Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on July 27, 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. The commission addressed four agenda items during the session, with three items receiving approval and one being tabled for future consideration. The meeting included five motions and votes, with commissioners hearing three public comments from attendees. Key business included consideration of development projects such as the Manchester Development LLC proposal for Distillery District East Unit 1 and the Wyndale Development LLC zoning map amendment, both of which were approved, while the RML-Citation matter involving Hillenmeyer Interest, Ltd. was tabled for further review.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on July 27, 2017:

• Frank Penn
• Karen Mundy
• Carolyn Plumlee
• Mike Owens
• Patrick Brewer
• Mike Cravens
• Carolyn Richardson
• Bill Wilson

All members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took action on five items during the July 27, 2017 meeting, with most decisions receiving unanimous support from the eight members present.

PLN-MJSUB-17-00026 0:30: Mike Cravens motioned for indefinite postponement of RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.), seconded by Patrick Brewer. The motion passed unanimously 8-0, with all members voting in favor: Frank Penn, Karen Mundy, Carolyn Plumlee, Mike Owens, Patrick Brewer, Mike Cravens, Carolyn Richardson, and Bill Wilson.

PLN-MJDP-17-00042 1:30: Frank Penn motioned to postpone RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.) to August 10. The postponement was approved unanimously 8-0 by the same eight members.

PLN-MJDP-17-00054 3:00: Mike Owens motioned to approve Manchester Development, LLC (Distillery District East, Unit 1) with conditions, seconded by Carolyn Richardson. The approval passed unanimously 8-0 with 13 revised conditions provided by staff.

PLN-MAR-17-00024 5:00: Patrick Brewer motioned to approve the Wyndale Development, LLC zoning map amendment for the reasons provided by staff. The motion passed unanimously 8-0.

ZOTA 2017-5 7:00: Mike Owens motioned to approve amendments relating to conditional uses, definitions, and clarifications, seconded by Karen Mundy. This item received a roll call vote, passing 10-1 with the exception of striking number 5 under move from conditional use to principal use. Ten members voted in favor: Frank Penn, Karen Mundy, Carolyn Plumlee, Mike Owens, Patrick Brewer, Mike Cravens, Carolyn Richardson, Bill Wilson, Mike Cravens, and Patrick Brewer. Mike Cravens voted against the motion.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the board during the public comment period, with two speakers expressing support for the Wyndale Development and one raising infrastructure concerns.

Angela Carpenter spoke first regarding the Wyndale Development 6:00. She expressed gratitude for the developer's willingness to meet with residents and discuss issues related to the project. Carpenter stated that she had no objections to the development moving forward.

Robin Young also addressed the Wyndale Development 6:30. Young thanked the board and developer for the collaborative process that had taken place and expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the development plan.

Otto raised concerns about existing infrastructure issues 7:00. He highlighted ongoing sewage overflow problems in the area and requested that sewer improvements be completed before any new homes from the development are connected to the existing system. Otto emphasized the importance of addressing current capacity issues before adding additional load to the sewage infrastructure.

The public comment period reflected both community support for the collaborative approach taken on the Wyndale Development and practical concerns about ensuring adequate infrastructure to support new construction.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to municipal committees.

Zoning Committee • Mr. Forester was appointed to the Zoning Committee

Subdivision Committee • Mr. Bell was appointed to the Subdivision Committee

Both appointments were approved during the July 27, 2017 meeting. No additional details regarding the terms of service or specific qualifications of the appointees were provided in the available meeting materials.

Contested Items

Two significant issues generated debate and opposition during the July 27, 2017 meeting.

Wyndale Development Sewage Concerns

Community residents raised strong objections regarding sewage infrastructure problems related to the Wyndale Development project. Local residents expressed concerns about existing sewage overflow issues in the area and demanded that these problems be addressed before any new residential connections are approved. The residents requested that infrastructure improvements be completed prior to allowing new homes in the development to connect to the current sewage system. This opposition reflected broader community concerns about the adequacy of existing municipal infrastructure to handle additional residential capacity.

Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments

The proposed zoning ordinance text amendments faced internal division among board members, resulting in a split vote. The amendments specifically addressed conditional uses within the zoning code, with particular focus on provisions related to religious assembly zoning requirements. Some members opposed the proposed changes to how religious assemblies would be regulated under the conditional use framework. The disagreement centered on the scope and impact of the amendments, though the specific concerns of opposing members were not detailed in the available materials. The split vote indicates significant disagreement among decision-makers about the appropriate regulatory approach for these land use categories.

Both contested items highlight ongoing tensions between development pressures and community concerns about infrastructure capacity and zoning regulations. The sewage concerns represent direct community opposition to development timing, while the zoning amendments reflect internal policy disagreements among governing body members about appropriate regulatory frameworks.

RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.)

0:30

The planning commission considered agenda item PLN-MJSUB-17-00026, titled "RML-CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST, LTD.)" during the July 27, 2017 meeting.

Mike Cravens addressed the commission regarding this item. The primary issue preventing the project from moving forward was the incomplete status of necessary infrastructure improvements.

Due to the pending infrastructure completion requirements, the commission decided to postpone the item indefinitely. No substantive discussion or debate occurred on the merits of the proposal itself, as the infrastructure prerequisites had not yet been satisfied.

The item was tabled pending resolution of the infrastructure completion issues. No timeline was provided for when the item might return to the commission for consideration.

Manchester Development, LLC (Distillery District East, Unit 1)

3:00

The commission reviewed development plan PLN-MJDP-17-00054 for Manchester Development, LLC's Distillery District East, Unit 1 project. Mike Owens served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The proposal called for the development of 34 townhouses as part of the larger Distillery District East development. The commission discussed the project's infrastructure requirements and pedestrian access provisions during their review.

The development plan included specific conditions related to infrastructure improvements and pedestrian connectivity that the developer would need to address as part of the approval process. These conditions were designed to ensure the project would integrate properly with surrounding development and provide adequate access for residents and visitors.

Following discussion of the proposal and its associated conditions, the commission voted to approve the development plan for the 34 townhouse units. The approval was granted with the understanding that Manchester Development, LLC would comply with all specified conditions regarding infrastructure and pedestrian access improvements.

The Distillery District East, Unit 1 project represents a residential component of the broader mixed-use development planned for the area, contributing to the ongoing transformation of this district within the community.

Wyndale Development, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

5:00

The planning commission considered agenda item PLN-MAR-17-00024, a zoning map amendment request from Wyndale Development, LLC. The proposal sought to rezone 10.14 acres from Agricultural Urban to Single Family Residential designation.

Patrick Brewer served as the key speaker presenting information about the zoning change request. The amendment would allow for residential development on the property, transitioning it from its current agricultural zoning classification.

The commission discussed the merits of converting the agricultural land to accommodate single-family housing development. The 10.14-acre parcel represents a significant tract that would be opened for residential construction under the proposed zoning change.

Following deliberation on the zoning map amendment, the commission voted to approve PLN-MAR-17-00024. The approval allows Wyndale Development, LLC to proceed with plans for single-family residential development on the property, marking the transition from agricultural use to housing development for this portion of land within the jurisdiction.

Amendments Relating to Conditional Uses, Definitions, and Clarifications

7:00

The meeting addressed ZOTA 2017-5, a comprehensive ordinance proposing text amendments to various articles of the zoning ordinance focused on adjusting conditional uses and definitions throughout the code.

Mike Owens served as the key speaker presenting the proposed amendments to the board. The ordinance aimed to make clarifications and adjustments to existing conditional use provisions and definitional language within multiple articles of the zoning ordinance.

The amendments were designed to refine and clarify existing zoning regulations rather than introduce major policy changes. The text modifications addressed conditional uses across different zoning districts and updated definitions to provide greater clarity for property owners, developers, and city staff in interpreting and applying zoning requirements.

Following the presentation and discussion, the board approved ZOTA 2017-5. The approval of these text amendments will help streamline the zoning process by providing clearer guidance on conditional uses and eliminating ambiguities in definitional language that may have previously caused confusion in zoning determinations.

The ordinance represents part of the city's ongoing efforts to maintain and update its zoning code to ensure it remains current, clear, and effective in guiding development while protecting community interests.