Urban County Council Public Hearing: Zone Change

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on February 13, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice Mayor Wu presiding. The meeting focused on a single agenda item regarding a zone change request for Joyland Crossing, LLC, which was ultimately approved by the council. During the proceedings, the council heard from six members of the public who provided comments on the matter under consideration. The meeting concluded with one formal vote taken by the council members, resulting in the approval of the zone change application.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 13, 2024 meeting:

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

Absent: • Reynolds

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted one recorded vote during the February 13, 2024 meeting.

Ordinance 0002-24 7:20 The council voted on An Ordinance changing the zone from a Highway Service Business (B-3) Zone and Single Family Residential (R-1B) Zone to a Medium Density Residential (R-4) Zone for property located at 2200 Old Paris Rd. and 2324 Paris Pike.

F. Brown made the motion, which was seconded by Elliott Baxter. The ordinance passed by a roll call vote of 10 ayes to 3 nays, with no abstentions.

Voting in favor (10): • Sheehan • Worley • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Elliott Baxter • LeGris • Lynch • Monarrez

Voting against (3): • Gray • Plomin • Sevigny

The rezoning ordinance received the necessary votes to pass and will change the zoning designation for the specified properties on Old Paris Road and Paris Pike from commercial and single-family residential uses to medium density residential development.

Public Comment

Six community members provided public comment during the meeting, with most expressing concerns about a proposed development's impact on traffic and safety.

Stacy Underhill 6:22 raised concerns about increased traffic and pedestrian safety issues that would result from the proposed development. She cited existing traffic congestion and inadequate parking as current problems that would be worsened by the project.

Lynne Slone 6:25 requested specific conditions be placed on the development to protect her adjacent rural property. She asked for buffering and lighting requirements to minimize the impact of the proposed project on her land.

Karen Payne 6:28 voiced concerns about existing traffic congestion and safety issues in the area. She expressed belief that the new development would exacerbate these already problematic conditions.

Dave Cooper 6:31 described current traffic conditions as chaotic and suggested that installing a traffic light should be a required condition before construction begins on the development.

Debbie Aminoff 6:34 read a letter from a neighbor who opposed the development. The letter outlined concerns about the project's height, traffic impacts, and potential environmental effects.

Zach Skubiz 6:37 provided the sole voice of support for the development during public comment. He argued that the community needs additional housing and suggested that increased pedestrian presence in the area could actually improve safety conditions.

The public comment period revealed a clear divide in community opinion, with five speakers raising concerns about traffic, safety, and environmental impacts, while one speaker supported the project based on housing needs and potential safety benefits from increased foot traffic.

Contested Items

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

Zone Change for Joyland Crossing, LLC

The proposed zone change for Joyland Crossing, LLC became the primary source of contention during the meeting. Community members voiced significant opposition to the proposal, raising multiple concerns about the potential impacts of the development.

The opposition centered on three main areas of concern:

• Traffic Impact: Residents expressed worries about increased traffic congestion that would result from the proposed development
• Safety Issues: Community members raised concerns about potential safety hazards associated with the zone change
• Environmental Impact: Opposition included concerns about the environmental effects the development might have on the surrounding area

The nature of the community opposition suggests this was a well-organized effort by local residents to challenge the proposed zoning modification. Multiple community members participated in voicing their concerns about how the zone change would affect their neighborhood and quality of life.

The structured opposition indicates that residents had conducted their own analysis of the potential impacts and came prepared to present specific objections to the zoning proposal. The combination of traffic, safety, and environmental concerns represents the typical range of issues that communities raise when opposing development projects in their area.

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

Zone Change for Joyland Crossing, LLC

5:00

The council considered Ordinance 0002-24, a zone change request from Joyland Crossing, LLC to rezone property at 2200 Old Paris Rd. and 2324 Paris Pike. The proposal sought to change the current zoning from Highway Service Business (B-3) Zone and Single Family Residential (R-1B) Zone to Medium Density Residential (R-4) Zone.

Vice Mayor Wu led the discussion of the ordinance. Several speakers participated in the proceedings, including Traci Wade, Daniel Crum, Richard Murphy, and Catherin Perkins, though the specific details of their comments and positions were not provided in the available materials.

The zone change would allow for medium-density residential development on the combined properties, representing a shift from the current mixed commercial and low-density residential zoning. The R-4 zoning classification typically permits higher density housing options than single-family residential zones while maintaining residential character.

Following discussion among council members and input from the speakers, the ordinance was approved. The successful zone change clears the way for Joyland Crossing, LLC to proceed with their medium-density residential development plans for the Paris Pike corridor properties.