Planning & Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning & Public Works Committee met on September 9, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., with Farmer presiding as Chair. The committee addressed four agenda items during the meeting, including one action item and three informational presentations. One motion was voted on and approved: the permanent barricading of Agape Drive, presented by Clarke. The committee also heard informational updates on the Municipal Aid Program (MAP) from Stinnett, Todd's Road Widening Phase II from Stinnett, and Fiber Optic Technology from Farmer. Five members of the public provided comments during the meeting.

Attendance

Present: Farmer, Mossotti, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford, Lawless, Beard, Clarke, Henson

Absent: Stinnett

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council voted unanimously to pass a motion requesting that law be written to create a resolution to permanently barricade Agape Drive at its northern terminus. The purpose of the barricade is to protect the character of the Dogwood Trace neighborhood. The resolution will be placed into work session for full council consideration. 1:26:50

The motion was made by Clarke and seconded by Mazzotti. All eight council members present voted in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions. The council members voting in support were Farmer, Mossotti, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford, Lawless, and Beard.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed the following financial action:

• Trail Purposes Appropriation: $219,000 in MAP funds was appropriated for trail purposes.

Public Comment

Five residents spoke during the public comment period, addressing concerns about traffic and safety related to the proposed opening of the northern terminus of Agape Drive.

Roy Cornett 8:32 highlighted traffic concerns, noting that opening the northern terminus of Agape Drive would result in a 471% increase in traffic on the street. He cited safety concerns and pointed out that Agape Drive's width of less than 30 feet falls below the 36-foot standard required for connector streets.

Roger Schnabel 11:48 supported maintaining the barricade on Agape Drive. He argued that the developer should construct a proper access road similar to Twain Ridge rather than using Agape, which he characterized as too narrow and residential in character.

Mark Sock 13:27 presented a petition signed by over 500 residents of Dogwood Trace opposing the opening of Agape Drive. He emphasized that the street is too narrow to function as a connector and expressed concern that opening it would severely impact the community's quality of life.

Bob Poudy, a retired traffic crew superintendent, 20:29 raised concerns about traffic flow and safety at the intersection of Harrodsburg Road and Military Road. He warned that opening Agape Drive would worsen existing traffic bottlenecks in the area.

Donna Brashefsky 22:09 addressed safety concerns specific to the left-hand turn into Dogwood Trace from Harrodsburg Road, characterizing it as dangerous. She supported maintaining the barricade to prevent accidents that could result from increased traffic.

Contested Items

Permanent Barricade of Agape Drive

A significant dispute arose regarding the permanent barricade of Agape Drive and its potential use as a connector street. Residents of Dogwood Trace strongly opposed opening Agape Drive as a connector street, citing safety, traffic, and quality-of-life concerns as their primary objections.

The disagreement centered on competing visions for the street's future. City staff advocated for opening the street, emphasizing the importance of connectivity and long-term planning considerations for the broader community. In contrast, Dogwood Trace residents argued that opening the street would negatively impact their neighborhood, prioritizing the preservation of neighborhood character over regional traffic flow.

The debate between residents and city staff was heated, reflecting the depth of concern on both sides of the issue. Residents expressed strong opposition to any changes that would increase traffic through their community, while staff members presented arguments rooted in urban planning principles and infrastructure development.

Permanent Barricading of Agape Drive – Clarke

3:41

The committee discussed a proposal to permanently barricade Agape Drive at its northern terminus to prevent it from becoming a major connector street for a new development.

Concerns Raised

Residents expressed concerns about the potential impacts of the barricade, including: - Increased traffic in the neighborhood - Safety issues - Loss of neighborhood character

Staff and Engineering Position

Staff and traffic engineering opposed the barricade, citing: - Connectivity needs for the area - The fact that many streets in Fayette County are narrower than Agape Drive

Speakers

Key speakers in the discussion included Clarke, King, Squire, and Lingle.

Outcome

The motion to forward the resolution to full council passed unanimously.

Municipal Aid Program (MAP) – Stinnett

1:27:54

Staff provided an update on the use of Municipal Aid Program (MAP) funds, with a focus on trail projects and funding coordination.

Key Presentation Points

A legal determination was made that MAP funds can be used for trail projects, expanding the potential uses of these funds beyond previous understandings.

Discussion Topics

The committee discussed several related matters:

• The need for a formal policy governing trail funding to ensure consistent and clear guidelines
• Coordination among divisions to improve communication and planning around trail projects
• The creation of a centralized trail maintenance and planning role to streamline operations and oversight

Key Speakers

Stinnett and a Commissioner participated in the discussion.

Outcome

The agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken. The discussion highlighted the importance of developing formal policies and organizational structures to better manage trail funding and maintenance going forward.

Todd's Road Widening Phase II – Stinnett

1:40:34

Staff provided an update on the Todd's Road Widening Phase II project in the Stinnett area. The presentation covered progress across multiple project components.

Design and Right-of-Way Acquisition

Design work for Todd's Road Section 2 has been completed. Right-of-way acquisition is currently underway, with 52 agreements reached to date and nine closings already completed.

Utility Relocations

Utility relocations are progressing as planned for the project.

Construction Timeline

Construction is expected to begin in early 2015, with completion anticipated by August 2016.

Key Speakers

Stinnett and Heath presented information on this agenda item.

Outcome

This item was presented as an informational update to the governing body.

Fiber Optic Technology – Farmer

1:44:16

The CIO presented on fiber optic infrastructure and broadband expansion initiatives. The presentation covered national trends in fiber optic deployment, examining models implemented by cities including Chattanooga and Google Fiber, and reviewed Lexington's current efforts in this area.

Key Speakers: - Farmer - Adona

Discussion Topics:

The presentation focused on fiber optic technology as a means to expand broadband access across the community. The CIO discussed how other municipalities have approached fiber optic infrastructure development and the outcomes of those initiatives.

Committee Considerations:

The committee discussed the potential for issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to explore public-private partnerships as a strategy for expanding broadband access. A specific consideration was the possibility of providing free Wi-Fi services to low-income residents as part of broadband expansion efforts.

Outcome:

This agenda item was informational in nature, with the presentation providing the committee with background on fiber optic technology options and approaches used elsewhere. The discussion of an RFI indicated the committee's interest in exploring partnership models and broadband expansion strategies, though no final decisions were documented in this summary.