Planning Commission Subdivision Items

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission met on July 14, 2022, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with Frank Penn presiding as the presiding officer. The commission considered eight agenda items during the session, taking a total of 11 votes on various motions throughout the meeting. No public comments were heard during this session.

The meeting resulted in a mixed outcome for the agenda items, with five items being postponed and three receiving approval. The postponed items included an amendment to Article 22, Appendix C to create the Planned Unit Development 3 (PUD-3) zone, as well as development proposals for the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington Kentucky, Hoover & Ford Philpot Evangelistic Association Property (The Fountains of Palomar), Lakeview Plaza Lot 3-A, and Pierson & Trapp Company Tract 1 (Dawahares Association).

The commission approved three development projects: Lansdowne Merrick (Shadybrook Estates) Tract 4, Warrenton Woods Subdivision Units 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D, and Valley Park (De Roode Street Apartments). The significant number of postponements suggests that several items required additional review or information before the commission could make final determinations.

Attendance

The following members were present at the July 14, 2022 meeting:

• Robin Michler
• Frank Penn
• Judy Worth
• Janice Meyer
• Bruce Nicol
• Ivy Barksdale (arrived late)
• Anthony de Movellan

All members were in attendance, with Ivy Barksdale arriving after the meeting had begun. No members were absent from the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took action on eleven items during the July 14, 2022 meeting, with all votes passing unanimously.

Administrative Items The commission first approved the minutes from the June 9, 2022 meeting on a motion by Janice Meyer, seconded by Judy Worth, passing 6-0 0:30. Later in the meeting, they approved the slate of officers for the next term on a motion by Judy Worth, seconded by Anthony de Movellan, passing 7-0 18:00.

Postponements Five items were postponed to future meetings. PLN-ZOTA-22-00006, an amendment to Article 22, Appendix C to create the Planned Unit Development 3 (PUD-3) zone, was postponed to July 28, 2022 on a motion by Judy Worth, seconded by Anthony de Movellan, passing 7-0 2:00.

Three additional items were also postponed to July 28, 2022: PLN-MJDP-21-00055 (Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association development plan) 3:30, PLN-MJDP-22-00035 (The Fountains of Palomar amendment) 5:00, and PLN-MJDP-22-00036 (Dawahares Association amendment) 8:00.

PLN-MJDP-22-00031 (Lakeview Plaza Lot 3-A amendment) was postponed to August 11, 2022 on a motion by Anthony de Movellan, seconded by Janice Meyer, passing 7-0 6:30.

Approvals The commission approved four development items. PLN-MJSUB-22-00002 (Lansdowne Merrick Tract 4 amendment) passed 7-0 on a motion by Janice Meyer 10:00. Four related Warrenton Woods Subdivision amendments (PLN-FRP-22-00013, 22-00015, 22-00017, and 22-00018) were approved together 7-0 on a motion by Bruce Nicol, with sidewalk conditions changed from "discuss" to "resolve" 12:00.

PLN-MJDP-22-00034 (Valley Park/De Roode Street Apartments amendment) was approved 7-0 on a motion by Bruce Nicol with 15 staff-recommended conditions 14:00. Finally, performance bonds and letters of credit were approved 7-0 as presented by staff on a motion by Janice Meyer 16:00.

All seven commissioners present voted in favor of each item: Robin Michler, Frank Penn, Judy Worth, Janice Meyer, Bruce Nicol, Ivy Barksdale, and Anthony de Movellan.

Appointments

The meeting included several key appointments to leadership positions. Four individuals were appointed to serve in official roles.

Larry Forester was appointed to serve as Chair. Anthony de Movellen was appointed to the position of Vice Chair. Janice Meyer was appointed as Secretary. Zach Davis was appointed to serve as Parliamentarian.

These appointments establish the leadership structure for the organization, with each role carrying specific responsibilities for meeting governance and administrative functions.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that generated heated discussion among board members.

Sidewalk requirement for Warrenton Woods Subdivision

A substantial debate arose regarding whether sidewalks should be mandated for the Warrenton Woods Subdivision development. The discussion revealed a clear divide among members on this infrastructure requirement.

Proponents of the sidewalk requirement argued that sidewalks are essential for public safety and community connectivity. These members emphasized the importance of pedestrian infrastructure in ensuring safe passage for residents, particularly children and elderly community members who may need to walk along the streets.

Opposition to the requirement came from members who questioned whether sidewalks were necessary given the quiet, low-traffic nature of the streets planned for the subdivision. These members suggested that the residential character of the development might not warrant the additional infrastructure expense and potential impact on the natural landscape.

The debate highlighted broader questions about development standards and infrastructure requirements for new residential projects. Members grappled with balancing safety considerations against cost implications and the character of different types of residential developments.

The extracted data does not indicate the final outcome of this debate or whether a resolution was reached during the meeting. The discussion appears to have been ongoing, suggesting this may be an item that requires further consideration or could be revisited in future meetings.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided data for this contested item.*

Amendment to Article 22, Appendix C to create the Planned Unit Development 3 (PUD-3) Zone

2:00

The meeting addressed agenda item PLN-ZOTA-22-00006, a proposed zoning ordinance text amendment to create a new Planned Unit Development 3 (PUD-3) zone. The amendment would establish a mixed-use development zone allowing a combination of residential, commercial, entertainment, and industrial uses within a single development area.

Zach Cato served as the key speaker presenting this agenda item to the meeting participants. The proposed PUD-3 zone represents an expansion of the city's planned unit development options, designed to accommodate more diverse and integrated land use patterns than traditional single-use zoning categories.

The amendment would modify Article 22, Appendix C of the zoning ordinance to formally establish the regulatory framework for PUD-3 developments. This new zoning classification would provide developers with greater flexibility to create comprehensive mixed-use projects that blend different types of land uses in a coordinated manner.

Following discussion of the proposal, the meeting participants decided to postpone action on PLN-ZOTA-22-00006. The postponement suggests that additional review, public input, or revisions may be needed before the amendment can move forward in the approval process.

The creation of a PUD-3 zone would add another tool to the municipality's zoning toolkit, potentially enabling more innovative development approaches that integrate multiple land uses while maintaining appropriate planning controls and design standards.

Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington Kentucky

3:30

The Planning Commission considered development plan PLN-MJDP-21-00055 for the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington Kentucky. The proposal involves a mixed-use development spanning 10.8 acres total, with plans for a commercial development and parking layout on 7.4 acres and a single family residential development featuring both attached and detached dwelling units on 3.4 acres.

Matt Carter served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the development plan to the commission.

The item was ultimately postponed, with no final action taken during this meeting. The specific reasons for the postponement and any concerns raised during the discussion were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

This development plan represents a significant mixed-use project that would combine commercial and residential components on the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association property in Lexington.

Hoover & Ford Philpot Evangelistic Association Property (The Fountains of Paloma)

5:00

The commission considered agenda item PLN-MJDP-22-00035, a development plan amendment for the Hoover & Ford Philpot Evangelistic Association Property, also known as The Fountains of Palomar. The proposed amendment sought to revise parking requirements and square footage allocations on lots 2, 2A, 3, and 5, as well as amend the existing landscaping plan.

Matt Carter served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the details of the proposed changes to the development plan.

The item was ultimately postponed, with no final action taken during this meeting. The specific reasons for the postponement and any concerns raised during the discussion were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The development plan amendment represents modifications to an existing approved project, focusing on adjustments to parking configurations and building square footage across multiple lots within the development, along with landscaping revisions.

Lakeview Plaza Lot 3-A

6:30

The planning commission reviewed agenda item PLN-MJDP-22-00031 for Lakeview Plaza Lot 3-A, which involved an amendment to add building square footage for pick-up windows and a drive-thru lane to the existing development plan.

Tom Martin served as the key speaker presenting the proposed amendments to the development plan. The modifications would expand the current building footprint to accommodate new drive-thru functionality and additional pick-up window facilities.

Following discussion of the proposal, the planning commission decided to postpone action on PLN-MJDP-22-00031. The specific reasons for the postponement and any concerns raised during the deliberation were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The Lakeview Plaza Lot 3-A development plan amendment will be reconsidered at a future planning commission meeting.

Pierson & Trapp Company Tract 1 (Dawahares Association)

8:00

The Planning Commission considered agenda item PLN-MJDP-22-00036, an amendment to the Pierson & Trapp Company Tract 1 development plan for the Dawahares Association. The proposed amendment sought to add additional building square footage and revise the parking layout for the existing development.

Tom Martin served as the key speaker presenting the amendment request to the commission. The proposal involved modifications to the approved development plan that would increase the total building area and reconfigure the site's parking arrangement.

Following the presentation and discussion, the Planning Commission decided to postpone consideration of the amendment. The specific reasons for the postponement and any concerns raised during the discussion were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The item will be rescheduled for consideration at a future Planning Commission meeting, allowing additional time for review or resolution of any outstanding issues related to the proposed building expansion and parking layout changes.

Lansdowne Merrick (Shadybrook Estates) Tract 4

10:00

The planning commission reviewed agenda item PLN-MJSUB-22-00002, a subdivision plan for Lansdowne Merrick (Shadybrook Estates) Tract 4. The proposal involved creating four new lots within the development.

Traci Wade served as the key speaker presenting the subdivision plan to the commission. The plan was designed to denote the boundaries and specifications for the four proposed lots within the Shadybrook Estates development.

Following the presentation and discussion, the commission approved the subdivision plan for Lansdowne Merrick (Shadybrook Estates) Tract 4, allowing the project to move forward with the creation of the four new lots as proposed.

Warrenton Woods Subdivision Units 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D

12:00

The commission reviewed four related subdivision plan amendments for Warrenton Woods Subdivision Units 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D under case numbers PLN-FRP-22-00013, PLN-FRP-22-00015, PLN-FRP-22-00017, and PLN-FRP-22-00018. The amendments proposed dedicating private streets within the subdivision to public streets.

Key speakers during the discussion included Tom Martin and Cheryl Gallt, who presented details about the street dedication process and its implications for the subdivision units.

The amendments were approved by the commission, allowing the private streets in all four units of the Warrenton Woods Subdivision to be converted to public street status. This change would transfer maintenance responsibilities from the private subdivision to the public jurisdiction.

Valley Park (De Roode Street Apartments)

14:00

The commission reviewed development plan PLN-MJDP-22-00034 for Valley Park (De Roode Street Apartments), which proposed modifications to add parking and revise open space and adjacent building footprint.

Key speakers Tom Martin and Matt Carter presented the plan details during the discussion. The proposal focused on practical improvements to the existing development, specifically addressing parking needs while making adjustments to the open space configuration and building footprint of adjacent structures.

The commission ultimately approved the Valley Park development plan, allowing the proposed changes to move forward. The modifications were designed to enhance the functionality of the apartment complex while maintaining appropriate open space requirements.

The approval enables the developer to proceed with the parking additions and building footprint revisions as outlined in the submitted plans.