Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on July 28, 2016, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the LFUCG Government Center at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with William Wilson presiding as the meeting officer. The commission addressed three agenda items during the session, including the approval of minutes, postponements and withdrawals, and consideration of the Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties Preliminary Subdivision Plan. All three agenda items were approved by the commission. The meeting included five motions and votes, with commissioners hearing three public comments from attendees regarding the matters under consideration.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on July 28, 2016:

• William Wilson
• Will Berkley
• Patrick Brewer
• Mike Cravens
• David Drake
• Karen Mundy
• Mike Owens
• Carolyn Plumlee
• Joseph Smith

Two members were absent from the meeting:

• Frank Penn
• Carolyn Richardson

No members arrived late to the meeting.

A total of 9 members were present out of 11 total members.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took action on five items during the July 28, 2016 meeting, with all votes receiving unanimous support except for one preliminary subdivision plan.

Minutes Approval Carolyn Plumlee motioned to approve the minutes from the June 23, 2016 meeting, seconded by Karen Mundy. The motion passed unanimously with all nine members voting in favor.

DP 2016-65 - Kaluski Property Postponement 2:00 The commission unanimously voted to postpone the Kaluski Property (Lexave Apartments) development plan. Carolyn Plumlee made the motion, seconded by Carolyn Richardson, with all nine members supporting the postponement.

MAR 2016-10 - Atlas I, LLC Withdrawal 3:00 Mike Owens motioned to withdraw the zoning map amendment for 2100 and 2104 Harrodsburg Road from Atlas I, LLC, seconded by Mike Cravens. The withdrawal was approved unanimously by all nine commission members.

PLAN 2016-68F - Virginia Subdivision Withdrawal 4:00 The commission unanimously approved the withdrawal of the Virginia Subdivision, Lot 1 & Half of Lot 2 final subdivision plan. Mike Cravens made the motion, seconded by Patrick Brewer, with all nine members voting in favor.

PLAN 2016-47P - Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties 5:00 The most contentious vote involved the Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties preliminary subdivision plan. Mike Owens motioned for approval, seconded by Carolyn Plumlee. The motion passed 6-3 with 18 conditions, plus additional conditions for tree replacement and compliance with an agreement with Mr. Coffin.

Voting in favor: William Wilson, Will Berkley, Patrick Brewer, Mike Cravens, David Drake, and Karen Mundy.

Voting against: Mike Owens, Carolyn Plumlee, and Joseph Smith.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the commission during the public comment period, focusing primarily on development and environmental concerns.

Amy Clark 2:30 spoke regarding the Kaluski Property postponement, expressing agreement that the postponement was the correct decision. Clark noted that citizens had not yet had adequate opportunity to review the revised development plan.

Walter Gaffield 6:00 raised concerns about tree removal processes in development projects. Gaffield emphasized the importance of developers submitting accurate plans and expressed worry about the current procedures governing tree removal on development sites.

Ginny Daily 7:00 addressed tree preservation issues, urging the commission to take action to prevent clear-cutting and the loss of tree canopy coverage. Daily referenced Nashville as an example of a city that has implemented measures to protect urban forestry, encouraging the commission to consider similar approaches to preserve the local tree canopy.

The public comments reflected ongoing community concerns about balancing development with environmental preservation, particularly regarding tree protection and the adequacy of public review processes for development proposals.

Contested Items

The Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties Preliminary Subdivision Plan generated significant debate among commission members, resulting in a split 6-3 vote for approval.

The primary areas of contention centered on two key issues: tree preservation requirements and the proposed lotting patterns for the development. Commission members engaged in substantial discussion regarding how the subdivision design would impact existing vegetation on the site and whether the layout of individual lots met the community's development standards.

While the specific details of individual commissioners' positions were not detailed in the available materials, the close vote margin indicates a meaningful division of opinion on the merits of the proposal. Three commissioners ultimately voted against the plan, suggesting concerns about either the environmental impact related to tree preservation or objections to the subdivision's lot configuration.

Despite the opposition, the plan received approval with six commissioners supporting the proposal. The 6-3 outcome allowed the Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties development to move forward in the approval process, though the significant discussion and split vote highlighted ongoing tensions within the commission regarding balancing development interests with environmental preservation and community planning standards.

The contested nature of this item demonstrates the commission's careful consideration of subdivision proposals, particularly when they involve environmental concerns such as tree preservation that affect the character and sustainability of new developments.

Approval of Minutes

0:30

The board reviewed the minutes from the June 23, 2016 meeting for approval. Key speakers during this agenda item included Carolyn Plumlee and Karen Mundy, who participated in the discussion regarding the accuracy and completeness of the previous meeting's record.

The minutes underwent review and discussion, with corrections identified and addressed during the process. The board members examined the document to ensure it accurately reflected the proceedings, decisions, and discussions that took place during the June 23, 2016 session.

Following the review and incorporation of necessary corrections, the minutes of the June 23, 2016 meeting were formally approved by the board. This approval confirms the official record of that meeting's proceedings and allows the corrected minutes to serve as the permanent documentation of the board's actions and deliberations from that date.

Postponements and Withdrawals

1:00

The meeting addressed several agenda items that required postponement or withdrawal from consideration. Key speakers Mike Owens and Carolyn Plumlee presented the status of various development proposals that would not proceed as originally scheduled.

The Kaluski Property development plan was among the items postponed during this session. Additionally, portions of the Atlas I, LLC zoning map amendment were also subject to postponement or withdrawal.

The postponements and withdrawals were approved by the body, allowing the affected items to be rescheduled for future consideration or removed from the agenda entirely, depending on the specific circumstances of each case.

This administrative action cleared the agenda of items that were not ready for full review and decision, enabling the meeting to proceed with matters that were prepared for consideration.

Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties Preliminary Subdivision Plan

5:00

The commission reviewed agenda item 3, the Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties Preliminary Subdivision Plan. Key speakers during the discussion included Mike Owens and Tom Martin, who presented details about the proposed development.

The preliminary subdivision plan underwent review with specific conditions identified for approval. Two primary requirements were established as part of the approval process: mandatory tree replacement provisions and compliance with an existing agreement involving Mr. Coffin.

The tree replacement condition addresses environmental considerations within the subdivision development, ensuring adequate vegetation is maintained or restored as part of the project. The second condition requires adherence to a previously established agreement with Mr. Coffin, though the specific details of this agreement were not elaborated upon during the recorded discussion.

Following the presentation and review of the plan details, the commission moved forward with their decision. The Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties Preliminary Subdivision Plan was approved, contingent upon meeting the two specified conditions regarding tree replacement and the Coffin agreement compliance.

The approval represents a step forward in the development process for the Hillenmeyer & SFH Properties project, with the developers now required to fulfill the stated conditions as they proceed with their subdivision plans.