Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on January 14, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting included 3 agenda items, covering public comment, rezoning and docket approvals, and budget amendments. Both the Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval and Budget Amendments items were approved during the session. Over the course of the meeting, the Council heard 3 public comments and conducted 5 votes.

Attendance

The following 14 members were present at the January 14, 2025 Council meeting: Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger II, Fogle, Lynch, LeGris, Sheehan, Gray, Worley, F. Brown, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Plomin.

• Absent: Monarrez
• Late arrivals: None

Votes and Decisions

The January 14, 2025 Council meeting included five recorded motions and votes.

• Approval of the December 3, 2024 Council Meeting Docket (as amended): Moved by Ellinger II, seconded by Wu. The motion passed unanimously. 0:00

• Motion to place a Resolution approving the Economic Development Partnership on the December 3, 2024 docket under Resolutions – First Reading: Moved by J. Brown, seconded by Gray. The motion passed unanimously. 0:00

- Motion to amend the Zoning Ordinance relating to Short Term Rentals (STR), Sec. 3-13(g)(1): Moved by Sevigny, seconded by Gray. The motion failed on a roll call vote of 4 ayes to 10 nays. - *Voting yes:* LeGris, Sheehan, Gray, Sevigny - *Voting no:* Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger II, Fogle, Lynch, Worley, F. Brown, Baxter, Reynolds, Plomin 0:00

• Motion to amend the Zoning Ordinance relating to Short Term Rentals (STR), Sec. 3-13(l): Moved by Sevigny, seconded by Gray. The motion passed unanimously. 0:00

- Motion to set a public hearing for February 25th at 5:30 p.m. for ordinance number two: Moved by Morton, seconded by Gray. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 9 ayes, 5 nays, and 1 abstention. - *Voting yes:* Wu, Ellinger II, Fogle, Lynch, LeGris, Sheehan, Gray, Sevigny, Reynolds - *Voting no:* J. Brown, Worley, F. Brown, Baxter, Plomin 1:06:08

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered three financial items at the January 14, 2025 meeting, each involving sole source or contract modification authorizations:

• L0001-25 — The Council took up authorization for a sole source purchase agreement with Design2Wellness in the amount of $95,997.05 for exercise equipment to be installed at the Dunbar Community Center. The sole source designation reflects that Design2Wellness was identified as the unique provider for this equipment purchase.

• L0002-25 — The Council considered authorization to establish FARO Technologies Inc. as a sole source vendor for annual maintenance services for the FARO 3D Crime Scene Scanner. The value of this maintenance agreement is $2,240. As the manufacturer of the specialized scanning equipment, FARO Technologies Inc. was designated as the sole qualified provider for ongoing maintenance support.

• L0003-25 — The Council reviewed authorization to execute Contract Modification #1 with HDR Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $85,020 related to the Citation Boulevard Phase IIIA Project. This modification adjusts the existing contract with HDR Engineering to account for additional scope or services associated with the project.

Combined, the three financial actions represent a total of approximately $183,257.05 in authorized expenditures across equipment procurement, maintenance services, and engineering contract modifications.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the Council during the public comment period at the January 14, 2025 meeting, all raising concerns related to development and zoning matters.

• Michelle Hutchinson 9:52, representing the Marlboro Radcliffe Neighborhood Association, spoke about the Transylvania Development Plan. She expressed concerns about the plan's potential negative impacts on current residents and formally requested that the Council hold a public hearing on the matter.

• Jean Widener 18:25, a District 1 resident, also addressed the Transylvania development, focusing specifically on drainage issues associated with the proposed zoning change. She urged the Council to vote against the zoning change.

• Scott Sloan 18:57 read a prepared statement on behalf of his mother, raising concerns about the effects the proposed development would have on traffic and infrastructure in the area.

All three speakers shared opposition to the proposed development and zoning change, with concerns spanning neighborhood impact, drainage, traffic, and infrastructure.

Appointments

The Council took the following appointment action during the January 14, 2025 meeting:

• Elizabeth Withers was appointed to the role of Legislative Aide.

Contested Items

Two items generated notable disagreement during the January 14, 2025 Council meeting.

Transylvania Development Plan

The Transylvania Development Plan drew community opposition, with residents raising concerns about the proposal's potential effects on traffic, infrastructure, and neighborhood character. The opposition was significant enough that a public hearing was requested, indicating that the matter was not resolved to the satisfaction of those present and would require further public input before moving forward.

Zoning Ordinance Amendments — Short Term Rentals

The Council was divided over proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance concerning Short Term Rentals. The split among council members was reflected in the voting outcomes: some motions related to the amendments passed while others failed, suggesting that no unified position was reached on the full scope of the proposed changes. The mixed results indicate ongoing disagreement about how short-term rental activity should be regulated under the zoning code.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

9:52

During this portion of the meeting, members of the public were invited to address the Council on items appearing on the agenda. Comments focused on the Transylvania Development Plan and its potential impact on local neighborhoods.

Three speakers addressed the Council on this topic:

• Michelle Hutchinson
• Jean Widener
• Scott Sloan

The public comments centered on concerns related to the Transylvania Development Plan and how it could affect surrounding neighborhoods. This item was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken as a result of the public comment period.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

0:00

The Council took up the matter of requested rezonings and docket approval, covering items from the December 3, 2024 Council Meeting. The discussion included consideration of resolutions and zoning ordinance amendments included in that docket.

Key speakers during this agenda item were Ellinger II, Wu, and J. Brown. The structured record does not detail the specific arguments, concerns, or debate points raised by individual speakers beyond their participation in the discussion.

The Council ultimately approved the docket from the December 3, 2024 Council Meeting, including its associated resolutions and zoning ordinance amendments.

Budget Amendments

1:09:38

The Council took up a series of budget amendments, which included reallocations for community paramedicine and other projects. Key speakers on this item were Ellinger II and Gray.

The amendments addressed various adjustments to the existing budget, with community paramedicine identified as one of the areas receiving reallocated funds. No additional detail on the specific dollar amounts, funding sources, or the full scope of other projects covered under the amendments is available from the meeting record.

The Council approved the budget amendments.