Planning and Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning and Public Safety Committee convened on June 21, 2022, at 1:00 PM with J. Brown presiding as the meeting officer. The committee addressed three agenda items during the session, including the approval of previous meeting minutes and two informational presentations on city planning initiatives. The committee conducted three motions and votes throughout the meeting, with members hearing four public comments from community members. The session focused primarily on sustainable development planning and program enhancements, with one formal approval action taken on the April 19, 2022 committee summary and two informational updates provided to committee members.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 21, 2022 meeting:

• J. Brown
• P. Worley
• W. Baxter
• C. Ellinger
• J. McCurn
• S. Lamb
• D. Kloiber
• A. Bledsoe
• K. Plomin

Absent: J. Reynolds

No members arrived late to the meeting. Nine of the ten members were in attendance.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included three motions, all of which passed unanimously.

Residential Parking Permit Program - South Hill Amendment A. Bledsoe made a motion to approve the amendment to the Residential Parking Permit Program for South Hill, which was seconded by J. McCurn. The motion passed unanimously.

Residential Parking Permit Program - Bullock Place Amendment A. Bledsoe made a motion to approve the amendment to the Residential Parking Permit Program for Bullock Place, which was seconded by J. McCurn. This motion also passed unanimously.

Meeting Adjournment A. Bledsoe made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by W. Baxter. The motion to adjourn passed unanimously.

All three votes were conducted as unanimous consent votes rather than formal roll call votes, with no individual vote tallies recorded for ayes, nays, or abstentions.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the council during the public comment period, with all comments focused on the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program.

Robert James 3:00 spoke first, emphasizing the importance of the PDR program as a community investment. He highlighted the program's critical role in preserving productive soils for future agricultural use, framing it as an essential tool for long-term land stewardship.

Brittany Rothmeyer 5:00 followed with concerns about how the PDR program was being presented to the council. She noted that key stakeholders were not present during the discussion and stressed the program's significant economic and cultural importance to the community.

Frank Penn 7:00 provided historical context for the PDR program, discussing its origins and development over time. He emphasized the program's vital role in preserving agricultural land as a means of maintaining Lexington's unique character and identity.

An unnamed speaker representing the Old Richmond Road Neighborhood Association 9:00 concluded the public comment period. This speaker emphasized the importance of land preservation for maintaining quality of life in the community. They also raised specific concerns about public access to PDR lands, suggesting this was an issue that needed further consideration.

All four speakers demonstrated strong support for the PDR program while raising various concerns about its implementation, stakeholder involvement, and public access provisions. The comments reflected community interest in ensuring the program continues to serve its intended purposes of agricultural preservation and maintaining the area's rural character.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that resulted in procedural action due to community concerns.

PDR Program Presentation

The primary point of contention centered around a scheduled presentation of the PDR (Purchase of Development Rights) program. Community members expressed significant opposition to proceeding with the presentation, citing the absence of key stakeholders who should have been present for such an important discussion.

The nature of the disagreement focused on the timing and appropriateness of presenting the PDR program without proper stakeholder representation. Community participants argued that moving forward with the presentation under these circumstances would be inappropriate and potentially counterproductive to meaningful engagement on the topic.

In response to the community opposition, a motion was made to postpone the PDR program presentation to a future meeting when all relevant stakeholders could be present to participate in the discussion. This motion addressed the community's concerns about proceeding without proper representation and demonstrated responsiveness to public input regarding meeting procedures.

The outcome was the postponement of the PDR program presentation, allowing time for proper stakeholder coordination before the topic would be revisited. This resolution showed the body's willingness to adjust its agenda based on legitimate community concerns about stakeholder participation and meaningful public engagement.

Approval of April 19, 2022 Committee Summary

The committee reviewed the summary of their April 19, 2022 meeting for approval. J. Brown served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The committee examined the written summary documenting the proceedings, discussions, and decisions from their previous meeting held on April 19, 2022. This routine administrative item allows committee members to verify the accuracy of the recorded meeting minutes before they become part of the official record.

Following their review, the committee approved the April 19, 2022 meeting summary without noted objections or amendments.

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

Sustainable Growth Study Update

0:30

Craig Bencz presented an update on the Sustainable Growth Study during this agenda item. The presentation covered the study's goals, various scenarios under consideration, and included discussion of a proposed resolution for potential adoption.

The update was informational in nature, providing the governing body with current progress on the sustainable growth initiative. Bencz outlined the framework and objectives of the study, which appears to be examining growth patterns and sustainability measures for the jurisdiction.

As part of the presentation, multiple scenarios were discussed, though the specific details of these scenarios were not elaborated in the available materials. The presentation also included consideration of a resolution related to the study, suggesting the body may be moving toward formal action on sustainable growth policies in the future.

No formal action was taken during this agenda item, as it served as an informational update to keep officials apprised of the study's development and findings to date.

Review of Enhancements to PDR Program

2:00 The committee engaged in an informational discussion regarding potential enhancements to the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program. D. Kloiber served as the primary speaker for this agenda item.

The discussion centered on exploring improvements to the existing PDR program structure, with particular focus on two key areas of enhancement. The committee examined opportunities to expand public access components within the PDR framework, potentially allowing greater community engagement with preserved properties. Additionally, the discussion addressed the integration of sustainable farming initiatives as part of the program's enhancement strategy.

The conversation was characterized as an informational review, suggesting the committee was in the early stages of evaluating these potential program modifications rather than making immediate decisions. The discussion provided an opportunity for committee members to consider how these enhancements might strengthen the PDR program's effectiveness and community impact.

No specific concerns or objections were noted during this discussion phase, and the item concluded as an informational session without requiring formal action or votes from the committee members. The review appears to be part of an ongoing evaluation process to identify ways to improve and expand the PDR program's capabilities and community benefits.