Planning Commission Zoning Items

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on July 25, 2024, at 1:30 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd floor of the LFUCG Government Center at 200 East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky. The commission addressed seven agenda items during the session, taking nine votes on various planning and zoning matters affecting Lexington-Fayette County. Five members of the public provided comments during the meeting.

The commission accomplished significant business, approving five of the seven items considered. Key actions included approving amendments to landscaping and tree protection regulations in Articles 5, 18, and 26 of the zoning ordinance, and granting approval for the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association development plan. The commission also approved a plat revocation for the Lucy Crosby property and a zoning map amendment for Classic Traditions, Inc.

However, the commission denied the Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust zoning map amendment and postponed consideration of solar energy systems regulation. The meeting began with routine approval of minutes from the previous session. Throughout the proceedings, commissioners deliberated on matters ranging from residential development proposals to regulatory updates that will impact future development standards in the county.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on July 25, 2024:

• Zach Davis
• William Wilson
• Ivy Barksdale
• Robin Michler
• Mike Owens
• Graham Pohl
• Judy Worth

Three members were absent:

• J. Davis
• Forester
• Nicol

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The commission took action on nine items during the July 25, 2024 meeting 0:00.

Minutes Approval: Judy Worth motioned to approve the June 13, 2024 public hearing minutes, seconded by Ivy Barksdale. The motion passed unanimously 7-0 with all members voting in favor: Zach Davis, William Wilson, Ivy Barksdale, Robin Michler, Mike Owens, Graham Pohl, and Judy Worth.

PLN-ZOTA-24-00003: William Wilson motioned to postpone the regulation of solar energy systems text amendment, seconded by Graham Pohl. The postponement was approved unanimously 7-0.

Plat Revocation 94-97C: Graham Pohl motioned to approve the plat revocation for Lucy Crosby Property, seconded by Ivy Barksdale. The motion passed 6-1 with conditions provided by staff. Mike Owens cast the sole dissenting vote.

PLN-MAR-24-00007: Mike Owens motioned to disapprove the Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust zoning map amendment, seconded by Judy Worth. The motion failed 7-0 with one abstention, citing non-compliance with the RLMB Plan, 2045 Comprehensive Plan, and RLMB Plan intent.

PLN-MJSUB-24-00005: Mike Owens motioned for indefinite postponement of Volk Estates subdivision plan, seconded by Judy Worth. The postponement was approved 7-0 with one abstention.

PLN-MAR-24-00012: William Wilson motioned to approve the Classic Traditions, Inc zoning map amendment, seconded by Ivy Barksdale. The motion passed unanimously 7-0 with staff-identified conditions.

PLN-MJDP-24-00045: William Wilson motioned to approve the Vernon & Roxie Harris Property development plan, seconded by Ivy Barksdale. The motion passed unanimously 7-0 with staff conditions.

PLN-ZOTA-24-00005: Graham Pohl motioned to approve amendments to Articles 5, 18, and 26 regarding Landscaping and Tree Protection, seconded by William Wilson. The motion passed unanimously 7-0.

PLN-MJDP-23-00076: Mike Owens motioned to reapprove the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association development plan, seconded by William Wilson. The motion passed unanimously 7-0 with additional conditions 18 and 19 and acceptance of the mitigation plan.

Public Comment

Five residents spoke during the public comment period, all expressing concerns about a proposed Hill N Dale development and its potential impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.

Gail Imhiet 0:00 opened the public comment session by addressing stormwater runoff and traffic concerns related to the proposed development. She requested that deed restrictions and traffic calming measures be implemented to mitigate these issues.

Jeff Schwab 0:00 followed with specific concerns about increased traffic volume that would result from the development. He highlighted the potential need for a traffic light installation on Southland Drive to manage the anticipated traffic increase safely.

Carla Rodriguez 0:00 requested that the board postpone the zoning change decision. She cited the lack of a pre-application meeting with the neighborhood as grounds for the delay, suggesting that proper community engagement had not yet occurred.

John Straley 0:00 raised safety concerns, particularly focusing on how increased traffic from the development would impact children in the neighborhood. His comments emphasized the potential dangers that additional vehicle traffic could pose to young residents.

Amy Clark 0:00 concluded the public comment period by discussing the need for comprehensive traffic management and connectivity solutions. She advocated for these issues to be resolved before the board approves the development plan.

All five speakers shared common themes of traffic safety, infrastructure concerns, and the need for proper community planning processes. Their comments collectively called for either postponement of the decision or implementation of significant mitigation measures to address neighborhood impacts.

Contested Items

Two zoning map amendment requests generated significant community opposition during the July 25, 2024 meeting.

Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust Zoning Map Amendment

The Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust's request for a zoning map amendment faced substantial opposition from the community. Residents and officials raised concerns that the proposed amendment did not comply with the RLMB Plan and the 2045 Comprehensive Plan. The disagreement centered on whether the zoning change would align with established planning guidelines and community development standards. Following deliberation on these compliance issues, the zoning map amendment was ultimately disapproved by the governing body.

Classic Traditions, Inc Zoning Map Amendment

Classic Traditions, Inc.'s zoning map amendment proposal also drew community opposition, though it had a different outcome. Local residents voiced significant concerns about the potential impact of the development, specifically citing worries about increased traffic congestion and safety issues that could result from the zoning change. Despite the community pushback regarding traffic and safety implications, the governing body chose to approve the Classic Traditions, Inc. zoning map amendment. However, the approval came with attached conditions, presumably designed to address some of the residents' concerns about traffic flow and safety measures.

Both items demonstrated the tension between development proposals and community interests, with residents actively participating in the public process to voice their concerns about how these zoning changes might affect their neighborhoods and daily lives.

Approval of Minutes

0:00

The meeting began with the review and approval of minutes from the June 13, 2024 public hearing. Judy Worth and Ivy Barksdale participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The minutes were presented for the board's consideration without any noted corrections or amendments during the discussion. Following the review, the minutes from the June 13, 2024 public hearing were approved by the board.

This routine procedural item was completed at the start of the meeting, allowing the board to proceed with the remaining agenda items.

Postponement of Solar Energy Systems Regulation

0:00

The board addressed agenda item 2, a text amendment regarding the regulation of solar energy systems. The item was presented as an ordinance requiring public consideration.

Key speakers William Wilson and Graham Pohl participated in the discussion of this regulatory matter. The proposed text amendment would establish new regulations governing solar energy systems within the jurisdiction.

Rather than proceeding with deliberation on the solar energy systems regulation, the board determined that additional time was needed for proper review and public input. The item was postponed to allow for more comprehensive consideration of the proposed regulatory framework.

Outcome: The solar energy systems regulation text amendment was postponed to the August 22, 2024 public hearing. This postponement will provide additional time for review and ensure proper public participation in the regulatory process before any final action is taken on the solar energy systems ordinance.

Plat Revocation for Lucy Crosby Property

0:00

The meeting addressed a request for revocation of a consolidation plat for the Lucy Crosby Property under agenda item 3. Tom Martin served as the key speaker presenting this ordinance to the governing body.

The agenda item involved revoking a previously approved consolidation plat, though the specific details of the original plat or the reasons necessitating its revocation were not detailed in the available materials. Consolidation plats typically combine multiple parcels of land into a single lot, and revocation would restore the original property boundaries and legal descriptions.

The request proceeded through the meeting without recorded opposition or extensive debate. The governing body approved the plat revocation ordinance, allowing the Lucy Crosby Property to return to its pre-consolidation status.

The approval of this ordinance will have legal implications for the property's future development potential and land use, as the revocation will restore the original lot configurations that existed prior to the consolidation plat.

Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust Zoning Map Amendment

0:00

The council considered a zoning map amendment request submitted by the Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust during agenda item 4. The proposed ordinance sought to modify the existing zoning designation for property owned by the trust.

Key speakers during the discussion included Daniel Crum and Nick Nicholson, who presented information regarding the amendment request and its compliance with existing planning documents.

The primary concern raised during deliberations centered on the proposal's failure to align with established planning guidelines. Specifically, the amendment was found to be non-compliant with both the RLMB Plan and the 2045 Comprehensive Plan, which serve as guiding documents for zoning decisions and development within the jurisdiction.

The council ultimately denied the zoning map amendment request due to these compliance issues. The decision reflects the council's commitment to maintaining consistency with adopted planning frameworks that guide land use decisions in the community.

The Kurt R. Volk Exempt Family Share Trust zoning map amendment was formally disapproved, meaning the current zoning designation for the trust's property will remain unchanged.

Classic Traditions, Inc Zoning Map Amendment

0:00

The council considered a zoning map amendment request from Classic Traditions, Inc during agenda item 5. The proposal was presented as an ordinance requiring council approval.

Daniel Crum and Matt Carter served as the key speakers for this agenda item, providing details about the zoning change request and its implications for the property in question.

Staff had conducted a review of the proposed zoning map amendment and identified specific conditions that would need to be met as part of any approval. These staff-recommended conditions were incorporated into the council's consideration of the request.

The council ultimately approved the Classic Traditions, Inc zoning map amendment, accepting the conditions that had been identified and recommended by city staff. The approval allows the property to proceed under the new zoning designation, subject to compliance with the specified conditions.

The zoning map amendment represents a change to the official zoning map that governs land use regulations for the affected property. Such amendments typically involve changing the zoning classification of a parcel or area to allow for different types of development or land uses than what was previously permitted.

Amendment to Articles 5, 18, and 26: Landscaping and Tree Protection

0:00

The council considered an ordinance amendment to update landscaping and tree protection standards across multiple articles of the municipal code. The proposed changes affect Articles 5, 18, and 26, which govern various aspects of landscaping requirements and tree preservation within the jurisdiction.

Eve Miller and Dick Murphy served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The amendment represents an effort to modernize existing landscaping and tree protection regulations to better align with current environmental standards and development practices.

While the extracted data indicates this was agenda item 6 and received approval from the council, the specific details of the proposed changes, the rationale behind the updates, and any debate that may have occurred during consideration are not available in the provided materials.

The council ultimately approved the amendment to Articles 5, 18, and 26, allowing the updated landscaping and tree protection standards to move forward in the legislative process.

Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington, Inc Development Plan

0:00

The council considered Agenda Item 7, an ordinance regarding the development plan for Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington, Inc. Matt Carter served as the key speaker for this item.

The development plan was reapproved by the council with additional conditions beyond the original approval. As part of the reapproval process, the council also accepted a mitigation plan that had been submitted in connection with the development.

The ordinance was approved, allowing the Shriners Hospital/Masonic Temple Association of Lexington, Inc to proceed with their development project under the newly established conditions and accepted mitigation measures.

*Note: Limited transcript details were available for this agenda item, preventing a more detailed summary of the specific discussions, conditions, or mitigation measures that were considered.*