Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on January 16, 2020, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on legislative matters, with the Council conducting first readings of three ordinances related to land use regulations and zoning changes. The agenda included an amendment to the Land Subdivision Regulations affecting Articles 1 and 6-8(k), as well as two separate zoning change ordinances—one converting a Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) zone to a High Rise Apartment (R-5) zone, and another changing a High Density Apartment (R-4) zone to a Downtown Frame Business (B-2A) zone. The Council took two formal votes during the session, with no public comments recorded for this meeting.

Attendance

All fifteen council members were present for the January 16, 2020 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted two formal votes during the January 16, 2020 meeting, both passing unanimously with all 15 members present.

Approval of Meeting Minutes 0:00 Mr. Farmer motioned to approve the minutes from three previous meetings: the November 19, 2019 Zone Change Public Hearing, the December 3, 2019 Council Meeting, and the December 5, 2019 Council Meeting. Mr. Ellinger seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

Council members voting in favor: McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, and Lamb.

Motion for Closed Session 0:00 Ms. Mossotti motioned for the Council to go into closed session, with Vice Mayor Kay providing the second. This motion also passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

Council members voting in favor: McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, and Lamb.

Both votes demonstrated full Council consensus, with no members voting against either motion and no abstentions recorded. The unanimous approval of the meeting minutes indicates the Council's acceptance of the official record from the three previous sessions, while the closed session motion allowed the Council to discuss matters requiring confidential deliberation.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Austin City Council addressed two financial matters during the January 16, 2020 meeting.

Community Partnership Agreement The Council approved a $12,500 agreement with the Westmorland Neighborhood Association and Broke Spoke. This contract represents a community partnership initiative, though specific details about the scope of work or services to be provided were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

Property Easement Releases The Council also approved the release of easements on three properties: • 3401 Country Club Drive • 3409 Country Club Drive • 801 Champions Way

No monetary value was associated with these easement releases. The action allows the property owners to have certain restrictions or rights-of-way removed from their properties, though the specific nature of the easements being released was not specified in the meeting documentation.

Both items were processed as part of the Council's regular business agenda. Resolution numbers and specific timestamp references for these financial actions were not available in the provided meeting materials.

Appointments

The Council approved appointments and reappointments to various city boards, commissions, and advisory bodies during the January 16, 2020 meeting.

New Appointments: • Ms. Rhonda Brown to the Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee • Mr. Lafe Taylor to the Charles Young Center Advisory Board • Ms. Jill Barnett to the Corridors Commission • Dr. Margaret McGladrey to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition • Ms. Emily McKenzie to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition • Ms. Victoria Carling to the Economic Development Investment Board • Dr. Mark Sloan to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board • Ms. Candice Rogers to the Environmental Commission • Mr. Don Rogers to the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board • Mr. Chad Walker to the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board • Mr. Dan Wu to the Human Rights Commission • Mr. DeVon Peterson to the Human Rights Commission • Mr. Daniel King to the Internal Audit Board • Ms. Louetta Hurst to the Library Board of Advisors • Mr. Arthur Carpenter to the Mayor's International Affairs Advisory Commission • Mr. Gabriel Knowles to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

Reappointments: • Mr. Dale Morgan to the Charles Young Center Advisory Board • Mr. Woodford Webb to the Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors • Mr. Tyrone Tyra to the Economic Development Investment Board • Mr. Paul Swoveland to the Environmental Commission • Mr. Robert Elliston to the Lexington Center Corporation Board of Directors • Ms. Lena Campbell to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board • Mr. James Pendergast to the Paris Pike Corridor Commission • Ms. Mary Quinn Ramer to the Sister Cities Program Commission

The appointments represent a mix of new members and continuing service members across various city advisory bodies covering areas including animal welfare, economic development, environmental issues, homelessness prevention, human rights, parks and recreation, and international affairs.

An Ordinance amending Articles 1 and 6-8(k) of the Land Subdivision Regulations

0:00

The Council considered Ordinance 0029-20, which proposes amendments to Articles 1 and 6-8(k) of the Land Subdivision Regulations. The ordinance specifically addresses the definition of "stub street signs" and establishes requirements for their location and maintenance responsibilities.

The proposed amendments would clarify what constitutes a stub street sign within the city's land subdivision framework and specify where such signs must be placed in new developments. Additionally, the ordinance would establish clear guidelines regarding which party—whether the developer, property owner, or city—bears responsibility for installing and maintaining these signs.

This ordinance received its first reading during the meeting, which is the initial step in the legislative process. First reading typically involves the formal introduction of the proposed legislation without extensive debate or public comment.

The amendments appear to be administrative in nature, aimed at providing clearer guidance to developers and city staff regarding street signage requirements in subdivisions. By defining stub street signs and establishing responsibility protocols, the ordinance would help streamline the development approval process and ensure consistent signage standards across new residential and commercial developments.

The ordinance will require a second reading and final passage at a future Council meeting before taking effect. No significant discussion or concerns were noted during this first reading, suggesting the amendments may be largely procedural updates to existing regulations.

An Ordinance changing the zone from a Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) zone to a High Rise Apartment (R-5) zone

The Council considered Ordinance 0030-20, which proposes to rezone property located at 840 Angliana Avenue from a Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) zone to a High Rise Apartment (R-5) zone 0:00. The rezoning request was submitted by F2 Companies and affects property within Council District 3.

This ordinance represents a significant zoning change that would allow high-rise residential development on property currently designated for wholesale and warehouse business use. The B-4 to R-5 rezoning would permit multi-story apartment construction where commercial warehouse operations are currently allowed.

The item was presented for first reading during the meeting, which is the initial step in the ordinance approval process. No specific speakers were identified in the available records for this agenda item, and no particular concerns or debate points were documented in the extracted meeting data.

The outcome of this agenda item was first reading, meaning the ordinance was introduced and will require additional readings and potential public input before final adoption. As a first reading, this represents the beginning of the formal legislative process for the proposed zoning change at 840 Angliana Avenue.

The rezoning request will need to proceed through subsequent readings and any required public hearing processes before the Council can make a final determination on whether to approve the zone change from B-4 to R-5 for this property in Council District 3.

An Ordinance changing the zone from a High Density Apartment (R-4) zone to a Downtown Frame Business (B-2A) zone

0:00

The Council considered Ordinance 0031-20, which would rezone multiple properties from High Density Apartment (R-4) to Downtown Frame Business (B-2A). The affected properties include 201, 207, 209, 211, 215, 221, 225, 227 and 231 East Maxwell Street, and 245, 247 and 251 Stone Avenue in Council District 3.

The ordinance was submitted by Aptitude Development and represents a significant zoning change that would allow for downtown business uses rather than high-density residential development on these parcels.

The item was presented for first reading during the meeting. No specific speakers were identified in the available records for this agenda item, and no detailed discussion or debate was documented in the extracted materials.

The ordinance received first reading approval, which means it will need to return to Council for additional readings before final adoption. This is standard procedure for zoning changes, which typically require multiple readings to allow for public input and thorough consideration of the proposed changes.

The rezoning would affect a substantial number of properties along East Maxwell Street and Stone Avenue, potentially impacting the character and development potential of this area within the downtown frame district.