Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on August 25, 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 presiding officer. The commission addressed three agenda items during the session, focusing primarily on zoning map amendments and development plans for local projects. The meeting included five motions and votes, with commissioners approving two development projects and referring one zoning text amendment to the full commission for further consideration. Two public comments were heard during the proceedings, allowing community input on the matters under review.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on August 25, 2016:

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

David Drake was absent from the meeting.

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included five motions, all of which passed unanimously.

ZOTA 2016-3 0:02 - Frank Penn motioned to postpone the Zoning Ordinance text amendment that would allow recreational facilities as principal uses in the B-1 zone, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The postponement was approved unanimously with 9 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were William Wilson, Will Berkley, Patrick Brewer, Mike Cravens, Karen Mundy, Mike Owens, Carolyn Plumlee, Joseph Smith, and Frank Penn.

MAR 2016-19 1:30 - Mike Owens motioned to approve the City View Investments, LLC zoning map amendment for Kimball House Square, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The motion passed unanimously with 10 ayes and 0 nays. All members voted in favor: William Wilson, Will Berkley, Patrick Brewer, Mike Cravens, Karen Mundy, Mike Owens, Carolyn Plumlee, Joseph Smith, Frank Penn, and Carolyn Richardson.

ZDP 2016-71 1:45 - Mike Owens motioned to approve the Kimball House Square (AMD) zoning development plan, seconded by Karen Mundy. The motion passed unanimously with 10 ayes and 0 nays, with all members voting in favor. The approval included 9 total conditions, with condition number 9 deleted and findings noted for compliance with Article 28-6(b-g).

PLN-MAR-16-00004 2:30 - Patrick Brewer motioned to approve the RML Construction, LLP zoning map amendment for RML-Citation, seconded by Joseph Smith. The motion passed unanimously with 10 ayes and 0 nays, with all members voting in favor.

PLN-MJDP-16-00007 2:45 - Patrick Brewer motioned to approve the RML-Citation zoning development plan, seconded by Joseph Smith. The motion passed unanimously with 10 ayes and 0 nays, with all members voting in favor. The approval was subject to 10 conditions.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the board during the public comment period, both focusing on zoning ordinance text amendment ZOTA 2016-4.

Jacob Wallburn spoke first 3:30, expressing concerns about the limitations of the current ED (Economic Development) zone. Wallburn advocated for increased flexibility in supportive uses within the zone, arguing that such changes would help stimulate development in the area.

Dennis Anderson followed 4:00, discussing the need for more diverse uses in the ED zone. Anderson emphasized that allowing a broader range of uses would be essential to attract development and create a more vibrant community within the designated area.

Both speakers' comments centered on the same zoning amendment, suggesting coordinated interest in expanding the permitted uses and flexibility within the Economic Development zone to encourage greater development activity.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that generated substantial debate among participants.

ZOTA 2016-4 - Economic Development Zone Supportive Uses

The primary point of contention centered on determining the appropriate percentage of supportive uses permitted within the Economic Development (ED) zone. The discussion became heated as stakeholders presented conflicting viewpoints on how much flexibility should be built into the zoning regulations.

Developers present at the meeting advocated strongly for increased flexibility in the supportive use percentages, arguing that more lenient requirements would help stimulate economic development in the zone. They contended that overly restrictive percentages could hinder their ability to attract tenants and make projects financially viable.

The debate highlighted fundamental disagreements about balancing development incentives with zoning integrity. While developers pushed for greater accommodation of supportive uses to enhance project marketability, other participants appeared concerned about maintaining the primary economic development focus of the zone.

The heated nature of the discussion suggests that multiple parties had significant financial or policy interests at stake in the outcome. The percentage of supportive uses directly impacts what types of businesses and activities can operate within ED zones, affecting both development costs and the character of these economic districts.

The extracted data does not indicate the final resolution of this contested item or whether a consensus was reached during the meeting. The debate over ZOTA 2016-4 represents a common tension in zoning discussions between promoting economic development through regulatory flexibility and maintaining clear zoning standards and community planning objectives.

CITY VIEW INVESTMENTS, LLC, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT & KIMBALL HOUSE SQUARE (AMD.) Z

1:00

The commission considered a petition from City View Investments, LLC to modify conditional zoning restrictions for the Kimball House Square development located at 275 S. Limestone. The proposal sought to amend the existing Mixed Use 2 zoning development plan to increase the maximum number of dwelling units from 22 to 30 units.

Key speakers during the discussion included Traci Wade and Tom Martin, who presented details about the proposed modifications to the conditional zoning restrictions. The amendment would allow for additional residential density within the existing Mixed Use 2 zone designation while maintaining the overall development framework previously established for the property.

The petition represented a relatively modest increase in residential capacity, adding 8 additional dwelling units to the approved development plan. This type of amendment to conditional zoning allows developers to adjust project parameters while working within the established zoning framework and maintaining compatibility with surrounding land uses.

Following presentation and discussion of the proposal, the commission approved the zoning map amendment and modified zoning development plan for City View Investments, LLC. The approval allows the developer to proceed with the increased residential unit count at the Kimball House Square development on South Limestone.

RML CONSTRUCTION, LLP, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.) ZONING DEVELOPMENT PLAN

2:00 The commission reviewed agenda item 2, a petition by RML Construction, LLP for a zoning map amendment from Light Industrial to Wholesale and Warehouse Business for property located at 2551 Leestown Road and 745 Greendale Road.

The petition involved property owned by Hillenmeyer Interest, Ltd. and sought to rezone the parcels to accommodate wholesale and warehouse business operations. Key speakers during the discussion included Traci Wade and Tom Martin, who presented details regarding the proposed zoning change and development plan.

The commission examined the merits of converting the Light Industrial zoning designation to Wholesale and Warehouse Business zoning for the specified properties on Leestown Road and Greendale Road. The discussion focused on the appropriateness of the proposed zoning classification for the intended use and the compatibility with surrounding land uses in the area.

Following their review and deliberation of the zoning map amendment request, the commission approved the petition. The approval allows RML Construction, LLP to proceed with their wholesale and warehouse business development plans for the properties under the new zoning designation.

ZOTA 2016-4: AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES 23A-10 TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (ED) ZONE

3:00

The commission reviewed zoning ordinance text amendment ZOTA 2016-4, which proposes modifications to Articles 23A-10 governing the Economic Development (ED) Zone. The amendment focuses on expanding permitted land uses within the designated Expansion Area.

Bill Sallee presented the proposed changes, which would introduce new supportive uses to complement existing economic development activities in the zone. The amendments also seek to provide increased flexibility regarding building height restrictions and floor area requirements, allowing for more varied development options within the ED zone boundaries.

The text amendment represents an effort to modernize the zoning regulations to better accommodate evolving economic development needs while maintaining appropriate land use controls. The proposed supportive uses would expand the range of activities permitted in the zone beyond the current restrictions.

Following the presentation and discussion, the commission determined that the zoning ordinance text amendment required further review and consideration. The item was referred to the full commission for additional deliberation and potential action at a future meeting.

The referral allows for more comprehensive review of the proposed amendments and their potential impacts on economic development activities within the affected zone areas.