Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on October 27, 2009, at 3:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Newberry presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items spanning economic development, arts and culture, and public health policy. During the session, the Council received one informational presentation on the ShowProp Lexington Development Plan, conducted a first reading of an ordinance related to the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Corporation, and tabled a resolution concerning the University of Kentucky's Tobacco Free Policy. A total of three motions and votes were taken over the course of the meeting, and two public comments were heard from members of the public.

Attendance

The following members were present at the Council meeting on October 27, 2009:

• Jim Newberry
• Lawless
• Martin
• McChord
• Myers
• Stinnett
• Beard
• Blues
• Crosbie
• Ellinger
• Feigel
• Gorton
• Gray
• Henson
• James

Absent: Lane

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Three roll call votes were taken during the October 27, 2009 Council meeting.

• Amend the Ordinance for the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Corporation 13:03: Motioned by James, seconded by Gorton. The amendment passed 8–6, with the condition that initial board appointments would be made by the Mayor, with future appointments made by the Board itself. Voting in favor: James, Martin, Feigel, Gray, Gorton, Lawless, Blues, and Henson. Voting against: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Crosbie, and Ellinger.

• Suspend rules to give the amended Ordinance a second reading 19:15: Motioned by James, seconded by Martin. The motion failed 7–7, falling short of the supermajority typically required to suspend rules. Voting in favor: James, Martin, Gray, Gorton, Lawless, Blues, and Henson. Voting against: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Crosbie, Ellinger, and Feigel.

• Remove the Resolution regarding UK's Tobacco Free Policy from the docket 48:31: Motioned by Lawless, seconded by Feigel. The motion passed 8–6, with the issue referred to the Intergovernmental Committee. Voting in favor: Lawless, Feigel, James, Martin, Gray, Gorton, Blues, and Henson. Voting against: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Crosbie, and Ellinger.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period of the October 27, 2009 meeting.

• Chris Westover 1:17 presented the development plan for ShowProp Lexington, outlining how the project aligns with community goals related to infill development and adaptive reuse. Westover's remarks focused on positioning the proposal as consistent with broader community priorities for redeveloping existing spaces rather than expanding into undeveloped areas.

• Chad Harpole 9:38 followed with comments in support of the ShowProp Lexington Development Plan, specifically highlighting the project's TIF (Tax Increment Financing) proposal. Harpole emphasized the benefits the development would bring to the community through infill and redevelopment efforts, echoing the themes raised by the previous speaker.

Both speakers addressed the same project and were broadly supportive in their remarks. No opposing viewpoints or notable concerns were raised during the public comment period.

Contested Items

Two items on the agenda generated notable disagreement during the October 27, 2009 Council meeting.

Ordinance for Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Corporation

An ordinance amendment concerning board appointments for the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Corporation passed, but only narrowly. The measure was approved by a split vote of 8 to 6, reflecting significant division among Council members over the proposed changes. The close margin indicates that a substantial portion of the Council had reservations about the amendment, though the ordinance ultimately moved forward.

Resolution on UK's Tobacco Free Policy [timestamp: not specified]

A resolution related to the University of Kentucky's Tobacco Free Policy drew opposition rooted in community concern rather than a simple procedural disagreement. Critics of the resolution raised the issue that a campus-wide tobacco ban could have the unintended consequence of pushing smoking activity into surrounding neighborhood areas, effectively transferring the problem rather than addressing it. In response to these concerns, the resolution was not voted on outright but was instead referred to a committee for further review and consideration. This outcome suggests the Council was not prepared to move forward without additional deliberation on the potential impact to nearby residents.

ShowProp Lexington Development Plan

1:17

The Council held a public hearing on the ShowProp Lexington Development Plan. Presentations were made by Chris Westover and Chad Harpole, who served as the key speakers representing the plan.

Support for the development plan was expressed by the representatives during the hearing. The item was informational in nature, and no vote or formal action was recorded as an outcome of the discussion.

*Note: Additional details regarding the specific contents of the plan, any concerns raised, and the full scope of the presentation are not available in the provided source materials.*

Ordinance for Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Corporation

13:03

The Council took up an ordinance to establish a non-profit corporation for the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center. During discussion, the ordinance was amended to change the process by which board members would be appointed.

Key speakers on this item included James and Gorton, who participated in the discussion surrounding the ordinance's provisions and the amendment to the appointment process.

The ordinance passed its first reading at this meeting. As a first reading, the measure will be subject to further consideration before final adoption.

Resolution on UK's Tobacco Free Policy

48:31

The Council took up a resolution that would allow the University of Kentucky (UK) to enforce its Tobacco Free Policy on public sidewalks. The item was discussed by key speakers Lawless and Feigel.

Following discussion, the resolution was removed from the docket and referred back to committee for further review rather than receiving a vote on the floor. The item was ultimately tabled pending that additional committee consideration.