Planning Commission Zoning Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened via teleconference on July 23, 2020, at 1:30 PM. The commission addressed six agenda items during the session, including approval of meeting minutes and consideration of several development and zoning matters throughout Lexington-Fayette County.

The commission took action on seven motions during the meeting, approving three development plans and postponing one zoning amendment request. Three members of the public provided comments on items under consideration. Key accomplishments included approval of final subdivision plans for Crossroads Christian Church and development plans for both the Hoover and Philpot Evangelistic Association and Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus. The JUBY, LLC zoning map amendment was postponed for further consideration, while the Centennial American Properties zoning map amendment was presented for informational purposes only.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on July 23, 2020:

• Mr. Pohl
• Mr. Wilson
• Mr. Davis
• Ms. Meyer
• Mr. Penn
• Mr. Nicol
• Mr. Gross

All members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included seven votes, all conducted by voice vote with unanimous or near-unanimous approval.

Minutes Approval 0:30 Mr. Pohl motioned to approve the minutes from June 25, 2020, seconded by Mr. Davis. The motion passed by voice vote with two abstentions.

PLN-MAR-20-00002 Postponement 2:00 Mr. Wilson motioned to postpone the JUBY, LLC zoning map amendment request. The motion passed by voice vote, postponing the matter to August 27, 2020.

PLN-FRP-19-00005 Reapproval 5:00 Mr. Pohl motioned to reapprove the Crossroads Christian Church final subdivision plan. The motion passed by voice vote, subject to previously approved conditions.

PLN-MJDP-20-00012 Development Plan 10:00 The Hoover and Philpot Evangelistic Association development plan was approved by voice vote with revised conditions 1-10, 14, 16, and 19.

PLN-MJDP-20-00031 Development Plan 20:00 The Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus development plan was approved by voice vote with 13 conditions attached to the approval.

PLN-MJDP-20-00031 EAMP Compliance 25:00 The EAMP compliance report for Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus was approved by voice vote, with Mr. Pohl providing the second to the motion.

Access Easements Finding 30:00 A finding in support of access easements for Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus was approved by voice vote without conditions.

All motions passed unanimously where recorded, with no opposition votes documented for any of the items considered during the meeting.

Public Comment

Three residents spoke during the public comment period, all addressing concerns about a proposed zoning change for a self-storage facility.

Jessica Winters 60:00 spoke on behalf of the Eagle Creek Coalition in opposition to the Centennial American Properties zoning change. Winters argued that the proposed self-storage facility would be incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood character and criticized the lack of meaningful community engagement in the development process.

Walt Gaffield 90:00 raised concerns about how the proposed development would impact existing neighborhood focal points and pedestrian accessibility. Gaffield emphasized that the development could negatively affect the walkability of the area.

Amy Clark 95:00 focused her comments on land use priorities for the intersection of Man O' War and Richmond Road. Clark argued that this prominent corner location would be better suited for transit-oriented development rather than a storage facility, suggesting the proposed use represents a missed opportunity for more beneficial community development.

All three speakers expressed opposition to the zoning change, with their concerns centering on neighborhood compatibility, community engagement, walkability, and appropriate land use for the location.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that drew substantial community opposition.

Centennial American Properties Zoning Map Amendment

The primary point of contention involved a proposed zoning map amendment by Centennial American Properties for the development of a self-storage facility. The proposal faced significant pushback from community members who attended the meeting to voice their concerns.

Community opposition centered on two main issues: compatibility with the existing neighborhood character and inadequate community engagement. Residents argued that the proposed self-storage facility would be incompatible with the surrounding area's residential and commercial character. Additionally, opponents criticized the developer for failing to adequately engage with the community during the planning process, suggesting that proper consultation could have addressed concerns earlier in the development timeline.

The nature of the opposition indicated broader community concerns about development patterns and the importance of neighborhood input in zoning decisions. Residents appeared unified in their stance against the proposal, suggesting the opposition represented a significant portion of the affected community rather than isolated objections.

*Note: Specific timestamp information and final outcome details were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Approval of Minutes

0:30

The board reviewed the minutes from the June 25, 2020 meeting for approval. Mr. Pohl and Mr. Davis participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The minutes were presented to the board members for their review and consideration. Following the review process, the minutes from the June 25, 2020 meeting were approved by the board.

No specific concerns or amendments to the minutes were noted during the discussion. The approval allows the minutes to serve as the official record of the June 25, 2020 meeting proceedings.

JUBY, LLC Zoning Map Amendment

2:00

The Planning Commission considered agenda item PLN-MAR-20-00002, a zoning map amendment request submitted by JUBY, LLC.

Mr. Gross addressed the commission regarding this matter, presenting a request for postponement of the zoning map amendment application. The specific details of the proposed zoning changes or the reasons necessitating the postponement were not elaborated upon during this brief discussion.

The commission approved the postponement request without extended debate or apparent opposition. No concerns were raised by commissioners regarding the delay, and no timeline was established for when the matter would return to the agenda for consideration.

The outcome was a postponement of the JUBY, LLC zoning map amendment, allowing the applicant additional time before the commission would review the merits of the proposed zoning changes.

Crossroads Christian Church Final Subdivision Plan

5:00

The commission reviewed agenda item PLN-FRP-19-00005, the Crossroads Christian Church Final Subdivision Plan. Mr. Martin presented the item to the commission.

The final subdivision plan for Crossroads Christian Church was reapproved with all previously approved conditions remaining in place. No new conditions or modifications were added to the original approval.

The commission approved the final subdivision plan as presented.

Hoover and Philpot Evangelistic Association Development Plan

10:00

The commission reviewed development plan PLN-MJDP-20-00012 for the Hoover and Philpot Evangelistic Association. Mr. Martin served as the primary speaker presenting information on this agenda item.

The development plan was brought before the commission for consideration, though specific details about the proposed development, location, or scope of the project were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The item was categorized as a discussion item requiring commission action.

Following the presentation and any discussion that occurred, the commission voted to approve the development plan. However, the approval came with revised conditions, indicating that modifications were made to the original proposal during the review process. The specific nature of these revised conditions was not specified in the available documentation.

The approval of PLN-MJDP-20-00012 represents the commission's endorsement of the Hoover and Philpot Evangelistic Association's development plans, subject to the revised conditions that were established during the meeting. This outcome allows the organization to proceed with their proposed development under the modified terms set by the commission.

Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus Development Plan

The planning commission reviewed agenda item PLN-MJDP-20-00031, the Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus Development Plan 20:00.

Mr. Martin served as the key speaker presenting this development proposal to the commission. The item involved a comprehensive development plan for a healthcare campus associated with Hamburg East Baptist.

Following discussion and review of the proposal, the commission approved the Hamburg East Baptist Healthcare Campus Development Plan with conditions. As part of their decision, the commission made specific findings in support of access easements that were included as part of the development proposal.

The approval indicates the commission found the development plan met the necessary requirements and standards, though the conditional nature of the approval suggests certain modifications or requirements were attached to ensure compliance with local planning regulations and community needs.

The healthcare campus development represents a significant project that will serve the Hamburg East area, with the Baptist organization as the primary developer. The inclusion of access easement findings suggests the development involved considerations about traffic flow, emergency access, or connectivity to surrounding properties and infrastructure.

Centennial American Properties Zoning Map Amendment

60:00

The planning commission discussed agenda item PLN-MAR-20-00008, a zoning map amendment request for Centennial American Properties. The item was presented for informational purposes during the July 23, 2020 meeting.

Key speakers during the discussion included Mr. Bailey and Jessica Winters, who participated in the deliberations regarding the proposed zoning changes.

The discussion revealed significant public opposition to the zoning amendment. Community members raised concerns about the proposed changes, specifically citing incompatibility with the existing neighborhood character. The opposition focused on how the zoning amendment would affect the surrounding area and whether the proposed changes aligned with the established development patterns in the community.

The agenda item was handled as a discussion item, allowing commissioners and speakers to address various aspects of the zoning proposal. The concerns raised by the public regarding neighborhood compatibility appeared to be a central theme in the deliberations.

As this was an informational discussion, no formal action was taken on the zoning map amendment during this meeting. The item served to provide commissioners with background information and allow for public input on the proposed changes to the zoning designation for the Centennial American Properties site.

The discussion provided a forum for stakeholders to express their views on the compatibility of the proposed zoning changes with the existing neighborhood development patterns and character.