questions that you all had so I appreciate that from my perspective. Back to bill, was kentucky water company involved in any of this discussion when y'all did the planning commission or your area? >> as far as I know, they didn't attend any of the committee meetings or certainly not the planning commission's public hearing. >> is that normal? I mean why wouldn't they? They're the seller of the property. They own it. >> in this case the planning staff did reach out to the water company and we did have one meeting with I believe two of their representatives. So we asked them questions about what they wanted along the water's edge and things of that nature. >> I'm concerned about that and two concerns is the water quality. My understanding and they're not here to answer that, my understanding is that that reservoir is a water supply for fayette county as well as some of the other reservoirs. And they take water out of there a lot of times before they go to kentucky river. They still have to process it. But they take water out of that because I know for a fact that the water levels sometimes will go down two feet when if we haven't had much rain. So I don't know that that has any bearing other than I'm concerned about water quality and, you know, runoff from any existing or new properties, especially if we don't have that additional footage buffer. And did they mention anything about fencing? Did you talk with the water company about fencing because they have a fence completely around that property. That is a private area. They've got fencing, a nice chain link fencing around all of it that borders around the lake. Now on this particular property here, there is some fencing that they didn't need to do because they fenced the outside of it but my understanding that they fenced that for security reasons and for liability purposes. And I would like to have an answer from them as to why they would not fence this particular around this particular peninsula if they did sell it and it got rezoned? >> I don't recall any specific discussions with the representatives about fencing. What the planning staff was talking to them about more was the orientation of streets to the buffer to the water's edge versus rear yards to the buffer to the water's edge. Those types of issues was the thing I remember staff talking about. >> was there discussion about if the homes on that water edge, they would be able to have access to the lake? >> there was some discussion about that, yes. >> and they would be able to have docks? Around the lake and... >> I don't remember discussion about whether docks would be permitted. >> well who can answer that? >> I don't know, sir. I'm not sure anyone tonight. >> can Mr. Leer or ball homes answer that at all? I've only got 20 seconds. >> well, Mr. Brown... (Slow motion). [Laughter] First yes they would have access to the lake and would be able potentially to have docks. They the letters that are in the packet indicate that they do not believe that a fence is necessary; that they would like the individual lot owners to have the ability to pick up trash and there is a lot of trash out there. I want to correct one thing that you said. We take very little of the water, less than 13% of our drinking water comes from this reservoir in any way, shape or form. It almost all comes from the kentucky river. There are two pump stations as you know. There is another letter, the fifth letter, the fifth letter under tab 5 specifically addresses what you said about water quality. and that's the letter in which they said they already treat for everything that comes in and they point out that there are 7,680 achier in this watershed almost all of which develop and are already coming into the lake. They have to treat for everything that is coming in that's in the letter. >> so maybe that's what is happening now but last year when I talked to the vice President Of the water company, they told me they were taking quite a bit out of reservoir 4 and I know they did because the water levels just really fluctuated last summer. So maybe they've changed their direction. >> 2016 the number was 12.7% of the total water came out of that reservoir Mr. Brown. >> my time is up. >> thank you, council member lamb. >> thank you, vice mayor. I have a question for Mr. Leonard. You mentioned several trees that you had identified on the property I know it's craze toe ask this but do you remember where they were located? >> the state champion possible tree that is to be measured later this week was about 150-foot from the shoreline and the new sewer temporary sewer line that is laid there right now above ground went right under the drip line of the tree so it is and would be in violation of a tree production zone. Just very lucky that it wasn't a few feet over or we would be missing a very large tree. but the others were scattered over the old property. Julian campbell knows the longitude and latitude of the large tree. >> kentucky american water didn't feel like that a fence was appropriate, but would property owners that are abutting the water, would they be able to have fences in their backyard for children or for their pets? >> yes. I mean there wouldn't be a prohibition. Its just that kentucky american what they said in the letter a uniform fence blocking all access along there was not something that they felt was necessitied needed. >> all right. Now you mentioned that if there was a 100-foot buffer, that it would eliminate approximately 40 units. Is it fair to say if you have a 50-foot buffer it would eliminate 20? Is that a fair statement? >> what I did and this is a very quick analysis. I took the layout and I roughly counted the number of lots that would essentially have to be, with 100 feet. I would have to go back. It's a straight math mat dal. Part of the problem is the school site and the land between the school site and the lake is compressed so you can't say well you just can move it up and pick it up because the land is not there to do it. >> okay. >> unless you went to really small lots and I'm not sure the neighbors out here would like the really small lots, to be perfectly honest. >> that kind of takes me into the next question. Obviously once your homes and apartments and town homes are built, obviously you don't know when the school is to be constructed so who is going to be responsible for the 20-acre lot in that meantime? >> still be owned by kentucky american and they would have I assume they would maintain it. We have the right to zone it all and the reason for putting it it all in is so the council would know what the zone is going to be but kentucky american would continue to own the 20 acres until the school purchased it. >> the next question is you mentioned at a letter from fayette county public schools to the kentucky american water company. You had something you were reading from? >> yes. That wasn't included in the packets and I didn't know if there was a reason that... >> no, it's not. I would be happy to put a copy of it in the record. The reason until tonight we hadn't heard the argument that there is never going to be a school there. Because the whole way the entire way in which this development has been conceived is based on a pre-existing commitment from the water company to sell 20 acres. We did meet with representatives of the school board to work with them on the configuration of the 20 acres. It changed slightly from what kentucky american and they had originally talked about. But it's news to me that there is an issue about whether the school board intends and I'll be happy to I'll put a copy of that in the record for you. Happy to do that. >> thank you. That would be great. Thank you, Mr. Leer. Thank you vice mayor. >> council member farmer. >> thank you vice mayor. Mr. Leer if I could have you back for just a moment. I appreciate your entering that item into the official record. In talking about all the reservoirs which you used an illustration of the one that is in the fifth district, and I'm asking you in essence on behalf of kentucky american since we have no other opportunity tonight do they draw water from any of the reservoirs or just reservoir 4 occasionally? >> none of the other three. Reservoir number one is the one you would think of of being across from what used to be lexington mall now southland christian church. Reservoir number 2 is, they're divided by causeways. Reservoir number 2 sits between part of the development known as the island and part of the development that's inside on lake shore drive including the area that's got the lake park apartments and town homes and all of that and then reservoir number 3 is on the other side of the road and it is bounded by lake side and a couple of other developments. >> I'm just asking to your knowledge does kentucky american draw water? >> they don't draw water from any of them. They don't own any part of them. They still own reservoir number one, the rest of the reservoirs, the other two and three I believe are owned by something called lela. Lake area lake association. >> I'm very familiar. Thank you. So you are saying the only reservoir they draw any water at any time potentially is number four. They own the one next to their station but don't use water from it to your knowledge? >> they do not. >> so when I look at the master plan in here, it shows all the lots on the outside edge backing up to the lake which would be similar to what we see in across the causeway in the fifth district where the land goes down to the water and in some instances yes, there is use, there is a dock and other instances there is nothing. >> right. >> so how is... How is that contemplated at this new potential development that everybody would have that potential option, too, to go down and use the lake then so to speak? >> yes. >> and how would that impact the talked about lake elersly fishing club? Do they maintain any specific use of that lake or is it... >> they fish. They fish in the lake. According to, you have to understand kentucky american, the letters that are in there say they understand the development concept. They support it. They do not believe it would compromise the quality of the water in the lake. The other setbacks if you want to call them that, number one this is the only property around number four that they owned at the time it was proposed for development. East like which was developed by ball homes, where the fence line is was the old property lines and they retained it because there was a road that went through there and you could see it on the photographs to get back to their dam. >> it was beautiful. I agree and the other all of that area is under the lease to lake elersly fishing club because those were the boundary of the american kentucky property at the time all of those others were desmed. In this case they own the property, they can set the boundary really wherever they want and that's the boundary that they set is the boundary, and they set that boundary before we negotiated for the purchase of it. >> and my time is running out, too. So would there... This would still remain a very fenced waterway except on the peninsula that you are talking about. Would that be correct? >> unless in working with the other neighborhood associations they agree to remove part of the fence and I can't speak to that, although we would support it. I think they would probably not in the area where lake ellerslie fishing club is whether they would do it in the other areas, I don't, I can't speak to that. >> I May come back but thank you, sir. Thank you vice mayor. >> thank you. Council member evans. >> thank you vice mayor. I think the questions are for Mr. Sahly. I'm going through the traffic, I guess the impact study, talking about I can't tell if you factored in the students that would be coming because there was a comment that if it was a magnet school there would be much more traffic, cars, as opposed to anyone walking and if there is an estimated 900 students that would be project, how was that calculated into the number for vehicles because I don't see where that would be factored in. >> cloorly the school was taken into kentucky with the traffic study if you look at page one of four of the report. I thought there was a separate number for the school here but I'm not seeing it now that you are asking so you May need to ask the traffic consultants here. >> 55 feet wide across with a depth a range of 110 to 130 feet so when I presented early in evening I just averaged the two for simplicity sake. In the r-3 zone there is a required 20-foot front yard setback so now that lops off that part of it. The rear yard has to be at least 10 feet of setback so just going from front to the back of the lot say 110, you are down to 80 feet front to back on a house. the setbacks from the sides have to be at least three feet each side. So 49, that leaves an envelope if you will on the lot for each house of 49 width and, what did we say that was? 80 front to back I believe. So obviously not every house will fill that envelope. I would expect there would be a variety. >> I'm simple so I don't know what that... What would a real estate agent say the square footage of that home would be? >> I don't know about the home. In planning we deal with the lot sizes. Those are the issue the planning looks at rather than how many square feet. >> Mr. Leer can you give me an estimate on, I just need to conceptualize it. I'm not trying to pin anybody down. Gl what is anticipated around the lake is 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. And price ranges of 300,000 to 500,000. I mean this is not intended... This is intended to be a high quality residential development. >> that's what I needed to know. Thank you. >> thank you. Council member bledsoe. >> thank you vice mayor. Mr. Sahly. Two quick questions. One this is not the same but similar to the development out by dogwood trace that was a one entrance one out property development. That had how many units in it-ish the development next to dogwood. >> oh yes. One further north. I'm going by recall, again the applicant May know exactly because I think they developed it. As I recall, around 250 apartments and roughly 50 single family homes. And that development is 500ish with two exits. >> uh-huh. >> plus a school. If the npo and bike and pedestrian master plan suggested we do this. >> the trail? >> the trail. And if we did make it an easement for it would the kentucky american water still hold liability for that... >> the trail that has been talked about tonight is going to be in one form or another on the land you are considering for rezoning. You know, there still will be this buffer that we've talked about that is not proposed to be rezoned that will remain in the zone that separates the development from the water's edge. I don't know if that distinction between private property and kentucky american home properties has liability. Some of the americans May be able to answer that. >> do you want to take that question Mr. Leer? And I only ask it because this is a fence that blocks the private property from the property we run on and in this case the fence would be opposite. It would be closer to the water and the trail would be outside of it closer to the homeowners property. Does that make sense? If it was done in this particular way as people suggesting it happen. >> I guess I'm not grasping your question. I apologize for that. The issue, if the trail were as they have proposed, who would have liability? My guess is it would be whoever owned it. >> the private property. >> and the way they've proposed it, it would probably be individual homeowners that would have liability. That's my guess but I don't know. >> I guess I thought there was already an agreement that kentucky american water would continue to own the liability of the lake no matter who backed up to the property. >> that's the lake but what they're talking about is having a 50-foot buffer that would be on the buffer would be located on the individual homeowners property and the 25 feet would be located on the individual homeowners property as they have proposed it. And liability is only one of many issues associated with that, I think. >> okay. Thank you for that. I'll hold the rest of my questions. >> thank you. >> council member stinnett. >> thank you vice mayor. Bill 5ley, I'll start with you. Where the current trail proposed? You stled was one already propose proposed a second go? >> a trail. Preliminary plan. What route would it take? >> I think I understand your question. The trail on this plan is shown along the relocated squires road here crossing and along the northern frontage of the extension of squires circle crossing and along really a greenway tract that is associated with the pool and clubhouse heading north to this point and presumably it would then continue along for a block and a half to squires road and extend out squires road in the direction of rich 3407bd road. >> I assume this is something the staff was in agreement with? >> the staff reviewed this, yes. >> that's right. >> and storm water, we didn't talk about that tonight but is there storm water controls within the development or were they using the lake? >> a very good question. This is third or fourth generation plan. Early on one of the early version proz posed retention basins in what I'll call the low areas of the property in close proximity to the lake but they would still have an area where they're collected and treated for quality and drained to the lake. Not depicted on the plan but generally for instance, this was an area I recall here I think there was another area here and possibly another here. There were several around and that's the conceptment again at this stage it's a conceptual plan, not calculated engineering. >> on the density you mentioned seven units per acre if you take out the school, if you include the school around six. What is the maximum they could do? Under the r-3. >> r-3 and r-4? >> there is no density limit or minimum in r-3 and r-4. It's always been a function of parking... There are four area limits to the amount of building you can build but a per unit number in these two zones has never existed in my experience. >> so it could be a lot denser. >> it could if the single family went away and it was multifamily. >> you mentioned this was at fourth iteration of the plan? Was it denser before and they've come down. >> my impression is that it has been pretty constant. There have been tweaks but not in my recollection material changes. >> okay. Mr. Leer. You mentioned other properties abut the lake. Do other neighborhoods have access to the lake currently? >> no. Other properties, other lakes, they all do or at least two and three. This, as of this point the others do not. On reservoir number 4. >> the peninsula will be the only development allowed access to the lake at this point. And. >> yes. >> kentucky american will still own the lake. >> and they will own property that is next to the lake, remember where the property line acts they would continue to own the shoreline. >> and would they own, who would own the 25-foot buffer? >> the 25-foot buffer as approved would run from the property line, which ball homes would purchase into the lots so that buffer would be owned by individual lot owners but kentucky american would continue to own the property between the property line and water's edge as well as the lake itself. >> you mentioned earlier about road improvements. What intersections would be improved as part of this? >> I don't think I'm the one that mentioned them but the principal road improvement would be one that we could control which is the point at which squires road hits old squires road hits squires circle and that is to be, I think a three-way stop as I guess you would call it a traffic control facility there the other side of the loop would be connected to the street that is currently a stub street. >> all right sir. Thank you. >> council member mossotti. >> thank you, mayor. Mr. Billings I'll give you a chance. You haven't been up here yet. So I understand this correctly, Mr. 5ley, we are talking about the fence and the proposed trail , the fence will come down and there will be a proposed trail around where the area he said is at the top half or top end of the map. you are in the residents are requesting a 75-foot buffer around the whole property, am I correct? >> yes. >> so in that 75-foot buffer that would eventually lead to a proposed trail. My concern is as everyone else is liability about that because here you've got a water feature where you are going have john and mary think what a beautiful place to bring my picnic lunch and walk through this neighbor's backyard. I as a homeowner don't want john and mary having their lunch or worrying about john and mary and their dog and children falling in the water. So help me here. >> that's a terrific question. And the answer is really simple. Have you been over to chilesberg? >> yes. >> what is in the back multiple trails and basin owned by a homeowners association. >> that's not really a water feature. This is a beautiful lake to look at. >> you asked who would own it. It is not our position to say who should own or who should not own the property. I can tell you about 20 different examples of how it can work. At the zone change under the comp plan I'm not sure that I'm allowed to say to ball homes you have to x regarding the ownership. What I get to do and what ball homes has to do is say what is the if it satisfies the comp plan and if it doesn't and create conditional zoning restrictions with respect to your question about the ownership and the liability this is why we've requested one of the reasons we've requested the buffer. Along the exterior boundary of the property here, this is houses here, all along the lake here. There has been a lot of comments about a fencing requirement. The primary reasons because if you look over here on east lake around the property line that sets about 60 to 100 feet back from the water's edge, if you look over here on shore side it sets about 450 feet back. All along the other you don't have a map, actually you see it. This is ellerslie at the long. You have significant distances between the water's edge and the property boundary. Not only do you have a significant distance, you also have a fence. When we made our proposal for conditional zoning restriction and I'm going to be very transparent I thought we were asking for too much to ask for a fence in addition to the buffer because I felt like the more we asked the more we ask we become unreasonable so we believe that if you have conservation area that it creates a buffer that is an impediment for people, seven-year-old kid to come back more impediment for the seven-year-old kid who lives here to get to the lake. Is it absolute? No. If somebody wants to get to the lake these people come over and jump over the fence and come over here and lake ellerslie fishing club people run them off. For liability purposes we are not saying create the buffer on the individual lot homes. What we are saying is ball homes May have to adjust their development plan to do that. And I don't know the exact answer of how they do it but I'll give you one example. This row of houses this gets rid of and this is back. It is more complicated than I understand but it doesn't cost them 40 houses to do it. It requires ingenuity and creativity but allows this emto do it. Inside the buffer they could put a fence along there. There could be a development plan requirement for fence. I just didn't want to be greedy May not be the right word but I felt like as a homeowner I had to come up with proposals that I felt were realistic and reasonable without saying we need to do 50 things to make it work because that wasn't going to work. We were growing to be the bad guys and that's no what treer tying to trying to do. If I'm going to spend half a million dollars on to be on that lake I'm not sure I want a fence in front of me either. >> I'm not disagreeing. The there is a buffer here, there are two ways to do a fence. There could be a fence construct add long the property boundary line on the other side the water's side of that buffer. Or there is a fence along the trail system. there could be different solutions to how that works for liability purposes. What this doesn't resolve is on the apartment complex we've asked all long why is there an inconsistent position. You say you don't want public access to the lake with what we are suggesting an we are not suggesting public access but they create this trail right here. Does that need a fence right there? Absolutely it does. And I'm not trying to short circuit the discussion on a fence but I'm not sure that I would have been taken seriously if I asked for all the little things we thought were important but we had to think of was was most important. >> this is important though because there is a liability issue here so thank you vice mayor. My time is up. >> thank you. Council member brown. Follow up questions for bill. >> cowrl brown. >> this is my second time. >> and council member moloney has not had a chance to speak so I'll recognize him and come back to you. >> thank you. Could I have Mr. Leer come up. >> so they're willing to take that risk and maintain it. The problem I have with a trail going back there if they put this trail in, first of all nobody knows who is going to pay for it. Nobody is going to know who is going to take care of it. And the water companies saudi said they don't want a trail there and my question is the water company May want to put a fence up because we went against what they were asking for because they don't want that much traffic going into the property so I want to be careful what we ask for here and if you do put a fence up and put a trail up which we'll never use and Miss Mosotti, you are a realtor and would you buy a house that you can't use to go out to the lake and you spend $750,000 or $500,000 on a house that, to me is going to be the prime and that, to me, is the question that we have to ask here, who is going to maintain that bike trail and I don't... Eye mean I understand that the folks living here, they they are not going to be the neighborhood association. The neighborhood association is going to be the people that are moving in right now that are going have to take on the responsibility of the bike trail I'm being a council member lot of these folks that May live three or four or five streets up May not want to maintain the bike trail. I didn't buy the house to maintain a bike trail. I didn't buy a house to maintain common grounds like that but we have a chance for the people who are going to buy half a million house or whatever, they're going to maintain that yard for us and we don't have to have a liability issue on this. So before we put the trail in, I have not heard one person say they're going to pay for this trail. And I'm going to be honest with you. I have never and I go back to all the years that I've been on the council, I'm not a big fan of putting bike trails behind houses. I've never been a big fan nor will I ever be a big fan of bike trails behind houses because we have council members that have had that in their districts and they have concerns about that. So I just want, I don't want to be everybody think this trail is going to be a golden thing when nobody has yet to tell me who is paying for it so I have some concerns about that. Thank you. >> that will I respond? >> I'm not sure that was a question. >> go right ahead. Can I do this now or I can do this later because much new information I think has come in about the trail and I can do it in response to the question or I can wait until the last rebuttal and I'll be happy to do either one but there is a lot about the trail that I think is misunderstood or not understood at all and I can clarify it I think. >> go right ahead. Number up with the trail, as it exists today, the trail I've got slides I can put up, the trail, the only place that it is anything other than sidewalks is old squires road. Throughout much of this neighborhood, the trail is on public sidewalks as it's shown here. The trail already does not go behind the first group of houses that it is shown on the map to go behind which would be I think it's hunter's point. It would come down past hunter's... I already doesn't go there. The trail cannot go any further than the area where we show it next to the reservoir unless it goes through the lake ellerslie club property and then the end point of the trail and this is something you should know about, shows the people on their bikes and on foot crossing richmond road to get to the other side, the lake side golf course where there is no traffic light. That trail was put on a plan in 2001. That is 16 years ago. The 2013 comprehensive plan says that it needs to be updated. That was four years ago and it hasn't been updated yet. So the notion that this trail is somehow sacrosanct and is supposed to be where it goes, it can't go, it cannot go where it is shown right now and the notion that absolutely has to go on this piece of property when it's not going the other places that they say it is going to go is just wrong. >> thank you. >> council member higgins. I've got a couple people who have not spoken yet. I'm going to recognize them and then come back. Council member higgins. >> thank you vice mayor. Mr. 5ley. What is your -- vision of the viewing spot. And also what is the size of it and would ball homes be liable for that property? >> it will be privately owned is our understanding. It is not proposed to be dedicated as a mini park or anything. The staff reviewed that and we did question the applicant about that early on about that. I think we reached general agreement that the planning staff had no objection to that, that it made sense as a neighborhood feature to allow folks as they come down that street to have a view of the lake rather than maybe looking at the fronts of houses that might block that view. If you'll allow me to go to the map I'll try to estimate it's size for you it's the same as the lot depth. So it's 120 deep by about 170 wide on average. I need my calculator. Well, it's obviously the size of 1, 2, 3, four residential lots. >> since it's privately owned, that means that there probably won't be any park benches or anything like that. >> if they would go there again it would be private. >> got it. Okay. Thank you. >> thank you. Cowcialg brown was next -- council member brown was next in line and I'll go back up. >> thank you. Bill and maybe legal. I'm a little bit confused on who is requesting the soap change? >> the applicant is ball homes llc. >> well how can they, so they're requesting the zone change for the entire property but they're not going to buy the entire property? >> I think that's correct. They currently have permission for both lotses, which I believe are still both controlled by the water company. >> how does that work from a legal standpoint. >> it's really pretty typical. With a zoning application, there are only three entities that can begin the zone change. Property owner, this council and planning commission so when a person wants to propose a zone change on a property they don't own, they must submit to our office a written agreement from the current owner giving them permission to seek the zone change and that's what has happened here. >> so is this normal? >> yes, sir. >> it's normal from your standpoint even though you have two parcels of land here and you answered there that that 20 acres would not be sold, that kentucky american water was going to retain that. >> I think Mr. Leer made that statement earlier. I did not recall that. >> that's what I don't understand. >> yep. >> either ball homes is buying the whole parcel or they're not. They're getting the whole parcel zoned so they've got to... And I don't know maybe Mr. Leer can you clear that up from a legal standpoint? >> 90% of the zone changes maybe more that you've ever heard are processed by a person that has either the right to zone property or a contract to buy it contingent on zoning. And this case... >> I understand that. So what I'm asking is ball homes wanting to zone the entire property? >> yes. >> so they will own that 20 acres? >> no. The zoning does not carry title. >> so that allows joint ownership or... >> and it is not terribly uncommon to have a person buying a piece of the property and the staff to say well, you are not bringing in all of it. We'd like to see what the zoning will be on the rest of it so it's all brought in even though the contract isn't for the whole thing. >> and it bother mooz me a little bit that kentucky american water company is not here to answer questions because they're a participant.In this zone change whether you agree or not. >> I think you've made that point. >> I wanted to. And let me ask you this other question. I know... I don't think you were involved but the ellerslie delong development over there. >> yes. >> which abuts up to the lake but there is a lot of footage, buffer area. Why didn't, why wasn't the approach taken on this development like it was over there because oom it was hard to get that in but it has been 15 or 20 years ago because you've already got something established a precedent has been set. It would have been easy? >> well, there are a couple of things. one if you look, one of the reasons I mentioned earlier the water company owned up to the top of the bank so the applicant was not zoning water property company. The property line was kept where it was. The topography is much more sleep over there. It doesn't roll down to the lake like it does here. And the other thing remember that's in the expansion area and there are different sets of rules for open space, design criteria and the like that apply to expansion area properties that aren't a part of the design and the standards for... >> and one other thing. Water company is no the here to answer, but they have... That's a private fishing lake out there, kentucky water owns it. There is a contract there that with the club, how does this new zone change affect that? >> they'll still have the same rights under their contract to fish in the lake to maintain the dock area that they have. >> all right. Thank you. >> council member farmer. >> Mr. Leer. This is what I was talking about before. One of the things we can contemplate but we can't necessarily do anything about are some unintended consequences. Won't this change the entire character of this lake? I mean will it undermine the fishing rights of the fishing club and won't it cause the people across the other side to want to take their fences down which you alluded to? >> well, number one, no. I don't think this is not the predominant shoreline of the lake. It's a very small piece of it so I don't think it will, you are asking... That's more of an opinion than anything else. >> you are qualified. >> in my opinion it will not materially change the character of the lake. It doesn't impact the license or lease rights, I'm not sure exactly what the legal instrument of the lake ellerslie fishing club. So no, I don't see that and the second thing I would say is maybe this sounds like I get frustrated but it's your district. The lakes that have already been developed around are beautiful. They have wildlife they're not overrun with parties. I mean this is not some sort of evil thing that is going to happen to this lake. If you look around what has happened to the rest of the lakes. They're some of the most attractive beautiful welcoming neighborhoods in lexington. I don't think this is going to be any different. >> you know this is the only place I ever see you late at night so it's fun to hang out, right? [Laughter] >> well I'm happy that that's the case. >> I was just... Let me ask you this. It would strike me that the potential buyers for these lots that back up to the lake want a lot that backs up to the lake not one that backs up to a fence. >> I agree with that. >> and if there were a fence or a setback or offset would that not impact each lot value that would have backed up to the lake that does not now? >> yes. >> thank you, sir. Thank you vice mayor. >> thank you. Council member gibbs. >> thank you vice mayor. Several questions I will start with a nice easy one for bill. Most of my questions I'm concern about ecological concerns primarily. That cherry tree is there any way to protect that. It is in the development zone. >> ordinarily how that would happen is at this stage it would be identified and should the property be rezoned the next stage would either be a final development plan say for the apartment complex or a preliminary subdivision plan that would propose the street and lotting pattern that you are seeing tonight. Either of those plans requires the commission to consider and to ultimately approve a tree protection plan. Those trees in my view, would be candidates for some specific protection under that scenario. It doesn't require all the trees to be protected but that is the type of analysis that is done kind of at the next stage after they're identified. >> okay. So you can probably handle the next one, too, I think. I'm interested in that 75-foot barrier or whatever we are calling it. >> buffer. >> tup. It doesn't necessarily have to have a trail. I think there was an old plan from 2001 which called for a trail but no need to have that, correct? I think some people are concerned that if we did create that buffer we are automatically creating a trail or something and that's not the case. We're just... I'm interested in increasing that buffer for ecological concerns. I don't care, it would be nice to have a trail. I don't care if there is a trail or not. >> I agree with your statement. I think we are talking about two different things. One is a buffer and it's width. The other is whether or not there should be a trail. >> I was afraid some of the comments we heard if we approve the buffer we are pushing for a trail and I don't think that's necessarily the case. Another thing I'm confused about is clearing the buffer. I'm not sure these are actually in the proposals or not but my understanding is the current proposal is to allow mechanical clearance of the buffer zone and maintaining only trees of three inch caliper. The opposition proposal calls for non-mechanical clearing and preserving any trees that are one and a half caliper and higher. So those are the two proposals? >> yes, that's my believing of the two proposals you are being asked to review tonight. >> thank you. Now I still have two and a half minutes so I want dave leonard -7d tom kimerman to come up at the same time and I want them to arm wrestle. [Laughter] >> I put my money on tom. >> it would be easier if I had you both up here. You look primarily at the 25-foot buffer. >> I interviewed the entire property. I sampled the entire property using standard forestry measurement techniques. The burr oak the only significant tree in the 25-foot buffer. >> the cherry is within the area that we are protecting. >> no. >> dave seemed to think it was 150 feet in. >> dave said he thought it was 150 feet in from the lake. Didn't you, dave? >> yeah. >> there is one... The old cherry close to the burr snoak. >> yeah, there is that one. >> but that one is not in good shape. >> that's right but the other one is down in that... >> take this mic please. >> there is another area we are protecting down in here which is where the cherry is. >> okay. But then there is another cherry you are talking about, displect. >> there May be more. I only know the one I found. >> I know I know you can't answer that but if we increase the buffer by 50 feet would that ... That's... >> if the buffer is increased that is certainly going to help the existing trees along the shoreline because I said 25-foot in my mind is not sustainable for a tree. I mean if you develop that lot clear that grade anything you destroy the root system of the tree. So 25-foot buffer is no go. >> okay. Wider is preferable. I don't know how wide. >> about out of time so I'll let you guys go. >> council member gibbs. If I could readdress your question. I May have misunderstand some of it. The applicant is not proposing non-mechanical removal of things like honeysuckle and things like that. I thought that the neighborhood had suggested that but I May have misanswered your question just a little bit earlier. I wanted to clarify that. >> council member moloney. >> followup what council member gibbs is talking about goes back to the thing I said if we build a house within and they have these trees on their property, they're supposed to be there the owners will maintain those trees the only thing is in cleaning the lake all the way to the end. Now if we were to put a buffer in there, forget the bike trail. Who is responsible for the buffer? I mean is that become right now we have property owners responsible all the way to the lake. If if we put a bufer in there and the property owner is going to say why am I going to maintain all this and not be able... I'm just wondering how the difference? How that comes in play? >> council member moloney May I take a stab at your question. >> that would be great. >> that was one thing that the planning staff reviewed. If you remember early on I told you we changed our recommendation about this buffer. Initially it was based on the flood plain and then eventually after talking to our zoning enforcement people, we decided to make the recommendation from the property line instead and I showed you a map that said yes in some places the flood plain will be further into the property than that. It was over this very question. The enforcement staff was concerned that it would be difficult in the field to accurately identify exactly where the flood plain is say on the back of a residential lot whereas the property line is measurable in almost every instance. That's one of the reasons the staff recommended the change. >> the change to buffer the zone and let the... 25 feet instead of the flood plain plain we initially recommended. >> so that answers my question. Thank you. >> council member bledsoe. >> thank you vice mayor. Very quickly Mr. Leer. Just are real fast. Unless I missed this. Are you going have a planned hoa for the entire development? >> yes. i believe we will. I mean that's... >> hoa will. >> I would assume with the clubhouse and the amenities? >> the only thing I can answer for the club area and the apartments. We have not gotten to that level of detail. >> that's okay. >> it's obviously a big enough climb to get it zoned. >> apparently. Last question. I serve on that bike and pedestrian master plan. We are doing the update right now so we are in the current discussion of whenner the bikes or trails should go and updating the master plan. And it has been too long. I concur with that. I want to make sure I understand what you said. The way the old map showed going like this is not physically possible anymore. >> that's correct. >> thank you. Thank you vice mayor. >> I see nobody else signed up for questions that allows us to go to rebuttals for any new evidence that has been introduced petitioner. >> just only two points. And I think bill sahly corrected this one but there have been lots of statements that the applicant has proposed mechanical clearing of trees. We have never said that. We have never proposed it in any forum anywhere. I don't know where that came from but it is not a part of the proposal. Number two: google is a marvelous thing. While we have been having this hearing, diane has googled the fayette county website. This is not shown as a magnet school on the fayette county website. It is shown as one of the four schools that is their number one priority for construction. And the last thing, I want to add one more thing. And that is you'll see one photograph in the slides of an elderly gentleman in a ball cap that is standing at the edge of the buffer area and if you look in that slide, you are going to see you can add an extra 25 feet away from the lake and all you are going cover is grass. And that's pretty typical out there. The places you don't cover grass in that next 25 feet are what I call the honeysuckle and jungle that has grown up in the last 10 or 12 years since they stopped mowing. >> thank you. >> opponent. Rebuttal. >> council members. Mr. Moloney, there are three people on that trail in the buffer system. Kentucky american water can keep it, the developer can keep it or an hoa can own it. Every other development in fayette county in the last 20 years has ult mally been owned by an hoa and without exemption is every one of those has a planned trail system through it or a trail system. Some of them are behind the houses and success is an under statement. Chiles berg is a recent example of that. Right now some of your council member people are acquiring trail systems aright along old chilesberg road that go through still meadows dennis anderson property, that's who is go for example to. With respect to fencing, turn to pab 13, the second documents titled den ton reservoir protection agreement john ball was made to sign with kentucky american water in 2003. Five paragraphs. Paragraph number 1 is a phased approach storm water management, erosion settlement, five is pesticide to all types of questions have you asked about tt today. Kentucky american water said before every one of the issues is important. Why aren't they here saying the same thing is this we've asked that since October. I don't know the answer to that. We didn't hear the answer to that tonight we think the testimony has been very beneficial to do what we've suggested to do tonight. The fencing can be on the exterior of the property and give it protection that you would like and creating the buffers thank you. >> thank you. At this point I will declare the hearing closed. There will be no further testimony from the public. All additional conversation will be conducted by council and it will be appropriate to entertain motions. So I will open the floor for comments and/or... I'm sorry. Exactly right. we'll come back. We would like to reconvene if people will take their seats. I believe we are ready for a motion. Council member scutchfield. >> thank you vice mayor. I want to first tell everybody that has come here today thank you. We do listen and I know it has been a very frustrating process for a lot of you all. I know you have reached out to me and I haven't been able to discuss it with you because it goes through the planning commission first and then comes here. I thank you as do my colleagues for your patience and for coming here today. You know this is the way the process works and we are really glad that you all became a part of it and I do think wur unof the largest groups that has come out here to give their thoughts on a development. As we take a look at any of the developments in lexington we do pride ourselves on our farmland. We do pride ourselves on our green space. But I also know your community. I know those streets that go back there and I know those streets are going to have major issues. When the petitioner to this brought up the fact that these neighborhoods like tuscany like waterford, that had huge developments with houses and mixed use, they all exit on to a main street. This development exit on to your street which isn't a main street. I am going to make a motion now and it will be up to council at that point how we go from there. But... I make a motion to approve a zoning map amendment from agricultural urban a-u zone to a single family residential r-1 d zone for 89.59 net, 89.8 gross acres for properties locate at 478 and 480 squares road finding it is in substantial agreement with the comprehensive plan based on the following findings. Growing successful neighborhoods ... I can't read the hand writing. Growing successful neighborhoods theme a and chapter 3 encourages infill redevelopment and adaptive reuse that respects the area's context and design features goal number 2 a and providing well designed neighborhoods including neighborhoods connected for pedestrian and various modes of transportation. Goals number 3 and 36. Protecting the environment theme b chapter 4 by encouraging sustainable use of natural resources. Goal number 2 b and management of green infrastructure which includes the protection of environmentally sensitive areas before development occurs. By providing a conditional zoning restriction for 75-foot buffer along the a-u zoning boundary near the water's edge of reservoir number 4 to protect the shoreline and maintain a healthy ecosystem around the reservoir and c the 2013 plan recommends compact and contiguous development within the urban service area theme e goal number one met by the petitioner's proposal within the urban service boundary. Conditional zoning restrictions a: along the boundary of the subject property which is shared with kentucky american water reservoir number 4, there shall be a 75-foot with a fence landscaped buffer area established from the zone change boundary within the buffer area all structures including accessories structures fences and place structures shall be prohibited. Existing trees with a one and a half caliper or greater shall be preserved except for dead, diseased hazardous trees or invasive species. All other trees May be removed only with the written concept of the division of environmental services if deemed to be necessary for the overall health of this environmentally sensitive area. 4: 25 feet of the proposed buffer shall be reserved for the possibility of a trail. This buffer restriction is appropriate and necessary for the subject property in order to more fully protect the adjacent reservoir and fully implement the principles of the 2013 comprehensive plan so moved. >> I have a motion by council member scutchfield second by council member gibbs. Is there a discussion on the motion? Council member lamb? >> thank you. Council member scutchfield would you mind the very first part of your motion, where it spoke about the change in the zone from a-u to r-3 and the acreage? Can you just did it address the r-4 or are you? >> no. Basically what the motion is doing is making it awm single family residential. >> I just want to make sure I understood the motion. >> thank you. >> for the clarification. >> council member farmer. >> so the effective your motion is to change everything to r-1 d is that it? Tell me or renum rate for me about the set back and the fence and the buffer? Give that to me one more time. >> moving the buffer zone to the 75-foot buffer from the 25-foot and including, hold on... >> that's all right. >> 25 feet of the proposed buffer of 75 would be set aside as a potential walking path all purpose trail if the hoa, if whoever controls it move forward with that plan. >> so does this mandate that there is a fence there then? >> yes, part of it does mandate that there is a fence as part of the buffer. >> thank you. >> council member mossotti. >> one question. Excuse me council member scutchfield. The fence goes around the entire property. >> my intent of the fence is the other side of the lake was required to have a fence between the neighborhood and the lake so it would be around the water edge area, yes. >> council member moloney. >> my question is can you do this? I mean can you legally do this? >> can we get law and/or Mr. Sahly to respond? >> we are probably going to tag team on this. We are having a discussion about this right now. I don't think that the planning commission considered r-1 d in the course of their review. So if we May need to reevaluate this motion in terms of if the goal is to limit density, I think we can probably do that but I'm not sure since they haven't considered that in their discussion when we went back to try to see, we May not be able to change the zone to a different zone. So if that... I'm not sure exactly what the intention is and Mr. Sahly May have another comment but it can be a conditional zoning restriction that relates to density, relates to the type of housing if it's single family. But because to avoid a snag with the planning commission because in a further review it looks like they didn't consider this at all. And so I don't know that we want to necessarily do that. So I don't know if I'm not sure exactly at this juncture where you want to go or if you would like to take a five-minute break to try to get, what you want to do. >> to finish up on that, I cannot, I don't think we can legally do this because planning commission they didn't come close to what the planning commission and I think from my understanding is you can talk about making condition changes as long as this has been discussed by the planning committee. I didn't see any of this discussed by planning so I can't support this motion. >> thank you. >> council member scutchfield. Can you explain what the intent of changing of the change to an r-1 d what it does and what it doesn't do? >> one of the reasons I did that is for the increased density in this small area. So I mean my intent was to limit to, I guess under one of the, let me get the numbers. The r-1 d with this acreage would limit it to 347ish properties and so I did have an intent to limit it from, you know, what would be possible, you know, 1400 properties. >> so then... We go back to law and/or planning what is possible here. >> I think that we can limit the depends at this based on the units as a conditional zoning restriction and that will be permissible. But I don't know that because the planning commission did not consider this zone that we can do it in that fashion. The other things in terms of the buffer and those types of things would be permissible. >> so if I May ask, if I changed it to r-3 but limited to 350 single family homes, that would be permissible? We would have to probably rework your motion a little bit because part of this is for r-4 and you would be, I'm assuming based on what you said disapproving that portion and approving an r-3 zone. Or you could just limit the density in general. >> well, before we, let me make a suggestion. i would like to I'm going to make a comment then I would like to hear from other council members. I'm not comfortable with that kind of a dank in the density. I think it's way too dramatic. We've talked about this informally and we've talked about it formally. We have to do more density within the urban service boundary. Now we May want to move it down a little bit but I think that the change is more than I would be able to support. And I, before we have to hash out the legalities, I would like if possible to hear from other council council members their views on the question of the density issue and leave us for a moment focus on that piece of the motion and then go back and talk about the setback and so on if that makes sense. Council member gibbs. >> thank you, vice mayor. I tend to agree with your position. I think we need the density. I know you people are ver concerned about traffic patterns and I am as well but if we don't expand the urban service boundary we need to have the density so I could handle some reduction in density but my main concern is the ecological concern, that buffer. I would like the buffer idea a lot. That's where I am. I go for some reduction in density but hesitant to go too far. >> council member farmer. >> similar. if there is a way to craft this to reduce the density in some capacity and I don't know how much and I'm not trying to set a standard; however, I just don't believe people want sitting here talking about right now is talking about something that's out there and we are down here. At some point something is going to get developed there and I just don't think in the final market capacity of this people are going to buy a lot that backs up to a fence that lets them look out at water. I don't think that is real. I just do not believe that that is real. I do not. >> I'm sorry. I still don't. >> I would ask you not to comment. Thank you. >> council member bledsoe. >> thank you vice mayor. I get very nervous about going changing a zone at this stage of the game only because we are at the end of a not justice a long day for us for all of you but a long time of just considering this development in general. And I just question about if we do that do we open ours up ourselves up to litigation in the future? >> if you change the zone entirely, yes, you probably do but I think you can do conditional zoning restrictions to limit it in such a way but still use the same zone that was considered by the planning commission to get possibly where you are trying to get to. >> okay. I guess my only thought is here we have asked a number of neighborhoods and I sympathize greatly because my strbt has a lot of one acre and the properties have been developed and it has been painful, they backed up to properties that would never be developed and it stinks. It absolutely stinks and so I sympathize greatly with it and yet I feel like if we are going to ask other neighborhoods to bear that burden everyone bears that burden as we do infill and development. And I agree that the density is high. I'm not sure moving to that single family is the best is where I would be willing to go at this point. And yet I get nervous about the amount of people in that shared space and I really wish we had a running trail back there and I just want to make that clear. Thank you. >> thank you. Council member evans. >> taking a straw poll so I'll give my two cents. I'm not opposed to necessarily reducing the density for the mere fact of the traffic impact. I think council member scutchfield is right that the comparison that was given with other neighborhoods, they all empty out to a much larger road so I would, you know, I know squires. I grew up over there and familiar with the area. So I would consider a reduction for that reason, the traffic impact that such a high density would have. >> councilcouncil member scutchfield. >> I think can I expedite. I'm going to withdraw the motion because law had helped me draft with the thought that that zone could go so let me take a quick break, get with them and then come back. >> if there is no objection. Aprfed by the planning commission and add and amend the following zoning restrictions. Amend zoning restrictions a to 75 feet buffer and changing a to one and a half caliper and add following conditional zoning restrictions number b density to 400 single family detached units. These use and buffer restrictions are appropriate and necessary for the subject property in order to more fully protect the adjacent reservoir to address concerns of traffic and the area based on the traffic impact studies and to fully more fully implement the principles of the 2013 comprehensive plan so moved. >> motion. There is a second. Motion and second. Discussion on the motion? Council member farmer. >> so lower density buffer, no fence. >> yes. >> roll the dice. Thank you. >> council member stip. >> how did you come up with the 400 number? >> new york state with council in order to get it approved. >> with council. Meaning law department. >> no, I mean just I think with the people on couple from what I was hearing in the discussion earlier, they were not going to go less than that. >> 400 came from where? how did we get, arrive at that number. >> below what was originally proposed but it's above what was asked for by the residents and I came up with a number. >> okay. I mean I'll give you the honest ... >> Mr. Sahly, this change, how many agers is this with the 75-foot buffer slink it down to be able to be developed? >> shrink it down to be developed and what... It all depends on the lot sizes. I would say with that same street pattern it will have an impact on the depth of the lots but the r-3 zone that all of those on the southern half of the property would allow lots of that size and depth. >> okay very good sir. >> thank you. >> council member mossotti. >> so I'm understanding this correctly. We are pulling out r-4 zone completely. The apartments? >> no, still zoned r-3 and r-4. The conditional use on it would be the single family residential$x . >> so you are going to have in the r-4 still a 22.01 net acres. Okay. Thank you. >> other council members? I see nobody else signed up. I'll comment. I guess I'm concerned about limiting it to single family. I can see reducing the density but it seems to me we really handicap the developer if the requirement is that they're all single family homes. I don't think there has been an objection to having multifamily on that property. It's a question of how many. So I would would move to amend the motion to eliminate the restriction to single family homes... I'm sorry, I can't do this. Council member stinnett, would you take the chair? >> vice mayor. >> thank you. So now I can. I would move to eliminate... To amend the motion to eliminate the restriction on the property to only single family homes so moved. >> second. >> we have a motion and a second to amend the motion. Discussion. Just raise your hands since I can't control the voting screen. Council member lamb. >> can you repeat what you just said. >> yes. The original motion reduce the density and restricted the development to single family homes. I am moving the to amend to eliminate the restriction so that the developer has the capacity to do single family and multifamily as originally proposed. >> at what density? >> the same limit for 00. For 00 units -- 400 units. >> anybody else have any discussion on the motion? All right seeing none. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? >> no. >> no. Two nos. Is there in the no. >> three nos. Four nos. That still passes. >> I think we need electronic vote so we can see who is voting. All right that passes. Vice mayor is there anything else? >> no, and if you'll yield the chair back. >> you can have it. Thank you. >> council member evans. >> I'm trying to visualize what that would look like even as amended with as an well maybe it doesn't matter anymore so do we still have the r-4? Okay. Okay. Sorry. Can you just say that on the mic so they can. >> I believe that in essence the amendment made it so that it could be 400 apartments, correct? >> yes. >> okay. >> because you still have r-3 and r-4 in the zone but you are limiting the units to 400. >> okay. I feel like perhaps that might go against the intent of an r-4 if we are limiting it? I guess I need more discussion but I don't know how to facilitate that. So it's still a total of 400 regardless of the zone whether it's r-3 or r-4 and I guess I'm trying to figure out what it looks like but I think council member scutchfield May have just answered it. I'll sit back and let you all have some more discussion on that. i need y'all to help me out. >> thank you. Council member moloney. >> thank you vice mayor. I understand the motion and I understand the situation with the developer. I don't think this is going to help him a great deal but his original motion really shattered, they May just pull out and lose the school and lose it all. I personally believe that the comprehensive plan and the planning did their job and I support the density because as you know, the less density the more expensive a house goes and we have been fighting trying to keep houses affordable and now that we are putting taking out these homes, I know we are going have some expensive homes on the front there, but inside there, there could be some reasonable homes that people can afford and by allowing these homes to go and lowering the density I think we are defeating the purpose of what we did the comprehensive plan and the we are going back to I know the neighborhood association and all that, nothing against... Some of them I have problems with and for instance if you can have one person take care of the whole property and not have to have the whole neighborhood association vofd with it I think that's a better saying because I think what we are going to do here is cause problems with the buffer. That's just my opinion. I think we had a chance for the person who owned the property to be responsible all the way to the creek now we are going have a problem who is going to be responsible for the buffer which they agree the neighborhood association and I just think it's easier. I cannot support any of this but I do understand your intention but overall I still do not support it. >> thank you. >> council member mossotti. I have. >> I have a quick question. What was the original number of units the petitioner requested. >> the development plan that planning commission saw was 501... >> so we are doing almost 25% reduction. >> 25% reduction. >> that's a big reduction to take. Thank you. >> thank you, council member lamb. >> thank you vice mayor. I appreciate the intent of this and I definitely support the 75-foot buffer and I definitely support all of the concerns that have been stated today but what does concern me is that how that we have phrased this with the r-3 and r-4 with 400 units. I just, I have to be honest about it. It does concern me. But I definitely want to take into consideration what, you know, the buffer, so I'm not sure that I can support this motion at this time. But I am trying to find the middle here just so you know. I mean I want you to understand because I know there is. We've said it all day long or all night long here we've talked about you are not antidevelopment. You just want to make sure that some of your concerns are met and so I think that we still can do that but I'm not sure that this motion is the right avenue do that. So thank you. Thank you vice mayor. >> council member stinnett. >> thank you vice mayor. Bill, Mr. Sahly, how many did the planning commission limit the number of dwelling units? >> only through the development plan, not through conditional zoning. >> so they didn't set a number. My concern is how we are getting to the 400. You know, this could actually hurt the neighborhood because you could do 400 homes, you could do 400 apartments you could do town homes. I think it takes away the develop's ability to be creative, make it look right and flow right and could backfire on the community especially with the 75-foot buffer. That really limits your space and then to put 400, which is a large number, it could be anything. I can't support that. >> further discussion on the motion as amended? >> I think I concur with council member stinnett I think the goal of the buffer was to protect the water, protect the habitat and decreasing the density puts a limit on the ability to do both of those things and I think that's where my concern is. >> anybody else wish to speak to the motion as amended? Council member scutchfield. >> I guess I'm trying to figure out whether the prus straition is the 400 is it the 400... I don't know. You know, I have a concern with it being changed from to be anything in that 400. A real concern. You know, my motion was single family residential because I don't think we are protecting our current constituents which is you. And I understand the urban service boundary. I understand but we are paying I'm I live in this area. We are paying the price for something that we don't know what is going to happen there. We can't change it back after we do this. And they're going to live in it forever and they're going to move because they're going to get frustrated with the traffic and we are going to spend how much the roads that are already in bad shape and you all, trust me I'm trying to get you paved, but it's not cheap. I just... Let's cut off our nose to spite our face and we keep doing it. >> thank you. >> council member farmer. >> thank you vice mayor. This is a very frustrating time for council and constituents because we have reached a late hour where we are trying to make some very serious decisions in a rapid fire setup here. And I appreciated the first motion. I appreciate this one. I appreciate that it has been amended. However we have heard conversation from other council members that they won't support this for a series of reasons which I understand because the time and place that we are trying to do so many things to please so many people and we don't really have that latitude or that sure footing, I don't believe. I want to do something like council member scutchfield said but I'm not sure we have the answer to program I'm glad to have a boost of ca even if and keep rocking but bee have to come up with an answer because the 60 days is going to run and the time for decision is now. We just have to... We have to vote on this and see what else happens. I just needed to say that. >> seeing nobody else signed in to speak I'm going to comment and call a vote. I think it's a legitimate question where does the 400 come from and I think the real answer is that as you have heard, there are some people who believe it ought to be much more dense close to if not the same as what was proposed and some people think it ought to be less dense so it's not ideal. 400 is just a round number. And if you wanted to justify it by the acreage and the layout of the land and a whole bunch of other criteria, you could not do that tonight. You might be able do it given a week or two so sometimes we just need to put a number on there because we have to make ay high a decision. Despite the fact that some of my colleagues think it should be more dense and some think it ought to be less dense. I would encourage people to meet in the middle or close to the middle and support this motion as amended. Having said that, I'm going to call the vote and I think we need electronic vote for this. All those in favor. >> can you restate the motion. >> roll call vote. >> we need to restate the motion as amended. Is anybody prepared to do that. Council member scutchfield, can you, do you have it in front of you? >> I believe as you amended it, you just amended density to 400 units. >> I think can you read the whole motion again. As amended. >> yes, moved to approve the zoning map amendment as approved by planning commission and add and amend the following zoning restrictions, amend zoning restrictions a to 75 feet buffer and changing a 2 to one and a half caliper and add the following conditional zoning restrictions density to 400 units. >> now I need to ask, we are first supposed to have a motion on the findings of fact. >> the findings of fact I think there is one more sentence at the end of that. >> these use and buffer restricks are appropriate and necessary for the subject property in order to move more full will I protect the adjacent reservoir to address concerns of traffic in the area based on the traffic impact studies and to more fully implement the principles of the 2013 comprehensive plan. >> and those are the conditional zoning restrictions that you are amending. Otherwise the motion was to approve what was set forward you into toad vote on those separately. >> those are the amended conditions and findings of fact. We need a roll call vote and a reminder that it takes eight votes to oafort the finding of the planning commission. >> the amendment is it still in there that you can put 400 anything you want. 400 apartments or 400 this, so that is still in there. >> that's still in there. >> that's the amendment. >> okay. Mr. Clerk if you would call the role lease. >> Mr. Kay. >> yes. >> Ms. Lamb. >> no. >> Mr. Moloney. >> no. >> Ms. Mossoti. >> no. >> Miss Diploma. >> no. >> Ms. Scutchfield. >> no. >> Mr. Stinnett no, sir. >> Ms. Bledsoe. >> no. >> Mr. Fred brown. >> no. >> Ms. Evans. >> yes. >> Mr. Farmer. >> no, sir. >> Mr. Gibbs. >> yes. >> Miss Higgins. >> that vote reflects failure of the motion. I open up the floor for further motions at this time. >> I would like to... >> council member scutchfield. >> I'm going to move to approve the zoning map amendment as approved by planning commission and add and amend the following zoning restrictions. Amend zoning restrictions to a 75-foot buffer and changing a 2 to one and a half caliper and add the following conditional zoning restrictions. Density to 400 single family detached or duplex town home units. These use and buffer restrictions are appropriate and necessary for the subject property in order to more fully protect the adjacent reservoir to address concerns of traffic in the area based on the traffic impact studies and to more fully implement the principles of the 2013 comprehensive plan so moved. >> motion is there a second? >> I'll second. >> I have a motion and a second. Discussion on the motion? Council member lamb. >> maybe this isn't the more time to do this but I'm looking back in the information that has been presented to us today and the development plan as submitted I think these numbers are right, there were 156 single family homes, 31 town homes and 308 multifamily residential dwelling units. That was the breakdown of the 501 units originally. I would think that it would be in our best interest if we are trying to change the units the dwelling units that it would be best to look at it from the three different single family homes, town homes and multifamily residential unit figures that were in our. >> so are you saying to amend each one of them by 20%? >> I'm saying that I think that would be that we would probably be able to reach a better compromise at that point. That's just my suggestion. >> I guess make a motion to amend. You go from 500 to 400. That's 20%. So it would decrease each one of the numbers by 20%. >> question for Mr. Sahly. When they applied for the zone change and they submit those numbers in the preliminary development plan are those hard and fast? You May want to borrow a mic. >> the development plan numbers typically change from the beginning of an application to the time of planning commission hearing. >> so they're not set. They're basically to demonstrate one way that that zone could be developed? >> exactly. The primary purpose of the dermt plan is to indicate the property can be developed in accordance with all the zoning requirements if the zone is granted as proposed. >> thank you. I think that suggests that we don't need to, I mean we May want the different categories as suggested but we don't need to fool with numbers because that's not, we can't mandate that anyway. Council member moloney. >> I know it's late. It seems like we are grasping for manage to happen here and i'm going to tell you right now I'm not an expert on this and we have the sta of that does that. They've done a lot of studies on this. They know how much is the right thing to do so to sit here and start doing this, pulling out of the sky to make this thing work, it defeats the whole purpose of why we have the zoning and defeats the purpose of the developers to do what they've done and worked with everybody to make sure that they are in the comprehensive plan and done everything correct. Now we are sitting here starting to grasp and I just can't support something like this right now because at this hour this late at night, I don't think we are making smart decisions. >> council member scutchfield. >> nowhere in what you just said, richard did you ever mention my constituents. Where do they fit in? >> let me... Let me clear that up. First of all I care about your constituents. I care about the constituents but I also care about our staff and what we do with the planning commission and if you go back and look at the record, I usually support what planning commission does. And to sit here and say that I'm against these neighborhoods I'm not. I'm for this neighborhood and I think I'm here to work with everybody but to sit here and see a vote 8-1 and everybody and we are sitting here and nobody coming to an agreement. I think it's embarrassing them because they come here thinking something was going to come out of it and nothing came out. >> thank you. Council member plomin. >> thank you vice mayor. I'm listening to tonight density was driving a lot of it because it was going to traffic it was going to what it was going to do to the environment. So I think we stepped off that level of density and we brought it down. I do think it's important that we have the mix, the apartments and the town homes. Our latest study land use study showed that we need to have the boomers aging and they want to have smaller places and then also your millennials want to have the apartments so that's a nice combination. Vice mayor my understanding is that we don't need to have that percentage broken out right now we just need to make provisions to have all three of those different types of dwellings in there. >> I believe... The motion on the floor I believe includes the two major zones is that right council member scutchfield, r-3 and r-4? So it includes the two zones that would allow the development as proposed. The mix as proposed. >> that's what I wanted to make sure because then I think that's a win-win for the neighborhood association, for the development and we are decreasing the density but not to the lowest level but I think it's a win-win. I would support that. >> thank you. >> council member farmer. >> vice mayor does the nature of our deliberation allow for a question to Mr. Leer and Mr. Billings? >> I have to defer to law. My understanding is that once we close the hearing we can ask questions of staff attorneys and planning staff but that it is not appropriate to do other include anybody else in the conversation but let me ask a further... I already asked that question of law and got an answer. Further questions. Is it possible for this council to suspend the rules and ask a question of one or more of the participants? >> yes. >> heads nodding yes. You can suspend the rules. >> if you would like to ask a question of either the developer or the opponents you would need to make a motion to suspend the rules, requires 10 votes. Ed. >> then I would so move. >> and I second. >> motion and second to suspend the rules and allow for a question of the either and or developer and opponent. Discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor please say aye. Any opposed? >> no. >> I believe that motion passes. And you have the floor. >> Mr. Leer first and then Mr. Billings, please. I asked for the opportunity to ask and y'all granted it so I'm asking. We are exactly where I don't want to be and richard made comment to it. Give me your opinion what we are talking about here. Both of you. >> that's a broad question. >> we've got plenty of time. If you are looking for some sort of middle ground first I will tell you that my experience with these kinds of hearings only goes back to 1976, including 18 months where I was your law commissioner although none of you were here. Some of the worst mistakes council member councils have ever is this kind of exercise at this end of a long hearing and a contentious zone change. That said, the developer can agree to a modest reduction in units and an overall cap of 50 units less than is proposed but the extended buffer is a killer. >> okay. >> we couldn't agree to that. >> your answer. Now your answer, sir. >> council member fenway park, I think the answer is very simple that the density limit should be in the number of dwelling units and with the r-3 and r-4 zone it is defined by the map which will be r-3 and r-4 but it will give the developer flexibility within those two zones about what they develop where again this is conceptual, but they could choose to do single family in an r-4. They could do townhouses. They would be allowed to do whatever the zoning ordinance permits in that zone up to that residential density. >> you represented well. I appreciate your time. >> thank you vice mayor. >> council member mossotti. >> thank you. And thank you council member farmer. That's what I was thinking what you were asking. I'm sorry I'm tired. Can the two parties convene the two attorneys convene for five minutes or so to see if we can make a compromise that both sides can live with? Is that a possibility? Law department? I mean is that it? Because I know that... >> so I think the question... We can call a 10-minute recess if that would be... My question would be to both attorneys. Is that something that would be helpful at this point to have some time to talk directly with the opposing attorney? Mr. Leer? >> what I heard the applicant say is that the issue of a buffer is a non-starter for discussion with them. And so I don't want to put words in their mouth. If that's the non-starter I don't know that I would delay this further if that's the issue on the table. If the number is the issue I think there could be discussions on that. If you recall my comments earlier about density, we have a suggestion. What I said is just make sure there is a cap on the property that you will debate tonight which you are doing and I'm thankful for that. >> Mr. Leer. >> Mr. Leer. I have twisted arms. We can increase the buffer from 25 to 35. >> shame on all of you... Shame on you. Shame on every one of you! >> out of order. >> I think we have the answer. I don't think that's going to be the way that we are going go. Council member lamb. Council member are you signed in? >> I am but I don't know what to say after all that. I believe there is a motion on the floor I believe, right? So I think that, you know, at this point I would see what happens with the motion on the floor. I don't know. This is a very thing that I keep hoping that doesn't happen when we are at these zone changes. And it's very unfortunate because we are trying to we are trying to meet the middle here and it just doesn't always work out one way or the other. So perhaps we should just deal with the motion that's on the floor. >> council member mossotti. >> I would like to make a motion to amend the motion that's currently on the floor to increase -- to decrease the buffering zone from 75 to 50 feet. >> so moved. >> second. >> motion and second to decrease the proposed buffer now from 75 to 50 feet. Discussion on the motion? This is a motion to amend. Seeing no discussion on the motion, I'm going to ask for an electronic vote. If you would register your vote. That motion fails. That takes us back to the original motion. There is any further discussion on the motion on the floor and just a brief recap. It now would limit the number... >> point of order. >> sir. Would it be possible to vote on these separately, the buffer separate from the density? >> I think would you have to make a motion to separate the question and we would... >> I was asking if it is possible. Because I think there is controversy on what we are looking at and the compromise. >> as I understand it, the motion that is on the floor was to amend the conditional zoning restrictions to include a 75-foot buffer with 400 single family detached homes or townhouses. I think that's what is on the floor. If you want to consider them separately in some fashion you are going have to articulate a motion to separate and how you want them separated we don't have a motion for that. Council member mossotti. Council member diploma. -- council member plomin. >> does that include, thank you vice mayor did you tell us that include the apartments? The apartments we talked about she didn't say the apartments? The law did not say apartments. >> I think the motion as stated said single family homes and town homes but did not include apartments. Council member farmer. >> I would like to call the question. >> question has been called unless there is objection. We'll take a vote on this motion that's on the floor. The motion without all the detail in it but the motion is to a new set of findings of fact to support a limit of 400 units that would be either single family home or town homes. All those in favor I think we need a roll call. >> Mr. Kay. >> yes. >> Ms. Lamb. >> no. >> Mr. Moloney. >> no. >> Ms. Mossoti. >> no. >> Miss Diploma. >> no. Miss Plomin no. >> Ms. Scutchfield. >> yes. >> Mr. Stinnett. >> yes, sir. >> Ms. Bledsoe. >> no. >> Mr. Fred brown. >> no. >> Ms. Evans. >> no. >> Mr. Farmer. >> no, sir. >> Mr. Gibbs. >> yes. >> Miss Higgins. >> no. One Vote Did Not Register: . >> vice mayor I wanted to make sure that council member evans' vote was reflected. >> council member evans? >> I know I'm just stating it so that, you know our deputy council clerk. >> you voted no? >> correct. >> so that reflects failure of the motion. council member farmer. >> vice mayor I would like to make a motion to pass plan mar-16-00016 based on the findings of fact as passed by the planning commission. Capping the total number of units at 451 and the buffer at 35 feet so moved. >> second. >> motion and second. >> discussion on the motion? Council member gibbs. >> got to be more than 35 for me. I voted against 50 a couple minutes ago but I would go for 50. >> make an amendment. >> I'll amend the motion to make the buffer 50 feet. >> second. >> motion and second to amend the motion to make the buffer 50 feet. Discussion on the amendment? Seeing none all those in favor please say aye. Opposed no. We need an electronic vote. Again. That vote reflects failure of the motion. Woe need eight votes we need a majority of couple not a majority of those present. Council member mossotti. >> no, I'm not. Council member evans. >> okay. This is usually my bed time so I'm not really tired I'm usually watching golden girls right about now so I feel like I might be getting a second wind but I feel like we have two issues and we are at a disadvantages in this instance that I think the shame is just part of the process is that the we get all this information now. we don't goat have it beforehand and so we have to try to take all of this in in a short period of time. But that's what we are here to do so it seems like that we've got the buffer issue and the density issue. To me it seems like can I try to talk to my council members. I need your alls attention please. >> council members. >> I promise I'm trying to get this together. So 35 and 50 is not going to be acceptable. Ite seemed like 75 was probably an acceptable number the density was an issue. The density was an issue. We've gone from 450 to 400 to 400 is not going to work. Let's just start plugging in numbers and let's have that discussion here. I guess we have been having it with each other. I don't know if we can do the straw polls like we were doing before. 75 feet yes or no. I mean I'm just trying to expedite this. I no we all feel defeated but we have two questions. What number is the buffer and what number is the density. >> council member higgins. (Inaudible) >> we had some council members that were okay with the buffer at 50 but the density they wanted to be brought down from 451 so maybe that's what we work on right now. And try it again. >> we need to have that work on the mic. I guess that's what we are trying to figure out. Let's just say it on the mic and figure it out. I make a motion for 430. >> there is a motion on the floor. >> 35 feet is my motion. >> that motion was defeated. >> no it was not. It was never voted on. >> we voted on the amendment not on my motion. My motion is still alive and ready to work. >> so the amendment failed so tell me again the motion on the floor is to approve mar-16-16 based on the findings of fact changing the total number of units from 501 to 451 and the buffer from 25 feet to 35 feet motion and seconded by council member stinnett and we are in discussion and debate on that at this time. >> councilcouncil member scutchfield. >> my biggest concern is that we are going to come here and be close to at least getting something as a relief for these residents and if we don't come to some type of an agreement it goes back to the original which, from what I can tell from everybody up here I mean we are not real happy with that. For the most part. There might be some of you that are fine with it but I think at some point we do have to come to a conclusion or we are going to end up with the worst of all scenarios. >> thank you. Council member stinnett would you take the chair again and. >> vice mayor kay. >> I would like to speak. Thank you. I guess I'm troubled that if we are going to be I don't know where to start with this. I thought there was sufficient support actually for the 400 number as a limit but that there was a question about the buffer and I can, I have been, as I said in the past, I've been advocate for density. I could be comfortable going to the 451 but not leaving the buffer at 34535 so I will make a motion to amend the motion on the floor to leave the density up as suggested at 451 which we've not considered before, but to include a 50-foot buffer. >> we just... >> we just voted on that it has been defeated. It has been voted on vice mayor and it has been defeated. >> they made the motion and I seconded. >> with the density at 451. >> yes, sir. So do you want to rephrase it? >> maybe I'd like to have council member evans who, this is her time of night to take over the chair. So the motion so I can't that amendment already failed. >> yes, sir. >> fine. Then the motion on the floor is density 451, buffer 35. >> yes, sir. We did not get a second. >> motion fails for lack of a second. Anything else vice mayor. >> no. I'll turn the chair back over to you. So now the motion that is on the floor is what I just said, density 451, buffer 35. >> yes, sir. Take a roll call vote. >> Mr. Kay. >> no. >> Ms. Lamb. >> Mr. Moloney. >> yes. >> Ms. Mossoti. >> no. >> Miss Plomin. >> no. >> Ms. Scutchfield. >> no. >> Mr. Stinnett. >> yes, sir. >> Ms. Bledsoe. >> yes. >> Mr. Fred brown. >> no. >> Ms. Evans. >> no. >> Mr. Farmer. >> yes, sir. >> Mr. Gibbs. >> no. >> and Miss Higgins. >> no. >> that vote reflects failure of the motion. Open the floor again. >> council member mossotti. >> okay. Let's try this. I move that we change the disens at this to 450 and the buffer to 50 feet so moved. >> succeeded. >> motion and second. >> motion to have the density at 450 units at buffer at 50 feet. Discussion on the motion? >> seeing none. >> if we need to have findings to support those... I. >> I think the same set of findings. >> that would include the townhouses apartments and single family dwellings in a density cap of 450 units with a 50-foot buffer zone and Ms. Scutchfield. >> the way it would read as she proposed it move to approve the zoning map amendment approved by the planning commission and add and amend the following zoning restrictions amid zoning restrictions to a 50-foot buffer, you did not include the one and a half trees in yours. >> okay. >> and changing a two to one and a half caliper and add the following conditional zoning restrictions density at 450 units. These use and buffer restriction s are aappropriate and necessary for the subject property in order to more fully protect the adjacent reservoir to address concerns of traffic in the area based on the traffic impact study as and to more fully implement the principles of the 2013 comprehensive plan. >> so moved. >> I have a motion. >> second. >> discussion on the motion? Council member gibbs. >> I just wasn't to make sure we are going have townhouses apartments and single family in there, correct? That was stated in the motion? >> yes. 4450 units. >> all three. Yes. 450 units. >> council member stinnett. >> thank you vice mayor. By adding another 25 feet to the buffer, how many acres does that come up to? Do we know? Right now we are at 90-acres net. >> the acreage of course wouldn't change the developable area. >> that's what I'm trying to understand. >> I don't think the planning staff ever measureed. I couldn't even guess it. >> further discussion? Seeing none. We need a roll call vote. Mr. Kay. >> yes. >> Ms. Lamb. >> yes. >> Mr. Moloney. >> no. >> Ms. Mossoti. >> yes. >> Miss Plomin. >> yes. >> Ms. Scutchfield. >> yes. >> Mr. Stinnett. >> yes, sir. >> Ms. Bledsoe. >> yes. >> Mr. Fred brown. >> no. >> Ms. Evans. >> yes. >> Mr. Farmer. >> no, sir. >> Mr. Gibbs. >> yes. >> Miss Higgins. >> yes. That vote reflects passage of the motion. I'm happy to say. And now we are not done I think as everybody knows. I think we now need a motion on the second reading. Is that correct? As amended? >> yes, you would need a motion on the ordinance to approve the ordinance as amended by the conditional zoning restrictions. >> and does that have to be read again? >> yes,. >> so if we can get a second reading. >> the title is not going to change but you've changed the text that will be within the ordinance so. >> we need a new second reading. >> yes. >> so Mr. Clerk when you are ready if you would read the ordinance. >> I move to amend the ordinance number one on the docket to reflect the conditions that we and the findings of fact. >> I second. >> motion and second. All those in favor please say aye. Opposed. Motion carries. We need a second reading and we need a vote on that. Ordinance changing the zone from an agricultural urban a-u son to a planned neighborhood residential r-3 zone for 67.58 net and high density r-4 zone for properties located at 478 and 480 squires road as amended. >> thank you. Motion to approve? >> so moved. Motion and second. I need a roll call vote. If you would call the roll. >> cowcialg kay May we pause for a second please. >> yes. >> the title to the ordinance has not changed but we've made changes to the body by amending the conditions which is considered a material change which would require a new first reading. >> we have to have 10 votes to then suspend and have a second reading. >> correct. but so let's have the first reading so everybody will understand technically we have just amended this ordinance sufficiently that it needs, it has changed enough it requires to be read, it has to be given a first reading to be legal and then we have to if we want to move on it tonight, we have to suspend our rules which will require 10 votes and give it a second reading. So council member lamb. >> I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to ordinance number 1 on the docket. >> don't we have to get the first reading. >> he just did. >> steven read it, he read it and. >> he thought he was giving a second reading but he was gifg a first read so now the possession is to suspend the rules and give second reading to the ordinance. >> second. >> motion and a second. All those in favor say eye aye opposed no. No. I need a roll call vote. Council members need to log in. >> I was talking. Who made that motion and seconded? >> council member lamb and council member mossotti. Voting screen up. Council members if you would log in with your vote we got one vote missing. And eats a crucial vote. That vote reflects passage of the motion. Now we can have a second reading. And then we can have a vote. and then we can all go home. Ordinance changing the zone from an agricultural a-u zone to planned neighborhood residential r-3 zone for 67.58 net 67.65 gross acres and to a high density apartment r-4 zone for 22.01 net and 22.18 gross acres for properties located at 478 and 480 squires road as amended. >> thank you. Is there a motion to approve. >> so moved. Motion from council member mossotti. Second from council member plomin. We need a roll call vote. >> Mr. Kay. >> yes. >> Ms. Lamb. >> yes, sir. >> Mr. Moloney. >> no. >> Ms. Mossoti. >> yes. >> Miss Plomin. >> yes. >> Ms. Scutchfield. >> yes. >> Mr. Stinnett. >> no, sir. >> Miss. >> no. Mr. Brown. >> no. >> Ms. Evans. >> yes. >> Mr. Farmer. >> no. >> Mr. Gibbs. >> yes. And Miss Higgins. >> yes. >> thank you. That vote reflects passage thank you all for coming and sharing your views and have a good night. What is left of it. i need a motion to adjourn. >> so moved. >> second. Without objection we stand adjourned.