Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on January 13, 2009, at 6:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Vice-Mayor Jim Gray presiding over the session. The meeting's agenda centered on a single item: an ordinance to change a property zone from B-1 to B-4, which was ultimately approved by the council. Over the course of the meeting, 2 votes were taken and 4 public comments were heard from members of the public. No presentations were recorded as part of the session's proceedings.

Attendance

The following members were present at the January 13, 2009 Council meeting:

• Jim Gray
• Blues
• Crosbie
• Ellinger
• Feigel
• James
• Lawless
• McChord
• Stinnett
• Beard

The following members were absent:

• Gorton
• Henson
• Lane
• Myers

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Two roll call votes were held during the January 13, 2009 Council meeting, both related to a rezoning matter involving a change from B-1 to B-4 zoning.

• Adopt the Planning Commission Findings (with Revisions): Moved by Blues and seconded by Ellinger, the Council voted to adopt the findings of the Planning Commission with revised wording stating that the proposed B-4 zoning is appropriate. The motion passed unanimously, 10–0. 2:20:59
• Voting in favor: Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gray, James, Lawless, McChord, Stinnett, and Beard
• Voting against: None

• Approve the Rezoning Ordinance (B-1 to B-4): Also moved by Blues and seconded by Ellinger, the Council voted to approve the ordinance formally changing the zone from B-1 to B-4. The motion passed unanimously, 10–0. 2:24:51
• Voting in favor: Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gray, James, Lawless, McChord, Stinnett, and Beard
• Voting against: None

Both votes were unanimous, with all ten Council members present casting votes in favor and no abstentions recorded.

Public Comment

Four members of the public addressed the Council during the comment period, offering a mix of support and opposition related to a zone change application.

In Support of the Zone Change

• Shirley Young, President of the Meadowthorpe Neighborhood Association, testified that the association voted to approve the zone change application, though with conditional restrictions attached. 54:05
• David Banks, a member of the Meadowthorpe Development Review Committee, spoke in support as well, describing the committee's role in collaborating with developers to ensure that proposed developments are compatible with and conducive to the surrounding neighborhood. 56:25

In Opposition to the Zone Change

• Bob Layton, speaking on behalf of objectors, argued that the proposed zone change is inappropriate for the area. He cited concerns about noise and stormwater runoff as primary reasons for his opposition. 58:09
• Janey Jones, manager of the local Goodwill store, raised concerns about flooding originating from Antique Drive and the impact that flooding has had on their business operations. 1:17:38

The public comments reflected a divided community response, with neighborhood association representatives expressing conditional support while other stakeholders raised environmental and operational concerns, particularly around water management and runoff.

Contested Items

• Zone Change from B-1 to B-4: A proposed zone change generated opposition from some community members, who raised concerns about noise and stormwater runoff associated with the rezoning. The item was not without support, however — the Meadowthorpe Neighborhood Association backed the proposal. The record reflects a split between neighborhood-level organizational support and individual community members who objected on environmental and quality-of-life grounds.

Ordinance changing the zone from B-1 to B-4

0:55

The Council took up an ordinance to rezone 2.8650 net acres located at 1447 Antique Drive from Neighborhood Business (B-1) to Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4). The proposed change included conditions governing permitted uses on the property as well as buffering requirements.

Key speakers on this item included Bill Sallee, Dick Murphy, and Bob Layton, who participated in the presentation and discussion of the ordinance.

The ordinance was ultimately approved by the Council.