Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 23, 2017, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice-Mayor Kay presiding over the session. The meeting addressed two main agenda items, including a recognition ceremony for Kentucky American Water Science Fair Award Winners and consideration of a zone change request for property located at 3735 Palomar Centre Drive. Council members took three votes during the proceedings and heard from two members of the public during the comment period. The zone change request was approved, while the science fair recognition served as an informational presentation to honor local student achievements.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 23, 2017 meeting:

• Gibbs
• Henson
• Higgins
• Lamb
• Moloney
• Mossotti
• Plomin
• Scutchfield
• Stinnett
• Bledsoe
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Evans

Absent: Farmer

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 13 members were present out of 14 total members.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three roll call votes during the February 23, 2017 meeting, with all three measures passing.

Ordinance 0089-17 1:00 changed the zoning from Professional Office (P-1) to Planned Shopping Center (B-6P) for 0.27 net acres (0.42 gross acres) of property located at 3735 Palomar Centre Dr. The motion was made by Mr. Stinnett and seconded by Ms. Scutchfield. The ordinance passed with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Council members voting in favor were Gibbs, Henson, Higgins, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Ordinance 0095-17 2:00 rezoned property at 362 Newtown Pike from Light Industrial (I-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1) for 1.84 net acres (2.74 gross acres). Mr. Stinnett made the motion with Ms. Scutchfield providing the second. This ordinance received unanimous approval with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members present voted in favor: Gibbs, Henson, Higgins, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Evans.

Resolution 0126-17 6:38 approved the execution and delivery by Clark County, Kentucky of its Healthcare Revenue Bonds, Series 2017, with proceeds to assist Kentucky Medical Services Foundation, Inc. Ms. Henson made the motion and Ms. Mossotti seconded it. The resolution passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays, with the same council members voting in favor as the previous measure.

All three votes were conducted as roll call votes, and no conditions were attached to any of the approved measures.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant contract approvals involving construction, facility improvements, and ongoing services.

The largest financial commitment was Resolution 0147-17, authorizing a $1,074,500 contract with Pace Contracting, LLC for construction services at two recreational facilities. This contract covers the development of spraygrounds at both Jacobson Park and Masterson Station Park, representing a major investment in the city's recreational infrastructure.

A smaller but important facility improvement was approved through Resolution 0083-17, which authorized a $54,830 contract with D & T Electric, Inc. for lighting replacement services at Fleet Services. This upgrade addresses infrastructure maintenance needs for the city's vehicle operations facility.

The council also considered Resolution 0128-17 for pest control services with The Terminix International Co., LP. While no specific dollar amount was provided in the meeting materials, this contract addresses ongoing maintenance needs for city facilities.

These three contracts represent a mix of capital improvements and operational services, with the sprayground construction representing the most substantial financial commitment at over $1 million. The lighting replacement and pest control contracts address routine facility maintenance and operational requirements necessary for city services.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period.

Russell Sitter spoke about the proposed Jacobson Park Splashpad project 7:00. Mr. Sitter provided technical information about splashpad operations, discussing the mechanical systems involved in these water features. He addressed the costs associated with using fresh water for the facility and explained various theming options that are commonly incorporated into splashpads and similar water attractions. His comments appeared to be informational in nature, providing the council with background details about splashpad design and operation.

Bernard McCarthy raised concerns about traffic conditions in downtown Lexington 14:00. Mr. McCarthy specifically highlighted traffic congestion issues on Limestone Street, expressing his concerns about the current traffic flow and congestion patterns affecting the downtown area. His comments focused on the need to address these transportation challenges in the city center.

Both speakers utilized their allotted time to bring different community issues to the attention of the council - one providing technical expertise on a recreational facility project and the other raising concerns about urban transportation infrastructure.

Appointments

The meeting included three appointments to various advisory bodies and organizations.

Two individuals were appointed to the Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee: • Rick Curtis was appointed to serve on the committee • Timothy Mitchell was also appointed to the committee

Additionally, John Thurston was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers.

These appointments represent the city's ongoing efforts to fill positions on advisory committees and community organizations that support municipal operations and public safety initiatives.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item regarding the proposed Jacobson Park Splashpad project.

Jacobson Park Splashpad Opposition

Russell Sitter voiced community opposition to the current splashpad proposal, raising concerns about both the cost and design elements of the project. Sitter specifically suggested that implementing a pass-through system could result in significant cost savings for the municipality compared to the current design being considered.

The disagreement centered on the financial implications of the splashpad's design specifications and whether alternative approaches could achieve the same recreational goals while reducing the overall project budget. Sitter's intervention represented community input questioning the cost-effectiveness of the proposed approach.

The extracted data does not indicate the specific outcome of this contested item or how the governing body responded to Sitter's concerns about the splashpad design and associated costs.

Recognition of Kentucky American Water Science Fair Award Winners

0:30

Vice Mayor Kay presented recognition for student winners of the Kentucky American Water Science Fair during agenda item 0207-17. The presentation acknowledged outstanding achievements by students across three educational levels: elementary, middle, and high school.

The recognition ceremony highlighted the academic excellence demonstrated by local students in science education and research. Vice Mayor Kay congratulated each group of winners for their participation and success in the Kentucky American Water Science Fair competition.

This was an informational presentation with no formal action required by the council. The agenda item served to publicly acknowledge the students' scientific achievements and celebrate their contributions to STEM education in the community.

The recognition reflects the ongoing partnership between Kentucky American Water and local educational institutions in promoting science education and encouraging student participation in scientific research and competition.

Zone Change for 3735 Palomar Centre Dr.

1:00

The council considered Ordinance 0089-17, which proposed changing the zoning designation for 3735 Palomar Centre Dr. from Professional Office (P-1) to Planned Shopping Center (B-6P).

Mr. Stinnett and Ms. Scutchfield served as key speakers during the discussion of this zoning change request. The ordinance would allow the property to transition from its current professional office zoning to a planned shopping center designation, which would permit different types of commercial uses on the site.

The council approved the zone change ordinance, allowing the property at 3735 Palomar Centre Dr. to move forward with the new B-6P zoning classification.