Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission met on April 26, 2012, at 1:32 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 2nd Floor LFUCG Government Center, located at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky. Mike Owens presided over the meeting, which addressed five agenda items. The Commission took seven votes during the session and heard two public comments.

Of the five items on the agenda, three were approved and two were postponed. The approved items included the Sable Holdings, LLC zoning map amendment and Allendale Subdivision, the Baptist Healthcare System (Central Baptist Hospital) development plan amendment, and the Waller Property amended development plan. The two items postponed were the Lexington Trots Breeders Association, LLC zoning map amendment and Red Mile mixed-use development proposal, and the George West Estate Property (Howard Property) subdivision amendment.

Attendance

Present: - Eunice Beatty - Will Berkley - Carla Blanton - Marie Copeland - Mike Cravens - Mike Owens - Frank Penn - Lynn Roche-Phillips - William Wilson

Absent: - Patrick Brewer

Late: None reported

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included seven votes on various planning and zoning matters, all conducted by voice vote.

Postponements

Two items were postponed to later dates:

• MAR 2012-4 and ZDP 2012-13 were postponed to May 24, 2012 4:46. The motion was made by Frank Penn and seconded by Mike Cravens.

• DP 2012-23 was postponed to May 10, 2012 6:28. The motion was made by Mike Cravens and seconded by Frank Penn.

Zoning and Development Approvals

MAR 2012-7 — Approval of a zone map amendment from R-1C to B-1 for Sable Holdings, LLC passed 30:12. The motion was made by Marie Copeland and seconded by Will Berkley.

ZDP 2012-21 — Approval of the final development plan for Allendale Subdivision, Block A, Lot 18 passed with modified conditions 30:51. The motion was made by Marie Copeland and seconded by Will Berkley. The approved conditions include that zone-to-zone screening details shall include a hedge and that condition #15 be deleted.

DP 2012-4 — Approval of an amendment to the Central Baptist Hospital development plan passed with 13 conditions 1:14:11. The motion was made by Frank Penn and seconded by Eunice Beatty. Key conditions include noting compliance with Article 18.3 of the zoning ordinance, including required trees, and notification of the Southern Heights Neighborhood Association on future plan amendments.

DP 2012-16 — Approval of the amended Waller Property development plan passed with four conditions 1:25:00. The motion was made by Lynn Roche-Phillips and seconded by Mike Cravens. The conditions require Urban County Traffic Engineer approval of access and entrance details, addition of elevation information at certification, inclusion of walkways shown in architectural information, and Urban County Engineer acceptance of drainage, storm, and sanitary sewers.

Commission Appointment

Carolyn Plumlee was appointed to the Planning Commission 1:28:07. The motion was made by William Wilson and seconded by Lynn Roche-Phillips.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the Commission regarding Central Baptist Hospital and its proposed expansion.

Stuart Wester 1:05:12 raised traffic and safety concerns about the hospital's impact on nearby streets. He reported a 60% increase in traffic on Hiltonia and McDonald streets since 2007 and expressed concern about potential dangers to bicyclists once the proposed bike path is completed. Wester urged the Commission to require installation of a gate at the emergency room exit to restrict non-emergency traffic.

Nick Nicholson 42:14 responded to neighborhood concerns about the Central Baptist Hospital expansion. He defended the proposed 745 square foot emergency room addition, characterizing it as a measure to improve patient access and safety. Nicholson noted that Central Baptist had conducted multiple meetings with the University of Kentucky and the Southern Heights Neighborhood Association. He stated the hospital had committed to conducting a traffic study and implementing landscaping improvements as part of the project.

Appointments

Carolyn Plumlee was appointed to the Planning Commission.

Contested Items

Central Baptist Hospital Emergency Room Expansion

The proposed 745 square foot emergency room addition to Central Baptist Hospital generated significant community opposition. The Southern Heights Neighborhood Association raised concerns about increased traffic, safety risks, and the lack of prior consultation with the neighborhood. A central point of contention was whether a gate should be required at the rear entrance to restrict non-emergency traffic. The debate reflected broader concerns about how the expansion would affect the surrounding residential area and whether adequate measures would be implemented to mitigate traffic impacts.

Waller Property Development Plan

The revised development plan for the Waller Property initially encountered confusion during the review process, particularly regarding the architectural renderings and the orientation of the buildings on the site. After the applicant addressed these concerns and reoriented the buildings in response to feedback, the Commission voted to approve the plan, though the approval included conditions that the applicant would need to satisfy.

Lexington Trots Breeders Association, LLC: Zoning Map Amendment & Red Mile Mixed-Use Development

4:13

The Planning Commission considered a request for a zoning map amendment and related development plan for the Red Mile Mixed-Use Development project. The proposal sought to rezone the property from B-4 to MU-3 zoning classification.

Key Concerns

The primary concern raised during review involved a conflict between the proposed development and the 2007 Comprehensive Plan. The plan designated over half of the property for Greenspace/Open Space use, which conflicted with the mixed-use development proposal.

Recommendation and Action

Both staff and the Subdivision Committee recommended postponement of the request to allow time to address the planning conflicts. The Planning Commission voted to postpone the zoning map amendment and development plan.

Outcome

The request was postponed, rather than approved or denied, pending resolution of the inconsistencies with the Comprehensive Plan's greenspace recommendations for the site.

George West Estate Property (Howard Property): Subdivision Amendment

Case Number: DP 2012-23

Outcome: Postponed

The Commission considered a subdivision amendment request for the George West Estate Property, also known as the Howard Property, located on Georgetown Road. 5:57

Issues Identified

Staff and the Commission identified several unresolved issues that prevented approval of the subdivision amendment:

• Septic field relocation concerns
• Floodplain setback requirements
• Incomplete plan documentation

Staff Recommendation

Bill Sallee presented the staff recommendation to postpone the request to allow the applicant time to address the identified deficiencies. Staff recommended a two-week delay to enable necessary revisions to the subdivision plans.

Commission Action

The Commission voted to postpone the subdivision amendment request rather than approve or deny it at that time. This postponement provided the applicant an opportunity to submit revised plans addressing the septic field relocation, floodplain setbacks, and plan completeness issues before the matter would be reconsidered.

Sable Holdings, LLC: Zoning Map Amendment & Allendale Subdivision

7:07

The Commission considered a zoning map amendment and development plan for Sable Holdings, LLC involving the Allendale Subdivision. The proposal sought to rezone a property from R-1C to B-1 designation.

Presenters and Discussion

Key speakers on this item included Traci Wade, Tom Martin, and Justin Drury.

Proposal Details

The rezoning request aligned with the Comprehensive Plan's Retail, Trade and Personal Services designation for the area. The development plan included screening provisions for the property boundaries.

Modifications and Conditions

During review, the Commission approved the development plan with modified screening conditions. Specifically, the original fence requirement along the rear boundary was replaced with a hedge.

Outcome

The Commission approved both the zoning map amendment from R-1C to B-1 and the development plan with the modified screening conditions.

Baptist Healthcare System (Central Baptist Hospital): Development Plan Amendment

31:32

The Commission reviewed and approved an amendment to the development plan for Baptist Healthcare System's Central Baptist Hospital.

Proposal

The amendment authorized an addition of 745 square feet to the emergency room and included modifications to the canopy and drive aisle.

Key Participants

Tom Martin, Nick Nicholson, and Stuart Wester presented and discussed the proposal.

Conditions of Approval

The Commission approved the amendment subject to the following conditions:

• Compliance with Article 18.3 requirements
• Notification of the Southern Heights Neighborhood Association regarding any future plans
• Additional tree planting for screening purposes

Outcome

The development plan amendment was approved.

Waller Property: Amended Development Plan

Identifier: DP 2012-16

The Commission considered an amended development plan for the Waller Property. 1:15:27

Key Changes

The applicant submitted a revised development plan that included significant modifications to the original proposal. The buildings were reoriented from their initial configuration, and the applicant updated both the stormwater and sewer plans to reflect the new site layout.

Key Speakers

Bill Sallee and Andy Holmes presented and discussed the amended plan with the Commission.

Conditions of Approval

The Commission approved the amended development plan subject to the following conditions:

• Traffic engineer approval was required
• Elevation data needed to be provided
• Walkway additions were to be included in the final design

Outcome

The Commission approved the amended development plan for the Waller Property with the specified conditions.