Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on June 27, 2024, at 6:11 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice Mayor Wu presiding over the session. The council addressed two main agenda items during the meeting, both of which were approved by the body. The session included consideration of establishing Angela Justice Day and a zone change request for Golfview Drive, with both measures receiving council approval.

Throughout the meeting, the council conducted three formal votes on various motions and heard from two members of the public during the public comment period. The meeting demonstrated the council's commitment to both community recognition and land use planning, as evidenced by their unanimous support for honoring Angela Justice with a designated day and their approval of the zoning modification for the Golfview Drive property.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 27, 2024 meeting:

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

Absent: • Elliott Baxter • Gray

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 13 members were present and 2 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the June 27, 2024 meeting, with two ordinances and one resolution receiving approval.

Ordinance 0609-24 - Amending the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Zoning Ordinance passed on a roll call vote of 12-1 2:00. Council member Ellinger made the motion, seconded by Reynolds. Voting in favor were Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, and LeGris. F. Brown cast the sole dissenting vote.

Ordinance 0539-24 - Prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats by pet retail stores also passed, receiving 11 votes in favor with 1 opposed and 1 abstention 3:00. Ellinger again made the motion with Reynolds providing the second. The same council members who supported the zoning ordinance voted yes, except for Worley who abstained from this vote. F. Brown remained the only member voting against the measure.

Resolution 0571-24 - Purchase of Service Agreement with EHI Consultants received unanimous approval with all 13 council members voting in favor 13:00. Fogle made the motion and Reynolds seconded it. The unanimous vote included Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, and LeGris.

The voting pattern showed broad consensus on most items, with F. Brown being the primary dissenting voice on the two ordinances while joining the unanimous support for the service agreement resolution.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved three significant financial agreements during the meeting, totaling over $869,000 in expenditures and contracts.

Wastewater Infrastructure Repairs The council authorized Change Order No. 1 to the contract with Crom, LLC for Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant Concrete Channel Repairs in the amount of $343,177.46 under Resolution 0530-24. This change order represents additional work required for the ongoing wastewater treatment facility improvements.

Traffic Control Infrastructure Resolution 0549-24 approved an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet valued at $426,000 for traffic signals and electrical traffic control devices. This contract will support the installation and maintenance of traffic management systems throughout the city's transportation network.

Fire Department Training Partnership The council passed Resolution 0551-24, establishing a Memorandum of Agreement with Bluegrass Community and Technical College worth $100,000. This partnership will enable fire department personnel to earn college credits, enhancing their professional development and educational opportunities while serving the community.

These three financial actions demonstrate the city's commitment to critical infrastructure maintenance, public safety improvements, and workforce development initiatives across multiple departments and services.

Public Comment

The public comment period featured two speakers addressing issues related to Middle East conflicts and community safety concerns.

Bram Coffee 14:00 spoke to the council expressing disappointment over what he characterized as the council's lack of response to the situation in Palestine. Coffee urged the council to consider adopting a cease-fire resolution, indicating his belief that the local government should take a position on the ongoing conflict.

Rabbi Litman 15:00 addressed the council regarding safety and concerns within the Jewish community. The Rabbi emphasized the importance of standing against hate and spoke about community safety issues affecting local Jewish residents.

Both speakers addressed topics related to Middle East conflicts and their local community impacts, representing different perspectives on how the council should respond to international events and their effects on local residents.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments to local boards and commissions.

Two new members were appointed to the CASA of Lexington Board of Directors: • Jerome Flynn was appointed to serve on the CASA of Lexington Board of Directors • Miranda Wyles was appointed to serve on the CASA of Lexington Board of Directors

Additionally, one reappointment was made to the Planning Commission: • Ivy Barksdale was reappointed to the Planning Commission

These appointments fill important volunteer positions that help support local government operations and community services. CASA of Lexington provides advocacy services for children in the court system, while the Planning Commission reviews development proposals and zoning matters for the city.

Contested Items

Two significant issues generated debate and division during the June 27, 2024 meeting.

Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment

The council faced internal disagreement over the timing of a zoning ordinance text amendment's second reading. The debate centered on whether to postpone the vote due to concerns raised by small business owners about the proposed changes. Council members were split on how to proceed, with some advocating for delay to allow more time for community input and others pushing to move forward with the scheduled vote. After discussion, the council ultimately decided to proceed with the vote rather than postpone it, though the decision reflected the divided opinions among members.

Cease-fire Resolution

Community opposition emerged regarding the council's handling of a proposed cease-fire resolution related to the situation in Palestine. Multiple community members attended the meeting to express their disappointment with the council's lack of action on this resolution. The residents voiced frustration that the council had not taken a position or moved forward with any formal statement regarding the cease-fire. This issue highlighted tensions between community expectations and the council's approach to addressing international political matters at the local level.

Both contested items demonstrated different types of municipal disagreement - the zoning amendment represented internal council division over procedural timing and business community concerns, while the cease-fire resolution reflected broader community-council tensions over the scope of local government's role in addressing global issues. The zoning matter resulted in a decision to proceed despite the split, while the cease-fire resolution remained unresolved, leaving community members expressing continued dissatisfaction with the council's inaction.

Angela Justice Day

The council considered Proclamation 0685-24 declaring June 27, 2024, as Angela Justice Day in Lexington 1:00. The proclamation honored Angela Justice, a special education teacher, for her dedication and achievements in education.

Vice Mayor Wu and J. Brown served as key speakers during the presentation of this proclamation. The item recognized Justice's contributions to the community through her work as a special education teacher, highlighting her commitment to serving students with special needs.

The proclamation was approved by the council, officially designating June 27, 2024, as Angela Justice Day in recognition of her service and accomplishments in the field of special education. No concerns or opposition were raised during the discussion of this honorary proclamation.

Zone Change for Golfview Dr.

The council considered Ordinance 0575-24, which proposed changing the zoning classification for properties on Golfview Drive from Single Family Residential to Townhouse Residential 2:00.

Ellinger served as the key speaker presenting this zoning change request. The ordinance would allow for higher-density residential development on the affected Golfview Drive properties by permitting townhouse construction where previously only single-family homes were allowed.

The council approved the zoning change ordinance, enabling the transition from single-family residential zoning to townhouse residential zoning for the Golfview Drive properties. This approval will allow developers to pursue townhouse projects in the area, representing a shift toward increased residential density along this corridor.