General Government & Planning (GGP) Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government & Planning (GGP) Committee met on March 10, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the Council Chamber of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. The committee addressed 4 agenda items during the session, beginning with the approval of the February 10, 2026 Committee Summary. The remaining three items — covering solar energy systems, development process efficiencies, and Planning & Development Study Recommendations 8 & 10 — were presented as informational items. A total of 4 motions and votes were taken during the meeting, and no public comments were heard.

Attendance

The following 10 members were present at the March 10, 2026 Committee meeting:

• Liz Sheehan
• Shayla Lynch
• Dan Wu
• James Brown
• Chuck Ellinger II
• Emma Curtis
• Whitney Elliott Baxter
• Dave Sevigny
• Jennifer Reynolds
• Hilary Boone

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took action on two items during the March 10, 2026 meeting, with one item (0212-26) generating multiple motions and roll call votes.

Motion 0097-26 — Approval of February 10, 2026 Committee Summary 1:37 Moved by Chuck Ellinger II and seconded by Emma Curtis, this motion passed unanimously with 10 ayes and 0 nays. All members voted in favor: Liz Sheehan, Shayla Lynch, Dan Wu, James Brown, Chuck Ellinger II, Emma Curtis, Whitney Elliott Baxter, Dave Sevigny, Jennifer Reynolds, and Hilary Boone.

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Item 0212-26 — Amendments to Article 31 Solar Energy Systems This item generated three separate motions, all decided by roll call vote.

• First Motion — Amendments to Article 31 Solar Energy Systems: Moved by Hilary Boone and seconded by Whitney Elliott Baxter, this motion failed 4–6. Voting in favor: Chuck Ellinger II, Whitney Elliott Baxter, Jennifer Reynolds, and Hilary Boone. Voting against: Liz Sheehan, Shayla Lynch, Dan Wu, James Brown, Emma Curtis, and Dave Sevigny.

• Second Motion — Approve and report out the solar energy systems zoning text ordinance amendment to the Planning Commission: Moved by Liz Sheehan and seconded by Dan Wu, this motion passed 6–4. Voting in favor: Liz Sheehan, Shayla Lynch, Dan Wu, James Brown, Emma Curtis, and Dave Sevigny. Voting against: Chuck Ellinger II, Whitney Elliott Baxter, Jennifer Reynolds, and Hilary Boone.

• Third Motion — Amend and send the item solely to the Environmental Commission and the Rural Land Management Board: Moved by Whitney Elliott Baxter and seconded by Hilary Boone, this motion failed 4–6. Voting in favor: Chuck Ellinger II, Whitney Elliott Baxter, Jennifer Reynolds, and Hilary Boone. Voting against: Liz Sheehan, Shayla Lynch, Dan Wu, James Brown, Emma Curtis, and Dave Sevigny.

The same 6–4 split defined all three votes on item 0212-26, with Liz Sheehan, Shayla Lynch, Dan Wu, James Brown, Emma Curtis, and Dave Sevigny consistently forming the majority position.

Contested Items

• Solar Energy Systems Ordinance Amendments: The committee was divided over proposed amendments to the Solar Energy Systems ordinance during the March 10, 2026 meeting. The disagreement resulted in a split vote, with some motions failing and others passing by narrow margins. The available data does not specify the particular points of contention among members or identify which individuals voted for or against the measures. The close votes indicate that the committee did not reach broad consensus on the direction of the ordinance amendments.

Solar Working Group - Solar Energy Systems

Agenda Item 0212-26

Sylvia Cassidy presented findings from the Solar Working Group regarding proposed updates to the Solar Energy Systems ordinance. The presentation was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken at this meeting.

Cassidy's recommendations focused on two primary areas:

• Battery storage regulations: The working group recommended clarifying existing ordinance language to more explicitly address battery storage systems associated with solar energy installations.
• Decommissioning standards: The working group also recommended strengthening the ordinance's requirements around decommissioning, aimed at establishing more robust standards for the removal or retirement of solar energy systems.

The item was received as a presentation, and the outcome was informational. No additional speakers, debates, or concerns are noted in the record for this agenda item.

Efficiencies in our Development Process

Agenda Item 0047-25

Commissioner Keith Horn presented an overview of improvements to Lexington's development review process, with a focus on changes implemented following the adoption of House Bill 443.

The presentation was informational in nature, covering updates and efficiencies that have been introduced to streamline how development applications are reviewed. Commissioner Horn was the key speaker for this item.

*No transcript timestamp is available for this agenda item.*

> Note: The structured data available for this agenda item is limited. A more detailed summary — including specific process changes, any concerns raised by committee members, and the full scope of House Bill 443's impact on local development review — would require additional source materials from the meeting transcript or supporting documents.

Planning & Development Study: Recommendations 8 & 10

This agenda item (0211-26) was presented as an informational item to the Committee.

Alicia Larmour presented on two recommendations — Recommendations 8 and 10 — stemming from a Planning & Development Study. The presentation focused on a proposed Development Liaison position, which would be designed to help coordinate the development review process across departments and track applications as they move through the system.

The core purpose of the proposed position, as outlined in the presentation, is to improve interdepartmental coordination during development review and to provide a dedicated point of accountability for monitoring the status of development applications.

No outcome or decision was required from the Committee at this stage, as the item was brought forward for informational purposes only.