Planning Commission Subdivision Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on May 9, 2019, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with William Wilson presiding as the meeting officer. The commission addressed two primary agenda items during the session, both of which received approval. The meeting included consideration of the Manchester Development (Distillery District East, Unit 1) project, also known as Distillery Heights, which involved an amendment (AMD), and the Townbranch Industrial development for the FRM Lawson, LLC Parcel. Throughout the proceedings, the commission conducted seven motions and votes, heard two public comments from community members, and successfully completed action on both development proposals under consideration.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on May 9, 2019:

• William Wilson
• Headley Bell
• Bruce Nicol
• Graham Pohl
• Mike Owens
• Frank Penn
• Carolyn Plumlee
• Will Berkley
• Karen Mundy
• Patrick Brewer

Absent: • Larry Forester

No members arrived late to the meeting. Ten of the eleven members were in attendance.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included seven unanimous votes, with all 10 members present voting in favor of each motion 0:00.

Postponements

Four items were postponed to future meetings:

• PLN-MJDP-19-00020: WEBB PROPERTIES, UNIT 1, BLK A, OUTLOT 2 (REGENCY POINT) (AMD) was postponed to the May 23, 2019 meeting. Motion by Frank Penn, seconded by Carolyn Plumlee. Vote: 10-0.

• PLAN 2005-302F: DENTON FARM, INC. UNIT 3 SECTION A was postponed to the May 27, 2019 meeting. Motion by Frank Penn, seconded by Karen Mundy. Vote: 10-0.

• PLN-FRP-19-00005: CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN CHURCH (AMD) was postponed to the June 13, 2019 meeting. Motion by Patrick Brewer, seconded by Graham Pohl. Vote: 10-0.

• PLN-MJSUB-19-00006: TUSCANY, UNIT 15 was postponed to the June 13, 2019 meeting. Motion by Mike Owens, seconded by Karen Mundy. Vote: 10-0.

Approvals

The consent agenda was approved excluding items D and F on page 4. Motion by Carolyn Plumlee, seconded by Patrick Brewer. Vote: 10-0.

PLN-MJDP-19-00021: MANCHESTER DEVELOPMENT (DISTILLERY DISTRICT EAST, UNIT 1) (DISTILLERY HEIGHTS) (AMD) was approved with modified conditions. The motion deleted condition 11 and clarified condition 10 with findings that the development plan complies with Article 8-21. Motion by Patrick Brewer, seconded by Mike Owens. Vote: 10-0.

PLN-MJDP-19-00023: TOWNBRANCH INDUSTRIAL (FRM LAWSON, LLC PARCEL) was approved with 16 conditions provided by staff. Motion by Frank Penn, seconded by Bruce Nicol. Vote: 10-0.

All voting members present were William Wilson, Headley Bell, Bruce Nicol, Graham Pohl, Mike Owens, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Will Berkley, Karen Mundy, and Patrick Brewer.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period.

Chris Clendenen spoke regarding parking concerns related to the Manchester Development 0:00. Clendenen expressed concern about the total required parking compared to the actual demand for parking in the area. He cited potential pedestrian safety hazards and traffic issues that could result from the parking requirements.

Zach Cato addressed concerns about the Townbranch Industrial development 0:00. Cato raised issues about the preservation of the scenic corridor and the potential impact of the development on the floodplain. He requested that the meeting participants consider landscaping and timing issues related to the project.

Both speakers focused on development-related concerns, with Clendenen emphasizing transportation and safety impacts while Cato highlighted environmental and aesthetic considerations for industrial development in sensitive areas.

Contested Items

Two development-related issues drew significant community opposition during the May 9, 2019 meeting.

Manchester Development Parking and Access

Community members raised substantial concerns about a Manchester Development project, specifically challenging the adequacy of proposed parking arrangements and questioning the safety of access routes to Manchester Street. Residents expressed opposition to the current development plan, citing these infrastructure and safety issues as primary concerns. The nature of the opposition suggests community members felt the proposed parking provisions were insufficient for the development's scale and that the planned access points posed potential safety hazards for both residents and existing traffic patterns.

Townbranch Industrial Scenic Corridor Impact

The second contested item involved community opposition to a Townbranch Industrial development, with residents expressing concerns about the project's potential impact on the local scenic corridor. Community members specifically raised issues about how the development would affect the area's visual character and questioned the adequacy of floodplain management plans associated with the project. The opposition centered on environmental and aesthetic concerns, suggesting residents were worried about both the immediate visual impact on the scenic corridor and longer-term environmental consequences related to floodplain management.

Both contested items reflect broader community concerns about development impacts on neighborhood character, infrastructure adequacy, and environmental protection. The opposition in both cases came from community members rather than official bodies, indicating grassroots-level concerns about these proposed developments.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided data for these contested items.*

Manchester Development (Distillery District East, Unit 1) (Distillery Heights) (PLN-MJDP-19-00021)

0:00

The planning commission reviewed a proposed development plan for the Manchester Development project, also known as Distillery District East, Unit 1 or Distillery Heights. The application (PLN-MJDP-19-00021) sought to expand the area of an existing Adaptive Reuse Project and depict a new 9,300 square foot building with associated parking facilities.

Key speakers during the discussion included Tom Martin, John Woodall, and Chris Clendenen, who presented details of the development proposal and addressed questions from commission members.

The primary concerns raised during the meeting centered on parking adequacy and vehicular access to Manchester Street. Commission members questioned whether the proposed parking allocation would be sufficient for the new building and discussed potential traffic impacts on the surrounding street network. The access points to Manchester Street were specifically scrutinized to ensure they would provide safe and efficient ingress and egress for the development.

Despite these concerns being raised and discussed, the commission ultimately found the proposal acceptable. The development plan was approved, allowing the project to move forward with the expanded Adaptive Reuse Project area and the construction of the 9,300 square foot building as proposed.

The approval represents progress for the Distillery District East development, which appears to be part of a larger adaptive reuse initiative in the area. The project will add commercial or mixed-use space to the district while working within the framework of existing adaptive reuse guidelines.

Townbranch Industrial (FRM Lawson, LLC Parcel)

0:00

The Planning Commission reviewed application PLN-MJDP-19-00023 for the Townbranch Industrial development on the FRM Lawson, LLC parcel. The proposal involves constructing six structures on the property.

Key speakers during the discussion included Cheryl Gallt, Matt Carter, and Zach Cato, who presented details about the development plan and addressed commission concerns.

The primary issues raised during the review centered on two main areas: the property's location within a scenic corridor and floodplain management considerations. Commission members expressed concerns about how the proposed development would impact the visual character of the scenic corridor and whether adequate measures were in place for proper floodplain management.

In response to the scenic corridor concerns, the applicant demonstrated flexibility by agreeing to collaborate with the scenic committee on landscaping plans. This commitment to work with the scenic committee was viewed favorably by the commission as it showed the developer's willingness to address visual impact concerns through appropriate landscaping measures.

The discussion appears to have been collaborative, with the applicant responsive to the commission's feedback and concerns. The agreement to coordinate with the scenic committee on landscaping helped address one of the key issues identified during the review process.

Following the discussion and the applicant's commitment to work with the scenic committee, the Planning Commission approved the Townbranch Industrial development application. The approval allows the project to move forward with the understanding that landscaping plans will be developed in coordination with the appropriate scenic oversight committee.