Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on January 23, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting's agenda included two items: a recognition of Lexington East Elite Football Day, which was ultimately removed from consideration, and an informational presentation from the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works. Over the course of the meeting, the Council took 2 votes, heard 1 presentation, and received 2 public comments.

Attendance

All 16 members of the Council were present at the January 23, 2025 meeting. No members were absent or late.

Present: - Mayor Gorton - Boone - Brown - Curtis - Ellinger - Elliott Baxter - Gray - Hale - LeGris - Lynch - Morton - Reynolds - Sevigny - Sheehan - Wu - Beasley

Votes and Decisions

The Council took roll call votes on two ordinances related to short-term rentals at approximately the five-hour mark of the meeting 5:00:00. Both measures were moved by Mr. Sevigny and seconded by Ms. Curtis.

• Ordinance 0032-25 — An ordinance amending Articles to regulate Short Term Rentals in Agricultural Zones. The measure passed 14–0 with 1 abstention. Voting in favor were: Boone, Brown, Curtis, Elliott Baxter, Gray, Hale, LeGris, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, and Beasley. No members voted against.

• Ordinance 1042-24 — An ordinance amending Section 13-77(b)(11) regarding Short-Term Rentals. The measure passed 14–0 with 1 abstention. Voting in favor were: Boone, Brown, Curtis, Elliott Baxter, Gray, Hale, LeGris, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, and Beasley. No members voted against.

Both ordinances passed unanimously among those voting, with one abstention recorded in each case.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered two contract items on behalf of the Division of Water Quality at the January 23, 2025 meeting.

• Resolution 0021-25 authorized a contract with Tribute Acquisition Co. in the amount of $3,602,388 for the Wolf Run Trunk G project for the Division of Water Quality.

• Resolution 0022-25 authorized a contract with Cleary Construction Inc. in the amount of $4,288,460 for the Floyd Drive Trunk project, also for the Division of Water Quality.

Together, the two contracts represent a combined commitment of $7,890,848 in infrastructure work for the Division of Water Quality. Both items were presented as separate resolutions and involved distinct vendors and project scopes within the division's water quality infrastructure program.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the Council during the public comment period at the January 23, 2025 meeting.

• Gill Dunn 1:22:47 spoke in support of allowing short-term rentals in rural areas, specifically within the AG (Agricultural) District. Dunn requested that the Council review the buffer zone requirements associated with short-term rental regulations, suggesting that the current standards warrant reconsideration for properties in rural settings.

• Dave Cooper 1:26:58 raised concerns about snow and ice removal on sidewalks, describing the difficulties pedestrians face when navigating snow- and ice-covered walkways. Cooper emphasized the need for the Council to give greater consideration to pedestrian safety and accessibility during winter conditions.

Appointments

The Council took action on two appointments to the Access Lexington Commission during the January 23, 2025 meeting.

• Joseph Hale was appointed to the Access Lexington Commission.
• Anna Higgins was reappointed to the Access Lexington Commission.

Contested Items

• Short-Term Rentals in Agricultural Zones: Community members raised concerns during the January 23, 2025 Council meeting regarding the proposed buffer zones for short-term rentals in agricultural areas. The disagreement centered on the specific buffer zone requirements governing where short-term rentals would be permitted within agricultural zones. No additional details about the specific parties involved beyond general community members, the precise nature of their objections, or the outcome of the discussion are available in the meeting record.

Lexington East Elite Football Day

Agenda Item 0098-25 0:05

This agenda item, titled "Lexington East Elite Football Day," was scheduled as a presentation before the Council. Vice Mayor Wu noted that the item had been removed from the docket, and no presentation took place. No discussion, debate, or public comment on the matter was recorded.

Dept. of Environmental Quality and Public Works Presentation

Agenda Item: 0100-25 5:47

Commissioner Nancy Albright delivered a presentation on the department's response to recent winter weather events. The presentation covered the department's snow and ice plans, road ranking procedures, and the various challenges encountered during the weather response efforts.

The presentation was informational in nature, providing the Council with an overview of how the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works managed winter weather conditions, including the prioritization framework used to address roads and the operational hurdles faced during the events.

No vote or formal action was taken as a result of this agenda item.