Planning and Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning & Public Safety Committee met on December 8, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., with Mossotti presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, taking seven motions and votes and hearing five public comments.

The committee approved two items: the November 10, 2015 Committee Summary and the Taxicab Ordinance. Three items were deferred for future consideration: Community & Market Gardens, Frequency of Helicopter Landings, and Items Referred.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on December 8, 2015:

• Akers
• Bledsoe
• Farmer
• Gibbs
• Henson
• Kay
• Lamb
• Mossotti
• Scutchfield
• Stinnett

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion to approve the November 10, 2015 Planning and Public Safety Committee summary 4:05 - Moved by Kay, seconded by Henson - Outcome: Passed by voice vote

Motion to approve the amended Taxicab Ordinance as proposed in the packet 46:20 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Henson, seconded by Kay - Outcome: Failed by roll call vote (5 ayes, 5 nays) - Voted for: Akers, Bledsoe, Gibbs, Henson, Kay - Voted against: Farmer, Lamb, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett

Motion to repeal Section 18a of the Code of Ordinances related to vehicles for hire 46:54 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Henson, seconded by Akers - Outcome: Passed by roll call vote (7 ayes, 3 nays) - Voted for: Akers, Bledsoe, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Stinnett - Voted against: Farmer, Mossotti, Scutchfield

Motion to suspend enforcement of Section 18a of the Code of Ordinances until the ordinance is updated 3:00 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Kay, seconded by Henson - Outcome: Passed by voice vote

Motion to approve the chair reporting out the Taxicab Ordinance item at today's Work Session 3:00 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Henson, seconded by Kay - Outcome: Passed by voice vote

Motion to bring the Helicopter Landing Frequency Ordinance to the full council for approval and vote this evening 1:27:24 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Hensley - Outcome: Failed by roll call vote (5 ayes, 5 nays) - Voted for: Akers, Bledsoe, Gibbs, Henson, Kay - Voted against: Farmer, Lamb, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett

Motion to remove Sky Lanterns from the committee 1:31:17 - Identifier: Ordinance 0130-26 - Moved by Farmer - Outcome: Passed by roll call vote (1 aye, 0 nays) - Voted for: Farmer

Public Comment

The meeting included comments from both private citizens and council members regarding helicopter access and helipad regulations in Lexington.

Support for Helicopter Access

Pilot Bill Daugherty spoke in favor of increased helicopter access, noting that expanded landing capabilities would improve business efficiency by reducing travel time and enabling quicker trips to and from eastern Kentucky 52:27.

Chet Lot discussed the economic development potential of helicopter infrastructure, citing examples from other cities. He highlighted how New Orleans and Chicago use helipads to attract business and tourism, and emphasized the economic benefits that improved helicopter access could bring to Lexington 50:17.

Council Member Concerns

Council Member Gibbs raised concerns about noise and regulation, expressing worry about increased helicopter traffic near residential areas and the University of Kentucky hospital. Gibbs questioned whether the city could effectively regulate landings in business and industrial zones 59:21.

Council Member Akers focused on public safety and transparency issues, raising concerns about public awareness of helipad locations and emphasizing the need for notification to police and fire departments in case of emergencies 1:08:34.

Council Member Lamb stressed the need for additional information before proceeding, emphasizing that more data on existing helipads and their locations should be gathered and reviewed before approving the ordinance 1:07:27.

Contested Items

Taxicab Ordinance Repeal

The meeting included a contentious vote on the repeal of the entire taxicab ordinance. The motion passed 7-3, revealing a significant division among council members. Those voting in favor sought to eliminate regulatory oversight of taxicabs, while the three dissenting members argued for retaining regulations to maintain public safety standards and preserve municipal revenue from taxicab licensing and fees.

Helicopter Landing Frequency

A proposal to increase the frequency of helicopter landings generated heated debate among meeting participants. The discussion centered on multiple concerns, including public safety implications, the extent of the city's regulatory authority relative to FAA jurisdiction, and whether the ordinance should be approved as presented. Council members disagreed about whether additional clarification and safeguards were necessary before proceeding with the measure, with some questioning whether the city possessed adequate authority to regulate helicopter operations.

November 10, 2015 Committee Summary

The committee reviewed and approved the summary from the November 10, 2015 meeting. 4:05

Key Speakers - Kay - Henson

Outcome The committee approved the summary without dissent.

Community & Market Gardens

The Division of Planning presented proposed code and zoning changes to regulate community and market gardens throughout Fayette County 4:37. The presentation covered regulatory frameworks including definitions, signage requirements, operating hours, and standards for accessory structures related to garden operations.

Key speakers Jim Duncan and Tracy led the discussion on the proposed amendments. The presentation outlined how the new regulations would apply to both community gardens and market gardens operating within the county's jurisdiction.

The committee reviewed the proposed code changes and discussed their implementation across Fayette County. Following the presentation and discussion, the committee agreed to move forward with the regulatory process by having the Department of Law draft the ordinance based on the Division of Planning's recommendations.

The outcome of this agenda item was deferred, with the next steps delegated to the Department of Law for ordinance preparation.

Taxicab Ordinance

The committee discussed amendments to the taxicab ordinance to bring local regulations into alignment with state law. 20:27

Key Participants

The discussion involved committee members Henson, Glenda George, Rusty Cook, and Rick Curtis.

Main Issues Addressed

The proposed changes focused on two primary modifications to the existing ordinance:

• Removing the local permit requirement for taxicabs
• Adjusting associated fees

These amendments were intended to resolve conflicts between local regulations and state law requirements.

Committee Action

The committee voted to repeal the entire taxicab ordinance. Additionally, the committee agreed to suspend enforcement of Section 18a of the ordinance.

Outcome

The motion to repeal the ordinance was approved.

Frequency of Helicopter Landings

47:59

Council Member Hensley presented a proposal to increase helicopter landing frequency in business and industrial zones from 3 to 30 times per month. The presentation prompted discussion among committee members regarding operational, safety, and regulatory considerations.

Key Discussion Points

The committee examined several aspects of the proposal:

• FAA oversight and regulatory compliance requirements
• Public safety implications of increased helicopter traffic
• The need for clearer notification procedures to affected residents and businesses

Speakers and Perspectives

The following individuals participated in the discussion:

• Council Member Hensley
• Chet Lot
• Bill Daugherty
• Commissioner Bastin

Outcome

The committee failed to pass the motion to bring the proposal to the full council. The item was deferred, meaning it was not advanced for further consideration at this time.

Items Referred

1:30:13

The committee discussed several referred items during this portion of the meeting. Key speakers included Farmer, Henson, and Brown.

The discussion covered multiple topics:

• Greenway Manual
• H-1 notification process
• Downtown traffic study
• Additional referred items

Most of the items under review were deferred for future consideration rather than resolved during this meeting. The committee did not reach final decisions on these matters at this time.