Urban County Council - Zone Change Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on June 12, 2018, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers located at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Vice-Mayor Kay presiding. The meeting focused on a single agenda item regarding a Zone Change Ordinance, which was ultimately approved by the council. During the session, council members took one official vote and heard from four members of the public who provided comments on the matter under consideration. The meeting represented a focused session addressing zoning matters within the Lexington-Fayette urban county area.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 12, 2018 meeting:

Present: • Kay • Moloney • Plomin • Smith • Worley • F. Brown • Evans • Farmer • Gibbs • Henson • Lamb

Absent: • Mossotti • Stinnett • Bledsoe • J. Brown

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 11 members were present and 4 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted one roll call vote during this meeting.

Ordinance 0424-18 7:31 - An ordinance changing the zone from a Single Family Residential (R-1C) zone to a Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) zone for property located at 3009, 3013 & 3021 Tates Creek Road was considered. Council member Lamb made the motion, which was seconded by Gibbs.

The ordinance passed by a vote of 10 ayes to 1 nay, with no abstentions.

Voting in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Plomin, Smith, and Worley

Voting against: F. Brown

The approved zoning change includes specific conditions and restrictions. Prohibited uses include dormitories, boarding or lodging houses, assisted living facilities, and hospitality houses for up to eight persons, community residences, group residential projects, and all conditional uses in Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) zone, except for the permitted conditional uses in the R-1A zone. The development is limited to a maximum of 14 dwelling units.

Public Comment

Four residents spoke during the public comment period, all expressing opposition to a proposed zone change 5:02.

Joe Martinolich raised concerns about the precedent that approving the zone change would set for future development decisions. He warned that the change could negatively impact property values in the surrounding area.

Meredith Reed specifically opposed the demolition of an existing single-family home and criticized the flexibility that R-3 zoning would provide to developers. She advocated for R-1T zoning as a more appropriate alternative that would better preserve the neighborhood's character.

Al Salyer echoed concerns about potential negative effects on property values and emphasized how the proposed development would alter the established character of the neighborhood.

Steve White offered broader criticism of the comprehensive planning process itself, while also expressing specific concerns about the increased density that would result from the proposed development and its impact on the neighborhood's existing character.

All four speakers focused their comments on the same zone change proposal, with common themes including concerns about property values, neighborhood character preservation, and the appropriateness of the proposed zoning designation for the area.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that drew community opposition.

Zone Change on Tates Creek Rd.

A proposed zone change on Tates Creek Road faced substantial resistance from community members during the meeting. The primary concerns raised by opponents centered on potential impacts to neighborhood character and property values in the surrounding area.

Community members who spoke against the proposal expressed worry that the zone change would alter the existing residential nature of their neighborhood and could negatively affect their property values. The opposition appeared to be organized, with multiple residents voicing similar concerns about maintaining the current character of the Tates Creek Road corridor.

The specific details of the proposed zoning change, including the exact location, current zoning designation, and requested new zoning classification, were not specified in the available meeting materials. Similarly, the outcome of this contested item and any final action taken by the governing body was not documented in the provided information.

The community opposition to this zone change represents a common pattern in local government meetings where residents actively engage in the public process to voice concerns about development proposals that they believe may impact their neighborhoods.

Zone Change Ordinance

The council considered Ordinance 0424-18, a zone change request for properties on Tates Creek Road from Single Family Residential (R-1C) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) 5:02.

The proposed ordinance included specific conditions designed to limit uses and maintain the existing neighborhood character. Key speakers during the discussion included:

• Traci Wade - Presented details of the zoning change proposal
• Darby Turner - Participated in the discussion of the ordinance
• Joe Martinolich - Contributed to the deliberation
• Meredith Reed - Provided input on the zoning matter

The zone change from R-1C to R-3 would allow for planned neighborhood residential development while incorporating protective conditions. The R-3 designation typically permits higher density residential uses compared to the existing R-1C single-family zoning, but the proposed conditions were intended to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area.

Council members discussed the merits of the zoning change and the adequacy of the proposed conditions to address potential neighborhood impacts. The ordinance was designed to balance development opportunities with community concerns about maintaining neighborhood character.

Following deliberation, the council approved Ordinance 0424-18, allowing the zone change to proceed with the specified conditions intact. The approval enables the properties on Tates Creek Road to be developed under the Planned Neighborhood Residential zoning classification while adhering to the protective measures outlined in the ordinance.