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Fayette Alliance Blog

The Fayette Alliance Featured In Keeneland Magazine

By Knox van Nagell | September 21st, 2011 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog

Balancing Act: Fayette Alliance Seeks to Preserve Promote

By Jacaalyn Carfagno, Fall 2011, Posted with permission from Keeneland Magazine

To understand The Fayette Alliance and its land-use advocacy mission, you need to understand a little bit about Lexington and Fayette County, Ky.

In 1958 Lexington became the first city in the nation to initiate an urban service boundary, a line limiting where city services would be provided.

In 1974 the governments of Fayette County and Lexington combined to become the first merged city and county in Kentucky, taking on the jaw-breaking name of Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, or LFUCG.

The union of the sleepy but pleasant small university city and the surrounding farmland often reflected the awkwardness of the name. With plenty of space for each, the urban and rural worlds rarely intersected. The farmland offered a nice Sunday afternoon drive for city dwellers; the city provided a convenient if crowded service center for those who lived outside the boundary… Download a copy of the full article


Bluegrass Region Featured as Top Travel Destination

By Knox van Nagell | September 16th, 2011 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog

Bourbon | Photo by Jeff Rogers | www.jeffrogers.com

Kentucky’s bluegrass region is easy to enjoy

by David Armstrong, 9.11.11, San Francisco Chronicle

The first time I saw Kentucky I was behind the wheel of a car. I was in a hurry. I was leaving New York state, bound for California, and as I drove cross-country with my worldly goods, the vastness of America blended into a blur of truck stops, toxic coffee and bleary-eyed days wiping bugs off the windshield. I didn’t even stop for gas in Kentucky, but something about the hopelessly pretty, lovingly manicured quality of the countryside stayed with me down the decades.

Just lately, I decided to revisit Kentucky, specifically the bluegrass region that wraps around Lexington, in the north-central part of the state. I want the full Southern monty without the drunks of New Orleans, the urban hell of Atlanta or the preciousness of Charleston or Savannah. I also want to avoid the climatic deep fryer of the Deep South. Kentucky, hovering on the edge of the Midwest, with a smooth blend of elegance and down-home charm, is an appealing alternative, especially in autumn and spring when the weather is fine…Read more at SFGate.com


Bourbon Under the Stars

By Knox van Nagell | September 8th, 2011 | See all in Events, Fayette Alliance Blog, Past Events

The Bourbon Review Presents
Bourbon Under the Stars

A portion of proceeds will benefit The Fayette Alliance & the Kentucky Equine Humane Center

Saturday, September 10th
7:00 p.m.-9:30pm
L.V. Harkness – 531 West Short Street, Lexington, KY

Enjoy a world-class Bourbon tasting with the founders of The Bourbon Review at Lexington’s L.V. Harkness on September 10th. Celebrity garden designer and lifestyle expert Jon Carloftis will also be on hand to show off L.V. Harkness’ private rooftop garden. This event promises to serve the cravings of any Bourbon aficionado with a fine selection of Bourbon, Bourbon cocktails and Southern-inspired food. Guests will also receive a gift basket including a specially commissioned prized porcelain box designed by KPM and a double old fashioned glass bearing the L.V. Harkness crest.

A special discount is available for supporters of The Fayette Alliance!
Click here
to buy tickets at a $40 discount.

For more information about this event and The Bourbon Review please visit GoBourbon.com


Volunteer Opportunity: 3rd Annual Bike for the Bluegrass

By Knox van Nagell | August 31st, 2011 | See all in Events, Fayette Alliance Blog, Past Events

3nd Annual Bike for the Bluegrass

Saturday, October 29th

This ride will be a remarkable opportunity for the public to experience some of the most beautiful thoroughbred farms in the Bluegrass, from the back of their bike. Riders will have an inside look at the unparalleled natural beauty and history of our signature equine industry. As a gesture of support for The Fayette Alliance, Fasig-Tipton, Gainesway, Mt. Brilliant, Castleton Lyons, U.K. Equine Campus of Maine Chance Farm and Cobra Farm have agreed to open their gates exclusively for this event. Riders will also have a chance to ride on the Legacy Trail and visit Windy Corner Restaurant. Learn more.

Volunteer Positions

Registration (Volunteer positions filled)
Check riders in and hand out ride packets and t-shirts.
Arrive at Fasig-Tipton at 8:00 a.m.
Registration is from 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Farm Gate Stewards (Volunteer positions filled)
Wave riders through gate and make sure that riders follow route.
Arrive at Fasig-Tipton at 8:00 a.m.
Volunteer will arrive at farm gate 9:00 a.m.
Lunch will be delivered to volunteer
Ride route will closed at 2:30 p.m.

Lunch Servers (Volunteer position filled)
Serve food to riders as they return to Fasig-Tipton from the ride.
Arrive at Fasig-Tipton at 10:45 a.m.
Lunch runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.


Red Mile Redevelopment Receives $25.32 Million in Tax Increment Financing

By Knox van Nagell | August 31st, 2011 | See all in Creating a Dynamic City for Everyone, Fayette Alliance Blog, How We've Made a Difference

Red Mile Design Proposal

Red Mile Design Proposal

Red Mile redevelopment might include instant racing

by Janet Patton, 8.31.11, Kentucky.com

The Red Mile last week received final approval from the state for more than $25.32 million in tax increment financing for a re development project near downtown Lexington that would include instant racing.

The Lexington harness racetrack — just off South Broadway, about a half-mile from the University of Kentucky campus — proposed an 80-acre mixed-used development of apartments, a hotel, retail and restaurant spaces, parking garages and offices.

According to the approval from the Kentucky Economic Development Financing Authority, the TIF portion from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government would be reduced to slightly less than $13.79 million “if in the future instant racing is determined to be an ineligible activity.” Read more at Kentucky.com

Urban County Council Approves Red Mile Text Amendment

On Thursday, September 24th, 2010 the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the Entertainment Mixed-Use (MU-3) Text Amendment.  Once approved by Council, this text amendment will allow “Entertainment Mixed-Use” projects on parcels larger than 10-acres in Lexington.

This text amendment will facilitate not only “Entertainment Mixed-Use” projects throughout the Urban Services Area, but also on 62-acres at the Red Mile Race Track.

At the Red Mile, the applicant aims to construct:

  • 150 to 200 condominiums for young professionals;
  • Over 300,000 square feet of retail and office space;
  • A 130 – 150 room hotel; and
  • A 15,000-25,000 square foot entertainment area—anchoring over $170 million in mixed-use development in downtown Lexington.

Read the rest of this entry »


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Who We Are

The Fayette Alliance is your voice at city-hall advocating for sustainable growth in Lexington…to achieve a world-class city in our world-class Bluegrass landscape.

Since 2006, the Alliance has worked with local government to usher over 50 major land-use policies into law that promote farmland preservation and our signature agricultural industries, responsible development, and improved water quality and infrastructure in Fayette County.

We are charting Lexington's future by positively impacting local zoning and policy decisions—the very building blocks of our community. Although many challenges still remain, we are accomplishing sustainable growth in Fayette County for a better quality of life, economy, and environment for all of us.

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