Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on April 27, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including a Spirit of Lex Award presentation for Chief Information Officer Valicenti and two zone change requests for properties on South Broadway and East High Street. Council members took three votes during the session, with mixed outcomes on the zoning matters - denying the request for 1008 South Broadway while approving the zone change for 446 East High Street. Four members of the public provided comments during the meeting's public comment period.

Attendance

All members were present at the April 27, 2023 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Gorton • Elliott Baxter • Fogle • Gray • LeGris • Lynch • Monarrez • Plomin • Reynolds • Sevigny • Sheehan • Worley • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council voted on three ordinances and resolutions during the April 27, 2023 meeting.

Ordinance 0378-23 1:00 - Ms. Elliott Baxter motioned to change the zoning from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1) for property at 1008 South Broadway, with Ms. LeGris providing the second. The ordinance failed by a roll call vote of 0-15, with all 15 council members voting against: Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Sevigny, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Ordinance 0379-23 2:00 - Mr. Worley motioned to change the zoning from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1) for property at 446 East High Street, seconded by Mr. Ellinger. This ordinance passed unanimously 15-0, with all council members voting in favor: Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Sevigny, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger. The ordinance was amended to include funeral parlors as a prohibited use.

Resolution 0364-23 6:00 - Mr. Ellinger motioned to establish a price contract with Harp Enterprises Inc. for voting machines, with Ms. Fogle seconding the motion. The resolution passed unanimously 15-0, with all council members voting in favor: Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Sevigny, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial commitments totaling over $2.6 million across multiple city departments and services.

Voting Equipment Contract Resolution 0364-23 authorized a price contract with Harp Enterprises Inc. for voting machines and related services. The contract spans two fiscal years with $268,810 allocated for FY2023 and $326,010 for FY2024, representing a total commitment of $594,820.

Police Helicopter Camera System The Division of Police received approval for Resolution 0410-23, authorizing $447,898 for a camera system installation on the department's helicopter. Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance, Inc. was selected as the contractor for this equipment upgrade.

Emergency Housing Assistance Grant Resolution 0402-23 approved the largest financial item of the meeting, allocating $1,899,853 in Emergency Rental Assistance Grant funds for housing stabilization services. The funding will be distributed between two organizations: Northern Kentucky Legal Aid Society, Inc. and the Kentucky Equal Justice Center. These grant funds are designated to support residents facing housing instability and rental assistance needs.

The three resolutions collectively represent $2,941,571 in city financial commitments, spanning public safety equipment, electoral infrastructure, and social services. The emergency rental assistance represents the largest single allocation, reflecting ongoing community needs for housing support services.

Public Comment

Four community members addressed the council during the public comment period, covering topics ranging from infrastructure concerns to housing issues and park maintenance.

Dottie Bean 3:00 raised concerns about sewer taxes and public engagement. She expressed frustration with the progress of sewer overflow corrections and called for increased transparency regarding how sewer tax funds are being utilized. Bean requested more public engagement from the council on this infrastructure issue.

Corinne O'Brien 3:30 focused her remarks on affordable housing needs in the community. She advocated for stronger tenant protections and urged council members to consider the needs of unhoused individuals when making zoning decisions. O'Brien emphasized the importance of addressing housing affordability as a priority issue.

Ed Hiden 4:00 brought attention to maintenance and expansion needs at the Pleasant Ridge Dog Park. He noted that the facility experiences heavy use but suffers from limited parking availability. Hiden highlighted the need for improvements to better serve the community's pet owners and their animals.

Adrian Williams 4:30 spoke in support of the eviction diversion program, drawing from personal experiences with homelessness to underscore the program's importance. Williams emphasized the critical need for tenant protections and shared how such programs can help prevent individuals and families from losing their housing.

The public comments reflected diverse community concerns, with speakers addressing both infrastructure maintenance issues and social services related to housing stability and homelessness prevention.

Appointments

The council took action on several appointments to various boards and commissions during the meeting.

New Appointments: • Ramsey Bova was appointed to the Economic Development Investment Board • Fiona Young-Brown was appointed to the Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board

Reappointments: • Whitney Baxter was reappointed to the Explorium of Lexington • Hunter Porter was reappointed to the Explorium of Lexington • Douglas Reed was reappointed to the Explorium of Lexington

The appointments included both new members joining boards and existing members being reappointed to continue their service. Three individuals were reappointed to continue serving on the Explorium of Lexington board, while two new appointments were made to the Economic Development Investment Board and Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board respectively.

Contested Items

Two items generated significant debate and disagreement during the April 27, 2023 meeting.

Zone Change for 1008 South Broadway

The proposed zone change for the property at 1008 South Broadway faced opposition and ultimately failed to advance. The ordinance had already been disapproved by the Planning Commission prior to reaching the Council vote. Despite being brought before the Council, the measure failed to secure enough votes to pass, reflecting continued concerns about the proposed zoning modification for this South Broadway location.

Eviction Diversion Program

The Eviction Diversion Program sparked heated discussion among Council members, with debate centering on potential amendments to the proposed program structure. Council members raised specific concerns about liability issues that could arise from the program's implementation, as well as questions about how enforcement mechanisms would work in practice. The discussion revealed differing perspectives among Council members about the program's design and potential legal implications, though the specific nature of the proposed amendments and the positions of individual Council members were not detailed in the available information. The debate highlighted the complexity of balancing tenant protection measures with practical implementation concerns.

Both contested items demonstrate the Council's engagement with significant policy decisions affecting zoning regulations and housing assistance programs, with members expressing substantive concerns that led to extended deliberation on these matters.

Spirit of Lex Award for CIO Valicenti

0:30

Agenda item 0432-23 recognized Chief Information Officer Aldona Valicenti with the Spirit of Lexington award during the April 27, 2023 meeting. Mayor Gorton presented the award to honor Valicenti's significant contributions to advancing the city's technological infrastructure and capabilities.

The presentation acknowledged Valicenti's leadership role in modernizing Lexington's information technology systems and her dedication to improving digital services for residents. As Chief Information Officer, Valicenti has been instrumental in implementing technological solutions that enhance city operations and public access to municipal services.

Mayor Gorton served as the primary speaker for this recognition, with Valicenti also participating in the presentation. The Spirit of Lexington award represents the city's acknowledgment of exceptional service and commitment to the community's welfare and progress.

This agenda item was informational in nature, serving as a formal recognition ceremony rather than requiring any council action or decision-making. The award presentation highlighted the importance of technological advancement in municipal government and recognized the leadership necessary to successfully implement such initiatives.

The recognition of Valicenti's work underscores the city's commitment to leveraging technology to better serve its residents and improve operational efficiency across city departments.

Zone Change for 1008 South Broadway

1:00

The council considered Ordinance 0378-23, which proposed changing the zoning classification for 1008 South Broadway from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1). The Planning Commission had previously reviewed this zoning change request and recommended disapproval.

Mr. Sevigny spoke regarding this agenda item during the council's deliberation.

The proposed zoning change would have allowed for expanded commercial uses at the South Broadway location by transitioning from the more restrictive Professional Office designation to the broader Neighborhood Business classification. However, the Planning Commission's negative recommendation indicated concerns about the appropriateness of this zoning change for the specific location and surrounding area.

Following discussion, the council denied the ordinance, upholding the Planning Commission's recommendation against the zoning change. The property at 1008 South Broadway will retain its current Professional Office (P-1) zoning designation.

Zone Change for 446 East High Street

2:00

The council considered Ordinance 0379-23, which proposed changing the zoning classification for 446 East High Street from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1). The ordinance included an amendment specifically prohibiting funeral parlors from operating at this location.

Ms. LeGris and Mr. Worley served as key speakers during the discussion of this zoning change request. The proposed rezoning would expand the permitted uses for the property from the more restrictive professional office designation to the broader neighborhood business classification, while maintaining certain limitations through the funeral parlor prohibition.

The council ultimately approved the ordinance, allowing the property to transition from P-1 to B-1 zoning with the specified restriction in place. This approval enables a wider range of neighborhood-oriented commercial activities at 446 East High Street while ensuring that funeral services remain prohibited at this location.