Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on December 3, 2019, at 5:19 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The meeting addressed three main agenda items, including one informational presentation and two items requiring council action. Council members took two formal votes during the session and heard one public comment from a community member.

The council received an informational presentation on the "I Was Here Project" and considered two zoning-related matters. A zone change request for Polo Club Boulevard was approved by the council, while a proposal to establish a historic district for Pensacola Park was denied. The meeting demonstrated the council's ongoing work in managing development and preservation issues within Lexington-Fayette County, with decisions reflecting both approval and rejection of proposed changes to the community's zoning and historic designation framework.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on December 3, 2019, had strong attendance with 15 members present and only one absence.

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

Absent: • Plomin

Late: • None

With 15 of 16 council members in attendance, the meeting had sufficient participation for conducting official business and voting on agenda items.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted two roll call votes on ordinances during the December 3, 2019 meeting.

Ordinance 1222-19 - Historic District Creation 2:00 Vice Mayor Kay motioned, with Ms. Mossotti seconding, to approve an ordinance creating a Historic District (H-1) zone for the Pensacola Park Neighborhood. The ordinance failed with 7 votes in favor, 6 votes against, and 1 abstention.

Council members voting in favor: Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Reynolds, Bledsoe, J. Brown, and Gibbs.

Council members voting against: McCurn, Mossotti, Worley, F. Brown, Evans, and Farmer.

One council member abstained from voting.

Ordinance 1223-19 - Zoning Change 3:00 Vice Mayor Kay motioned, with Ms. Mossotti seconding, to approve an ordinance changing the zone from Agricultural Rural (A-R) to Expansion Area Residential zones for property at 2575 Polo Club Boulevard. The rezoning affects 26.34 net acres to be designated EAR-1 and 11.92 net acres to be designated EAR-2. The ordinance passed unanimously with 14 votes in favor and no opposition.

All 14 council members voted in favor: Kay, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, and Gibbs.

The contrasting outcomes highlight different levels of council support, with the Polo Club Boulevard rezoning receiving unanimous approval while the Pensacola Park Historic District designation fell short of the required votes for passage.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved two significant financial contracts during the December 3, 2019 meeting, totaling approximately $1.55 million in expenditures.

Fire Station Infrastructure Improvements

The Council authorized Resolution 1256-19, approving a $50,200 contract with Olympic Construction, LLC for the Concrete Slab Replacement Project at Fire Stations #1 and #16. This project addresses necessary infrastructure maintenance at two of the city's fire facilities.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades

A substantially larger expenditure was approved through Resolution 1259-19, authorizing a $1,499,350 contract with Herrick Co., Inc. for the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant Secondary Digester Complex Improvements. This major infrastructure investment represents ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade the city's wastewater treatment capabilities.

The combined financial commitments of $1,549,550 reflect the Council's focus on essential municipal infrastructure, spanning both public safety facilities and water treatment operations. These contracts demonstrate the city's commitment to maintaining critical infrastructure systems that serve residents and ensure public safety.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the Council.

Marjorie Guyon spoke about her project titled "I Was Here" 0:30. Guyon presented details about the project's significance and discussed the collaborative efforts that went into its creation. She provided the Council with information about the project's development and the partnerships involved in bringing it to fruition.

No other public comments were recorded during this portion of the December 3, 2019 Council meeting.

Appointments

The City Council took action on two appointments to the Agricultural Extension District Board during the December 3, 2019 meeting.

Agricultural Extension District Board: • Christine Parsons was reappointed to continue serving on the board • Patrick Robinson was appointed as a new member to the board

These appointments ensure continued representation and governance of the Agricultural Extension District Board, which oversees agricultural extension services in the area.

Contested Items

The Council meeting on December 3, 2019, featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among members.

Historic District for Pensacola Park

An ordinance to establish a Historic District designation for Pensacola Park generated significant division among Council members. The proposal failed to achieve the necessary votes for passage, with the final tally showing seven members voting in favor, six members voting against, and one member recusing themselves from the vote.

The split vote reflects the contentious nature of historic district designations, which typically involve considerations of property rights, development restrictions, preservation goals, and community impact. Historic district status generally imposes additional regulatory oversight on property modifications and development within the designated area, which can be a source of debate between preservation advocates and property owners or developers.

The narrow margin of the vote—falling just short of passage by a single vote—demonstrates the closely divided opinions on this particular designation. The recusal by one Council member further complicated the voting dynamics, as their participation could have potentially changed the outcome in either direction.

The failure of this ordinance means that Pensacola Park will not receive Historic District protection at this time, leaving the area without the additional regulatory protections and potential benefits that such designation typically provides.

I Was Here Project Presentation

0:30 Marjorie Guyon presented the "I Was Here" project to the Council, an art installation designed to raise awareness about historical events at Cheapside Square. The presentation was designated as agenda item 1098-19.

The project aims to create public awareness through artistic means, focusing on the historical significance of events that occurred at Cheapside Square. Guyon outlined the concept and goals of the installation during her presentation to Council members.

Barry Burton also participated as a key speaker during the presentation, though the specific nature of his contribution was not detailed in the available materials.

This was an informational presentation, meaning no formal action was required from the Council. The item served to inform Council members about the proposed art installation and its educational objectives regarding local history at Cheapside Square.

The presentation provided Council members with an overview of how the "I Was Here" project would function as both an artistic endeavor and a tool for historical education within the community.

Zone Change for Polo Club Boulevard

3:00

The Council considered Ordinance 1223-19, which proposed changing the zoning classification for a property on Polo Club Boulevard from Agricultural Rural to Expansion Area Residential.

Vice Mayor Kay and Ms. Mossotti were the primary speakers during the discussion of this zoning change request. The ordinance would allow for residential development on the property by updating its zoning designation to align with expansion area planning goals.

The Council approved the ordinance, enabling the property owner to move forward with residential development plans under the new Expansion Area Residential zoning classification. This zoning change represents part of the city's broader expansion planning efforts in areas designated for future residential growth.

The approval allows the property to transition from its current agricultural designation to a residential classification that permits housing development consistent with the area's planned growth patterns.

Historic District for Pensacola Park

2:00

The Council considered Ordinance 1222-19, which proposed creating a Historic District (H-1) zone for the Pensacola Park Neighborhood. The ordinance would have established formal historic district protections for this residential area.

Vice Mayor Kay and Ms. Mossotti were among the key speakers during the discussion of this zoning proposal. The ordinance aimed to provide historic preservation protections through the H-1 zoning designation, which typically includes design review requirements for exterior modifications and demolitions within the district boundaries.

The Council ultimately denied Ordinance 1222-19, rejecting the proposal to establish the Historic District zoning for the Pensacola Park Neighborhood. The denial means the area will not receive the formal historic district protections that would have come with the H-1 zoning classification.