Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on June 11, 2024, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed four agenda items, including budget amendments and zoning ordinance changes, with the council taking five votes throughout the session. Three members of the public provided comments on agenda items during the designated public comment period.

The council accomplished significant business during the meeting, approving budget amendments and an Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. Additionally, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Industrial Authority delivered an informational presentation to the council. The meeting combined both action items requiring formal votes and informational presentations to keep council members updated on various municipal matters.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 11, 2024 meeting:

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

Absent: • Fred Brown

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 16 members were present for the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted five votes during the June 11, 2024 meeting, with most items passing by voice vote.

Docket Approval 0:00 Reynolds motioned to approve the docket for the June 13, 2024 council meeting, seconded by Wu. The motion passed by voice vote.

Budget Amendments 0:00 Ellinger motioned to approve budget amendments, with Fogle providing the second. This motion also passed by voice vote.

New Business Items 0:00 A motion to approve new business items passed by voice vote, though the record does not indicate who made or seconded this motion.

Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance 0:00 Baxter motioned to approve the Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment, seconded by Lynch. The motion passed by voice vote.

Drive-Thru Language Amendment 0:00 The most contentious vote involved an amendment by Sheehan, seconded by Reynolds, to remove "or collector" from the drive-thru conditional use language in the B-1 zone. This amendment passed despite opposition from two council members. Ellinger and J. Brown voted against the amendment, while the remaining council members supported it.

All motions that passed received approval through voice votes, with specific vote tallies only recorded for the drive-thru amendment where opposition was noted. The meeting demonstrated general consensus on most agenda items, with the zoning language amendment being the only measure to generate recorded dissent.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial items totaling over $2.2 million in contracts and grant funding.

Public Infrastructure Program Loan Agreement The council considered Resolution 0573-24, authorizing a $500,000 forgivable loan agreement with Wellington Park Apartments LLC under the Public Infrastructure Program. This agreement represents a substantial investment in local housing infrastructure development.

Complete Streets Design Manual Contract Resolution 0586-24 approved a $450,000 contract with Toole Design Group, LLC for the Complete Streets Design Manual project. This initiative will establish comprehensive guidelines for street design that accommodates all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

Water Treatment Plant Upgrades The largest financial item was Resolution 0588-24, which secured $1,281,696 in grant funding for ultraviolet disinfection systems at both municipal treatment plants. This significant infrastructure investment will enhance water treatment capabilities and ensure compliance with safety standards across the city's water treatment facilities.

These three financial actions demonstrate the municipality's commitment to diverse infrastructure needs, spanning housing development, transportation planning, and essential utility services. The combination of loan agreements, professional service contracts, and grant funding reflects a strategic approach to leveraging various funding mechanisms for community improvements.

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the meeting during the public comment period, all focusing on zoning-related matters 0:00.

Lexi Holland introduced herself to the meeting and indicated she was available to answer questions regarding a zoning agenda item. She did not elaborate on the specific nature of the zoning matter but made herself available as a resource for the board.

Ann Rouse spoke about medicinal cannabis zoning regulations. She discussed current zoning provisions for medicinal cannabis operations and specifically requested that the board consider amendments to allow adaptive reuse provisions in certain designated zones. Her comments focused on expanding flexibility within the existing zoning framework for medicinal cannabis facilities.

Amy Clark addressed what she referred to as the "Growth ZOTA" (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment). Clark made two specific requests: first, that the proposed R-2 zone designation be renamed to R-3A, and second, that no amendments be made to the existing R-2 zoning classification at this time. Her comments appeared to focus on maintaining clarity in residential zoning designations and avoiding confusion between different residential zone categories.

All three speakers' comments were brief and focused on technical zoning matters, with each addressing different aspects of the municipality's zoning ordinance. The speakers appeared to be familiar with the zoning processes and made specific, targeted requests rather than general commentary.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among council members.

Drive-thru Facilities in B-1 Zone Amendment

The primary point of contention involved proposed changes to conditional use language for drive-thru facilities within the B-1 zoning district. The specific disagreement centered on an amendment to remove the phrase "or collector" from the existing drive-thru conditional use requirements.

The amendment ultimately passed despite the split vote, indicating that while there was division among the council members, a majority supported the more restrictive language. By removing "or collector" from the conditional use criteria, the amendment appears to have narrowed the circumstances under which drive-thru facilities can be approved in B-1 zones.

The split vote suggests that some council members favored maintaining the broader "or collector" language, which would have provided more flexibility for drive-thru approvals, while others supported the more restrictive approach that ultimately prevailed. However, the specific arguments made by each side and the individual voting positions of council members were not detailed in the available meeting data.

This zoning amendment represents a policy decision that could impact future commercial development in B-1 districts, particularly for businesses seeking to include drive-thru services as part of their operations.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and individual council member positions were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:00

During the public comment period for agenda items, three speakers addressed the meeting to share their perspectives on matters scheduled for discussion.

Speakers: • Lexi Holland • Ann Rouse • Amy Clark

The public comments covered various topics that were set to be discussed later in the meeting, including zoning matters and medicinal cannabis issues. This portion of the meeting provided community members an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns before the formal deliberation of agenda items began.

The comments were received as informational input for the governing body's consideration during their subsequent discussions of the relevant agenda items. No formal action was taken during this public comment period, as is standard practice for this portion of meetings.

Approval of Budget Amendments

0:00

The council considered and approved various budget amendments during the meeting. Sevigny served as the key speaker presenting the budget modifications to the council.

The amendments included both reallocations of existing funds and new appropriations, though specific dollar amounts and departmental allocations were not detailed in the available materials. The budget amendments were presented as a resolution requiring council approval.

The council proceeded to approve the budget amendments without recorded opposition or significant debate based on the available information.

Outcome: The budget amendments were approved by the council.

Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment

0:00

The council considered an Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment during the June 11, 2024 meeting. The discussion was led by key speakers Worley and Sheehan, who presented the proposed amendments to the existing zoning ordinance.

The amendment focused on modifications to the urban growth management provisions within the city's zoning code. While specific details of the proposed changes were not captured in the available materials, the discussion involved revisions to how urban growth is managed and regulated within the municipality's jurisdiction.

Council members Worley and Sheehan guided the deliberation on the ordinance text amendments, addressing the technical aspects of the zoning code modifications. The amendment represents an update to the city's regulatory framework governing urban development and growth patterns.

Following discussion and consideration of the proposed changes, the council voted to approve the Urban Growth Management Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. The approval indicates the council's agreement with the proposed modifications to the existing zoning regulations and their implementation of updated urban growth management policies.

The ordinance amendment will now become part of the city's official zoning code, establishing the revised standards and procedures for managing urban growth within the community.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Industrial Authority Presentation

0:00

Craig Bencz delivered a presentation providing an update on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Industrial Authority and outlined the proposed budget for fiscal year 2024/25. The presentation served as an informational briefing for the meeting attendees.

The agenda item was structured as a presentation format, allowing Bencz to communicate key developments and financial planning for the Industrial Authority's upcoming fiscal year operations. As the primary speaker for this item, Bencz addressed the current status of the Industrial Authority and detailed the budget proposals that would guide the organization's activities and expenditures for FY 2024/25.

This presentation was informational in nature, designed to keep meeting participants informed about the Industrial Authority's operations and financial planning rather than requiring any immediate action or decision from the body. The update provided transparency regarding the Authority's current position and future budgetary needs as it continues its work supporting industrial development within Lexington-Fayette Urban County.

The presentation represents part of the ongoing communication between the Industrial Authority and local government entities, ensuring stakeholders remain informed about the organization's activities and resource requirements for the coming fiscal year.