Council Planning Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council Planning Committee convened on June 16, 2009, at 1:00 PM, with CM Gorton presiding over the session. The committee addressed three agenda items during the meeting, covering a range of planning and development matters. The agenda included an informational presentation on the Loudon Ave Widening Project, as well as action items related to the Downtown Master Plan and Items Referred to Committee, both of which were approved. A total of three votes were taken during the meeting, and no public comments were heard.

Attendance

All ten council members were present at the June 16, 2009 Council meeting. No members were recorded as absent or late.

Members Present: - Gorton - Blues - Gray - Ellinger - James - Lawless - Beard - Feigel - Stinnett - McChord

Votes and Decisions

Three votes were taken during the June 16, 2009 Council meeting.

• Downtown Master Plan – Forward to Full Council 1:34:29: Lawless moved, and Blues seconded, a motion to forward to the full council a request to adopt the downtown master plan. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 8–1. Voting in favor were Gorton, Blues, Gray, Ellinger, Lawless, Beard, Feigel, and Stinnett. James cast the sole dissenting vote.

• Extended Stay Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment – Removal 1:38:09: A motion to remove the Extended Stay Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment was seconded by James and passed by voice vote. No individual vote counts were recorded.

• Adjournment 1:40:49: A motion to adjourn passed by voice vote. No individual vote counts were recorded.

Contested Items

• Adoption of the Downtown Master Plan — The council voted on a motion to adopt the Downtown Master Plan, which generated debate among members regarding the respective authority of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the role of the council in the plan's adoption. The specific points of contention centered on how decision-making power was distributed between these two bodies in relation to the plan. The motion ultimately passed by a vote of 8 in favor and 1 against.

Loudon Ave Widening Project

2:42

CM James provided a brief update to the Council on the status of the Loudon Avenue Widening Project. According to James, the project is nearly complete, with two remaining items outstanding before it can be considered fully finished: the Warfield Place entrance walls and a final punch list.

Key speakers on this item included CM James and Gorton. The discussion was informational in nature, with no formal action taken or vote recorded. The update served to keep the Council apprised of the project's progress as it moves toward completion.

Downtown Master Plan

6:05

The committee took up the Downtown Master Plan as the second agenda item, focusing on the status of 16 recommendations contained within the plan and the question of whether the council should move forward with formally adopting it.

Key speakers in the discussion included Gorton, Lawless, James, Blues, Beard, and McChord. The conversation centered on the current standing of the plan's 16 recommendations and what steps would be required to bring the plan to adoption. Specific details of individual recommendations and any concerns raised by speakers are not reflected in the available record, but the discussion addressed the path forward for the plan as a whole.

Following the discussion, a motion was made to move forward with adopting the Downtown Master Plan. The motion was approved by the committee.

Items Referred to Committee

1:37:39

The Council took up Agenda Item 3, covering various items referred to committee. The primary matter discussed during this portion of the meeting was the removal of the Extended Stay Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment from the agenda.

Key speakers during this item included Gorton and James, who participated in the discussion surrounding the referred items. The Council addressed the handling of the Extended Stay Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment, which was pulled from consideration at this time.

The item was ultimately approved by the Council.