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We are proud to celebrate 15 years of smart growth in Lexington-Fayette County!

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15 Ways Fayette Alliance Has Impacted Lexington in 15 Years

1. Formed May 2, 2006 as a non-profit from the downtown, business, neighborhood, and agricultural communities of Fayette County to serve Lexington as its first and only land-use advocacy group. 
2. Changed the landscape of how community members think about, voice concerns around, and get involved in the process of growth.
3. Created a foundation to expand education and outreach about how to grow our city and promote our farms in a smart, sustainable way. 
4. Began a signature annual educational program called Grow Smart Academy (formerly Citizens’ Planning Academy) that celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020. More than 300 individuals have completed the Academy.
5. Instrumental in triggering the EPA Consent Decree, which in 2008 began a transformational process for $590 million in infrastructure improvements to our storm water and sanitary sewer systems to be completed by 2026.
6. Funded more than 10 independent studies to promote data-driven solutions to grow Lexington in a smart, sustainable way. Studies include:
   • Cost of Community Services
   • Economic Impact of Agriculture
   • Underutilized Property Survey and Analysis
   • GrowSmart Study
   • Rural Trails Plan
   • Housing Market Demand Study
   • Lexington Quality of Life Survey
7. Developed a robust voter education platform for local elections which include candidate questionnaires, Mayoral and At-Large candidate forums, and expanded those efforts in 2020 to include LexVote, a community voter education coalition.
8. Prevented expansion during the 2008, 2013, and 2018 Comprehensive Plans. 
9. Helped propel development of Town Branch Commons by sponsoring the design competition for the Town Branch Commons development in downtown Lexington. Acclaimed New York landscape architect Kate Orff submitted the winning design for the linear park and greenway.
10. Supported the institution of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 2014 and continued to support full funding in the LFUCG annual budget– $17 million since its inception.
11. Worked with City Hall to usher more than 130 major land-use policies into the books. 
12. Hosted the Keeneland Bluegrass International Cup and Evening in the Gardens to showcase our Bluegrass farmland and raise money for our Foundation and the UK Markey Cancer Center Foundation. 2021 marks 15 years of hosting the Keeneland Bluegrass International Cup and 10 years hosting Evening in the Gardens.
13. Supported Purchase of Development Rights match investments in the LFUCG annual budget since the program’s inception in 2000 to protect more than 30,552 acres of prime Bluegrass farmland. 
14. Protected local control over planning and zoning at the state level by advocating, most recently, for the defeat of HR346.
15. Served as a citizen voice for smart land use on more than 50 decision-making groups, including the Infill & Redevelopment Committee, Design Excellence Steering Committee, Neighborhoods in Transition Task Force, Bluegrass Tomorrow Regional Land Use Partnership, Locust Trace Principal’s Advisory Committee, Trees Lexington, Town Branch Task Force, and Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee. 

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