Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on June 22, 2017, 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 Bill Wilson presiding as the meeting officer. The commission addressed a standard agenda consisting of five main items, including the approval of minutes from previous meetings and consideration of land subdivision and zoning matters. During the session, the commission conducted five formal votes on various matters brought before them. The meeting also provided opportunities for public participation, with three public comments heard from community members regarding items under consideration. The proceedings covered both informational items and actionable business, with the approval of minutes being the primary item requiring formal commission action during this session.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 22, 2017 meeting:

Present: • Bill Wilson • Will Berkley • Mike Cravens • Karen Mundy • Mike Owens • Frank Penn • Carolyn Plumlee • Carolyn Richardson

Absent: • Patrick Brewer • David Drake

No members arrived late to the meeting. Eight members were in attendance with two absent members.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took action on five items during the June 22, 2017 meeting, with all votes passing unanimously with 8 members present.

Minutes Approval 0:00 Karen Mundy motioned to approve minutes from May 25, 2017, June 8, 2017, and amended minutes of April 27, 2017, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The motion passed unanimously 8-0, with all members voting in favor: Bill Wilson, Will Berkley, Mike Cravens, Karen Mundy, Mike Owens, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, and Carolyn Richardson.

PLN-MJSUB-17-00026 Postponement 2:00 Carolyn Plumlee motioned to postpone the RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.) case, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The postponement passed unanimously 8-0, with the item rescheduled to the July 13, 2017 meeting. All eight members voted in favor.

PLN-MJDP-17-00042 Postponement 4:00 Carolyn Plumlee motioned to postpone the RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.) Development Plan, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The postponement passed unanimously 8-0, also rescheduled to July 13, 2017. All members voted in favor.

ZOTA 2016-5 Postponement 6:00 Mike Cravens motioned to postpone the Amendment to Article 23A-10: Supportive Uses in the Economic Development Zone, seconded by Carolyn Plumlee. The postponement passed unanimously 8-0, with the item rescheduled to August 24, 2017. All eight members voted in favor.

PLN-MAR-17-00019 Continuance 8:00 Will Berkley motioned to continue the J. Roger Jones, III Zoning Map Amendment case, seconded by Mike Cravens. The continuance passed unanimously 8-0, with the item continued to August 24, 2017. All members voted in favor.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the board during the public comment period, focusing primarily on development issues along the Paris Pike corridor.

Paul La spoke in support of the Bluegrass Baptist School redevelopment project 10:00. He expressed his backing for converting the former school property into a community-focused facility.

William raised concerns about a proposed zoning change on Paris Pike 12:00. He outlined several specific objections to the development, including potential traffic impacts, light pollution issues, and the overall effect on the scenic character of the Paris Pike corridor.

Amy Clark also addressed the Paris Pike zoning matter 14:00. Clark argued that the proposed zoning change conflicts with the established Paris Pike Corridor Plan. She emphasized concerns about preserving the scenic nature of the corridor and questioned whether the development would be compatible with existing planning guidelines for the area.

The public comments revealed a clear divide between support for adaptive reuse projects like the Bluegrass Baptist School redevelopment and opposition to new development that residents believe could compromise the character of established scenic corridors like Paris Pike.

Contested Items

Two significant items generated substantial discussion and disagreement during the meeting.

Zoning Change on Paris Pike

Community members voiced strong opposition to a proposed zoning change along the Paris Pike corridor. Residents raised multiple concerns about the potential impacts of the development, specifically citing worries about increased traffic congestion in the area. Additionally, opponents expressed concerns about light pollution that could result from the proposed development, arguing it would negatively affect the character of the scenic corridor.

The community opposition centered on preserving the existing nature of Paris Pike, with residents emphasizing the importance of maintaining the area's scenic qualities. The traffic and lighting concerns reflected broader worries about how the zoning change might alter the corridor's current character and functionality.

Bluegrass Baptist School Redevelopment

A procedural dispute arose regarding the redevelopment of the Bluegrass Baptist School property. The disagreement involved differing interpretations between the applicant and city staff regarding the most appropriate zoning classification for the proposed redevelopment project.

The applicant and planning staff could not reach consensus on the proper zoning approach for the site, creating uncertainty about how to proceed with the application. This fundamental disagreement about zoning requirements and classifications prevented the item from moving forward as originally planned.

Due to the unresolved differences between the applicant's position and staff recommendations, the commission decided to continue the item to allow for additional discussion and potential resolution of the zoning questions. This continuance provided time for both parties to further examine the zoning issues and work toward a mutually acceptable approach for the redevelopment proposal.

Both contested items highlighted common challenges in development review processes, including balancing community concerns with development proposals and resolving technical disagreements between applicants and planning staff.

Call to Order

0:00

The meeting was called to order by Bill Wilson at 1:30 p.m.

This agenda item served as the formal opening of the June 22, 2017 meeting, with no additional discussion or business conducted during this procedural portion of the proceedings.

Approval of Minutes

0:30

The board considered the approval of minutes from three previous meetings during this agenda item. The minutes under review included those from the May 25, 2017 meeting, the June 8, 2017 meeting, and amended minutes from the April 27, 2017 meeting.

Key speakers during this discussion were Karen Mundy and Carolyn Richardson, who addressed the board regarding the minutes approval process.

The board reviewed the documentation for all three sets of minutes that required approval. This included two regular meeting minutes from May 25, 2017 and June 8, 2017, as well as amended minutes from an earlier April 27, 2017 meeting that had required corrections or modifications.

Following the presentation and any discussion of the minutes, the board voted to approve all three sets of minutes as presented. The approval encompassed:

• Minutes from the May 25, 2017 meeting
• Minutes from the June 8, 2017 meeting
• Amended minutes from the April 27, 2017 meeting

The motion to approve the minutes was successful, with the board formally adopting all three sets of meeting records. This approval ensures the official documentation of the board's previous proceedings and decisions are properly recorded in the permanent record.

Postponements and Withdrawals

2:00

The meeting addressed several requests for postponements and withdrawals of agenda items. Matt Carter and Carolyn Plumlee served as the key speakers during this discussion segment.

The agenda item focused on reviewing and processing formal requests from applicants or staff to either postpone consideration of certain matters to a future meeting date or to withdraw items entirely from the current agenda. This procedural item allows for the orderly management of the meeting schedule and provides flexibility for applicants who may need additional time to prepare materials or address concerns.

During the discussion, Carter and Plumlee presented the specific requests that had been submitted, outlining the reasons for each postponement or withdrawal request. The nature of this agenda item was informational, allowing the body to formally acknowledge and approve the requested changes to the meeting schedule.

The outcome was the approval of the postponement and withdrawal requests as presented. This administrative action helped streamline the remainder of the meeting by removing items that were not ready for consideration and rescheduling others to appropriate future dates when all necessary materials and stakeholders would be available for proper review.

Land Subdivision Items

4:00

The meeting addressed several land subdivision matters under agenda item IV. Tom Martin served as the key speaker for this discussion segment.

The discussion covered multiple subdivision items, with specific attention given to two properties:

• RML-CITATION - Details of this subdivision item were discussed, though specific parameters and requirements were not elaborated in the available materials.

• ETHINGTON & ETHINGTON PROPERTY - This property subdivision was also reviewed as part of the land subdivision items on the agenda.

Tom Martin presented information regarding these subdivision matters to the meeting participants. The discussion appears to have been informational in nature, focusing on the status and details of these particular land subdivision cases.

The outcome of this agenda item was classified as informational, indicating that no formal votes or decisions were made during this portion of the meeting. The discussion served to update attendees on the current status of these subdivision items and provide relevant information for future consideration.

No specific concerns or objections were noted in the available materials regarding either the RML-CITATION or ETHINGTON & ETHINGTON PROPERTY subdivisions. The presentation by Tom Martin provided the necessary background and current status information for these land subdivision matters under the committee's purview.

Zoning Items

6:00

The board discussed zoning map amendments during this agenda item, with Tracey Wade serving as the key speaker for the presentation.

The discussion focused on zoning matters involving two specific parties: J. Roger Jones, III and Afton Community Development, LLC. Wade presented information regarding proposed zoning map amendments related to these entities.

The agenda item was structured as an informational discussion rather than requiring formal board action. No specific details were provided in the available materials regarding the nature of the proposed zoning changes, the location of the properties in question, or the specific zoning classifications being considered.

The session served as a briefing for board members on upcoming zoning matters, allowing them to receive preliminary information about the amendments before any formal decision-making process would take place in future meetings.

The outcome was informational, indicating that no votes or formal decisions were made during this portion of the meeting. The discussion provided board members with background information on the zoning proposals to prepare them for potential future action items related to these zoning map amendments.