Imagine Nicholasville Road Public Hearing

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission held a video teleconference meeting on May 20, 2021, at 1:30 PM, presided over by Larry Forester. During the meeting, the Commission considered one agenda item: the Imagine Nicholasville Road Corridor Plan, which was approved. The Commission took one motion and vote during the session and heard seven public comments from members of the public.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on May 20, 2021:

• Ivy Barksdale
• Headley Bell
• Zach Davis
• Anthony De Movellan
• Larry Forester
• Jan Meyer
• Bruce Nicol
• Carolyn Plumlee
• William Wilson

No attendees were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Approval of the Imagine Nicholasville Road Plan 2:19:32

The body voted on approval of the Imagine Nicholasville Road Plan. The motion was made by Headley Bell and seconded by William Wilson.

The vote passed unanimously with 9 ayes and 0 nays.

Members voting in favor were: - Ivy Barksdale - Headley Bell - Zach Davis - Anthony De Movellan - Larry Forester - Jan Meyer - Bruce Nicol - Carolyn Plumlee - William Wilson

Public Comment

Seven speakers provided public comment on the Imagine Nicholasville Road Plan during the meeting.

Support for the Plan

Brittany Roethemeir, representing Fayette Alliance, spoke in support of the plan at 1:48:17, highlighting its potential to improve transportation infrastructure and economic prosperity. Blake Hall also expressed support at 1:53:17, stating that Nicholasville Road is currently unsafe and underbuilt, and that the plan would encourage sustainable development. Erin Hathaway supported the plan at 1:55:00 but emphasized the importance of incorporating green infrastructure and beautifying the corridor.

Concerns and Opposition

Fred Pope raised concerns about traffic volume on Nicholasville Road at 1:42:54, suggesting the relocation of the freight line for public safety and proposing its use for transit rail instead.

Stuart Smith, representing CBL, expressed concerns at 1:56:48 about the plan's flexibility for future development at Fayette Mall, requesting more flexible mixed-use guidelines.

Amy Clark raised concerns at 2:01:55 about the land use guidance for the corridor, emphasizing the need for infrastructure improvements before adopting new development standards.

Barry Saturday opposed the plan at 2:11:17, criticizing the public input process and expressing concerns about the plan's impact on vehicular traffic and emergency services.

Contested Items

Imagine Nicholasville Road Plan

Community members raised concerns about the feasibility and implementation of the Imagine Nicholasville Road Plan. The primary points of contention centered on three areas:

• Traffic impact: Concerns were expressed about how the plan would affect traffic patterns in the area.
• Plan feasibility: Some community members questioned whether the plan was practically achievable.
• Development guidelines: There was a call for more flexible development guidelines as part of the plan's framework.

The disagreement reflected broader community concerns about balancing development goals with practical transportation and regulatory considerations. However, no specific outcome or resolution was documented in the meeting record.

Imagine Nicholasville Road Corridor Plan

The Planning Commission discussed the Imagine Nicholasville Road Corridor Plan during this meeting 22:29. The plan aims to improve transportation infrastructure, promote transit-oriented development, and accommodate future growth along Nicholasville Road.

Key speakers in this discussion included Kenzie Gleason, Chris Woodall, Tim Reynolds, Anne Warnick, and Andy Knight.

The Commission reviewed the corridor plan's objectives and framework for enhancing the Nicholasville Road area through coordinated transportation and development strategies. The discussion focused on how the plan would support transit-oriented development while managing growth along this important corridor.

The Planning Commission approved the Imagine Nicholasville Road Corridor Plan.