2045 Comprehensive Plan: Goals & Objectives Adopted by Planning Commission

The Goals & Objectives of Lexington’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan have officially been adopted by the Planning Commission and will now move on for Council consideration. 

This article documents the timeline of adoption and the advocacy efforts of both Fayette Alliance and the community. 

The 2045 Comprehensive Plan is a critical road map that will help shape the future growth trajectory of Lexington, KY over the course of the next 20 years.

February 16, 2023

A public hearing was held on February 16, 2023, to discuss the Goals & Objectives of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan. 

Fayette Alliance and dozens of community members made comments around the need for a focus on:

• affordable housing 
• tenants rights 
• climate change
• environmental sustainability 
• protecting the USB concept 
• and the need for transparency and research to lead any future growth process.

It was clear how dedicated our community is to smart growth. 

Specifically, multiple community members endorsed Fayette Alliance’s recommendations related to Theme E, Goals 3 and 4, which can be found in our official position statement linked below. 

Planning Commissioners also passionately expressed their concern about protecting the USB, and the need to address all of the issues discussed in a proactive way moving forward. 

As a result of the feedback at the hearing, Planning Commission asked Planning Staff to make revisions to the draft of the Goals & Objectives. 

Public comment was officially closed, but the Planning Commission agreed to vote on the revised Draft at their next meeting on February 23, 2023. 

February 23, 2023

On February 23rd, the Planning Staff presented revised recommendations on the 2045 Goals & Objectives for the Comprehensive Plan. Read that here.

They were unanimously approved by the Planning Commission.

The advocacy efforts of Fayette Alliance along with the emails, letters, and public comments of passionate community members made a difference in the version that was ultimately adopted. 

Below, we will compare the original draft of the Goals & Objectives with the revised version that was created based on public comments, feedback, and recommendations.

The Original Draft

The originally presented draft of the Goals and Objectives included important updates to the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Lexington, that addressed equity in growth and development, environmental sustainability, housing, economic development, and more. 

It also recommended building on work done since the 2018 Plan to create a new process for determining long-term land use decisions involving the USB. 

Change + Growth

Fayette Alliance agrees that a long-term growth strategy and a more objective way of evaluating the USB can serve our community. 

This new process would be the most significant change to the way we discuss growth since the founding of the USB itself in 1958. 

Read more about the Comprehensive Plan and its discussion of the USB, as well as other important issues here. 

The Revised Draft

The revisions proposed by Planning Staff and adopted by the Planning Commission reflected the public comments made and Fayette Alliance’s specific recommendations relating to Theme E, Goals 3 & 4. 

We believe this Draft creates a strong roadmap for smart, sustainable, and equitable growth moving forward, and a strong foundation for building a long-term strategy for the way we evaluate land-use decisions moving forward. 

It lays out a vision that is innovative, responsible, sustainable, and achievable — we applaud the Planning Staff’s efforts. 

Directing development and investment inside the current USB continues to be:

• fiscally responsible, 
• accommodates growth sustainably,
• stimulates investment in established neighborhoods, public spaces, commercial areas,
• and ensures the growth of our strong agricultural industries. 

We also must plan for long-term growth that benefits all of our community members in a responsible and sustainable way. 

Advocacy

In order to facilitate public buy-in to this process and ensure it is successful in informing future growth decisions, Fayette Alliance believes we must focus on how that process is developed. It cannot be developed simply to meet a timeline, and it must be transparent. 

In order to be successful, the development of this process must include:

• robust public engagement, 
• identify diverse and representative stakeholders, 
• and identify widely agreed-upon objective data points. 

That critical data begins with the updated Sewer Capability Study — a 2006 study that documented what it will cost to add sewage and waste outside the existing USB. 

A new study will be conducted in the spring of 2023, and will ultimately inform the feasibility position and the cost of building infrastructure outside the existing USB. 

Position Statement

Read our official position statement to the Planning Commission to learn more. It’s lengthy but addresses all of the aspects of sustainable and equitable growth we advocate, educate, and research around Lexington-Fayette County. 

The position statement includes the following sections: 

• Continuing the focus on infill and redevelopment is key to success
• Responsible growth is key to environmental sustainability
• We have plenty of land to grow jobs inside the current USB
• Expansion will not meet our most pressing affordable housing needs
• A sustainable long-term growth strategy must reckon with realistic infrastructure costs
• Creating a new process for long-term growth will require leadership, focus, and transparency 

Next Steps

The Urban County Council will have 90 days from the official receipt of the approved Goals & Objectives from the Planning Commission, which is expected to occur in mid-March. The current timeline indicates Council will vote on the Goals & Objectives in May 2023. 

Your voice and advocacy will be critical as the Goals & Objectives moves through the Council process. Please stay tuned and we will keep you updated.

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