Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on July 3, 2018, at 5:01 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting focused on second readings of legislative items, with the council addressing two main agenda items: ordinances and resolutions, both of which were approved. During the course of the meeting, the council conducted three votes on various matters. No public comments were heard during this session, and no presentations were given to the council. The meeting represented a focused legislative session where the council completed second readings and final approvals of pending ordinances and resolutions.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on July 3, 2018:

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

All 15 members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three roll call votes during the meeting, with all motions made by Henson and seconded by Farmer.

Ordinance 0670-18 10:00 - An ordinance changing the zone from Agricultural Rural (A-R) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) for property at 2451 and 2525 Armstrong Mill Road passed with 14 ayes and 1 nay. Council members Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, and Mossotti voted in favor. Worley cast the sole opposing vote.

Ordinance 0623-18 12:00 - An ordinance creating Subsection 2-172(I) of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Code of Ordinances regarding the application of transient room taxes to short term rentals passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, and Mossotti.

Ordinance 0666-18 14:00 - An ordinance amending authorized strength by abolishing and creating various positions across multiple divisions including Government Communications, Public Safety, General Services, Water Quality, Facilities and Fleet Management, Coroner's Office, Police, and Fire and Emergency Services also passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, and Mossotti.

No abstentions were recorded for any of the three votes, and no special conditions were attached to the approved ordinances.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts totaling over $815,000.

Fiber Optic Infrastructure Project The council considered Resolution 0662-18 for a $327,509 contract with Arrow Electric Co., Inc. for the Man O' War Boulevard/Clays Mill Road Fiber Optic Cable Project. This infrastructure investment will expand the city's fiber optic network in the Man O' War Boulevard and Clays Mill Road corridor.

Insurance Coverage Resolution 0609-18 addressed excess liability insurance coverage for fiscal year 2019, involving a $487,973.67 contract with Safety National Casualty Corporation. This represents the city's annual investment in comprehensive liability protection beyond standard coverage limits.

The two contracts combined represent approximately $815,482.67 in municipal expenditures, with the insurance contract comprising the larger portion at nearly 60% of the total financial commitments reviewed during this meeting.

Appointments

The council approved multiple appointments and reappointments to various city boards and commissions during the meeting.

Administrative Hearing Board • Joe Buckles was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Board

Board of Architectural Review • James Dickinson was reappointed to the Board of Architectural Review • Graham Pohl was reappointed to the Board of Architectural Review • Sarah Tate was reappointed to the Board of Architectural Review • Joshua Gilpin was appointed to the Board of Architectural Review

Civil Service Commission • John Burrell was appointed to the Civil Service Commission

Commission on Veterans' Affairs • Richard Curtis was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau • Sally Hamilton was appointed to the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau • Scott White was appointed to the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau

The appointments included both new members and reappointments of existing members to continue their service on these municipal boards and commissions. The Board of Architectural Review received the most attention with three reappointments and one new appointment, reflecting ongoing activity in architectural review matters within the city.

Contested Items

The council addressed one contested item during the July 3, 2018 meeting that resulted in a split vote among members.

Zoning Change for Armstrong Mill Road

The primary point of contention involved an ordinance to rezone property on Armstrong Mill Road from Agricultural Rural to Planned Neighborhood Residential. While the measure ultimately passed, it did not receive unanimous support from the council.

The vote concluded 14-1 in favor of approving the zoning change, with Councilmember Worley casting the sole dissenting vote. The specific reasons for Councilmember Worley's opposition were not detailed in the available meeting materials, nor were the arguments presented by supporters of the rezoning clearly documented.

This zoning change represents a shift from agricultural use to residential development, which typically allows for higher-density housing and neighborhood-style development patterns. Such rezoning decisions often involve considerations of community growth, infrastructure capacity, environmental impact, and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

Despite Councilmember Worley's opposition, the strong majority support (14 out of 15 voting members) indicated broad council consensus in favor of the residential rezoning for the Armstrong Mill Road property.

Ordinances – Second Reading

10:00

The council conducted second readings of several ordinances during this agenda item. The proceedings were led by key speakers Henson and Farmer, who presented the ordinances for final consideration.

The ordinances under review included zoning changes and amendments to the authorized strength of various municipal divisions. These measures had previously undergone first reading and were now being presented for final approval.

During the discussion, council members reviewed the proposed zoning modifications and staffing adjustments for city departments. The amendments to authorized strength levels for various divisions represented updates to personnel allocations across municipal operations.

The ordinances were approved following the second reading process, completing the required legislative procedures for their adoption.

Resolutions – Second Reading

20:00

The council conducted second reading of several resolutions during this agenda item. Key speakers included Farmer and Plomin, who presented the resolutions for final consideration.

The resolutions addressed various municipal matters including: • Acceptance of bids for city projects • Ratification of appointments to city positions or boards

During the second reading process, council members reviewed the resolutions that had previously been introduced and discussed during first reading. This procedural step allows for final consideration and voting on the proposed measures.

The resolutions were presented without significant debate or concerns raised by council members. The standard second reading format was followed, allowing for any final questions or modifications before the voting process.

All resolutions presented during this agenda item were approved by the council, completing the legislative process for these municipal matters.