Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on March 19, 2024, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice Mayor Wu presiding over the session. The council addressed six agenda items during the meeting, covering a range of municipal business from zoning matters to budget considerations and legislative updates.

The council took action on three formal motions during the session, approving requested rezonings and docket items, budget amendments, and new business items. Two public comments were heard from citizens addressing issues on the agenda, providing community input on matters before the council.

The meeting included both action items and informational presentations. In addition to the approved business items, the council received presentations on continuing business matters and an informational briefing on medicinal cannabis legislation. The session demonstrated the council's regular work of municipal governance, balancing public input with legislative action on zoning, budgetary, and policy matters affecting Lexington-Fayette County residents.

Attendance

The following members were present at the March 19, 2024 meeting:

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

Absent: • Mayor Gorton

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were in attendance, with one absence recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included three unanimous votes on various agenda items.

Approval of March 5, 2024 Work Session Summary 0:30 Ellinger II motioned to approve the March 5, 2024 Work Session Summary, with Gray providing the second. The motion passed unanimously.

Approval of New Business 1:30 Plomin made a motion to approve New Business items, seconded by Gray. This motion also passed with unanimous support from all members present.

Resolution Establishing Lex Grow Trees Grant Program 2:00 Sheehan motioned to approve a resolution establishing the Lex Grow Trees Grant Program, with LeGris seconding the motion. The resolution passed unanimously.

All three votes were conducted as voice votes with unanimous consent, with no recorded individual vote tallies or roll call votes taken during the meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed multiple financial items totaling over $764,000 in expenditures and grant applications.

Contracts and Agreements

The council considered Resolution 0264-24 for a $14,600 cost-sharing assessment with VisitLex for wayfinding signs. Three neighborhood associations received annual concession agreements of $6,000 each: the Oakwood Neighborhood Association (Resolution 0278-24), Cardinal Valley Park Activity Board (Resolution 0279-24), and Meadowthorpe Neighborhood Association (Resolution 0280-24).

A significant engineering contract was proposed under Resolution 0286-24, awarding Prime AE $424,619 for North Limestone Improvements services. The Commission on Fire Accreditation International would receive $8,000 under Resolution 0275-24 for a fire accreditation letter of agreement.

Sole Source Purchases

Several sole source procurement items were presented. Resolution 0265-24 authorized a contract with Atlantic Emergency Solutions, though no dollar amount was specified. Two substantial equipment purchases included Resolution 0266-24 for $61,286.40 in replacement parts from HACH Company and Resolution 0267-24 for $104,925.00 in replacement parts from Southern Sales.

Grant Application

Resolution 0287-24 authorized a grant application to the Kentucky 911 Service Board requesting $132,516.59 in funding.

The financial actions represented a mix of infrastructure improvements, equipment maintenance, community partnerships, and emergency services enhancements. The largest single expenditure was the Prime AE engineering contract at over $424,000, while the equipment purchases from HACH Company and Southern Sales combined for more than $166,000 in replacement parts.

Public Comment

The public comment period was brief, with two registered speakers who both chose to waive their speaking opportunities.

Jose Fallas was called to speak on issues on the agenda but waived his opportunity to address the meeting 3:00.

Leah Weddle was also called to speak on issues on the agenda but similarly waived her opportunity to speak 3:30.

No public comments were delivered during this portion of the meeting, as both registered speakers declined to use their allotted time.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one primary area of contention during discussions of medicinal cannabis legislation.

Medicinal Cannabis Legislation

The council engaged in a heated discussion regarding the implications of new state legislation on medicinal cannabis and the local government's limited authority in regulating such matters. The disagreement centered on how the municipality should respond to the state-level changes and what role, if any, local government could play in implementation or oversight.

The nature of the dispute involved questions about the scope of local regulatory authority versus state preemption in cannabis-related matters. Council members appeared divided on the appropriate municipal response to the new legislation.

No specific outcome or resolution was indicated in the available meeting data for this contested item. The discussion remained unresolved at the time the information was recorded.

*Note: Specific participant names, vote tallies, and detailed positions were not available in the source materials. Timestamp information was not provided for this agenda item.*

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:10

No members of the public provided comments on issues appearing on the meeting agenda during this portion of the March 19, 2024 meeting. The public comment period for agenda items was opened and closed without any speakers coming forward to address the governing body.

This agenda item provided an opportunity for community members to speak directly to officials about specific matters scheduled for discussion or action during the meeting. However, no citizens chose to participate in this public input session.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

0:20 The council considered several rezoning requests during this agenda item, with the primary focus on converting properties from light industrial to business zone classifications.

Council Member LeGris and Council Member Reynolds were the key participants in the discussion of these rezoning matters. The council reviewed multiple docket items that involved changing zoning designations to better align with current and planned land use in various areas of the jurisdiction.

The rezoning requests specifically involved transitions from light industrial zoning to business zones, which typically allows for a broader range of commercial activities while maintaining compatibility with surrounding development patterns. These types of zoning changes often reflect evolving economic needs and development trends in communities.

The council ultimately approved the rezoning items that were presented for consideration. The approval of these docket items will allow the affected properties to operate under their new business zone classifications, potentially enabling different types of commercial development or business operations than what was previously permitted under the light industrial designation.

No significant concerns or opposition were noted during the discussion of these rezoning requests, and the items moved forward with council approval as part of the regular docket approval process.

Budget Amendments

1:00

The Council reviewed and approved several budget amendments during the meeting. Council Member Fred Brown served as the primary speaker for this agenda item, presenting the proposed financial reallocations to the Council.

The amendments included reallocations for paving projects and adjustments to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The discussion focused on redistributing existing budget allocations to better align with current municipal priorities and project needs.

Council Member Brown outlined the specific budget transfers and provided context for the proposed changes. The amendments were designed to ensure proper funding allocation for infrastructure improvements, particularly road paving initiatives, while also addressing the appropriate use of federal ARPA funding.

The Council approved the budget amendments as presented, allowing the city to proceed with the revised financial allocations. This approval enables the municipality to move forward with the adjusted spending plan and ensures adequate funding for the identified projects and programs.

New Business

During the new business portion of the March 19, 2024 meeting 1:30, the council addressed several contracts and agreements for various city projects.

Director Martin presented the new business items to the council, providing details on the proposed contracts and agreements under consideration. Council Member James Brown participated in the discussion of these items.

The council reviewed and discussed multiple city project contracts and agreements, though the specific details of individual contracts were not specified in the available materials. The discussion covered various municipal initiatives requiring council approval.

Following the presentation and discussion of the new business items, the council approved the contracts and agreements as presented. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the deliberation process.

The new business discussion concluded with the council's approval of the proposed items, allowing the various city projects to move forward as planned.

Continuing Business/Presentations

2:30

During the continuing business portion of the meeting, presentations were delivered focusing on neighborhood development funds and council capital projects. Council Member Fogle served as a key speaker during this segment.

The presentations provided information on ongoing municipal initiatives related to neighborhood development funding mechanisms and capital project planning under council oversight. These presentations were informational in nature, designed to update attendees on the status and progress of these municipal programs.

The agenda item was classified as informational, indicating that no formal action or voting was required following the presentations. The session served to keep council members and the public informed about current neighborhood development initiatives and capital project activities within the municipality's purview.

Medicinal Cannabis Legislation

3:45

Commissioner Susan Speckert and Director Jim Duncan delivered a presentation on medicinal cannabis legislation, focusing on the legal framework and local government authority in this area.

The presentation provided an informational overview of the current regulatory landscape surrounding medicinal cannabis and examined the scope of local government powers and responsibilities under existing legislation. The speakers outlined the legal parameters that govern how local jurisdictions can address medicinal cannabis within their communities.

Director Duncan and Commissioner Speckert explained the statutory framework that defines local government authority regarding medicinal cannabis operations and regulations. The presentation covered the legal boundaries and requirements that local governments must navigate when considering policies related to medicinal cannabis facilities and programs.

The session was structured as an informational briefing, with the speakers providing educational content about the legislative landscape rather than proposing specific policy changes or seeking formal action from the governing body. The presentation aimed to enhance understanding of the complex legal environment surrounding medicinal cannabis and clarify the extent of local government jurisdiction in this regulatory area.

No formal decisions were made during this agenda item, as it served purely as an educational presentation to inform officials about the current state of medicinal cannabis legislation and local government authority within that framework.