Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on August 22, 2019, at 1:32 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the LFUCG Government Center at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mike Owens presiding as the presiding officer. The commission addressed four agenda items during the session, including the approval of meeting minutes and three development-related matters involving Ball Homes, Inc. and Saunier Livery properties.

The commission took four votes throughout the meeting and heard from two public commenters on the various agenda items. Of the substantive development matters considered, the commission approved two items: the Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Blackford Property (Phase 4) Zoning Development Plan and the Saunier Livery Zoning Development Plan. However, the Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Hamburg East (Belhurst) Zoning Development Plan was postponed for future consideration. The meeting also included the routine approval of previous meeting minutes, completing the commission's business for the day.

Attendance

The following members were present at the August 22, 2019 meeting:

Present: • Mike Owens • Anthony de Movellan • Larry Forester • Karen Mundy • Bruce Nicol • Frank Penn • Carolyn Plumlee • Graham Pohl • Bill Wilson

Absent: • Headley Bell • Patrick Brewer

No members arrived late to the meeting. Nine members were in attendance, with two members absent.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included four formal votes on various agenda items.

Minutes Approval 0:30 Karen Mundy motioned to approve the minutes from the July 25, 2019 meeting, seconded by Carolyn Plumlee. The motion passed unanimously with all nine members voting in favor: Mike Owens, Anthony de Movellan, Larry Forester, Karen Mundy, Bruce Nicol, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Graham Pohl, and Bill Wilson.

PLN-MAR-19-00010 Postponement 2:30 Bill Wilson motioned to postpone the Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Hamburg East (Belhurst) Zoning Development Plan, seconded by Carolyn Plumlee. The postponement was approved unanimously with all nine members voting in favor.

PLN-MAR-19-00003 Approval 180:00 Bruce Nicol motioned to approve the Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Blackford Property (Phase 4) Zoning Development Plan, seconded by Karen Mundy. The motion passed by roll call vote with 6 ayes and 3 nays. Voting in favor were Mike Owens, Anthony de Movellan, Larry Forester, Karen Mundy, Bruce Nicol, and Bill Wilson. Voting against were Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, and Graham Pohl.

PLN-MJDP-19-00046 Conditional Approval 360:00 Bruce Nicol motioned to approve the Saunier Livery Zoning Development Plan, seconded by Karen Mundy. The motion passed by roll call vote with 6 ayes, 0 nays, and 3 abstentions. Voting in favor were Mike Owens, Anthony de Movellan, Larry Forester, Karen Mundy, Bruce Nicol, and Bill Wilson. Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, and Graham Pohl abstained from voting. The approval included conditional zoning restrictions.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the board during the public comment period, both expressing opposition to proposed zoning changes.

Ronald Gifford spoke first, raising concerns about traffic and property values 120:00. Gifford expressed worry that the proposed zoning changes would lead to increased traffic in the area and potentially cause property values to decrease.

Heather Baker followed with her opposition to the zoning change 125:00. Baker argued that the current zoning should be maintained to preserve community amenities and neighborhood identity, rather than allowing for additional apartment development.

Both speakers focused their comments on the zoning proposal, with traffic impacts and community character emerging as primary concerns from residents.

Contested Items

Two zoning-related proposals faced significant community opposition during the August 22, 2019 meeting.

Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment

The Ball Homes, Inc. zoning map amendment encountered substantial community resistance, with residents submitting over 1,000 signatures opposing the proposed zoning change. Community members expressed concerns about the potential impact on local traffic patterns and property values in the affected area. The large number of signatures demonstrated organized opposition from the neighborhood, indicating residents had mobilized to voice their objections to the development proposal.

Saunier Livery Zoning Development Plan

The Saunier Livery zoning development plan also faced community opposition, particularly from neighboring religious institutions and educational facilities. Churches and schools in the vicinity raised concerns about the proposed event space, specifically citing potential issues with noise levels and parking availability. These neighboring organizations worried that the event venue could disrupt their operations and create ongoing conflicts over shared community resources like parking spaces.

Both contested items highlight common themes in local zoning disputes, where existing community members and institutions express concerns about how new developments might affect their established operations and quality of life. The opposition in both cases focused on practical impacts such as traffic, parking, noise, and property values rather than broader policy disagreements.

*Note: Specific timestamps and final outcomes for these contested items were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Approval of Minutes

0:30

The meeting addressed the approval of minutes from the previous July 25, 2019 meeting. Karen Mundy and Carolyn Plumlee were the key speakers during this agenda item.

The minutes from the July 25, 2019 meeting were presented for review and consideration by the board. Following discussion, the minutes were approved without any noted objections or amendments.

Outcome: The minutes from the July 25, 2019 meeting were approved.

Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Hamburg East (Belhurst) Zoning Development Plan

2:30

The planning commission considered agenda item PLN-MAR-19-00010, a request from Ball Homes, Inc. for a zoning map amendment to change property designation from Agricultural Rural to Expansion Area Residential zones. The proposal also included a zoning development plan for the Hamburg East (Belhurst) development.

Nick Nicholson served as a key speaker during the discussion of this agenda item.

The commission ultimately decided to postpone consideration of the Ball Homes zoning map amendment and development plan. No further details about the specific reasons for the postponement or the scope of the proposed residential development were provided in the available meeting materials.

The postponement means the zoning request will be reconsidered at a future planning commission meeting, allowing additional time for review of the proposal to rezone agricultural land for residential development purposes.

Ball Homes, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment & Blackford Property (Phase 4) Zoning Deve

180:00

The planning commission considered agenda item PLN-MAR-19-00003, a zoning map amendment request from Ball Homes, Inc. for the Blackford Property Phase 4 development. The proposal sought to rezone property to accommodate a new apartment complex development.

Nick Nicholson served as a key speaker during the presentation and discussion of this zoning development plan. The item was structured as an ordinance requiring formal approval from the commission.

The zoning map amendment was designed to facilitate the construction of an apartment complex as part of the broader Blackford Property development project's fourth phase. This represents a continuation of the multi-phase development initiative in the area.

Following the presentation and any discussion that occurred, the planning commission voted to approve the zoning map amendment request. The approval allows Ball Homes, Inc. to proceed with their planned apartment complex development under the new zoning designation.

The successful approval of PLN-MAR-19-00003 enables the developer to move forward with Phase 4 of the Blackford Property project, adding residential apartment units to the community's housing stock.

Saunier Livery Zoning Development Plan

360:00 The council considered agenda item PLN-MJDP-19-00046, a zoning development plan for Saunier Livery that included conditional zoning restrictions.

Nick Nicholson served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the details of the proposed development plan to the council.

The ordinance sought approval for a zoning development plan that would establish specific parameters and conditional restrictions for the Saunier Livery project. While the extracted data does not provide details about the specific nature of the development, location, or the conditional zoning restrictions being proposed, the item was processed as a formal ordinance requiring council approval.

The council ultimately approved the Saunier Livery Zoning Development Plan, allowing the project to move forward under the established conditional zoning framework. The approval indicates that any concerns or questions raised during the discussion were resolved to the satisfaction of the council members.

This approval represents a significant step in the development process for the Saunier Livery project, establishing the zoning framework that will govern how the property can be developed and used going forward.