Planning Commission Subdivision Items

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission met on June 8, 2023, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, with Larry Forester presiding. The commission addressed four agenda items during the session, including routine administrative matters and a presentation on future planning initiatives. The meeting included 14 motions and votes on various matters, with the commission approving minutes from previous meetings, performance bonds and letters of credit, and postponements and withdrawals of certain items. One member of the public provided comments during the public comment period. The commission also received an informational presentation on the Imagine New Circle Road Corridor Plan, which did not require formal action but provided updates on ongoing planning efforts for the corridor.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 8, 2023 meeting:

• Larry Forester
• Judy Worth
• Ivy Barksdale
• Zach Davis
• Robin Michler
• Janice Meyer
• Frank Penn
• Bruce Nicol
• Graham Pohl
• Anthony de Movellan

Absent: Bell

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took 14 votes during the meeting, with most items receiving unanimous approval or postponement.

Administrative Items The commission approved the May 11, 2023 minutes by roll call vote with 8 ayes, 0 nays, and 2 abstentions 0:30. Judy Worth motioned and Zach Davis seconded. Performance bonds and letters of credit were unanimously approved 10-0 1:30, with Frank Penn making the motion and Anthony de Movellan seconding.

Postponements Seven development projects were postponed to future meetings:

• PLN-MJDP-23-00031 GREYLINE STATION & MARKET was postponed to June 22, 2023 2:30
• PLN-MJDP-23-00029 RED MILE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT was postponed to July 13, 2023 3:30
• PLN-MJDP-23-00030 KINGSTON HALL, UNIT 1, LOT 8 was postponed to July 13, 2023 4:30
• PLN-MJDP-18-00004 TRIPLE STARS PROPERTY was postponed to July 13, 2023 5:30
• PLN-MJDP-22-000045 DISTILLERY DISTRICT WEST was postponed to July 13, 2023 6:30
• PLN-MJDP-23-00022 GLEN CREEK (DOVE CREEK) was postponed to July 13, 2023 7:30
• PLN-MJDP-23-00032 HOMER C. RATLIFF PROPERTY was postponed to July 13, 2023 8:30

All postponements passed unanimously 10-0.

Approvals Four development projects received unanimous approval:

• PLN-MJDP-23-00023 RML - CITATION (HILLENMEYER INTEREST LTD) LOT 3 9:30
• PLN-MJDP-23-00028 HADDIX PROPERTY (A PORTION OF) AND BUCKLEY & COWGILL WAREHOUSE 10:30
• PLN-MJSUB-23-00003 COLDSTREAM FARM PHASE II PROPERTY 11:30, with the condition that lot 12 should have an access easement to the U.K. Coldstream property
• PLN-MJDP-23-00025 ROSE H. BRIGDEN & MARK MCCLURE PROPERTY 12:30

The commission also unanimously adopted the Imagine New Circle Road Corridor Plan as an amendment to Imagine Lexington 2018 Comprehensive Plan 13:30.

Public Comment

During the public comment portion of the meeting, one speaker addressed the council regarding local infrastructure concerns.

Council Member Gray spoke about the New Circle Road Corridor 14:30, expressing concerns about the current state of New Circle Road. Gray emphasized the need for improvements to the corridor and discussed the desire to change the public perception of the area, which is currently viewed primarily as a location for car dealerships. The council member highlighted the importance of transforming this corridor to better serve the community's needs and improve its overall image.

No other public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The commission made three appointments to the Nominating Committee for Commission Officers during the June 8, 2023 meeting.

The following individuals were appointed to serve on the Nominating Committee for Commission Officers:

• Bruce Nicol - appointed
• Ivy Barksdale - appointed
• Janice Meyer - appointed

All three appointments were approved during the meeting to establish the committee responsible for nominating commission officers.

Approval of Minutes

0:30

The commission reviewed and approved the minutes from their May 11, 2023 meeting during this agenda item.

Key speakers Judy Worth and Zach Davis participated in the discussion regarding the accuracy and completeness of the previously recorded meeting minutes.

The minutes were ultimately approved by the commission, indicating that members found the documentation of the May 11, 2023 meeting to be satisfactory and accurate.

Performance Bonds and Letters of Credit

1:30

The commission reviewed and discussed performance bonds and letters of credit during this agenda item. Staff presented the bonds and letters of credit for commission consideration.

Key speakers during this discussion included Frank Penn and Anthony de Movellan, who addressed the commission regarding the performance bonds and letters of credit under review.

The commission ultimately approved the performance bonds and letters of credit as presented by staff. No specific concerns or objections were noted during the discussion of this item.

The approval of these financial instruments allows the associated projects or contracts to move forward with the required financial assurances in place.

Postponements and Withdrawals

2:30

The commission reviewed requests for postponements and withdrawals of several development plans during this agenda item. The discussion involved three key speakers: Zach Davis, Frank Penn, and Janice Meyer.

The commissioners considered multiple requests from developers and applicants seeking to either postpone their scheduled hearings or withdraw their applications entirely. While the specific details of individual cases were not provided in the available materials, this type of agenda item typically involves routine administrative matters where applicants may need additional time to prepare their proposals, address technical issues, or respond to staff comments.

The commission's consideration of these requests allows for orderly management of the meeting schedule and ensures that applicants have adequate opportunity to present complete and well-prepared proposals when they do come before the commission for review.

Following discussion among the commissioners, all postponement and withdrawal requests presented during this agenda item were approved. This outcome suggests that the requests were deemed reasonable and appropriate by the commission members.

This administrative item helps maintain the efficiency of the commission's review process by allowing cases that are not ready for consideration to be rescheduled rather than proceeding with incomplete or inadequately prepared presentations.

Imagine New Circle Road Corridor Plan

13:30

The commission received an informational presentation on the Imagine New Circle Road Corridor Plan during the June 8, 2023 meeting. The presentation was delivered by key speakers Kenzi Gleason and Lewis Johnson, who discussed potential improvements and future developments planned for the New Circle Road corridor.

The presentation focused on outlining the vision and proposed enhancements for this important transportation corridor. Gleason and Johnson provided details about the planning process and shared concepts for how the corridor could be improved to better serve the community's needs.

The agenda item was structured as an informational presentation, allowing commissioners to learn about the corridor planning initiative and understand the scope of potential improvements being considered. The discussion covered various aspects of future development possibilities along New Circle Road.

This presentation served as an opportunity for the commission to stay informed about ongoing planning efforts for one of the area's significant transportation routes. The Imagine New Circle Road Corridor Plan represents a comprehensive approach to evaluating and improving this key infrastructure asset.

The item concluded as an informational session, with no formal action required from the commission at this time. The presentation provided commissioners with important background information about the corridor planning process and the vision for future improvements along New Circle Road.