Urban County Council - Zone Change

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on October 17, 2023, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice Mayor Wu presiding. The meeting addressed one agenda item, Ordinance 0909-23, which was approved by the council. During the session, the council took one official vote and heard from five members of the public during the public comment period. The meeting successfully concluded with the passage of the ordinance under consideration.

Attendance

The following members were present at the October 17, 2023 meeting:

Present: • Vice Mayor Wu • Ellinger • Elliott Baxter • Gray • LeGris • Monarrez • Plomin • Reynolds • Sheehan • Worley • F. Brown • J. Brown

Absent: • Fogle • Lynch • Sevigny

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted one roll call vote during the meeting on October 17, 2023.

Ordinance 0909-23 8:52 The council voted on an ordinance to change the zoning classification for property located at 4075 Old Richmond Road. The proposed change would rezone the property from its current dual designation of Highway Service Business (B-3) zone and Agricultural Rural (A-R) zone to a Community Center (CC) zone.

F. Brown made the motion to approve the ordinance, which was seconded by Elliott Baxter. The measure passed by a vote of 11 ayes to 1 nay, with no abstentions.

Voting in favor (11): • Ellinger • Elliott Baxter • Gray • LeGris • Monarrez • Reynolds • Sheehan • Worley • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown

Voting against (1): • Plomin

The ordinance's approval allows the property at 4075 Old Richmond Road to be developed under Community Center zoning regulations, which typically permits a broader range of commercial and community-oriented uses compared to the previous Highway Service Business and Agricultural Rural designations.

Public Comment

Five residents spoke during the public comment period, all expressing opposition to a proposed development and zoning change affecting Old Richmond Road.

Vicki Watkins 6:45 opened the public comment session by raising concerns about traffic changes and the impact the proposed development would have on the rural character of Old Richmond Road. She emphasized how the development would alter the existing community atmosphere.

Elizabeth Jensen 6:48 followed with concerns about how the proposed development and associated traffic changes could negatively impact her local cattle operation and business. She highlighted the potential economic effects on existing agricultural enterprises in the area.

Mary Diane Hanna 6:54 voiced strong opposition to the zoning change, emphasizing the importance of preserving the area's rural character. She referenced the comprehensive plan's guidelines as supporting her position against the proposed changes.

Arthur Bowman 6:57 raised technical concerns about the proposed development, specifically addressing the high density of the project and potential water runoff issues. He warned that these problems could affect local reservoirs, highlighting environmental and infrastructure concerns.

Taft McKinstry 7:00 concluded the public comment period with legal arguments against the proposal. He contended that the proposed zoning change does not comply with the comprehensive plan or Kentucky statutes, suggesting the development may not meet legal requirements for approval.

All speakers presented a unified opposition to the development proposal, citing concerns ranging from rural character preservation and traffic impacts to environmental issues and legal compliance. The comments focused on protecting the existing agricultural and rural nature of the Old Richmond Road area.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that drew substantial community opposition.

Zone Change for 4075 Old Richmond Road

The proposed zoning change for the property at 4075 Old Richmond Road encountered significant resistance from local residents during the meeting. The community opposition centered on several key concerns regarding the potential impacts of the proposed development.

Local residents expressed strong objections to the zoning change, citing concerns about increased density that would result from the proposed development. Community members voiced worries that the change would lead to more intensive use of the property than currently permitted under existing zoning regulations.

Traffic impacts emerged as another major point of contention, with residents raising concerns about how additional development would affect traffic patterns and congestion in the surrounding neighborhood. The community expressed apprehension that increased vehicle traffic would negatively impact the character and safety of the area.

Environmental impacts also featured prominently in the opposition, with residents highlighting potential negative effects on the local environment that could result from the proposed zoning change and subsequent development.

The nature of the opposition suggests this was a community-driven effort, with multiple local residents participating in voicing their concerns about the proposal. The significant level of community engagement on this item indicates it was viewed as having substantial potential impacts on the neighborhood and surrounding area.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, participant names, and the final outcome of this contested item were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Ordinance 0909-23

5:05

The council considered Ordinance 0909-23, which proposes to rezone property at 4075 Old Richmond Road from B-3 (General Business) and A-R (Agricultural Residential) to CC (Community Commercial) zoning classification. The ordinance would enable a mixed-use development incorporating both residential and commercial components on the site.

Key speakers during the discussion included Traci Wade, Daniel Crum, Bruce Simpson, and Dick Murphy, who presented various aspects of the proposal and addressed questions from council members.

The rezoning request represents a significant change in the permitted uses for the Old Richmond Road property, transitioning from the current mixed zoning of general business and agricultural residential to the more comprehensive community commercial designation. The CC zoning classification would provide greater flexibility for the proposed mixed-use development concept.

The ordinance was approved by the council following the presentation and discussion period. The approval allows the property owner to move forward with development plans that incorporate both residential and commercial elements under the new Community Commercial zoning framework.

This zoning change reflects the community's evolving development patterns and the demand for mixed-use projects that combine housing and commercial services in a single location. The Old Richmond Road corridor appears to be transitioning toward more intensive commercial and residential uses as reflected in this approved rezoning request.