Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on January 23, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on zoning matters, with the council considering three separate ordinances related to zone changes across different areas of the county. All three zoning ordinances were approved by the council, including changes from Professional Office to Neighborhood Business, Mixed Low Density Residential to Neighborhood Business, and Agricultural Urban to Planned Neighborhood Residential. The council conducted three votes during the session and heard one public comment regarding the agenda items.

Attendance

The following members were present at the January 23, 2024 meeting:

• Reynolds
• Sheehan
• Worley
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Ellinger
• Elliott Baxter
• Fogle
• Gray
• LeGris
• Lynch
• Monarrez
• Plomin

Absent: Sevigny, Wu

No members arrived late to the meeting.

A total of 13 members were present and 2 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three votes during the January 23, 2024 meeting, all of which passed unanimously with all 13 members present voting in favor.

Ordinances on Second Reading 2:00 Councilmember Fogle motioned to approve ordinances on second reading, with Councilmember Gray providing the second. The motion passed by roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Plomin.

Resolutions on Second Reading 10:00 Councilmember Plomin motioned to approve resolutions on second reading, seconded by Councilmember Sheehan. The roll call vote resulted in unanimous approval with 13 ayes and 0 nays. The same 13 council members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Plomin.

Disciplinary Action Against Officer Brandon Holbrook 11:00 Councilmember Reynolds motioned to approve disciplinary action against Officer Brandon Holbrook, with Councilmember Monarrez seconding the motion. The vote was recorded as unanimous with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members supported the disciplinary action: Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Plomin.

All three votes demonstrated complete council unity, with no opposition or abstentions recorded on any of the measures considered during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three financial items totaling $212,370 across contracts and grant funding.

Road Weather Information Systems Contract Resolution 0003-24 authorized a $10,100 contract with Tapco/Vue Robotics for Road Weather Information Systems modems. This equipment will support the county's weather monitoring infrastructure for road maintenance operations.

Fire Department Promotional Process Contract Resolution 0005-24 approved a $149,250 contract with Cooperative Personnel Services d/b/a CPS HR Consulting to conduct promotional processes for Fire Captains and Fire Majors positions. This represents the largest financial commitment of the meeting and will support the fire department's personnel advancement procedures.

Stormwater Quality Project Grant Resolution 0017-24 allocated $53,020 in grant funding to Friends of Wolf Run, Inc. for a Stormwater Quality Project. This environmental initiative will address water quality concerns in the Wolf Run watershed area.

The three resolutions collectively demonstrate the county's investment in infrastructure monitoring, public safety personnel development, and environmental protection initiatives. The fire department promotional contract represents approximately 70% of the total financial commitments approved during this meeting.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the council regarding international affairs and their local impact.

Ala Hassan spoke at 12:00 about the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. Hassan urged the council to support a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict. The speaker emphasized the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict and highlighted its impact on local communities. Hassan's comments focused on encouraging council action through formal resolution to address the international situation.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community members to bring forward concerns about both local and international issues affecting residents.

Appointments

The meeting included one appointment action during the proceedings.

Patrick Jorgensen was appointed to the position of Municipal Engineer Sr. This appointment represents a staffing decision for the municipality's engineering department.

No additional details regarding the appointment process, qualifications, or effective date were provided in the available meeting materials.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one primary contested item that drew community opposition and discussion among board members.

Disciplinary Action Against Officer Brandon Holbrook

The most significant point of contention involved disciplinary measures taken against Officer Brandon Holbrook related to a pursuit violation. Community members and board participants expressed concerns that extended beyond the specific incident, raising broader questions about the frequency of similar violations within the department.

The discussion revealed underlying tensions about officer conduct and departmental oversight. Participants voiced worries about what they perceived as a pattern of pursuit-related incidents, suggesting that the Holbrook case might represent a systemic issue rather than an isolated event.

A notable aspect of the debate centered on officer mental health support. Several speakers emphasized the need for enhanced mental health resources and support systems for law enforcement personnel, arguing that such programs could help prevent future violations and improve overall officer performance and well-being.

The contested nature of this item stemmed from differing perspectives on how to address both the immediate disciplinary matter and the broader concerns it raised. While some focused on the specific violation and appropriate consequences for Officer Holbrook, others pushed for a more comprehensive examination of departmental policies and support structures.

The discussion highlighted the complex balance between accountability for officer conduct and recognition of the mental health challenges faced by law enforcement personnel. Community opposition appeared to center not necessarily on the disciplinary action itself, but on concerns about whether the department was adequately addressing root causes of such incidents and providing sufficient support to prevent future occurrences.

The outcome of this contested item was not clearly resolved during the meeting, with the discussion serving more as a forum for expressing concerns and identifying areas for potential policy review and improvement.

Ordinance changing zone from Professional Office to Neighborhood Business

2:00

The council considered an ordinance to rezone property at 1617 Clays Mill Road from Professional Office (P-1) Zone to Neighborhood Business (B-1) Zone.

Key speakers during the discussion included council members Fogle and Gray, who addressed various aspects of the proposed zoning change. The rezoning would allow for expanded commercial uses at the Clays Mill Road location under the Neighborhood Business classification.

The ordinance was approved by the council, allowing the property owner to proceed with development plans that align with B-1 zoning requirements rather than the more restrictive Professional Office designation.

*Note: Additional details about the specific discussion points, concerns raised, or conditions attached to the approval were not available in the provided meeting materials.*

Ordinance changing zone from Mixed Low Density Residential to Neighborhood Business

2:00

The council considered an ordinance to rezone two properties at 760 and 762 Florence Avenue from Mixed Low Density Residential (R-2) to Neighborhood Business (B-1).

Key speakers during the discussion included Fogle and Gray, who presented information about the proposed zoning change. The ordinance would allow the properties to transition from residential use to neighborhood business use, expanding commercial opportunities in the area.

The council approved the ordinance, completing the zoning change for the Florence Avenue properties from R-2 to B-1 designation.

Ordinance changing zone from Agricultural Urban to Planned Neighborhood Resident

2:00

The council considered an ordinance to rezone property at 5447 Tates Creek Road from Agricultural Urban (A-U) Zone to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) Zone.

Council members Fogle and Gray were the key speakers during discussion of this zoning change. The ordinance would allow for residential development at a higher density than currently permitted under the agricultural zoning designation.

The rezoning request was approved by the council, allowing the property owner to proceed with planned neighborhood residential development on the Tates Creek Road site. The change from A-U to R-3 zoning enables more intensive residential use of the property while maintaining planned development standards.