Planning Commission Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened on April 9, 2009, at 1:34 PM in the Council Chambers of the Urban County Government Building, located at 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky. The meeting was presided over by Randall Vaughn. The commission addressed one agenda item during the session: a proposal to amend Articles 1-5 and 4-7(d)(9)(c) pertaining to waivers regarding infill and redevelopment, which was approved. Over the course of the meeting, 9 motions and votes were taken and 2 public comments were heard.

Attendance

The following members were present at the April 9, 2009 Commission meeting:

• Randall Vaughn
• Ed Holmes
• Frank Penn
• Lynn Roche-Phillips
• Marie Copeland
• Mike Owens
• Joan Whitman
• Mike Cravens
• Patrick Brewer

Absent: Neill Day and Carolyn Richardson were not in attendance. No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

The Commission took nine votes during the April 9, 2009 meeting, with all items decided by voice vote except the final item, which required a roll call.

Postponements (all passed 9–0 by voice vote):

• PLAN 2008-71P – Motion by Mike Owens, seconded by Frank Penn, to postpone the Hampton Springs plan to May 14, 2009. Approved unanimously.
• PLAN 2008-76F – Motion by Frank Penn, seconded by Joan Whitman, to postpone the Bogie Estate, Lot 1 plan to May 14, 2009. Approved unanimously.
• PLAN 2009-25F, 2009-26F, 2009-27F, and 2009-28F – Motion by Mike Cravens, seconded by Lynn Roche-Phillips, to postpone the Reserve at Walnut Grove plans to May 14, 2009. Approved unanimously.
• DP 2009-18 – Motion by Frank Penn, seconded by Joan Whitman, to postpone the Richardson Properties plan to May 14, 2009. Approved unanimously.
• DP 2009-26 – Motion by Mike Cravens, seconded by Mike Owens, to postpone the Beaumont Farm, Unit 1, Section 5 plan to May 14, 2009. Approved unanimously.
• DP 2009-13 – Motion by Mike Owens, seconded by Joan Whitman, to postpone the Brookhaven Plaza plan to April 23, 2009. Approved unanimously.

Approvals:

• PLAN 2007-239F – Motion by Joan Whitman, seconded by Mike Cravens, to reapprove Gess Property, Unit 6-A, subject to the conditions listed on the agenda. Passed 9–0 by voice vote.
• PLAN 2007-241F – Motion by Joan Whitman, seconded by Frank Penn, to reapprove Gess Property, Unit 6-C, subject to the conditions listed on the agenda. Passed 9–0 by voice vote.
• DP 2009-02 – Motion by Mike Cravens to approve Berry Crest, Phase II, including an 18th condition for the construction of the easement. This item was decided by roll call vote and passed 7–2. Voting in favor: Randall Vaughn, Ed Holmes, Frank Penn, Lynn Roche-Phillips, Marie Copeland, Mike Owens, and Joan Whitman. Voting against: Mike Cravens and Patrick Brewer. 1:23:03

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Commission during the public comment period.

John McGee spoke regarding the postponement of Development Permit 2009-18. McGee expressed objection to the postponement request and indicated uncertainty about the proper procedure for formally registering his objections on the record.

John Tucker raised concerns about the Gess Property development. Tucker questioned whether the project was in compliance with applicable permits and expressed concern about the potential impact of the development on local water systems.

No transcript timestamps are available for these comments.

Contested Items

Construction of Access Easement for Berry Crest, Phase II

The Commission was divided over the question of when an access easement for Berry Crest, Phase II should be constructed. The central disagreement was whether the easement should be built immediately or whether construction should be deferred until it was actually needed. This timing question prompted debate among commissioners, ultimately resulting in a split vote. No further details are available in the record regarding the specific arguments made by individual commissioners on either side, the precise vote tally, or the final outcome of the motion.

Amend Articles 1-5 and 4-7(d)(9)(c) for Waivers Regarding Infill & Redevelopment

Agenda Item: SRA 2009-1

The Commission considered an ordinance to amend Articles 1-5 and 4-7(d)(9)(c) of the subdivision regulations to facilitate infill and redevelopment projects. The proposed amendments addressed waivers related to infill and redevelopment, including provisions for the bonding of sidewalk improvements on private streets.

Tom Martin was the key speaker on this item, presenting the proposed regulatory changes to the Commission. The amendments were intended to streamline and support infill and redevelopment efforts by adjusting the existing subdivision regulation framework to better accommodate the unique challenges these types of projects present compared to traditional greenfield development.

The Commission reviewed the substance of the proposed amendments, which focused on providing greater flexibility through the waiver process outlined in the relevant articles of the subdivision regulations. The inclusion of bonding provisions for sidewalk improvements on private streets was a notable component of the discussion, addressing how such infrastructure improvements would be secured in the context of infill and redevelopment scenarios.

The item was approved by the Commission.

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