Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on April 25, 2019, 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 two major agenda items during the session, both involving zoning map amendments and development plans for significant residential projects in the area.

The commission took action on two motions during the meeting, with one item receiving approval and another being tabled for future consideration. The approved item was the Clover Communities (AMD) Zoning Map Amendment paired with the Baptist Church of Andover (Clover Senior Living Center) Zoning Development Plan, which moved forward with the commission's endorsement. However, the Trust Equity, LLC Zoning Map Amendment and James RB Maccoum, Tract 2 & Portion of Tract 1 Zoning Development Plan was tabled, indicating the need for additional review or information before a final decision could be made.

Two members of the public provided comments during the meeting, offering community input on the development proposals under consideration. The session focused primarily on residential development projects, with particular attention to senior living facilities and tract development plans that would impact the local community's growth and zoning structure.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on April 25, 2019:

• Headley Bell
• Mike Owens
• Frank Penn
• Carolyn Plumlee
• Karen Mundy
• Larry Forester
• Graham Pohl

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

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included two roll call votes on development-related items, both of which passed by identical 8-1 margins.

PLN-MAR-19-00001: Clover Communities (AMD) Zoning Map Amendment 3:45

Will Berkeley made a motion for the Clover Communities Zoning Map Amendment, seconded by Bruce Nichol. The motion passed 8-1 on a roll call vote.

Voting in favor: Headley Bell, Mike Owens, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Karen Mundy, Larry Forester, Graham Pohl, and Will Berkeley.

Voting against: Bruce Nichol.

The approval included a condition requiring certification of the development plan within two weeks.

PLN-MJDP-19-00002: Baptist Church of Andover (Clover Senior Living Center) Development Plan 4:30

Will Berkeley made a motion for the Baptist Church of Andover Development Plan for the Clover Senior Living Center, seconded by Shelly Bell. The motion passed 8-1 on a roll call vote.

Voting in favor: Headley Bell, Mike Owens, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Karen Mundy, Larry Forester, Graham Pohl, and Will Berkeley.

Voting against: Bruce Nichol.

The approval modified the original conditions, with Conditions 8, 9, 11, and 12 changed to be resolved at the final development plan stage rather than at this preliminary approval.

Both items received broad support from the commission, with Bruce Nichol casting the sole dissenting vote on each matter. Will Berkeley served as the primary motion maker for both development proposals.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the board during the public comment period, both expressing opposition to the Clover Communities Development project.

Edwin Gibson 2:30 spoke first, raising concerns about the development's potential impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Gibson specifically highlighted issues with architectural standards and expressed worry that the project could lead to a reduction in local property values.

Irvin Hearst 2:45 followed with additional opposition to the Clover Communities Development. Hearst focused his comments on the project's size, arguing that the scale of the development would negatively affect the established character of the neighborhood.

Both speakers concentrated their remarks on the same development project, indicating coordinated community concern about the proposal's effects on their area.

Contested Items

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

Clover Communities Development

The Clover Communities Development proposal faced substantial pushback from local residents during the public comment period. Community members voiced multiple concerns about the project's potential impact on their neighborhood.

Residents specifically cited three main areas of opposition:

• Neighborhood Character: Community members expressed worry that the development would alter the existing character and feel of their neighborhood
• Property Values: Residents raised concerns about potential negative impacts on surrounding property values
• Traffic Impact: The community highlighted anticipated traffic increases and related congestion issues as a significant concern

The opposition appeared to be organized, with multiple residents speaking against the proposal during the public comment portion of the meeting. However, the extracted data does not indicate the specific outcome of this contested item or whether any formal action was taken by the governing body.

The nature of the opposition suggests this was a significant community concern that required careful consideration by the decision-making body, though the final resolution of these concerns is not documented in the available information.

Clover Communities (AMD) Zoning Map Amendment & Baptist Church of Andover (Clover Senior Living Center) Zoning Development Plan

1:00

The council considered an ordinance for a zoning map amendment to change the designation from Agricultural Urban (A-U) to High Density Apartment (R-4) for a proposed senior housing development. The project involves Clover Communities (AMD) and the Baptist Church of Andover for the Clover Senior Living Center.

Key speakers during the discussion included Nick Nicholson, Edwin Gibson, and Irvin Hearst, who presented details about the proposed development and zoning change.

The zoning amendment was necessary to accommodate the planned senior living facility, which requires higher density residential zoning than the current agricultural designation allows. The change from A-U to R-4 zoning would permit the construction and operation of the senior housing community.

Following discussion of the proposal, the council approved the zoning map amendment, allowing the project to move forward with the appropriate zoning classification for the senior living development.

Trust Equity, LLC Zoning Map Amendment & James RB Maccoum, Tract 2 & Portion of Tract 1 Zoning Development Plan

The commission considered Agenda Item 2, a zoning map amendment request from Trust Equity, LLC involving property owned by James RB Maccoum. The proposal sought to rezone Tract 2 and a portion of Tract 1 from Agricultural Urban (A-U) to Expansion Area Residential (EAR-2) designation.

The requested zoning change would allow for single-family and townhouse development on the affected parcels. The EAR-2 zoning classification typically permits higher density residential development compared to the existing Agricultural Urban designation.

Following consideration of the proposal, the commission voted to table the zoning map amendment and development plan. No specific timeline was provided for when the item would return for further consideration.

The extracted data does not include transcript timestamps or detailed discussion points from the meeting, so the specific concerns raised by commissioners or presentations made by applicants or staff are not available in the provided materials.