Urban County Council Zone Change Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on October 29, 2019, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Vice Mayor Kay presiding over the session. The meeting focused on a single agenda item involving zoning matters for the community. Council members took one official vote during the proceedings, approving Zone Change Ordinance 1002-19. No public comments were heard during this meeting, and no presentations were given to the Council.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on October 29, 2019 had strong attendance with 14 members present and 1 member absent.

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

Absent: • Farmer

Late: • Farmer

Council member Farmer was initially absent but arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted one recorded vote during the October 29, 2019 meeting.

Ordinance 1002-19 - Zone Change at 6600 Man O' War Boulevard

Ms. Plomin made a motion to approve An Ordinance changing the zone from a Community Center (CC) zone to an Expansion Area Residential (EAR-2) zone for 16.53 net (17.14 gross) acres, and to an Expansion Area Residential (EAR-3) zone for 8.09 net and gross acres for property located at 6600 Man O' War Boulevard. Mr. Ellinger seconded the motion.

The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote of 15-0-0.

Voting in favor (15): Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Voting against: None

Abstentions: None

The approval included a specific condition requiring the developer to install a staggered row of white pine evergreen trees behind the homes on Mahala Lane on the property currently owned by Ball Homes, approximately as shown on the tree planting plan prepared by the Landscape Architect for Ball Homes.

This zone change affects a total of approximately 24.62 net acres (25.23 gross acres) of property, converting it from commercial zoning to residential zoning to accommodate new housing development.

Contested Items

The Council addressed one contested item during the October 29, 2019 meeting involving a proposed zone change that generated significant community opposition.

Zone Change for 6600 Man O' War Boulevard

The primary contested issue was a proposed zone change from CC (Commercial Convenience) to EAR (Employment, Assembly, and Recreation) zones for the property located at 6600 Man O' War Boulevard. The proposal faced substantial opposition from neighboring residents who raised concerns about the potential impacts of the zoning change on their community.

The opposition was led by the Blackford Oaks Homeowner's Association, which represented the interests of nearby residents. The homeowners' association had initially organized resistance to the zone change, citing concerns about how the new EAR zoning classification might affect their neighborhood.

However, through negotiations and discussions, an agreement was ultimately reached between the parties involved. The Blackford Oaks Homeowner's Association agreed to drop their opposition to the zone change, suggesting that their concerns were addressed through the negotiation process. The specific terms of the agreement that led to the resolution of the opposition were not detailed in the available information.

This resolution demonstrates how community concerns can be addressed through dialogue and negotiation, allowing contested zoning matters to move forward with community input and agreement rather than prolonged opposition.

Zone Change Ordinance 1002-19

The Council considered Ordinance 1002-19, which proposed changing the zoning designation for property located at 6600 Man O' War Boulevard. The ordinance sought to rezone 24.62 total acres from Community Center (CC) zone to residential zones, with 16.53 net acres designated for Expansion Area Residential (EAR-2) and 8.09 net acres for Expansion Area Residential (EAR-3).

Key speakers during the discussion included Traci Wade, Nick Nicholson, and Mike Adkins, who presented information and addressed questions regarding the proposed zone change. The speakers provided details about the rezoning request and its implications for the development of the Man O' War Boulevard property.

The zone change represents a shift from commercial/mixed-use development potential under the Community Center designation to residential development under the Expansion Area Residential classifications. The EAR-2 and EAR-3 zones typically allow for different residential densities and development standards within the city's expansion areas.

The Council ultimately approved Ordinance 1002-19, allowing the property owner to proceed with residential development plans under the new zoning designations. The approval enables the conversion of the nearly 25-acre site from its previous Community Center zoning to accommodate residential uses across the two different expansion area residential zones.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for this agenda item.*