Planning Commission Subdivision Items

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on August 11, 2016, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mike Owens presiding as the meeting officer. The commission addressed six agenda items during the session, with five receiving approval and one being continued to a future meeting. The commission took 11 votes throughout the proceedings and heard from 8 members of the public who provided comments on various matters before the board. The approved items included development projects such as Midland Crossing, Newmarket Property Unit 8, Man O' War Development Unit 2A, Skain Street, and the Kentucky American Water Booster Station in Jacobson Park, while the Atlas I, LLC Zoning Map Amendment & Springhurst Subdivision Unit 2 was continued for further consideration.

Attendance

The meeting on August 11, 2016 had seven members present and four members absent.

Present: • Mike Owens • Will Berkley • Mike Cravens • Frank Penn • Carolyn Richardson • Joe Smith • Karen Mundy

Absent: • Patrick Brewer • David Drake • Carolyn Plumlee • Bill Wilson

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took eleven votes during the August 11, 2016 meeting, with all motions passing unanimously by voice vote with 7 ayes and 0 nays.

Procedural Votes

0:30 Karen Mundy motioned to approve Mike Owens as acting Chair for the meeting, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The motion passed unanimously.

12:00 Frank Penn motioned to approve the Consent Agenda items, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The motion passed unanimously.

Postponements

Three items were postponed to September 8, 2016: - 3:00 PLN-MJSUB-16-00006 (Pleasant Ridge Subdivision, Lot 129), motioned by Mike Cravens and seconded by Karen Mundy - 6:00 PLN-MJDP-16-00005 (Clay Ingels Company, LLC), motioned by Karen Mundy and seconded by Carolyn Richardson - 9:00 PLN-MJDP-16-00004 (Newtown Springs, Lot 1), motioned by Carolyn Richardson and seconded by Karen Mundy

Approvals with Condition Changes

Four development projects were approved with modified conditions: - 20:00 PLN-MJSUB-16-00002 (Tuscany, Unit 2A) with condition #9 changed to resolve driveway access for Lots 31 & 37 on Pascoli Cove - 30:00 PLN-MJSUB-16-00005 (Green Property Holdings, LLC) with condition #18 modified to discuss street frontage and roadway improvements - 40:00 DP 2016-65 (Kaluski Property/Lexave Apartments) with changes to conditions #13 and #14 regarding water quality and fire access - 50:00 PLN-MJDP-16-00003 (Lexmark International, Inc.) with condition #19 changed to resolve A-U zone parking issues

Other Actions

60:00 MAR 2016-10 (Atlas I, LLC Zoning Map Amendment & Springhurst Subdivision) was continued to September 22, 2016, motioned by Will Berkley and seconded by Karen Mundy.

70:00 PFR 2016-1 (Kentucky American Water Booster Station in Jacobson Park) was approved without conditions, motioned by Frank Penn and seconded by Carolyn Richardson.

Public Comment

Eight residents spoke during the public comment period, all expressing opposition to a proposed zoning change and its potential impacts on their neighborhood.

Joyce Winstead opened the public comment session 90:00, voicing concerns about how the proposed zoning change would affect neighborhood safety and character. She emphasized the importance of preserving existing green space and maintaining the quiet nature of the area.

Katrina Kelly, identifying herself as a landscape architect, followed 95:00 with technical concerns about drainage and walkability issues that could result from the zoning change. She also highlighted potential negative impacts on the neighborhood's overall character.

Beth Kelly presented research on local business saturation 100:00, reporting on the number and types of businesses already operating within a one-mile radius. She argued that the area is sufficiently served by existing commercial establishments and does not require additional development.

Mark Ausreger focused on traffic safety concerns 105:00, discussing potential traffic increases from the proposed development and emphasizing safety risks for both pedestrians and cyclists in the area.

David Lane addressed economic impacts 110:00, expressing concerns that the zoning change would negatively affect property values and diminish quality of life for neighborhood residents.

Mary Margaret spoke about the area's historical significance 115:00, arguing that increased traffic and commercial development would harm the neighborhood's historical value and character.

Loretta Haley emphasized accessibility concerns 120:00, highlighting the need to maintain a safe and accessible environment, particularly for residents with mobility challenges.

Joel Harlan concluded the public comment period 125:00 by criticizing what he described as a lack of concrete planning from the developers. He urged the commission to reject the proposed zoning change entirely.

All speakers expressed unified opposition to the zoning proposal, citing concerns ranging from traffic safety and environmental impact to property values and neighborhood character preservation.

Contested Items

The August 11, 2016 meeting featured one primary contested item that generated significant community debate.

Atlas I, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

The proposed zoning map amendment by Atlas I, LLC faced substantial opposition from community members during the public hearing process. Residents raised multiple concerns about the potential impacts of the zoning change on their neighborhood.

The primary areas of opposition centered on:

• Traffic concerns - Community members expressed worry about increased vehicle traffic that could result from the proposed zoning change
• Safety issues - Residents voiced concerns about potential safety impacts to the neighborhood
• Neighborhood character - Opposition focused on how the zoning amendment might alter the existing character and nature of the surrounding area

The community opposition appeared to be organized and vocal, with multiple residents participating in the discussion of this agenda item. The nature of the concerns suggested that the proposed zoning change would allow for development or land use that differed significantly from the current zoning designation and existing neighborhood patterns.

While the extracted data indicates there was significant community pushback against this zoning amendment proposal, the specific outcome of the vote or final decision on the Atlas I, LLC zoning map amendment is not detailed in the available information. The level of community engagement and the range of concerns raised - from traffic and safety to neighborhood character - suggests this was a substantive zoning proposal that would have meaningful impacts on the affected area.

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

Midland Crossing

15:00

The commission reviewed the final subdivision plan for Midland Crossing under case number PLN-MJSUB-16-00001. The proposed development would create 12 lots within the subdivision.

Bill Sallee served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting details about the subdivision plan to the commission members.

The Subdivision Committee had previously reviewed the Midland Crossing proposal and recommended approval, though their recommendation came with several conditions that needed to be addressed. These conditions focused on three main areas:

• Drainage requirements - Specific measures needed to ensure proper water management throughout the subdivision
• Street access provisions - Requirements for adequate vehicular access to serve all proposed lots
• Landscaping standards - Specifications for green space and aesthetic improvements within the development

The commission discussed these conditions and their implementation as part of the final subdivision approval process. The requirements were designed to ensure the development would meet municipal standards and integrate appropriately with surrounding areas.

Following the presentation and discussion of the subdivision plan and the Subdivision Committee's conditional recommendations, the commission voted to approve the Midland Crossing final subdivision plan. The approval included the conditions previously outlined by the Subdivision Committee regarding drainage, street access, and landscaping requirements.

The approval of PLN-MJSUB-16-00001 allows the developer to proceed with creating the 12 lots as proposed, provided all specified conditions are met during the development process.

Newmarket Property, Unit 8

25:00

The commission reviewed the final subdivision plan for Newmarket Property, Unit 8 (PLN-MJSUB-16-00003). Bill Sallee served as the key speaker presenting the item to the commission.

The subdivision plan included several important conditions that were discussed during the review:

• Drainage requirements and specifications
• Street access provisions and connectivity
• Tree protection measures for existing vegetation

The commission examined these conditions as part of their evaluation of the final subdivision plan. The discussion focused on ensuring that the proposed development would meet municipal standards for infrastructure and environmental protection.

Following their review and discussion of the subdivision plan and its associated conditions, the commission approved the Newmarket Property, Unit 8 subdivision application.

Man O' War Development, Unit 2A

35:00

The commission reviewed application PLN-MJDP-16-00001 for Man O' War Development, Unit 2A, which proposed modifications to increase the floor area for a commercial building within the development.

Bill Sallee served as a key speaker during the discussion of this agenda item. The development plan was presented to the commission for their consideration and review.

The commission examined the proposed changes to the commercial building's floor area as part of the Unit 2A development phase. The application underwent standard review procedures to ensure compliance with local zoning requirements and development standards.

Following their discussion and review of the application materials, the commission voted to approve the Man O' War Development, Unit 2A proposal. The approval came with attached conditions, though the specific details of those conditions were not detailed in the available materials.

The approval allows the development to proceed with the planned floor area increases for the commercial building component of Unit 2A, subject to meeting the stipulated conditions set forth by the commission.

Skain Street

45:00

The commission reviewed agenda item PLN-MJDP-16-00006 for the Skain Street development plan. Bill Sallee served as the key speaker presenting the proposal to the commission.

The development plan discussion centered on administrative requirements, specifically the need for proper signage posting and submission of an affidavit as part of the approval process. These procedural elements were identified as necessary components for moving forward with the project.

During the review, the commission identified specific conditions that would need to be addressed as part of any approval. Two primary areas of concern emerged:

• Drainage requirements - The commission determined that adequate drainage provisions must be incorporated into the development plan
• Fire service features - Proper fire safety and emergency access elements were deemed necessary for the project

The commission found the overall development plan acceptable but emphasized that these infrastructure and safety conditions must be satisfied. The drainage and fire service requirements were presented as standard development conditions rather than project-specific concerns.

Following discussion of the proposal and the identified conditions, the commission moved to approve the Skain Street development plan. The approval was granted with the understanding that the developer would need to meet the specified conditions related to drainage infrastructure and fire service accessibility features.

The commission's decision represents a conditional approval, allowing the project to proceed while ensuring that essential safety and infrastructure requirements are properly addressed in the final development implementation.

Atlas I, LLC Zoning Map Amendment & Springhurst Subdivision, Unit 2

55:00

The commission reviewed agenda item MAR 2016-10, a zoning map amendment and development plan submitted by Atlas I, LLC for the Springhurst Subdivision, Unit 2. The proposal involves changing the current zoning designation from residential to business use.

Chris Taylor served as a key speaker during the discussion of this agenda item. The commission examined both the zoning map amendment request and the associated development plan for the property.

Staff presented their analysis and recommended disapproval of the Atlas I, LLC proposal. The primary concern cited by staff was compatibility issues with the comprehensive plan. Staff determined that the requested zoning change from residential to business use would not align with the long-term planning goals and vision established in the comprehensive plan for this area.

The commission discussed the staff's concerns regarding the compatibility between the proposed business zoning and the existing comprehensive plan framework. The comprehensive plan serves as the guiding document for land use decisions, and staff found that the proposed zoning change would conflict with the planned character and development pattern for this location.

After reviewing the proposal, staff recommendation, and discussing the compatibility concerns, the commission decided to continue the matter rather than make a final determination. This continuation allows for additional review time and potentially provides an opportunity for the applicant to address the identified concerns about comprehensive plan compatibility before the item returns for further consideration.

The continuation of MAR 2016-10 means the Atlas I, LLC zoning map amendment and Springhurst Subdivision, Unit 2 development plan will be revisited at a future commission meeting.

Kentucky American Water Booster Station in Jacobson Park

65:00

The commission reviewed Public Facility Review PFR 2016-1 for a proposed Kentucky American Water booster station to be located in Jacobson Park. The project is designed to improve water pressure in the surrounding area.

Traci Wade presented the review to the commission, explaining the technical aspects and purpose of the proposed water infrastructure improvement. The booster station would enhance water service delivery to residents in the vicinity of Jacobson Park by increasing water pressure throughout the distribution system.

During the review process, staff evaluated the proposal against the city's comprehensive plan requirements and found the project to be in full compliance with established planning guidelines. The water utility infrastructure was determined to be consistent with the area's designated land use and development objectives.

The commission approved PFR 2016-1 following the presentation and review. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this public facility review. The approval allows Kentucky American Water to proceed with the installation of the booster station at the Jacobson Park location as proposed.