Special Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on December 4, 2007, at 6:00 P.M., with Linda Gorton presiding over the session. The meeting focused primarily on a single agenda item involving a zoning change ordinance, which was ultimately approved by the Council. During the course of the meeting, Council members conducted three formal votes on various matters before them. The Council also heard from four members of the public who provided comments during the designated public comment period, allowing community input on issues of local concern. The primary business accomplished was the approval of an ordinance changing the zoning classification from R-4 to B-1, representing a shift from residential to business zoning for the affected property.

Attendance

At the Council meeting held on December 4, 2007, fourteen members were present and one member was absent.

Present: • Linda Gorton • Blevins • Blues • Crosbie • DeCamp • Ellinger • James • Lane • McChord • Moloney • Myers • Stevens • Stinnett • Beard

Absent: • Gray

No members arrived late to the meeting. With fourteen of fifteen council members in attendance, a quorum was established for conducting official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted three roll call votes during the December 4, 2007 meeting, all related to a zone change matter.

Motion to Exclude Architectural Renderings Councilmember Crosbie made a motion to exclude architectural renderings, seconded by Councilmember Ellinger. The motion passed by a vote of 8-6.

Voting in favor: Blues, Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, James, Lane, and Moloney.

Voting against: Blevins, McChord, Myers, Stevens, Stinnett, and Beard.

Adoption of Findings of Fact for Zone Change Councilmember McChord moved to adopt findings of fact for a zone change, with Councilmember Myers providing the second. The motion passed decisively by a vote of 13-1, with conditional zoning restrictions included.

Voting in favor: Blevins, Blues, Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, Lane, McChord, Moloney, Myers, Stevens, Stinnett, and Beard.

Voting against: James.

Amendment of Ordinance for Zone Change Councilmember McChord also moved to amend the ordinance for the zone change, again seconded by Councilmember Myers. This motion also passed by a vote of 13-1, with use and buffering restrictions imposed as conditions.

Voting in favor: Blevins, Blues, Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, Lane, McChord, Moloney, Myers, Stevens, Stinnett, and Beard.

Voting against: James.

Councilmember James was the sole dissenting vote on both the findings of fact and ordinance amendment, while the earlier procedural motion regarding architectural renderings saw a more divided Council with a closer 8-6 split.

Public Comment

Four residents addressed the Council during the public comment period, with three speakers expressing support for a proposed Winthrop development and one raising concerns about existing commercial vacancies.

Dallyce Erickson spoke about concerns regarding the Mill Pond Center, specifically addressing existing vacancies at the facility. Erickson expressed worry about the potential impact on land values if the new development under discussion does not succeed, highlighting the connection between commercial vacancy rates and property values in the area.

Jimmy Van Epps addressed the Council in support of the Winthrop development, stating that he represented 113 residents who back the project. Van Epps emphasized the community-oriented design of the proposed development and outlined various benefits the project would bring to the area.

Bill Alt also voiced support for the Winthrop development, focusing on the need for improvement in the targeted area. Alt cited the benefits of the proposed design and expressed his belief that the development would serve the community's interests.

Paul Sisk provided support for the development from both a community and church perspective. Sisk emphasized the importance of neighborly interaction and how the proposed project would foster better community connections among residents.

The public comment period demonstrated strong community support for the Winthrop development, with three of the four speakers advocating for the project. The speakers highlighted themes of community building, area improvement, and thoughtful design. However, Erickson's comments about Mill Pond Center vacancies introduced concerns about the broader commercial real estate market and the potential risks associated with new development projects in the current environment.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for these public comments.*

Contested Items

The December 4, 2007 Council meeting featured one contested item that generated significant debate among council members.

Zone Change from R-4 to B-1

The primary point of contention involved an ordinance proposing to change zoning classification from R-4 (residential) to B-1 (business). The debate centered on two main issues: whether to exclude architectural renderings from the proposal and concerns about the potential impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

Council members were divided on the matter, resulting in a split vote. The disagreement reflected broader concerns about balancing commercial development opportunities with preserving neighborhood character and ensuring adequate community input through visual representations of proposed changes.

The split vote indicates that council members had substantively different views on either the procedural aspects of handling architectural renderings or the merits of the zoning change itself, though the specific positions of individual council members and the final outcome of the vote were not detailed in the available meeting data.

This zoning matter represents a common type of municipal controversy where development interests intersect with neighborhood preservation concerns, often requiring council members to weigh economic development benefits against community character and resident concerns.

Ordinance changing the zone from R-4 to B-1

The Council considered an ordinance to rezone 14.78 net acres located at 3600-3652 Winthrop Drive from High Density Apartment (R-4) to Neighborhood Business (B-1) zoning with conditions.

Key speakers during the discussion included Linda Gorton, Bruce Simpson, and Steve Austin, who presented information and addressed questions about the proposed zoning change.

The rezoning request involved converting residential zoning that allows high-density apartment development to neighborhood business zoning, which would permit commercial uses appropriate for a neighborhood setting. The ordinance included specific conditions as part of the approval to address compatibility concerns with surrounding properties.

The Council ultimately approved the ordinance, allowing the zoning change to proceed. This decision will enable the property to be developed for neighborhood business purposes rather than high-density residential use, subject to the conditions outlined in the ordinance.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*