Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on September 27, 2018, 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 Chairman Wilson presiding. The commission addressed four agenda items during the session, including three zoning map amendment requests and one zoning ordinance text amendment. The commission took four votes throughout the meeting and heard two public comments on the matters under consideration.

Of the four items considered, three were approved and one was tabled for future consideration. The commission approved zoning map amendments for Lees 2826, LLC and 525 Upper, LLC, while tabling the Citadel Storage Partners II, LP zoning map amendment request. Additionally, the commission approved ZOTA 2018-3, which would amend zoning regulations to allow hotels in the B-6P zone. The meeting demonstrated the commission's ongoing work in managing development and land use decisions within Lexington-Fayette County's urban boundaries.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on September 27, 2018:

• Headley Bell
• Karen Mundy
• Frank Penn
• Carolyn Plumlee
• Larry Forester
• Bruce Nichol
• Bill Wilson

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

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included four votes, all of which passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Minutes Approval 0:02 Karen Mundy made a motion to approve the minutes from the August 23, 2018 meeting. The motion passed by voice vote.

PLN-MAR-18-00016: Lees 2826, LLC Zoning Map Amendment 2:15 Larry Forester moved to approve the Lees 2826, LLC Zoning Map Amendment, with Karen Mundy providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

PLN-MJDP-18-00064: Sebastian Property, Unit 3 (AMD) Zoning Development Plan 2:45 Larry Forester made a motion to approve the Sebastian Property, Unit 3 (AMD) Zoning Development Plan, seconded by Karen Mundy. The motion passed by voice vote with the condition of removing condition number 7 from the original proposal.

ZOTA 2018-3: Commercial Center Zone Amendment 5:00 Mike Owens moved to approve ZOTA 2018-3, an amendment to allow hotels and extended-stay hotels in the Commercial Center (B-6P) Zone. Larry Forester seconded the motion. The motion passed by voice vote with the condition that staff alternative text be incorporated into the amendment.

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, so individual member positions were not recorded. No opposition or abstentions were noted for any of the items considered.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the board during the public comment period, both speaking about matters related to 525 Upper Street.

Jennifer Kaufman spoke in opposition to a proposed zone change for 525 Upper, LLC 4:00. Kaufman expressed concerns about potential negative impacts the zone change could have on the surrounding neighborhood. She specifically noted that there were no concrete plans presented regarding what types of tenants would occupy the property, which contributed to her opposition to the proposal.

Tim Condo followed with comments supporting historic preservation efforts at the same property 4:30. Condo commended the property owners for their agreement to preserve the historic structure located at 525 Upper Street. He emphasized the historical significance of the building and praised the owners' commitment to maintaining its historic character.

The public comments reflected differing perspectives on the 525 Upper Street development, with one speaker focused on zoning concerns and neighborhood impacts, while the other highlighted the positive aspects of the historic preservation component of the project.

Contested Items

Two items on the agenda generated significant debate and opposition during the meeting.

525 Upper, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

The proposed zoning map amendment for 525 Upper, LLC faced strong community opposition from local residents. Citizens voiced concerns about the potential negative impacts the development could have on their neighborhood. A key point of contention was the lack of specific information about what types of tenants would occupy the proposed development, leaving residents uncertain about how the project would affect their community. The opposition centered on worries about changes to neighborhood character and potential disruptions without clear details about the intended use of the property.

Initiation of Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to Update Article 21

A procedural dispute arose regarding the timing of initiating a zoning ordinance text amendment to update Article 21. The disagreement focused on whether it was appropriate to move forward with this text amendment before the comprehensive plan had been fully adopted. Some participants argued that initiating zoning changes without a completed comprehensive plan could lead to inconsistencies or conflicts between the zoning ordinance and the eventual comprehensive plan. Others may have supported proceeding with the amendment regardless of the comprehensive plan's status. This debate highlighted concerns about proper planning procedures and the importance of coordinating zoning updates with broader municipal planning efforts.

Both contested items reflected broader themes of community input in development decisions and the importance of following proper procedural sequences in municipal planning processes.

Lees 2826, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

2:00

The council considered an ordinance for a zoning map amendment requested by Lees 2826, LLC for property located at 2826 Leestown Road. The proposal sought to rezone the property from Single Family Residential (R-1D) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3).

Traci Wade served as a key speaker during the discussion of this agenda item. The zoning change would allow for higher density residential development on the property compared to the current single-family residential designation.

The council approved the zoning map amendment ordinance, allowing the property to be rezoned from R-1D to R-3 as requested by the applicant.

Citadel Storage Partners II, LP Zoning Map Amendment

3:00

The council considered an ordinance for a zoning map amendment requested by Citadel Storage Partners II, LP. The proposal would rezone property located at 133 N. Locust Hill Dr. from Community Center (B-6P) to Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4).

Traci Wade served as a key speaker during the discussion of this agenda item.

The council ultimately decided to table the zoning map amendment, postponing a final decision on the rezoning request. No additional details about the specific reasons for tabling the item or the timeline for future consideration were provided in the available materials.

The property in question would transition from a community center zoning classification to a wholesale and warehouse business designation if the amendment were to be approved in the future.

525 Upper, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

4:00

The council considered Ordinance 3, a zoning map amendment request from 525 Upper, LLC to rezone property at 521-523 S. Upper Street from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1).

Hal Baillie served as a key speaker during the discussion of this zoning change request. The amendment would allow for expanded commercial uses at the South Upper Street location under the Neighborhood Business zoning classification, which typically permits a broader range of retail and service establishments compared to the more restrictive Professional Office designation.

The council approved the zoning map amendment, allowing the property to transition from P-1 to B-1 zoning. This change will enable 525 Upper, LLC to utilize the property for neighborhood business purposes rather than being limited to professional office uses.

ZOTA 2018-3: Amendment to Allow Hotels in B-6P Zone

5:00

The council considered ZOTA 2018-3, a zoning ordinance text amendment to permit hotels and extended-stay hotels as principal permitted uses in the B-6P zone.

Traci Wade presented the proposed amendment, which would expand the allowable uses in the B-6P zoning district to include hotel facilities. The amendment specifically addressed both traditional hotels and extended-stay hotel accommodations as principal permitted uses, rather than requiring special permits or conditional use approvals.

The proposed text amendment was designed to provide more flexibility for commercial development within the B-6P zone while maintaining compatibility with existing zoning regulations and surrounding land uses.

The council approved the zoning ordinance text amendment, allowing hotels and extended-stay hotels to operate as principal permitted uses in the B-6P zone going forward.