Urban County Council - Zone Change Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on February 9, 2017, at 7:55 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice-Mayor Kay presiding. The meeting focused on a single agenda item involving a proposed zone change from A-U (Agricultural Urban) to R-3 (Residential), which was ultimately denied by the council. During the proceedings, the council heard from six members of the public who provided comments on the matter under consideration. The meeting concluded with one formal vote taken on the zoning proposal, resulting in its denial.

Attendance

The meeting on February 9, 2017 had 10 members present and 5 members absent.

Present: • Vice-Mayor Kay • Gibbs • Henson • Lamb • Mossotti • Plomin • Scutchfield • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown

Absent: • Evans • Farmer • Higgins • Moloney • Stinnett

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted one formal vote during the meeting on February 9, 2017.

Ordinance 1400-16 10:32 Ms. Bledsoe made a motion regarding an ordinance to change the zoning from Agricultural Urban (A-U) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) for property located at 3455 Saybrook Road. The motion was seconded by Ms. Mossotti.

The ordinance failed by a roll call vote of 0 ayes to 10 nays with no abstentions. All ten council members present voted against the zoning change:

Voting Against: • Gibbs • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Mossotti • Plomin • Scutchfield • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown

The unanimous rejection of this zoning ordinance indicates the council was not in favor of converting the agricultural property to residential use at this time.

Public Comment

Six community members spoke during the public comment period, all expressing opposition to a proposed zone change and development project 0:00.

Kathleen Donovan opened the public comment session by speaking against the zone change. She emphasized the importance of adhering to the comprehensive plan and maintaining the existing character of the neighborhood 0:00.

Robin Young followed with concerns about the neighborhood impact of the proposed development, specifically highlighting issues with lot sizes and density that could result from the project 0:00.

Walt Gaffield provided historical context regarding previous zoning decisions in the area and expressed his opposition to the current proposal based on this background 0:00.

Infrastructure concerns dominated the remaining comments. Evan Belt shared personal experiences with sewage backups and flooding, arguing that the proposed development could worsen these existing problems 0:00.

Scott Warner presented visual evidence of infrastructure issues by showing a video of sewage overflow. He expressed concerns about how additional development would impact the already strained existing infrastructure 0:00.

Renee Park Mooney concluded the public comment period by addressing community engagement issues. She criticized the developer's lack of outreach to the community but indicated a willingness to work toward finding a compromise solution 0:00.

The public comments revealed consistent themes of opposition centered on comprehensive plan adherence, neighborhood character preservation, infrastructure capacity concerns, and the need for better community engagement in the development process.

Contested Items

The February 9, 2017 meeting featured significant community opposition to a proposed zone change for 3455 Saybrook Road. The contested item centered on concerns from residents regarding the potential impacts of increased development density in the area.

Community members voiced strong opposition to the zone change proposal, citing multiple concerns about the project's potential effects on the neighborhood. The primary objections focused on three key areas: the proposed increase in residential density, potential environmental impacts from the development, and the adequacy of existing infrastructure to support additional development.

Residents expressed concerns that the zone change would allow for higher density development than currently permitted, which they believed would be incompatible with the existing neighborhood character. Environmental impact concerns were also raised, though specific details about the nature of these environmental issues were not specified in the available information.

Infrastructure capacity emerged as another significant point of contention, with community members questioning whether existing roads, utilities, and other municipal services could adequately support the increased development that would be permitted under the proposed zone change.

The strong community opposition demonstrated the level of local concern about the potential impacts of the proposed zoning modification at 3455 Saybrook Road. The nature and extent of the opposition suggests this was a significant issue for area residents who attended the meeting to voice their concerns about the proposal.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, participant names, and the final outcome of this contested item were not available in the provided meeting materials.*

Zone Change from A-U to R-3

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 1400-16, a proposal to rezone 3455 Saybrook Road from Agricultural Urban (A-U) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3). The zone change would have allowed for higher density residential development on the property.

The proposal encountered substantial community opposition during the meeting. Multiple residents spoke against the rezoning, raising concerns about several key issues:

Community Concerns: • Increased density that would be incompatible with the existing neighborhood character • Potential negative environmental impacts from the proposed development • Inadequate infrastructure to support additional residential units • Traffic and safety implications for the surrounding area

Key Speakers: Vice-Mayor Kay led the discussion of the agenda item. Community members who participated in the debate included William Sallee, Jacob Walbourn, Kathleen Donovan, Robin Young, Walt Gaffield, Evan Belt, Scott Warner, and Renee Park Mooney. These speakers represented various perspectives on the proposed zoning change, with the majority expressing opposition to the measure.

The extensive public input reflected significant neighborhood engagement on the issue, with residents voicing concerns about how the zoning change would affect their community's future development patterns and quality of life.

Outcome: After considering the public testimony and discussing the merits of the proposal, the council denied Ordinance 1400-16. The property at 3455 Saybrook Road will retain its current Agricultural Urban (A-U) zoning designation, preventing the higher density residential development that would have been permitted under R-3 zoning.

The denial reflected the council's consideration of the substantial community opposition and the various concerns raised about density, environmental impact, and infrastructure capacity.