By Knox van Nagell | September 23rd, 2009 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog, Successes
Red Mile Design Proposal
On Thursday, September 24th, 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.
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By Knox van Nagell | August 28th, 2009 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog, Successes
Rural Landscape
At today’s Board of Adjustment hearing, The Fayette Alliance opposed a conditional use permit submitted by Bharatiya Temple and Cultural Center, located at 3050 North Cleveland Road.
The applicant aimed to construct a 6,000 square foot structure—complete with storage space and bathrooms—to their existing 10,000 square foot church building. The subject property is approximately 10-acres in size, and located outside the Urban Service Boundary in the Agricultural-Rural (A-R) zone.
This proposal violated the size limitation of churches in the A-R zone. Please view The Fayette Alliance’s official position statement here for more details.
While the Alliance respects Bharatiya Temple and its role in the community, approval of this conditional use permit would have set a dangerous countywide precedent— opening the door for the widespread construction of large, disruptive mega-churches in the rural area. Such a trend would irreparably threaten the integrity of our iconic Bluegrass landscape and related $3billion signature industries.
The BOA unanimously disapproved the conditional use permit.
By Knox van Nagell | August 17th, 2009 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog, Successes
Legacy Map
On August 13th, 2009 Mayor Newberry announced that the Town Branch Trail and other bike trail projects will receive needed Federal funding for construction. Please visit the Lexington Herald-Leader article, Lexington gets over $8 million in grants, for more details.
In February of this year, The Fayette Alliance strongly endorsed LFUCG’s grant application to receive this money, and complete these important community initiatives. Please view the Fayette Alliance’s letter of support for the Town Branch Trail to learn more.
The Fayette Alliance supports bike trails to promote local tourism and alternative modes of transportation in Lexington’s urban core. Provided these trails are responsibly constructed, the Alliance believes they will make the city a vibrant destination for knowledge-based professionals and market investment, while reducing our carbon footprint and growth pressure on our irreplaceable Bluegrass farmland.
The Fayette Alliance congratulates LFUCG on securing this Federal Funding, and moving these crucial transportation programs forward.
By Knox van Nagell | August 13th, 2009 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog, Successes
At today’s LFUCG Planning Commission meeting, The Fayette Alliance conceptually endorsed George Krikorian’s proposed $70 million infill project in downtown Lexington.
The proposal aims to revitalize roughly 18 acres of underutilized industrial property along Angliana Avenue. Using adaptive re-use and new construction, the project envisions a movie theatre, bowling alley, grocery store, residential, retail and office space, exhibition space, and cafes.
Other amenities may include a pedestrian mall, pedestrian and cycling bridge, amphitheatre, “green” stormwater management practices such as rain gardens and water capturing systems, public art and green spaces.
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By Knox van Nagell | June 29th, 2009 | See all in Fayette Alliance Blog, Successes
The purpose of the Courthouse Overlay zone is to encourage growth and infill redevelopment, while preserving and protecting the unique features and characteristics of the area surrounding the courthouses downtown.
The Courthouse Overlay Board, and if necessary the Planning Commission, achieves this goal by using applicable design standards and “authorization permit” requirements to approve or disapprove development proposals in the zone.
Despite this intent, current process allows applicants to demolish buildings and proceed with development activity BEFORE the Planning Commission hears, on appeal, a decision of the Courthouse Area Design Review Board. As such, the “meat” of an appeal can be torn-down, irreversibly altered, or displaced before a party to the action has his/her proverbial “second-bite at the apple”.
This unfortunate circumstance occurred during the recent CentrePointe controversy, in which the developer destroyed buildings on the Woolworth Block while community interests appealed the Courthouse Area Design Review Board’s ruling—which granted a demolition permit—to the Planning Commission.
In response to this wake-up call, the Planning Commission initiated and yesterday ADOPTED a text amendment to the zone, that prohibits the demolition, building, or issuance of other development permits prior to filing and/or completion of an appeal from the Courthouse Area Design Overlay Board to the Planning Commission.
The Fayette Alliance strongly supported this text amendment, and the Planning Commission recommended its adoption on June 25th, 2009. The Council formally adopted it on July 7th, 2009 and it is now law.
View the Fayette Alliance’s Position Statement
