Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on January 31, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice-Mayor Kay presiding over the session. The meeting focused primarily on ceremonial and recognition items, with the council addressing two main agenda items during the proceedings.

The council heard an informational update regarding the Mr. & Ms. Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony and approved a recognition for Keith Yarber. Throughout the meeting, the council conducted two formal votes and received two public comments from community members. The session represented a lighter agenda focused on community recognition and updates rather than substantive policy matters, reflecting the council's commitment to acknowledging local achievements and maintaining community engagement through public participation opportunities.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on January 31, 2019:

Present: • Kay • McCurn • Moloney • Mossotti • Plomin • Reynolds • Worley • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Evans • Gibbs • Lamb

Absent: • Farmer

Late: • None

A total of 14 members were present and 1 member was absent. No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the meeting, both passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0019-19 4:00 - An ordinance changing the zoning from Restricted Highway Service Business (B-3) to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) for 6.41 net acres (8.69 gross acres) of property located at 2679 Leestown Road. The motion was made by Plomin and seconded by Mossotti. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Kay, and Lamb.

Resolution 0030-19 7:18 - A resolution approving a substantial amendment to the 2017 Annual Action Plan that decreases funding for the Community Action Council Youth 180 Program by $10,000 and reallocates those funds to the Realtor Community Housing Foundation RAMP Program. The motion was made by Plomin and seconded by Ellinger. The resolution passed by roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Kay, and Lamb.

Both measures received unanimous support from all 13 council members present, with no abstentions recorded on either vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant infrastructure contracts totaling over $528,000 in expenditures.

Stormwater Infrastructure Contract The council considered Resolution 1329-18 for Arrowhead Stormwater Improvements, awarding a contract worth $203,462 to Lagco, Inc. This project focuses on enhancing the city's stormwater management infrastructure in the Arrowhead area.

Flow Monitoring Services Contract Resolution 1330-18 authorized a contract for Temporary Flow Monitoring services valued at $324,990 with ADS, LLC. This contract represents the larger of the two financial commitments and will provide essential data collection services for municipal water system monitoring.

The combined value of these two contracts totals $528,452, representing substantial investments in the city's water and stormwater infrastructure systems. Both resolutions were presented for council consideration as part of the meeting's financial business.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the board during the public comment period, both speaking about the proposed Pensacola Park moratorium 2:00.

Dennis Webb spoke in support of the moratorium, emphasizing the importance of preserving the neighborhood's character and architecture. Webb advocated for maintaining the existing community standards that define the Pensacola Park area.

Julie Butcher presented an opposing viewpoint, arguing against the proposed moratorium. Butcher expressed concern that the moratorium would unfairly impact property owners along Nicholasville Road, suggesting the restrictions would create undue hardship for affected residents.

The public comments highlighted the community divide over the moratorium proposal, with residents presenting contrasting perspectives on balancing neighborhood preservation with property owner rights.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to city boards and commissions.

Administrative Hearing Board • Jonathan Hampton was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Board

Affordable Housing Governing Board • Anne Carter was appointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board

Both appointments were approved during the meeting proceedings.

Contested Items

The January 31, 2019 meeting featured one primary contested item that generated significant community debate.

Pensacola Park Moratorium

The proposed moratorium on zone map amendments and demolition permits in the Pensacola Park area sparked considerable discussion among community members. The moratorium would temporarily halt certain development activities in the neighborhood while planning considerations were reviewed.

The item drew both strong support and opposition from residents and stakeholders. Supporters of the moratorium expressed concerns about neighborhood preservation and the need to protect the character of Pensacola Park from potentially incompatible development. They argued that the temporary halt on zone changes and demolitions would provide necessary time to evaluate appropriate development standards for the area.

Opposition to the moratorium centered on property rights concerns. Critics argued that restricting property owners' ability to modify or demolish structures could negatively impact property values and limit legitimate development opportunities. Some community members expressed worry that the moratorium could set a precedent for similar restrictions in other neighborhoods.

The debate highlighted the ongoing tension between neighborhood preservation efforts and individual property rights that frequently arises in municipal planning decisions. Community members on both sides presented their positions during the public comment period, demonstrating the significant local interest in the outcome of this proposal.

The structured nature of the opposition, with concerns focused specifically on property rights implications and the precedent such a moratorium might establish, indicated that this was a well-considered community debate rather than a simple disagreement over development policy.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and the final outcome of this contested item were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Mr. & Ms. Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony Update

1:00

Ms. Jennifer Hunt provided an informational presentation regarding the Mr. and Ms. Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony during agenda item 0049-19. The presentation focused on updating attendees about the ceremony's status and its role as a significant fundraising event.

Hunt emphasized the ceremony's importance as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, highlighting the connection between the basketball awards event and the charitable organization's mission. The presentation was informational in nature, providing stakeholders with current details about the ceremony's planning and execution.

No specific concerns were raised during this agenda item, and the presentation concluded as an informational update without requiring any formal action or decision from the meeting participants.

Recognition of Keith Yarber

1:00

Council member Plomin presented agenda item 0127-19, a proclamation recognizing Keith Yarber for his contributions to the community. During the presentation, Plomin declared February 1, 2019, as Keith Yarber Day in Lexington.

Keith Yarber was present at the meeting to receive the recognition. The proclamation highlighted his service and contributions to the Lexington community, though specific details of his accomplishments were not provided in the available meeting materials.

The recognition was presented without debate or discussion from other council members. No concerns were raised regarding the proclamation.

The council approved the proclamation recognizing Keith Yarber and establishing Keith Yarber Day on February 1, 2019.