Lexington Central Sector Small Area Comprehensive Plan by RATIO Community Collaborate

Lexington Central Sector

SMALL AREA PLAN

Adopted: April 30, 2009

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

An Amendment to the 2007 Comprehensive Plan for Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Vision Statement Vision, Voice, Vitality The Central Sector represents a collection of diverse and unique neighborhoods. The future of these neighborhoods will be shaped by a unified vision, voice and vitality that bridges and embraces the montage of age, race, ethnicity, and livelihood in the community. The core values of diversity, cultural richness and history are central to our community’s identity. We envision a future with safe, walkable streets, successful and qualitative reinvestment, a celebration of our core values, and economic strength that creates a high quality of life for all who call the Central Sector home.

Acknowledgements The Central Sector Small Area Plan is the result of the collective insight and effort of numerous residents, government agencies, and consultants. A plan that does not involve those it hopes to serve cannot fully realize its potential or vision. For this reason, those with a vested interest in the future of Central Sector put forth their time, effort, and ideas in the creation of this plan. It is important to recognize and thank the Steering Committee members who were an integral part of this process including:

Steering Committee • Andrea James, 1st District Council member • Tom Blues, 2nd District Council member • Joan Whitman, Planning Commission Member • Verna Spiegel, Meadows Park NA • Marty Clifford, North Limestone NA • Gwen Godfrey, Northend Alliance • Michael Haskins, Georgetown Street NAPO • Billie Mallory, William Wells Brown NA • Win Meeker, Northside NA • Germaine O’Connell, Castlewood NA • Bill Johnston, Western Suburb NA • Sarah Emmons, Transylvania University • Dr. Augusta Julian, BCTC • Tri Roberts, BCTC • Austin Simms, Lexington Housing Authority David Cozart, Urban League • Dr. Derek Paulsen, EKU • Bill Pickering, North Limestone NA • Sherry Maddock, Martin Luther King NA • Elizabeth Fugazzi, Transylvania University • Bob Joice, FCPS

LFUCG Planning Staff • • • • • •

Christopher King, Director Jim Duncan, Project Manager Sharon Buford Janice Westlund Pam Whitaker Rob Johnson

Consultants RATIO, Inc. • Jackie Turner, AICP, LEED AP • Kevin Senninger • Jennifer Higginbotham DCI • Glenn Gareis, AIA • Ian Colgan, AICP ECSI • J. Steven Gardner, PE • Shannon Reynolds, PE

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Table of Contents Voice, Vision, Vitality ......................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................2 Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................3

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Small Area Plan .......................................................................................................6 Study Area Boundary......................................................................................................................7

CHAPTER 2 – COMMUNITY CHARACTER History ........................................................................................................................................10 Culture and Identity .....................................................................................................................10 Cultural Resources Map ...............................................................................................................12 Land Use and Development .........................................................................................................14 Central Sector Subareas ...............................................................................................................15 Subarea A...................................................................................................................................... 16 Subarea B ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Subarea C ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Subarea D ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Subarea E ...................................................................................................................................... 20

CHAPTER 3 – ANALYSIS Market Analysis ...........................................................................................................................22 Circulation and Connectivity .........................................................................................................27 Transportation Analysis Map .........................................................................................................28 Public Services and Infrastructure ..................................................................................................32 Natural Environment ....................................................................................................................34

CHAPTER 4 – PUBLIC INPUT & ISSUE IDENTIFICATION Public Input Overview...................................................................................................................38 Public Input Summary ..................................................................................................................39

CHAPTER 5 – GOALS & OBJECTIVES Introduction .................................................................................................................................46 Central Sector Principles, Goals, and Objectives ............................................................................47 Enhance The Urban Fabric ...........................................................................................................47 Redevelopment And Investment ....................................................................................................49 Adequate And Equitable Housing .................................................................................................51 Central Sector Development Framework Map ................................................................................52 Preserve Cultural and Historic Heritage .........................................................................................54

Table of Contents CHAPTER 6 – RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction .................................................................................................................................58 Subarea “A” .................................................................................................................................59 Subarea “B” ................................................................................................................................61 Subarea “C” ................................................................................................................................63 Subarea “D” ................................................................................................................................66 Subarea “E” ................................................................................................................................70

CHAPTER 7 – IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES Introduction .................................................................................................................................74 Quick Wins (Short term Implementation Tools) ...............................................................................74 Long Term Implementation Tools ...................................................................................................76 Community/Economic Development Corporation (CDC/EDC) .......................................................... 76 Real Estate Transfer Tax ................................................................................................................... 77 Profile: Solving the Urban Grocery Store Gap .................................................................................. 77 Tax Increment Financing ................................................................................................................. 78 Retail / Business Improvements ....................................................................................................... 78 Residential Improvements ............................................................................................................... 81 Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements ............................................................................... 82 Safe Routes to School (SR2S) .......................................................................................................... 83 Sustainable “Green” Improvements ................................................................................................. 83 Safety and Security Improvements ................................................................................................... 83 Image Improvements ..................................................................................................................... 84 Profile: Safe by Design .................................................................................................................... 86 Implementing Agencies ................................................................................................................88 Implementation Time Frame .........................................................................................................88 Implementation Tables .................................................................................................................89

APPENDICES Public Input .................................................................................................................................98 Residential Infill and Redevelopment Program .............................................................................102 Neighborhood Demographics ....................................................................................................103 Safe by Design ..........................................................................................................................106 Homelessness and Housing Issues ..............................................................................................111

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Introduction

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Introduction Purpose of the Small Area Plan The Central Sector Small Area Plan is the result of a recommendation in the 2007 Comprehensive Plan to address community-wide concerns including density, land use, zoning, public safety, traffic, transit, schools, community facilities, infill, infrastructure and commercial/residential compatibility. Given the scope and complexity of these issues, the Planning Commission selected the Central Sector as an area to be studied in detail. A Small Area Plan (SAP) provides for a more intense study of the Central Sector that is tailored to the needs of the diverse demographics of the large neighborhood. It is intended to guide public improvements and steer private investment in order to promote neighborhood stabilization and revitalization. The preparation of the Central Sector Small Area Plan (CSSAP) relied on the community’s most valuable resource -- its residents. The collaboration of residents, business owners and the Urban County Government lend credibility to the recommendations which address the citizen’s everyday issues and concerns. The theme of the CSSAP is “Vision, Voice and Vitality” which represents the grass roots effort and collective ideas of area residents. It is hoped that the Plan will be used to exert pressure on the LFUCG to assist residents and business owners to further enhance existing resources, preserve the culture, and improve the quality of life. This underlying theme is referred to throughout the plan and underscores how the implementation of small steps initiated by the LFUCG and community residents and business owners can shape the long term future of Central Sector. The Plan is a living document that will evolve over time as more information is gathered and resources are secured. This Small Area Plan conforms to Kentucky Revised Statues (KRS) Chapter 100, which requires public involvement in the process. Residents, business owners, community leaders, and representatives of cultural and public institutions participated in the development of the Plan from start to finish, with professional planning staff assisting the neighborhoods to identify needs and priorities for community development and public improvements. Chapter 6 of this Plan, Implementation Strategies, is an action-oriented implementation plan composed of short-term priorities and long-term visions. Each recommendation suggests timing, funding and responsible parties. Adopting the CSSAP as a section of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan is the first step to ensuring its success.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Introduction Study Area Boundary The term “Central Sector” is not the historic or cultural name of the collection of neighborhoods that are the subject of this Small Area Plan. The name is derived from the police district moniker for the northeast Lexington Police District. Central Sector contains approximately 2,400 acres bounded by the cemetery west of Georgetown Road, New Circle Road on the north to Winchester Road, and Second Street on the southern edge. The community is often referred to as “First District” or “Second District” by local residents. The study area boundaries recommended in the 2007 Comprehensive Plan were slightly modified as seen in the map below. Refer to the Comprehensive Plan to obtain more detailed information on the land use categories. The area carved from the southern portion of the Central Sector represents the East End neighborhood. It was also the subject of a Small Area Plan prepared concurrently with the Central Sector Small Area Plan. Although these plans were produced separately, there was a concerted effort to not only share information, but also a coordinated effort to ensure recommendations and implementation measures complemented each plan’s overarching principles.

Central Sector Land Use Classification

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LD - Low Density Residential MD - Medium Density Residential HD - High Density Residential VHD - Very High Density Residential RT - Retail Trade & Personal Services PS - Professional Service/Office Down Town Master Plan HC - Highway Commercial/Interstate Commercial ORP - Office, Industry and Research Park LI - Light Industrial MU - Mixed Use - Retail/Office Mixture Including a Residential Component HI - High Industrial OW - Office/Warehouse WW - Warehouse & Wholesale SP - Semi-Public Facilities OPU - Other Public Uses GS - Green Space/Open Space PE - Public Education PR - Public Recreation U - Utilities (overlay) Central Sector Study Boundary Street

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Introduction

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Community Character

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Community Character History The system of streets, which binds the built form into the urban structure of the road network, creates a continuous urban fabric and in a sense confirms the coherence of urbanity. --Stephen Marshall

Lexington was settled in the late 1700â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Many business and political leaders lived in the neighborhoods just north of downtown, served by slaves who were eventually freed in late 1865. According to Gerald L. Smith Ph.D., in Black America Series Lexington Kentucky, 2002, the African-American population that did not live and work in the rural areas, settled in neighborhoods closer to the city such as Brucetown and Kinkeadtown, which are located within the study area. Forced segregation, which lasted almost another one hundred years, caused the schools, churches, shops, social and service organizations for African Americans to be clustered in this area north of downtown. Much of the urban fabric, an extension of the downtown street grid remains intact in the Central Sector. Original homes and businesses which border the network of streets are a characterdefining for some portions of the community. There are seven Local Historic Districts, multiple National Register Districts and many individual National Register properties dating from the 19th century.

Number of Properties per Historic District Local Historic Districts in CS

Number of properties

Constitution

Elsmere Park

Fayette Park

Gratz Park

Mulberry Hill

Northside

234

Western Suburb

118

The Georgetown and Meadows Loudon neighborhoods and other residential areas north of Loudon Avenue contain some homes from the 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, but a majority are post-World War II.

Culture and Identity The Northside Neighborhood Association (NA) has been instrumental for more than four decades in preserving structures and community, producing a stable, inclusive neighborhood. There are eleven other active neighborhood associations, particularly the Martin Luther King NA and the North Limestone NA that represent the multicultural, multi-generational, and ethnically diverse community. These citizens are united in their desire to ward off threats to their neighborhoods and their quality of life, and have a shared goal to create opportunities for positive future growth and development. Historic District Marker

There exists a variety of non-residential development that borders this area including suburban-type shopping centers, light and heavy industry, and college and corporate campuses. Even with these commercial entities, unemployment remains high and incomes low for some parts of the Sector. Many employed in Central Sector commute from other parts of Lexington

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Community Character or from outside the City to professional and skilled labor jobs such as at Lexmark. Many residents work outside Central Sector. Automobile ownership is the lowest in this community causing residents to rely heavily on transit and the local pedestrian network. Still there is much to celebrate about this collection of neighborhoods north of downtown, such as the burgeoning arts scene and new residents and small business investors who see the potential in an area that may have fallen off the radar. A nod to the music culture can be found on the music-themed mural on Al’s Bar, a neighborhood landmark at Sixth and Limestone. The mural celebrates musicians from the area, including Les McCann and George Gentry, a Jazz musician who lived on north Limestone.

Al’s Bar Mural

Several significant cultural and historic properties including national and local historic districts located in Central Sector are listed below and many are identified on the map on pages 12 and 13: •

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church at 251-253 N. Upper Street

•

Dunbar Community Center at 545 N. Upper Street, formerly Paul Laurence Dunbar High School constructed in 1922 as the school for African-American students

•

Douglass Park on Georgetown Street dedicated in 1916 historically provided recreation opportunities for African Americans for family reunions, picnics, golfing, baseball, track, etc.

•

Duncan Park with Morton House built in the early nineteenth century at Fifth and Limestone was once a dwelling for Cassius Marcellus Clay

•

Haskins Drive, the first African American subdivision, 7.25 acres off Newtown Pike in Lexington

•

Original Russell Elementary School at Third and Kenton Streets which opened in1889 for African Americans

•

Loudon House and Castlewood Park on Loudon and Bryan Avenue

•

Living Arts and Science Center

•

Transylvania University founded in 1780

•

Eastern State Hospital on Newtown Pike

•

Vogt Reel House which is the oldest still active fire station in Lexington

•

Sayre School

•

Carnegie Center for Literacy

•

Local Historic Districts - Northside, Gratz Park, Elsmere Park, Mulberry Hill, Fayette Park, Constitution, and Historic Western Suburb

In the late nineteenth century, Lexington was a major player in the State’s horse-racing industry. More than 125 years later, Lexington is still known as the Horse Capital of the World, and in 2010 will host the World Equestrian Games.

St. Paul A.M.E. Church founded 1820

Community Character

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The Central Sector Small Area Plan

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Community Character CULTURAL RESOURCES LEGEND Parks Schools

Historic / Cultural Features 1

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church

Dunbar Community Center

YMCA

Haskins Drive

Russell Community Services Center School

Loudon House

Transylvania University

Eastern State Hospital

Lexmark

Hope Center

Applebees Legends Ballpark

Eastland Shopping Center

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London Ferrell Community Garden

Living Arts and Science Center

The Robert H. Williams Cultural Center

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Local Historic Districts

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Northside

Gratz Park

Elsmere Park

Mulberry Hill

Fayette Park

Constitution

Western Suburb

500’ 1,000’

2,000’

Community Character Land Use and Development The consultant team inventoried and analyzed existing land uses to provide a better understanding of community character and the issues facing residents and business owners of the Central Sector. The team used the LFUCG Geographic Information System (GIS) data, â&#x20AC;&#x153;windshieldâ&#x20AC;? visual surveying, proposed and adopted Plans and documents, and photographs to assess land use, traffic and circulation, cultural and historic factors, natural features, and general development trends. The 2,400-acre study area is reflective of the urban core; primarily composed of residential neighborhoods interspersed with non-residential uses. The texture of the urban fabric is composed of commercial, industrial and public/institutional lands which contribute to the image, identity and economic health of the community. The street grid of the downtown extends into Central Sector, except for scattered large developments such as Lexmark and Eastern State Hospital (soon to be the location of the Bluegrass Community and Technical College campus). Newtown Pike, Broadway and North Limestone serve as conduits for commuters and visitors between downtown and north Lexington. The southern boundary of the study area is Second Street, which reflects the character and energy of the downtown which is slowly edging north from Main Street. New Circle Road forms the northern and eastern boundary. The development along New Circle Road is distinctly suburban strip commercial and lacks visual, physical, and perceived integration into the study area. There are 91 acres of parks distributed throughout the community (See map pages 12 and 13), most within 1/2 mile of, and none more than a mile from, any residence. Castlewood, Douglass, Duncan, and Dunbar and the new William Wells Center in the East End provide both indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities to area residents, but are not heavily used by others from outside of the area. More detail is available in the 2009 LFUCG Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update. This Plan reinforces recommendations from the 2001 and 2007 Comprehensive Plan (Pages 74-80) which support the use of residential infill and redevelopment to fill gaps in the urban fabric. Appropriate infill not only preserves the character, but encourages redevelopment, generates tax revenues for the local area, provides more students to keep schools viable, and brings positive activity to the streets which leads to increased safety and security. In a community with the lowest rate of automobile ownership in Fayette County, it is imperative to maintain the density and walkability of the urban fabric.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Community Character Central Sector Subareas For the purposes of this Plan, Central Sector was divided into five subareas in an effort to parcel recommendations into manageable pieces. Each subarea delineated possessed similar physical characteristics, land development patterns, or specific geographical or man-made physical boundaries such as major thoroughfares or railroads. The CSSAP subarea boundaries were created specifically for this planning effort, and do not affect any other boundaries established by LFUCG or neighborhood associations. The following sections provide an overview of each area and include a graphic illustrating the subarea described.

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Community Character Subarea A Subarea A lies just north of downtown and west of Newtown Pike. It is bordered on the north by New Circle Road, the south by Cove Haven Cemetery, and is bisected by Georgetown Road. It is primarily single family residential with recent infill redevelopment adjacent to Douglass Park which is considered a local landmark by many in the African American community. Plans are currently underway to develop sixteen single-family lots on 3.1 acres west of the park. A mobile home park and elementary school also are adjacent to the park. New commercial development is occurring on New Circle Road to the north.

Neighborhood concerns: • Image of Mobile Home Park • Connections across Newtown Pike to the rest of the north side • Access to retail and services

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SUBAREA

Douglass Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Subarea “A” Forming Western Edge of Central Sector

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Community Character Subarea B This subarea which is dominated by the Lexmark corporate campus and other industrial or light industrial operations, is bordered on the west by Newtown Pike and on the east by the CSX-Corman Railroad. The railroad is active and is seeking to grow its business with additional freight and coal customers. Newtown Pike which is the subject of its own study The Newtown Pike Extension Corridor Plan, 2002, is a major gateway corridor to downtown Lexington. Loudon Avenue is the major east-west connection other than New Circle Road, through the Central Sector to the east side of the City. There are also a number of semi-public or institutional land uses including Eastern State Hospital, the North Lexington YMCA, Bluegrass Youth Development Center, and the Hope Center social service agency. Recently conducted surveys on the homeless and housing needs are included in the Appendix. Future plans call for the Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) to construct a campus at the existing Eastern State Hospital site. Planning is underway with a goal to have the first building ready for occupancy in late 2011. The Elkhorn Creek corridor which runs through the eastern part of this subarea, represents an inherent open space/recreational opportunity within the urban setting. The Legacy Trail, a trails / greenway project will traverse Subarea B as it travels from the Kentucky Horse Park to Downtown.

Eastern State Hospital Administration Building

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Neighborhood Concerns: • Little to no connection to the surrounding community

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• Concentration of social services and homeless shelters that invite transient population from outside the community

• Future role of Lexmark in the community

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Subarea “B” Centered Around Lexmark Campus

Community Character Subarea C Subarea C is a truly mixed-use urban neighborhood and based on input from area residents at the public workshops, it is considered by some to be the heart of historic Central Sector. Situated immediately north of downtown, it extends north from Second Street to Loudon Avenue. The eastern boundary is shared with the East End, the subject of a concurrent Small Area Plan. The western boundary is the railroad that divides Subarea C from Subarea B. Subarea C is the home of Transylvania University and seven of the fourteen local historic districts in Lexington. Broadway and North Limestone are major north-south thoroughfares, not just for Central Sector, but for many in north Lexington. Although this area is composed of predominantly single-family land uses, there are several neighborhood retail businesses scattered throughout. Recent investment at Sixth Street and North Limestone has extended the retail/entertainment venues north.

Historic Homes on Broadway

There are a wide variety of housing types from small, shotgun-style homes to grand 19th century residences and historic apartment buildings, i.e. Hampton Court. The area is also home to several schools and parks including Coolavin Park, Duncan, Gratz Park (which includes a Carnegie Library), and the Dunbar Community Center. In addition, the London Ferrell Community Garden is in the southeastern corner of the subarea next to the Old Episcopal Burying Grounds near the intersection of Third Street and Elm Tree Lane.

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Coolavin Park and the adjacent apartments, located west of the intersection of Sixth and Jefferson Streets, are a continuing source of concern for the community. The park has not fully realized its potential as a recreational opportunity due to it’s isolation, lack of programming, crime, and neglect. It is cut off from the community by the railroad on the west and vacant industrial properties to the south. The industrial and residential properties are not oriented towards the park, nor do they contain windows or entrances to keep an “eye” on the park.

Neighborhood Concerns:

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• Lack of quality affordable housing

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“C”

• Threats to architectural and historic resources

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• Crime in Coolavin Park area • Growth and sustainability of retail nodes • Future role of Johnson Elementary • Concentration of absentee landlords between Fifth Street and Loudon Avenue • One-way street issues (Fourth Street)

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Community Character Subarea D

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This subarea lies between Loudon Avenue and the commercial development of New Circle Road. It extends from the industrial area on the east to the railroad corridor bordering the Lexmark campus. Three active Neighborhood Associations located here: North Limestone NA, Meadows-Loudon NA, and Castlewood NA containing mix of 1920’-30’s Craftsman bungalows and post-World War I I housing.

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r Ro a d Wincheste Large Amount of Single-Family Residences in Subarea “D”

EAST END

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SUBAREA

Three major north-south streets, Broadway, North Limestone, and Bryan Avenue transport commuters as well as neighborhood residents. Broadway has a distinct commercial feel, while N. Limestone and Bryan Avenue are more reflective of neighborhood scale. Similar to Subarea C, this area also contains local corner/retail markets. Within Subarea D locallyowned retail shops are spurring a renaissance along North Limestone from downtown to New Circle Road catering to the needs of Central Sector residents. There is less a sense of connection to New Circle commercial development. Subareas C and D border the East End Neighborhood which is the subject of a concurrent Small Area Plan that will address similar issues. The William Wells Brown neighborhood in the southern part of Subarea D is isolated from other residential or mixed uses by industrial land uses. Significant assets in this area include Castlewood Park and the Lexington Art League at the Loudon House, Applebee’s Legends Ballpark, and Arlington School on north Limestone Avenue.

Neighborhood Concerns: • Image of Mobile Home Park • Programming, security, and maintenance at Castlewood Park • Lack of perceived and physical connection to New Circle Road retail • Five-point intersection at Bryan Avenue and Castlewood Drive • Crumbling curbs and sidewalks • Poor stormwater drainage facilities • Possible brownfields as barriers to redevelopment

Community Character Subarea E This analysis and subsequent recommendations for Subarea E are for the commercial development on both sides of New Circle Road, though only the south side is within the study boundary. The somewhat dated land uses range from retail and entertainment to a mix of light industrial as one travels from the west to Winchester Road. Unlike New Circle Road in other parts of Lexington, which functions as a limited-access expressway, here each lot has its own driveway or curbcut which can increase traffic congestion. The commercial uses are oriented only to the major street with unattractive rear yards adjacent to the neighborhood. Pedestrian connections are poor to nonexistent from the neighborhoods to the shops, as well as along and across New Circle Road. Notable land uses within this area include the Eastland Shopping Center at Winchester Road, the cluster of business/light industrial activities along Eastland and Floyd Drives, the Wal-Mart and Kroger shopping plazas, and Lexmark.

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Neighborhood Concerns: • Lack of visual and physical connection between neighborhoods and New Circle Road • Lack of inviting gateways / entries into the Central Sector • Poor pedestrian and bike facilities • Lack of defined bus shelters

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Commercial Development Along New Circle Road

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Analysis

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Analysis Market Analysis Demographics Overview This section uses data from the U.S. Census, Demographic Estimates from ESRI Business Analyst, and the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of this writing, 2000 Census Data is dated.

Central Sector has three distinct residential areas that differ from each other. This is an important consideration in understanding local market conditions. Subarea A, located around Georgetown Road, is the most ethnically diverse sub-area within the Central Sector. Sixty-four percent (64%) of its residents are African-American and another 16% of Hispanic descent. It is also the most economically-challenged subarea in terms of per-capita income ($16,500), and has the lowest valued housing stock. Subarea C, located between Second Street and Loudon Avenue, has a concentration of low-income households that disguises the fact that it has a growing population of higher-income households. There is also a high concentration of college students living here (17% of all residents), due to Transylvania University’s location within the area’s boundaries. Subarea D, between Russell Cave Road, New Circle Road, and Loudon Avenue, is the least ethnically diverse, with only 25% of its residents African-American or Hispanic. It also has higher household and per capita incomes, and the lowest estimated unemployment rate.

Housing Generally, ninety percent (90%) of the owner-occupied housing (OOH) units in the Central Sector were estimated to be below the median home value of Lexington, with the exception of many residences located in the Historic Zoning Overlay (H-1). One fourth of OOH units had an estimated value of $60,000 or below – extremely low levels. Ten percent (10%) of Central Sector’s housing is classified as vacant which disproportionately equates to 7.8% of all vacant housing in Lexington. This housing stock presents an asset as well as a liability. Its advantage is the low values result in housing that is more affordable to the preponderance of lower income households located within the Central Sector. A comparison of the ratio of housing value to income finds that the Central Sector is either equal to or more affordable than elsewhere in Lexington - depending on which sources for income one uses - despite the county’s much higher median incomes. On the other hand, low housing values suggest that many units are of low quality, or may be in disrepair. The primary issue regarding housing in the Central Sector, therefore, is whether low income households have access to housing that is not only affordable, but also of a quality that matches the rest of the community. Income & Housing Values

Lexington - Fayette

Sub-Area A

Sub-Area C

Sub-Area D

Median Household Income

$54,624

$26,680

$24,519

$37,372

Per Capita Income

$32,164

$16,509

$17,595

$20,925

Median Home Value

$149,857 $45,403

$83,068

$83,300

Source: ESRI Business Analyst

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis Estimated Residential ResidentialValues Values| |Sub Subarea Estimated Area 3C- Old Northside

Central Sector Small Plan | Lexington, K Central Sector Small Area PlanArea | Lexington, Kentucky

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O NC LDEA O AR 3: B #SU LEGEND Above $300,000 $200,000 - $300,000 $100,000 - $200,000 $50,000 - $100,000 > $50,000 prepared by: Development Concepts, Inc. source: zillow.com and analysis by DCI

The older you are, the more likely you are to own a home. For example, 48.2% of occupied housing units in Central Sector are owner-occupied, but of all occupied housing units with a householder age 25-34, only 31.1% are owned by the householder. Of occupied housing units with a householder age 75-84, 79.6% are owned by the householder. However, the largest home-owning age group are householders age 45-54, owing 21.8% of all owner-occupied housing units in Central Sector. Based on race in Central Sector, if you are classified as White, you are most likely to own your home (52.7%), followed by Asian descent (42.9%), African-American (38.3%), and Native American/Native Alaskan (16.7%). Only 9.7% of Hispanic head of households own their home. The age and character of the Central Sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing stock has a major influence on the demographics of its residents, especially in regard to the distribution of household incomes across its geography. The primary

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Analysis influence is the time period in which different areas of the Central Sector were developed. Roughly one-quarter of the housing units within the study area (the areas closest to Downtown) were built prior to the World War II, while the rest were built following it. The architecture and market conditions from these two periods differ enough so as to establish areas with different market dynamics. Subarea C is the oldest part of the Central Sector with a Median Year Structure Built of 1944 (compared to 1974 for Lexington). The neighborhoods between Downtown and 7th / Decamp Street were built-out during the end of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century. The housing styles built during this period varied significantly. Large single family homes meant to serve higher income households were built in proximity to clusters of small to modest sized homes intended to house working class households. Today, one can witness how the diversity in housing stock is now reflected in the area’s demographics. Subarea C has the largest diversity in income, with some of the lowest income households adjacent to those with significantly more income that have bought, maintained, and restored the larger historic homes. In contrast, Subarea D was almost entirely built after 1945 (mostly before 1960) consisting of post-war housing meant for middle class families. There also are clusters of early 20th century Craftsman-style bungalows in the North Limestone neighborhood. The housing stock is not extremely varied in terms of size or quality and this subarea shows the least amount of variance in income. The solidly middle-class enclave has incomes much higher than that of the other areas of the Central Sector.

Retail The retail found within the Central Sector study area is representative of its demographics. Most retailers are small, independent businesses operating in low-rent spaces. The national chain retailers that exist within the study area are targeted primarily toward low and moderate income households (Dollar Tree, Save-a-Lot, Wal-Mart, etc.). There has been limited recent retail investment – the exception being such businesses as the Rite-Aid on Broadway, a wine and cheese shop, and a metal finishing business. The potential for retail growth within the Central Sector – both in quantity and quality – is constrained by its low household and per capita income levels. This is especially true in terms of new retail development, which typically seeks proximity to a customer base with much higher levels of disposable income. Most households in the Central Sector have only half the disposable income of the typical Lexington household. While Central Sector neighborhoods have a higher density compared to the rest of the LFUCG, it is not of a sufficient density to create enough aggregate buying power to match the neighborhoods with higher incomes that retailers prefer.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis On the other hand, the Central Sector does have a series of assets. The Broadway, Limestone and Loudon Avenue corridors have enough traffic count to appeal to retailers. The growth of Downtown Lexington has the potential to positively impact some Central Sector neighborhoods, and the growth of upper middle and middle class households in nearDowntown neighborhoods may establish a preferred customer base. The planning process for the Central Sector Small Area Plan identified a desire from residents for a new grocery store, or at least access to better quality groceries. Currently, the Central Sector is served by three levels of grocers: (1) small “corner shop” businesses that serve the convenience market and typically carry only basic grocery items; (2) mid-sized discount grocers that cater to low-income households (Save-a-Lot) and (3) large national grocers located on New Circle Road (Wal-Mart, Kroger). Though this configuration serves Central Sector residents in terms of typical market conditions for grocers, issues rise in terms of the accessibility of groceries and everyday goods to households with limited access to transportation due to income limitations or accessibility problems. These households are most likely to exist in the lower income areas of Subareas A and C. The large grocers are located in the northern end of the study area beyond easy walking distance for many residents. Therefore residents are forced to shop at smaller convenience retailers, where prices are higher and selectivity lower due to the market and economic limitations of small grocers.

Neighborhood Retail Examples

Economic Development The employment characteristics of the Central Sector belie those of Fayette County that saw a net growth of over 8,000 jobs between 2001 and 2007, and consistently has unemployment rates 2-3% below that of the State of Kentucky. In 2000, the last year available for Census data, it was estimated that 9% of residents in the Central Sector study area were unemployed (compared to 3.7% for Lexington) and only 61% of residents 16+ were in the labor force (compared to 70% for Lexington). With unemployment rising nationally, there is a good chance that presently, the Central Sector may have unemployment rates above 10%.

Regional retail on New Circle Road

Part of this disconnect is likely due to disparate levels of educational attainment. Lexington has a large number of jobs in industries that typically require higher levels of education or a high level of skills attained through apprenticeships and at vocational or technical schools. Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing, Professional and Technical Services, Administrative and Support Services, Hospitals and Ambulatory Health Care Services, and Credit Intermediation represent 31% of all employment in Fayette County. The Lexington area has a very high percentage of educated residents. In the year 2000, the last year where data was available, 35.6% of residents had a bachelor’s or graduate degree.

Analysis The Central Sector, in contrast, has very low level of higher education attainment. In 2000, the percentage of study area residents aged 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher was only 10.3%. This was 7% lower than the State of Kentucky and 25.3 percent lower than Lexington. Sixty-three percent (63%) of residents had a high school degree or GED – 10.5% lower than the State, and 22.4% lower than Lexington. A second issue may be access to jobs. The most accessible employment centers to the Central Sector, including Downtown Lexington, the University of Kentucky, and Lexmark, have a preponderance of jobs that require higher levels of education. Many of the major manufacturing entities in the area– which present a higher likelihood of offering employment to residents without college degrees, are located on sites out of town as to be economically impossible to reach for many residents. These statistics may have improved over the past eight years, with an influx of higher educated, higher income households into the area – especially in near-Downtown neighborhoods. The low education numbers within the Central Sector are also influenced by the high percentage of residents near or at retirement age (one-fifth of all residents are aged 55+). Nevertheless, the disparity between the Central Sector and the rest of Lexington in employment levels and education attainment is alarming, and remains one of the primary reasons why the Central Sector as a whole lags behind the rest of the community in terms of income and prosperity. ** This section uses data from the U.S. Census, Demographic Estimates from ESRI Business Analyst, and the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Large retailer at Broadway and Loudon Avenue

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis Circulation and Connectivity Vehicular Central Sector is ideally situated to be a model for community redevelopment. It borders a vibrant downtown and is bisected by Newtown Pike and Broadway which provide vehicular access to the Interstate system and New Circle Road. Another strong north-south axis is North Limestone. Loudon Avenue and Third Street provide the strongest east-west connections. Roadway access and connectivity in the Central Sector Study area should enhance the area’s urban character, while also utilizing emerging “green” practices to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses within the area. There are a number of critical factors to consider in order to balance functionality and historic integrity. On the issue of roadway orientation (i.e. one-way streets vs. two-way streets), any plan of action should enhance the traditional character of the area, preserving the pedestrian-friendly culture of the Central Sector. There are several one-way streets that may facilitate traffic flow, but have been shown to have less benefit to residents and business owners. Fourth Street is one of those streets. Two-way streets are safer for pedestrians, provide more eyes on the street, and are traffic calming which is desirable in traditional urban communities. Parking may be easier on one-way streets, but having the option of both sides typically benefits businesses.

One Way Street

Newtown Pike, long viewed as a barrier between Subarea A and the rest of the Central Sector, is expected to see additional traffic when the Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) consolidates its three campuses at the corner of Fourth Street and Newtown Pike, a site currently home to Eastern State Hospital. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is responsible for New Circle Road and Newtown Pike. LFUCG will need to coordinate with KYTC for improvements for these roads or roads that intersect them. Overall, congestion in the Central Sector is not a major problem during the peak morning or evening commuting hours. The most significant congestion in the Central Sector occurs on Newtown Pike, North Broadway, and New Circle Road. During peak hours travel times increase for Newtown Pike and New Circle Road to twice the free flow time, but when compared to other locations in Lexington these travel times are significantly less. Congestion problems for the Central Sector are primarily tied to events that take place downtown. Such events increase vehicular and pedestrian traffic and reduce available parking. There is a perceived barrier by the community between commercial services on New Circle Road and the residential areas in the Central Sector. In many instances, there are no sidewalks, the signal timing is not pedestrian friendly, and the intersections provide an unappealing image as the northern gateway to the Central Sector.

Unattractive gateway lacks pedestrian improvements

Analysis

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The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Av e

Analysis TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS LEGEND City-wide Connectors Neighborhood Connectors One-Way Street Transit Route Existing Bike Facility RJ Corman / CSX Railroad

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Analysis Bicycle and Pedestrian Bike paths in the Central Sector are on the rise. The LFUCG has recently implemented programs to increase the use of bicycles in an effort to reduce the amount of vehicular traffic and associated pollutants. A portion of the Legacy Bike Trail, which begins at the Kentucky Horse Park and ends near Main Street, will be constructed in the Central Sector. The final layout of the Legacy Trail has yet to be determined but Lexmark, has agreed to allow the trail to go through its property. This will result in the Legacy Trail becoming a significant addition to the Central Sector. The map on pages 28 and 29 shows the route proposed as this document is being prepared. There also are possible spurs of the trail that may link to significant cultural spaces related to racing history in the nearby East End neighborhood. The recently adopted Lexington Area MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan includes several recommendations for a non-motorized network. Maps included in the plan address gaps in sidewalk facilities; bicycle levels of service; existing and funded bicycle routes map; trail project feasibility; project prioritization; analysis of pedestrian-vehicle collision sites; and planned facilities including both on-road and shared facilities. There is also a Complete Streets Improvement Plan.

LEGEND

There are several active rails in the Central Sector, as well as some abandoned railroad beds where the tracks have been removed just east of Coolavin Park. The abandoned railroad is a good candidate for conversion through the National Rails-to-Trails program to a greenway accommodating bike paths and pedestrian walkways. Trails considered in this central

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis part of the neighborhood should make a point of accessing the site of the future BCTC campus and Transylvania University. Further study is needed to determine which routes would be most favorable. Securing easements and land donations, improving the right-of-way, and providing adequate lighting and security patrols are needed to provide new corridors of connectivity for the residents of the area. While bike paths and greenways signal quality of life improvements, there are basic improvements that every neighborhood, especially urban ones should have. Central Sector has many blocks that do not have curb and gutter, and in some areas there are crumbling old limestone curbs that have not been replaced. There are areas without sidewalks, and many sidewalks are cracked or crumbling in a community where many people walk to their destinations or to catch a bus because they have no other transportation. The LFUCG policy of requiring property owners to repair their own sidewalks is not effective in this community and is typically the responsibility or a municipality so there is consistency.

Some local streets lack functional curbs, gutters and sidewalks

The Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Program is a Federal-Aid program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that is proposed for two sites in Central Sector. Eighty-five percent (85%) of students at Arlington Elementary school walk. The purpose of the SRTS Program is to empower communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity. The Program makes funding available for a wide variety of programs and projects categorized as either infrastructure or non-infrastructure. Infrastructure projects include the planning, design, and construction that will substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bicycle to school including sidewalk improvements; traffic calming measures, and speed reduction improvements; pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements; on-street bicycle facilities; off-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities; secure bicycle parking facilities; and traffic diversion improvements in the vicinity of schools. Non-infrastructure projects include public awareness campaigns and outreach to press and community leaders; traffic education and enforcement in the vicinity of schools; student sessions on bicycle and pedestrian safety, health, and environment; and funding for training, volunteers, and managers of Safe Routes to School programs.

Transit According to the 2004/2005 LexTran Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Report, several demographic factors point to a high level of ridership among the residents of Central Sector. These results were gathered using various methods including a ridecheck/passenger count, an on-board passenger survey, a telephone household survey, demographic research, and a compilation of LexTran operational and historical ridership data. Findings that point to a high level of ridership within the community when compared to the rest of the urbanized areas include: • A high number of zero-vehicle households (17%+), both within Central Sector and the East End

Analysis • A high density of elderly population • A low employment density (with the exception of Lexmark and the southern industrial area) • An estimated high number of Potential Transit Trips (as determined within the COA Report) Current LexTran routes are illustrated on the map on pages 28 and 29. Lextran’s other presence in the neighborhood is the facility located on Loudon Avenue just west of North Limestone. This is the proposed site for a new administration building. It has recently been determined that the building is not of historic value, though it does contribute character to the corner.

Public Services and Infrastructure Utilities The electric, water, sewer, natural gas, telephone, and cable utilities in the Central Sector provide reasonable service throughout. The Central Sector is the oldest section of Lexington and, therefore, the majority of its public facilities are noticeably aging. The infrastructure still serves its intended purpose but lacks the aesthetics of some of the newer sections of Lexington leading to a decline in public perception of the area. Overhead utilities in the Central Sector area, including telephone, electric, and cables, should be placed underground or separate pole lines combined, whenever possible with new development and investment to improve the appearance of the streetscape. Communication with and coordination among the utility companies may result in improved aesthetics of the “wire” utilities. Though there are no major projects, continued upgrades and maintenance or all utilities is key. Infrastructure improvements currently underway include the relocation of gas lines on New Circle Road on the north side of the Subarea A, south-west of the intersection of Jefferson and Third Streets, and at Meadow Park off Bryan Avenue. Additional projects expected in the near future will occur on Loudon Avenue between Broadway and Bryan Avenue, as well as pipe relocation at the Army Reserve Center in the south-east corner of Subarea B.

Stormwater Flooding problems were identified in the Broadway/Bryan Avenue area in the Meadows – Northland – Arlington Neighborhood Improvement Project Storm Sewer Assessment Study prepared by PEH, Engineers in 1997. North Limestone from Bluegrass north to New Circle Road does not have sidewalks, curbs or gutter which results in frequent flooding events. Several of the projects recommended in the study have been completed; notably storm sewer construction in the Highland Park – Marcellus Drive area. These projects included street, curb, and sidewalk rehabilitation as

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis well. Other projects recommended in the report are being scheduled for construction, but there has been much frustration within the community by residents and business owners alike at the length of time to complete infrastructure upgrades and the lack of communication regarding schedule delays. Though it can be more difficult to replace aged infrastructure in mature urban areas, a neighborhood such as Central Sector should receive high priority in terms of capital improvements in order to encourage other types (private) of investment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as part of a court settlement, is requiring Lexington to improve its stormwater and sanitary systems. This is known as the Federal EPA Consent Decree. The LFUCG will be instituting fees that vary based on the use of the property to bring the city into compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act. The fee is based on the amount “impervious” or non-absorbent surfaces on a property, for example a roof or parking lot. This fee, as proposed, will raise a total of approximately $16 million/year that will clean up the environment by: • Providing for ongoing monitoring of water quality. • Providing for ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the storm sewer system. • Providing for ongoing monitoring and maintenance of streams and greenways. • Cleaning up spills.

Location of the Royal Springs Aquifer

• Sweeping streets and cleaning up litter to keep debris out of the storm sewers. • Construction projects targeting flooding problems. • Providing neighborhood matches to encourage grassroots projects, for example rain gardens, rain barrels, etc.

Hydrology Over 50% of the Central Sector is located within the Royal Spring Wellhead Protection Area (RSWPA). The Royal Spring aquifer is currently the primary water source for Georgetown Municipal Utilities. The aquifer is highly susceptible to pollution due to the karst geology of the recharge area. LFUCG has adopted the Royal Springs Wellhead Protection Plan into its 2007 Comprehensive Plan and imposes restrictions consistent with Best Management Practices (BMP) on development within the RSWPA. Commercial and industrial development with a low risk of groundwater contamination is preferable for this area.

Analysis Natural Environment Natural Environment/ Underdeveloped Area The LFUCG does not maintain a list of brownfield sites as designated under State and Federal guidelines. A cursory review of the Underutilized Property Survey shows widespread vacant properties of varying sizes throughout the study area. (See attached map.) Some of the vacant sites may be brownfield sites and eligible for grants to remove contaminants or hazardous waste. LFUCG plans to apply for a brownfield grant in the coming year. Cleaning up the sites would make them more appealing and marketable for redevelopment. Future development should employ green design policies such as the use of stormwater Best Management Practices such as vegetated swales, rain gardens, and pervious pavement materials.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Analysis Air Quality In summer 2008, the Brookings Institution released a report identifying Lexington as the city with the largest per capita carbon footprint in the United States. The Brookings Institute report was based on per capita carbon emissions, not the status of the air quality. Lexingtonians rely heavily on coal generated electricity. However, Lexington has a history of promoting compact development with the continued implementation of its urban service boundary which reduces the effects of travelling long distances to work, shop and recreate. As a neighborhood, the Central Sector is not likely to be a significant contributor as there are several transit alternatives, sidewalks connecting neighborhoods with downtown and a very low rate of automobile ownership.

Geology The Central Sector community is located on the Lexington East and West Geologic Quadrangles. Lexington is in the heart of the Inner Blue Grass region of Kentucky characterized by gently rolling topography underlain by a unit of limestone and shale called the Lexington Limestone. Local relief is generally less than 100 feet. At the surface the subject area lies at the stratigraphic interval of the Millersburg Member and Tanglewood Limestone Member of the Lexington Limestone. Lexington is underlain by a unit of limestone and shale called the Lexington Limestone. The Inner Bluegrass is one of the major karst regions of Kentucky. Karst terrain is a type of topography that forms through dissolution of limestone and is characterized by sinkholes, sinking streams, caves, springs, and underground drainage. Review of the Mapped Karst Ground-Water Basins in the Lexington Quadrangle (Currens, 1996) shows that about 50% of the property is located in a mapped groundwater basin (determined primarily by ground-water tracer studies). The map shows ground water flow to be in a northwesterly direction. Although ground water flow routes have been established by tracer studies, the precise flow paths are unknown and are inferred or interpreted.

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Analysis

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Public Input & Issue Identification

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Public Input & Issue Identification Public Input Overview The success of any plan depends on how well it reflects the ideas and addresses the concerns of the residents, business owners and community leaders it affects. This planning process employed a variety of public outreach efforts to gather information from pertinent stakeholders and provided residents with an avenue to share their concerns and hopes for the future of Central Sector. The following is a brief summary of the public input process.

Project Steering Committee A Steering Committee was established in April 2008 to oversee and guide this planning process. The committee, composed of twenty-two members, represented diverse sectors of the community including business leaders, residents, and public officials. They participated in workshops, helped develop the plan’s goals and recommendations, and reviewed and provided input for the various iterations of the draft. Along with LFUCG staff, the group met on six occasions to ensure the planning process was responding to the needs of the community and the Small Area Plan itself fulfilled the unique needs of Central Sector.

Key Stakeholder Interviews Three Key Stakeholder groups were identified and invited to hour-long interviews early in the planning process. The groups provided focused input about their concerns and desires relative to the future of Central Sector. The groups included: • Institutional - Service organizations, schools, not-for-profit agencies • Commercial / Business owners, government officials • Residents living 3 to 32 years in the community

Public Workshops Two public workshops were held to introduce residents to the planning process and facilitate discussion about the needs, as well as positive features, of Central Sector. The primary purpose of the first meeting held in June 2008 was to conduct an exercise to determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) in Central Sector. The results of this workshop confirmed preliminary findings and established a list of potential issues to be addressed in the Small Area Plan. A second workshop was conducted in August 2008 that included a goal-setting exercise and provided an opportunity for residents to see how the recommendations would be organized in the Plan.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Public Input & Issue Identification Community Survey A short survey was distributed during the June 2008 workshop and at several community events and neighborhood association meetings throughout the summer. A series of questions relating to future growth priorities, land uses, and quality of life issues were posed in an effort to gain a broad-based “snapshot” of community concerns and ideas. In addition the survey allowed respondents to provide written comments on current issues and the future of the community. The results of the survey are located in the Appendix.

Open House The final draft of the Small Area Plan was presented at an open house in February 2009. This meeting invited public comment which was incorporated into the Plan before it was prepared for adoption. This process gave the public assurance that concerns they had expressed early in the planning process were sufficiently addressed in the document.

Public Input Summary The following comments were received multiple times throughout the preparation of the Plan from the public, stakeholders, and Steering Committee members. Refer to the Appendix Section 7 for a more detailed listing of the issues raised throughout the public input phase of the planning process.

Strengths • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

High quality older and historic homes Mixed housing types / neighborhoods with mature trees Old Episcopal Burial Ground - historic cemetery London Ferrell community garden at Third Street New affordable housing Active Neighborhood Associations Multicultural and multi-generational population Loudon House and Lexington Art League Al’s Bar, Sixth and North Limestone Castlewood, Gratz and Duncan Parks Schools: Lexington Traditional Magnet School, Sayre, Arlington Diversity and culture Transylvania University Applebee’s Legends Park Living Arts and Science Center Churches Proximity to downtown High density creates low carbon footprint

Public Input & Issue Identification • Responsible police sector • North Lexington YMCA • The money, youth and creative class is here

Weaknesses • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Trailer Park Absentee landlords Low percentage of home ownership Need more quality affordable housing – both rental and owned Duncan Park needs activity, lights, and use Need to strengthen Transylvania relationship Not enough street trees or streetscape Not bike friendly or pedestrian friendly in many places LFUCG needs to finish projects Poor public elementary schools Under-used and under-funded parks Unkempt alley ways– hidden areas that can hide problems – crime No storm system, sidewalks, curbs & bike lanes Recreation Dunbar, Castlewood & Charles Young Gymnasiums are not used year round Castlewood Gym has air conditioning but is closed in the summer Slow LFUCG services Need circulating bus routes to and from work sites No sidewalk on New Circle Road N. Broadway, Bryan Ave, N. Limestone need sidewalks to New Circle Rd. No downtown grocery, missing neighborhood scale retail, e.g. hardware Old Industrial sites; Bakers, KU No business involvement in community/business beautification Predatory businesses Signage ordinance from 80’s needs to be revisited (now no signs perpendicular to structures allowed); Liquor stores Concentration of social services in Central Sector is a burden Poor code and zoning enforcement Lots of industrial zoning where people live Environmental concerns: dump, brownfields Flooding Crime (we need more police involvement) Brownfields - large one owned by UK leased by Lextran now UK allows a $15,000 grant to those who work at UK & live in designated areas in town – but excludes the Castlewood area

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Public Input & Issue Identification • Winchester Rd aesthetically ugly, needs landscaping • Outdoor storage at the gateway – New Circle Road at Georgetown and Newtown Pike • Improve signage regulations to enable business sectors to “announce” themselves • Need human scale lighting; alleys-streets • Railroad crossings need improvement • Clean up illegal uses - car repair in neighborhoods The issues and concerns generated by the public helped to inform the development of Goals and Objectives proposed in the following chapter. The Steering Committee was instrumental in providing guidance and interpretation of the many comments that eventually led to the recommendations to revitalize the Central Sector.

Public Input & Issue Identification

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Public Input & Issue Identification

Central Sector aerial illustrating study area, Neighborhood Association, and historic district boundaries and select identified features

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Public Input & Issue Identification

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Goals & Objectives

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Goals & Objectives Introduction The 2007 Comprehensive Plan for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) outlined a series of goals to enhance the quality of life and spur economic development. Listed below are 15 of the 21 goals contained in that plan that are most applicable to the Central Sector community and this planning process. Every effort has been made to make recommendations that will fulfill these goals.

Relevant city / county-wide Comprehensive Plan Goals: Goal 1.

Provide planning processes which enable widespread citizen participation and benefit Lexington-Fayette County.

Goal 3.

Promote land uses that are sensitive to the natural and built environment.

Goal 4.

Develop and implement a green space system that preserves the urban and rural identity of Fayette County and provides a framework for regional and local planning.

Goal 5.

Protect and preserve Fayette Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s significant historic and cultural heritage.

Goal 8.

Create strategies that enable and encourage appropriate infill and redevelopment of established developments and neighborhoods.

Goal 10. Preserve, promote, and enhance those aspects of the natural, built, and cultural environment that encourage tourism. Goal 11. Provide diverse business and employment opportunities for Lexington-Fayette County. Goal 13. Provide housing opportunities to meet the needs of all citizens. Goal 14. Establish and promote well-designed communities that provide appropriate services to multi-neighborhood areas and encourage community interaction. Goal 15. Preserve, protect, and enhance the character and quality of existing neighborhoods. Goal 16. Promote well-designed, new development that creates and enhances neighborhoods and communities. Goal 18. Provide and maintain essential public services and facilities. Goal 19. Provide and maintain a comprehensive transportation system. Goal 20. Provide and maintain a range of community facilities and services. Goal 21. Develop strategies to effectively implement the recommendations of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan and other adopted community plans.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Goals & Objectives Central Sector Principles, Goals, and Objectives The following recommendations are based on an understanding of the existing conditions in Central Sector and of the input of more than 300 citizens who participated in this planning process. Each guiding principle contains specific goals and objectives that will realize the stated principle and provide benchmarks for implementation. The goals and objectives, coupled with issue identification summarized in the previous chapter, produced a framework analysis used to implement recommendations for Central Sector.

Guiding Principles The guiding principles listed below are intended to be mantras for the effort to revitalize and re-envision the neighborhoods that make up Central Sector. These four principles address a variety of physical, social and economic improvements that will collectively enhance the Central Sector community. The four “Guiding Principles” include: • Enhance The Urban Fabric • Promote And Prepare For Redevelopment And Investment • Provide Adequate And Equitable Housing • Preserve The Cultural and Historic Heritage

Enhance The Urban Fabric The urban fabric refers to the multidimensional environment in which towns and cities are created and develop over time. It is composed of the network of streets, building facades and the spaces or voids that occur within it. Successful spaces have texture and engage the people that move within them. The numbers (in parentheses) following each goal below refer to the specific Comprehensive Plan goals on page 46. 1. Connect the Community Physically and Functionally through Multiple Means of Mobility (4,19) a. Create “Complete Streets” on designated routes b. Beautify gateways and main thoroughfares c. Develop a design with a theme that reflects the uniqueness and enhances the image of Central Sector d. Work with KYTC and property owners to implement beautification projects e. Consider conversion of one-way streets such as Fourth Street to two-way traffic in some areas f. Consider extending street grid to connect cut-off areas; which if properly implemented can deter crime g. Provide additional east-west connections

Goals & Objectives h. Provide traffic calming measures where needed i. Provide new crosswalks where they do not exist and make existing crosswalks safer (audible crosswalks) j. Create partnerships for the provision of multi-use trails or lanes for enhanced bicycle and pedestrian use 2. Increase Public Transportation Options and Improve the Experience (14, 19, 20) a. Explore the potential of circulator shuttles to downtown and retail destinations b. Enhance the visibility, functionality and economics of bus stops through the addition of bus shelters c. Provide additional east-west transit routes with stops with shelters d. Support implementation of Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Fayette and Jessamine County including the Legacy Trail 3. Improve Street Infrastructure to Assist in Leveraging Private Investment (8, 19) a. Develop a block-by-block assessment of missing or damaged curb and sidewalks b. Repair and maintain sidewalks, curbs, and gutters to serve pedestrians and cyclists c. Update the capital improvements plan to include streetscape improvements d. Create an efficient process coordinated by LFUCG, but with realistic property owner participation, for the construction and repair of infrastructure e. Create high quality, safe design standards for the construction of facilities and infrastructure planned for public ownership, and incorporate into Zoning Ordinances f. Include design standards in the Zoning Ordinance that require private development to beautify street frontages g. Campaign to have the resources of the urban forestry program focused on Central Sector for an extended period of time 4. Nurture Environmental Quality and Reduce the Carbon Footprint (3, 8, 10) a. Turn environmentally limited sites into opportunity sites b. Obtain EPA grant for a community-wide inventory of sites with possible contamination c. Investigate funding sources to assist with gray or brown site preparation. d. Incorporate Best Management Practices into drainage and stormwater solutions

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Goals & Objectives e. Unveil and enhance the creeks, streams and wetlands present in the area f. Revitalize the existing Urban Forest program and make Central Sector a priority for implementation g. Promote and celebrate successful recycling and municipal composting programs h. Encourage farmers’ market in a local park i. Provide incentives to encourage sustainable sites, buildings and neighborhoods through participation in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Green Building Council j. Improve air quality by facilitating alternative transportation methods in the form of safe sidewalks, signed on-street bike routes or bike lanes 5. Enhance Public Safety and Security (18, 20) a. Incorporate “Safe by Design” standards into Zoning Ordinance for new development and redevelopment of infrastructure, streets, parking lots and buildings to bring about a socially sustainable community b. Provide community-scale policing substations in strategic locations to bring about a 24 - hour presence c. Increase bike and mounted patrols d. Promote permeability and access as a way of keeping an eye on the neighborhood e. Provide citizens with techniques to be able to police from within the community f. Perform a block-by-block assessment of opportunities for crime as first step to reduce crime g. Promote safe design to foster socially sustainable buildings and neighborhoods

Redevelopment And Investment The community of neighborhoods known as Central Sector should undertake a campaign to recreate its image in order to spur revitalization. 1. Encourage Commercial / Service Nodes that offer a Variety of Products and Services and are Accessible by Multiple Means of Transportation (8, 11, 14, 16) a. Identify a location for a major commercial / service node that can serve the majority of the Central Sector, while also improving smaller neighborhood nodes

Goals & Objectives b. Provide incentives or other assistance for businesses that locate in appropriate districts and meet community standards 2. Improve Connectivity to Existing Retail and Employment Centers (14, 19, 20) a. Explore potential of circulator system that connects Central Sector Neighborhoods to New Circle Road and Downtown b. Improve the viability of small retail stores that are most accessible via walking c. Explore the expansion and improvement of alternative transportation modes (i.e. biking, walking, etc.) 3. Implement a Neighborhood Economic Development Program that Utilizes Existing Assets (5, 8, 11, 14, 16) a. Inventory existing capacity within the Central Sector for employment and workforce training opportunities b. Connect the Eastern State site (future Bluegrass Community Technical College campus) to residential neighborhoods c. If needed revise zoning and development ordinances in order to facilitate redevelopment for sites such as Johnson Elementary d. Target development sites for new development or redevelopment that provide Central Sector residents with employment opportunities e. Encourage a close working relationship between Central Sector residents, schools, businesses, and Transylvania University and the BCTC in order to provide work-ready graduates from secondary, post-secondary and adult education programs 4. Organize, Identify and Overcome Hurdles to Market Growth (8, 11, 14, 16) a. Identify Brownfield Sites within the Central Sector, organize funding for those with the highest short-term potential for redevelopment b. Encourage Public / Private Partnerships such as with Lexington Leadership and Urban Impact c. Organize a group with the capacity to obtain, assemble and transfer residential, commercial and industrial land for redevelopment purposes d. Work with local business development organizations to channel resources, training and information to businesses or prospective businesses within the Central Sector e. Create the capacity to deliver cost effective and accessible groceries to area residents f. Improve the viability of existing retail â&#x20AC;&#x153;cornerâ&#x20AC;? shops through business assistance, infrastructure improvements and programs that increase buying power

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Goals & Objectives Adequate And Equitable Housing The Central Sector is ideally suited to and should provide a variety of safe and convenient housing for residents with different incomes, at different stages of life, and reflecting the multicultural make-up of the community. 1. Ensure the Provision of Adequate and Quality Low-Income Housing (8, 13) a. Improve the quality of existing housing units through renovation and rehabilitation of the existing structure. Employ “Safe by Design” standards b. Provide incentives to landlords to improve the quality of low-income housing c. Identify in-fill sites for new low and moderate income housing d. Encourage new housing types through incentives and guidelines that are compatible with existing and desired densities 2. Promote, Leverage, and Sustain New Residential Investment (8, 13, 15) a. Create a real estate marketing program to attract new residents to the community b. Identify funding mechanisms that can create a pool of capital to leverage future investment c. Make housing rehabilitation funds available to homeowners 3. Implement Strategies to Balance Affordable Housing for Local Residents With Rising Real Estate Costs and Value (8, 13, 15) a. Utilize a community land trust to make it possible to retain low and moderate income residents b. Seek to provide a variety of lifestyle and lifecycle housing so that residents can remain in the community 4. Utilize Housing as an Economic Development Tool (8, 13, 15) a. Encourage the conversion of single family homes from renters to homeownership via community development tools such as education, down payment assistance, and lease-to-purchase options b. Target multi-family housing units adjacent to existing or planned neighborhood commercial nodes c. Seek to locate new low-income units in proximity to retail goods and community services d. Strengthen the City’s redevelopment capacity to obtain, assemble and transfer residential land

Goals & Objectives

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Goals & Objectives CENTRAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK LEGEND Proposed Legacy Trail City-Wide Connectors Neighborhood Connectors RJ Corman Railroad Proposed Gateways Existing Bike Facility

Proposed Bike Facility Proposed Circulator Routes

Proposed Reinvestment Areas

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Proposed Reinvestment Areas per Lexington Non-Residential Infill Study

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Goals & Objectives Preserve Cultural and Historic Heritage Community consensus influenced the Plan principle to preserve and nurture the best of the social and physical features of Central Sector. The community wished the Plan to reflect the lives and opinions of the multicultural, multigenerational, ethnically diverse citizens, some of whom have spent their entire lives there. Any future development should acknowledge and reinforce the protections that are in place to preserve neighborhoods and individual structures of historic proportion. 1. Celebrate The Diversity of the Community (5, 10, 15, 16) a. Encourage community involvement and celebration (Roots & Heritage, Dirt Bowl Reunions) b. Create a unified image for the Central Sector community of neighborhoods c. Designate gateways on major thoroughfares with an identity unique to the community 2. Identify, Preserve and Celebrate the Area’s Cultural History (5, 10, 15, 16) a. Use wayfinding and/or interpretive signage to identify and help direct people to cultural and historic areas in Central Sector b. Designate vibrant and active sites to be centers and focal points of cultural activity (Choose sites of cultural activity that are vibrant and active) c. Identify historic and cultural communities through research and oral histories d. Promote public art and culture e. Provide links to the Legacy Trail which interprets a part of racing history in the adjacent East End neighborhood 3. Celebrate and sustain the Central Sector’s historic built environment continuing to identify and preserve structures with historical value or cultural significance in the seven local historic and multiple national register districts (5, 10, 15, 16) 4. Provide Park, Recreation, and Community Facilities that Reflect and Serve the Diversity of the Central Sector (5, 10, 15, 16, 20) a. Partner with national initiatives to introduce non-traditional or atypical inner city sports b. Update and maintain public parks and community centers. Ensure parks meet “Safe by Design” standards and remove existing design problems that provide opportunities for crime c. Create additional gathering spaces such as the proposed Duncan Park stage, as well as sitting spaces that would encourage use by citizens that could informally monitor park activities

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Goals & Objectives d. Provide physical connections by removing barriers that exist between some neighborhoods and parks, taking care not to increase crime opportunities e. Include local residents in park maintenance and security problems through volunteer programs and events f. Explore methods of redirecting resources for better park services, security and maintenance by consolidation of lesser used parkland g. Develop a comprehensive list of social services available to Central Sector residents h. Work with the coalition of social service providers to coordinate activities for clients

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Goals & Objectives

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Recommendations

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Recommendations Introduction These recommendations are the result of a cooperative and collective effort by the Steering Committee, LFUCG officials, planning division staff, and the CSSAP consultant team. LFUCG staff intend that the recommendations included in this Plan will be adopted as an amendment to the 2007 Comprehensive Plan to guide future decisions relevant to Central Sector and to encourage necessary amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. Implementation of the Central Sector Small Area Plan recommendations will require an ongoing commitment from the Neighborhood Associations, the LFUCG Planning Commission and LFUCG Council, Public Safety, Parks and Recreation and other agencies. The recommendations are organized by subarea. Areas that should be focused on in terms of improvements or redevelopment are highlighted in orange on each subarea map. Several recommendations are more general and may appear in a particular subarea, but will be applicable widely. Other Central Sector-wide recommendations and strategies are contained in the Implementation chapter.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Subarea “A”

New Circle Road

Overview

SUBAREA

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Retail revitalization at the Georgetown Road, Fourth Street and Newtown intersection is difficult due to the low income of the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. Locating development along Newtown Pike and Fourth Street will provide the best visibility and access. The programs and facilities at Douglass Park draw people from around the city and county into the neighborhood. The development of the BCTC campus will likely spur interest in new retail, services and housing to support students, faculty and staff. The new retail also will benefit the existing residents. Specific recommendations for the Newtown Pike / Downtown gateway focus area are included in the Non-Residential Infill Study by Kinzelman, Kline Gossman.

Proposed Housing Development

New

The successful integration of this western edge of the Central Sector community is key to its viability. Newtown Pike is a physical barrier to this integration but measures can be taken minimize the effect. The neighborhoods off of Georgetown Road are the least served in terms of access to retail or services. The best opportunity to develop a commercial / service center akin to the way other areas of the Central Sector serve local needs is at the intersection of Georgetown Road and Newtown Pike.

Cemetery

Major Gateway Focus Area

Subarea Priorities • Rehabilitate/redevelop low quality and/or substandard residential properties. • Ensure the proposed housing development west of Douglass Park is integrated into the surrounding neighborhood context. • Ensure that new development occurring along New Circle Road is integrated into the Georgetown neighborhood. Vehicular, pedestrian, and visual connections should be provided and protected. • Promote Douglass Park as a “cultural landmark” for visitors and residents. Enhance programming in Douglass Park to reflect its active history. Besides basketball, bring youth soccer, youth golf lessons and tennis programs such as the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) founded by Arthur Ashe and First Tee Youth Golf to this park. Provide additional parking for the new users.

National Junior Tennis League program participants

First Tee Program

Recommendations Infrastructure Recommendations • Improve connectivity from the Georgetown Neighborhood, Subarea A, to the rest of the Central Sector and downtown via vehicular and pedestrian paths, including an improved street network, transit shelters, and pedestrian crossings. Consider the addition of pedestrian controls at specified locations on Newtown Pike. • Create clearly defined connections between Douglass Park and the adjacent mobile home park and the new housing development. • Work with KYTC to enhance the streetscape with street trees, lighting, sidewalk widening, and median improvements that reflect the importance of this downtown gateway. Apply the recommendations from the Newtown Pike Corridor Extension Plan to Newtown Pike from Main Street to New Circle Road.

Urban Design Recommendations • Create gateway design standards for decorative lighting, wayfinding signage, landscaping, and other elements to apply to any future improvements or development at the Newtown Pike and New Circle Road intersection. • Ensure that the architectural design and site layout for new development on New Circle Road is of high quality with architectural elements on all sides visible to the public and with screened and buffered service and delivery areas adjacent to the neighborhoods. • Develop a pattern book of appropriate neighborhood densities, layouts and architectural styles for proposed housing at Douglass Park and elsewhere that reflects the existing scale and development patterns of the traditional urban fabric and street grid.

Example of on-road bike lane

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Subarea “B” New C ircle R oad

Focus Area

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This area represents a large part of future redevelopment opportunities within the Central Sector. Planning has begun for redevelopment of the Eastern State Hospital site for the Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC). Future plans for the campus should explore opportunities to create vehicular links from the campus to the community including north to Loudon Avenue and the North Lexington YMCA, east to Newtown Pike, and south to Fourth Street. Pedestrian and bicycle connections are equally important east to Coolavin Park and Fifth Street, as well as the Legacy Trail.

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Focus Area The adjacent plan focuses on development possibilities on the borders of Subareas B and C. Besides the YMCA, future BCTC campus and Coolavin Park, the plan emphasizes the area at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson Streets that are ripe for redevelopment. This area has excellent access to Downtown and regional transportation routes and is well positioned between Transylvania University and the future BCTC. Opportunities abound to enliven the vacant and underutilized parcels for housing and retail that could serve the student population, and provide affordable housing for those wishing to move into a revitalized area close to downtown. The proposed Legacy Trail is an asset that could be a successful link to the campus and the existing neighborhoods and potentially open up the natural corridor of Elkhorn Creek.

Subarea Priorities • Coordinate with the BCTC planning effort to ensure maximum integration into the community. • Provide additional modes of access to better integrate the YMCA and nearby institutional uses into Central Sector. • Explore opportunities to enhance and access Elkhorn Creek corridor as a natural amenity. • Enhance pedestrian and visual access to Coolavin Park (Subarea C). Integrate with the needs of the BCTC, Mounted Police, Hope Center, nearby apartments and park users.

Recommendations Infrastructure Recommendations • Work with KYTC to convert Fourth Street from one-way to two-way traffic. • Capitalize on the routing of the Legacy Trail through the Central Sector to downtown as an alternative means of commuter transportation. Route the trail or a spur through BCTC. • Develop an educational triangle with Transylvania University, UK and BCTC by providing a dedicated transit circulator that would travel on Fourth Street and south on Newtown. • Ensure that Legacy Trail safety and security goals are met by determining safe hours of operation, effective lighting, additional police patrols and visual connections to adjacent development. • Provide bus shelters along Fourth Street (see page 61).

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• Provide a gateway treatment at Newtown Pike and New Circle Road intersection. • Continue the streetscape treatments mentioned in the Newtown Pike Corridor Extension Plan north from Main Street to unify the design.

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Opportunities to Incorporate the BCTC Campus with Central Sector

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

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The following recommendations reflect the diversity and historic character of this subarea and are intended to strengthen the urban fabric and continue the positive changes that have occurred from the grassroots efforts here. Two areas of focus are identified.

Overview

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Fourth Street Corridor West of Jefferson Streets / BCTC As mentioned in Subarea B, the redevelopment of the Eastern State Hospital site to the BCTC campus presents a Downtown tremendous opportunity to enliven the Fourth Street corridor and to connect Lexington BCTC to Transylvania University. An organization with redevelopment capabilities such as a Community Development Corporation, should capitalize on the underutilitzed and vacant parcels on the north side of Fourth Street. It is critical to convert the flow of Fourth Street to two-way traffic to ensure success of any development. Creating an active node will positively benefit isolated Coolavin Park. re

“C” Major Gateway Focus Area

Sixth Street and N.Limestone As a small “node” at the intersection of Sixth and North Limestone (home to Al’s Bar and Johnson Elementary School), the corner is positioned well for expansion of neighborhood serving retail uses. Within two years, the Johnson Elementary site is expected to become available property. The successful redevelopment of this site could act as a catalyst for further investment in the area, which serves not only parts of the Central Sector, but the East End as well. North Limestone both north and south of Sixth Street was identified the community as wanting a well-planned streetscape (landscaping, lights, special pavement, crosswalks, bus shelters).

Recommendations Subarea Priorities

Programming of activities is key to success of a space

• Provide a new zone district that facilitates mixed-use development with development and design standards that are appropriately scaled. • Consider redevelopment on the northwest corner of Fourth and Jefferson that would provide student and neighborhood-serving retail and housing at an urban residential density. • Enforce the sign ordinance limiting temporary banners. • Permit projecting signs and building awnings to promote a neighborhood /pedestrian-friendly environment. • Develop a strategy to deliver cost-effective, fresh, and organic foods to low-income neighborhoods, e.g. Good Foods Cooperative. • Increase building inspections and pursue violations and penalties for non-compliance by absentee landlords. • Engage the community in the future role/reuse of Johnson Elementary. • Work with Transylvania University as a retail / community development partner. • Establish and maintain contact with absentee landlords concentrated Fifth Street to Loudon Avenue around North Limestone. • Create a matching grant program for property improvement in owner occupied housing to enhance the exterior of structures such as facade, landscaping, lighting. • Incentivize infill development. • Programming must be increased at Coolavin Park so that it is used by area residents most of the day.

Curb “Bump-out’s With Trees Dining Restaurant Residential

Al’s Bar

Former Johnson Elementary School Site

Proposed Reinvestment Alternative at 6th and Limestone Avenue

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Infrastructure Recommendations • Convert Fourth Street to 2-way traffic. • Continue to evaluate the possibility of street extensions in the future as a tool to enhance neighborhoods • Provide pedestrian connections for Fifth and Sixth Streets to the future BCTC campus. • Make streetscape improvements that include sidewalk repair and widening, decorative lighting, transit shelters, and landscaping. • Provide links to the Legacy Trail and construct trail on abandoned rail bed west of Jefferson Street. • Institute an alley improvement program which addresses safety issues through right-of-way clean up, the addition of lighting and beautification landscaping. • Prioritize improvements to Coolavin Park which include sidewalks, expanded paved and striped parking lot, pedestrian-scale lighting with adequate footcandles to provide security, resurfaced tennis courts, and maintained ball diamonds. Time completion to match the construction of the Legacy Trail.

Design Recommendations • Provide wayfinding signs at the N. Limestone and Broadway intersections with Third Street to identify places of community interest in Central Sector. • Ensure that infill development is of adequate density and perpetuates historic character and development pattern. • Target a planting program to interplant young street trees to replace mature ones that die. • Encourage property owners to add plants and repair fencing along alleys. • Off-street parking for new development should be in the rear or on the side. • Promote public art and murals to enliven the streetscape. • Consider recommendations from the Downtown Streetscape Plan to incorporate into this subarea.

Projecting signs add character to the streetscape

Treatments for alleys can create a place instead of a wasteland and enhance security

Recommendations Subarea “D” Overview This Subarea is a mix of community commercial and residential uses. The commercial development on New Circle is not included in Subarea D because there is not a strong physical relationship between the two. Three thoroughfares provide direct access between north Lexington and the downtown and are recommended for gateway treatments detailed in Subarea E. The traffic counts on Broadway, Limestone and Loudon Avenues bode well for redevelopment opportunities, but it is important that new development directly benefit Central Sector residents. Transit stop with schedule and information board and wall on which to sit or lean

Major Gateway Focus Area

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The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Focus Areas The alternative below maintains the existing mobile home park, residential area and bus facility

New Streetscape and Screening Along Loudon

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Loudon Avenue between Broadway and North Limestone This area is ideal to redevelop as a new commercial retail/ service district to serve Central Sector neighborhoods. It is centrally located, has large parcels of underutilized land, and represents a nexus of the four highest trafficked arterials in the study area. Typical older area urban issues abound such as the potential for brownfields or grayfields and the desire for a higher and better use of land that is already occupied. Lextran currently is using a vital parcel for storage of bus parts and benches and is planning for the site to become the new administration building. This type of project can become the needed catalyst for redevelopment and investment.

New Commercial Development Redevelop Existing Buildings for Housing and Retail Uses

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Redevelop Existing Buildings for Lextran Administration, Housing and Retail Uses

Pedestrian Trails to Castlewood Park and East End

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Example of redevelopment that could occur along the Loudon Avenue corridor

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Recommendations North Limestone Streetscape The North Limestone corridor is lined with homes and small businesses that have made some investment in the community. The area was chosen by residents as being the one they would most like to see upgraded in terms of streetscape and building facades. Improving the streetscape also provides an opportunity for a sustainable solution to drainage and flooding issues in the form of rain gardens that line the street and contain landscaping.

Subarea Priorities • Support the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update recommendations for Castlewood Park to focus resources on year-round programming, swim and camp programs, and location as new home of the girls fastpitch softball league. • Spark reinvestment on Loudon Avenue between Bryan Avenue and Russell Cave using the assistance of a Community Development Corporation and the proposed Lextran Administration Building that can provide the necessary tools and leadership. Uninviting off-street parking areas can be transformed with landscaped edges to better fit into the community as illustrated in the sketch below

• Consider formation of a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district. • Retain unique character of North Limestone as a traditional neighborhood retail corridor. • Ensure that recommendations for the East End are compatible with Central Sector. • Consider the long term possibility of redevelopment for the William Wells Brown neighborhood as a site for high density residential that would be more compatible with the light industrial currently surrounding it.

Street trees in curb bumpouts and onstreet parking. Screened OffStreet Parking

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Existing Mixed-Use Neighborhood with Proposed Enhancements along N. Limestone Avenue

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Infrastructure Recommendations • Upgrade Loudon Avenue between Broadway and North Limestone (new curb, gutter, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping) to the level of the sections east and west of this area, as a catalyst for redevelopment along this primary east-west corridor. • Assess the need for additional safety enhancements at the 5-point intersection at Bryan Avenue and Castlewood Drive. • Provide sidewalks or repair sidewalks to enhance physical and perceived connectivity. • Investigate the possibility of providing a transit circulator route using small busses through the areas of Central Sector with the lowest percentage of car ownership. These would connect to the main bus routes. See graphic on page 52 and 53. • Provide safe bike and pedestrian passages linking Castlewood Park, the Legacy Trail and the William Wells Brown park and school in the East End. • Within existing right-of-way, provide the elements of a “complete street” for North Limestone to maintain the character of a neighborhood thoroughfare. “Complete Street” design elements (parking, landscaping, bike lanes, lighting, sidewalks are illustrated below. • Resolve drainage issues on North Limestone north of Loudon using Best Management Practices such as rain gardens adjacent to the street to detain, filter, and eventually release street runoff.

Rain Garden Examples Along Public Streets

Design Recommendations • Implement streetscape elements which include straight curb, sidewalk, decorative pedestrian scale lighting, prominent crosswalks and shared-road bike signage to increase awareness. • Consider traffic calming measures to preserve neighborhood character such as on-street parking in between landscaped bumpouts. Overhead Utilities Median: Planted Basin to Capture and Treat Rainwater Run-Off

Parallel Parking and Bulb-outs Where Able Considering Overhead Utilities

Residential or 5’ Commercial Building Sidewalk

8’ Parallel Parking

12’ Travel Lane

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12’ Travel Lane

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5’ Residential or Sidewalk Commercial Building R.O.W.

R.O.W.

• Work with mobile home park owners and Lextran to make frontage improvements including decorative fencing such as masonry walls, landscaping and lighting that complements the improvements for new investment areas.

60’-0”

Proposed Rain Garden Medians along Limestone Avenue

Recommendations Subarea “E” Overview Subarea E addresses the commercial northern edge of the Central Sector study area. The major and minor gateways are vehicle oriented. The recommendations focus on enhancing pedestrian connections to the community and establishing a welcoming image at each gateway for the Central Sector. Additional design standard should be imposed for properties along New Circle Road as they change hands in the future in order to enhance the area and not let it become dated and degraded. Major Gateway Focus Area

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The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Recommendations Subarea Priorities • Investigate redevelopment opportunities along New Circle Road especially at the Eastland Shopping Center site which is situated at a major gateway at Winchester. • Encourage merchants to better orient their commercial businesses towards the neighborhoods and to increase the pedestrian-focus (walkability).

Infrastructure Recommendations • Increase physical, visual, and perceived connections between retail corridor and residential areas. • Provide LexTran routes along New Circle Road that connect within Central Sector so residents without automobiles can access the retail services (Kroger, Walmart). • Increase visibility and function of bus shelters/stops. • Provide for on- or off-road cyclists • Provide safe crosswalks that are signalized, timed, and that have median resting points. In some locations, pedestrian bridges may be warranted.

Wayfinding Signage

Prototypical gateway Features Along New Circle Road

Recommendations Design Recommendations • Enhance pedestrian setting to improve safety and aesthetics along New Circle and Winchester • Use special paving, bright colors and signage to increase awareness of pedestrians • Provide wayfinding signage at all designated gateway locations that leads to Castlewood and Douglass Parks, the Lexington Art League, BCTC, Downtown, Transylvania University and other notable areas. • Create gateways along New Circle at Russell Cave, Broadway, Limestone, Bryan Avenue and Winchester roads that all contain some common elements which reflect the pride and diversity and new image of Central Sector.

Marked Crosswalk

“Z” Crossing Point

“Z” Type Pedestrian Crossing

Gateway treatments

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Chapter

Implementation Strategies

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Implementation Strategies Introduction The multifaceted Central Sector Small Area Plan recommendations presented in this document, represent a major challenge for Lexington that will require a long term commitment by multiple participants including the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, the private sector, local residents and local organizations. The Planning Commission and LFUCG staff must convert this adopted Plan’s recommended programs and projects into agenda and capital improvement items to be addressed in a timely and orderly fashion. The implementation strategy identifies the work to be done, who is responsible to lead the effort, and the time frame in which it is to occur. In some cases initial steps and possible funding mechanisms are suggested. The LFUCG is best situated to lead and organize this effort. To gain and maintain support, it is crucial to have visible successes early on and throughout the process. For this reason, there are recommendations that can be implemented with few resources and in a short time frame that are designated as “quick wins.” The implementation of other strategies may vary from several months to several years.

Quick Wins (Short term Implementation Tools) 1. The changes needed for the Central Sector are complex. LFUCG should assign a full time staff planner or “Central Sector Coordinator” to oversee implementation of these recommendations. This leader will have to make staff available that are dedicated to overseeing specific Central Sector projects for a period of years. The private sector and volunteers will supplement these efforts. 2. Consider forming a Task Force composed of representatives from LFUCG departments that meet regularly, are action-oriented and can seek out and secure funds to achieve the goals. The Neighborhood Associations have instigated and participated in the process but do not possess the capacity and tools for implementation of many of the programs. 3. Needy, older areas require greater resources. Dedicate specific individuals (personnel) from Code Enforcement and Building Inspection that are accountable to the community and LFUCG to bring Central Sector maintenance up to the level of other sections of the city. 4. Clean up the area and show the community that the city cares by performing activities, including but not limited to, removing dead vegetation, limbing up existing trees, re-striping streets and crosswalks. In addition, this will help to set the stage for future economic development by showing both the community and potential investors that the city is serious about improving the area.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies 5. Provide planning and zoning incentives such as accelerated plan review, development of a smart growth district, and possible waiver of some standards for development proposals that meet the spirit of this Small Area Plan and provide amenities to the community. Possible rezoning to a land use district that will enable, and not hinder desired development may be required. 6. Revise the LFUCG ordinances to strengthen the enforcement section regarding violations and penalties. 7. Aggressively and quickly pursue funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program for foreclosed, vacant, and abandoned properties. This CDBG program is an excellent opportunity to control the rehabilitation of properties and to provide affordable housing. Work with organizations such as REACH Kentucky and Habitat for Humanity that are positioned and already organized to lend assistance. 8. Change the name of the Plan and of the study area it reflects to something that reflects the vitality of the area (more on page 84). Central Sector has negative connotations and is not a name known even by some of its residents.

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Implementation Strategies Long Term Implementation Tools Community/Economic Development Corporation (CDC/EDC) CDC/EDCs are nonprofit organizations that serve as catalysts for community-led neighborhood revitalization. Though the details between organizations differ, they typically lead a variety of initiatives including residential rehabilitation and development, economic development, business improvements, and development oriented partnerships. They maximize public funds through alliances with financial institutions, equity investors and individual donors. A CDC/EDC has a defined program or service area (usually one to three defined neighborhood areas) and is controlled by a neighborhood based Board of Directors – with a majority of these Directors being persons who either live, work, or worship within the program or service area. Lexington’s Downtown Development Corporation is one example of a local EDC. Although Lexington is not a community that has broadly utilized the CDC/EDC approach for community reinvestment, it nevertheless serves as an appropriate model to bring the capacity needed to achieve outcomes within the Central Sector. While the LFUCG brings a significant amount of capacity to the table in terms of planning and community development, ultimately it is very difficult to address the varying needs of each neighborhood from a central government level – especially a group of neighborhoods with as much need as those found within the Central Sector. This Plan recommends that a CDC/EDC – or similar organization be formed to focus on the specific issues and needs of the Central Sector. A CDC/ EDC should have the ability to act as a bridge between the public and private sectors, bring additional staff capacity and expertise to revitalization initiatives, and adequately address the concerns of local residents by providing an outlet to address local issues on a regular basis. CDC/EDC’s typically utilize the redevelopment powers that will be needed to achieve results within the Central Sector. These include the capacity to acquire and transfer land to private developers, act as partners in development deals, or act as development entities themselves. In dealing with neighborhoods where private investment is lacking, these activities are crucial to the re-introduction of real estate into the marketplace. Furthermore, other capacity to implement the retail and residential oriented strategies discussed in this chapter could be associated within a CDC/EDC type organization. Community Land Trusts are often administered through a CDC, and the necessary work to organize and administer programs like community buying programs or a cooperative grocery store are also housed within not-for-profit organizations.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies Real Estate Transfer Tax Real estate transfer taxes are charged to the buyer and/or seller of real property at the time of sale, based on a percentage of sale value of the property. These taxes are widely used by both State and local governments, as they generate a large amount of revenue at relatively low rates. Popular methods of utilizing the transfer tax are to create a trust fund for the purposes of land acquisition, infrastructure improvements, wetlands / open space protection, and conservation easements. Funds can also be used to repay municipal bonds. Kentucky’s transfer tax is $.50 per $500, or 0.1%. At this rate, a property that sold for $200,000 would generate $200. This type of tax could feasibly be collected within the confines of the Central Sector (or another local geography) for the purposes of reinvesting that money back into the neighborhood. It could be a method to leverage the new investment coming

PROFILE: SOLVING THE URBAN GROCERY STORE GAP “The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) is a non-profit financing institution that created the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, an innovative new capitalization program to increase the number of supermarkets, or other grocery stores in underserved communities across Pennsylvania. This statewide program meets the financing needs of supermarket operators that plan to operate in underserved communities where infrastructure costs and credit needs cannot be filled solely by conventional financial institutions. Under this program, TRF provides pre-development grants and loans, land acquisition financing, equipment financing, capital grants for project funding gaps and construction and permanent finance. TRF also provides technical assistance and workforce services to its borrowers and grantees through this initiative. By providing underserved people access to fresh food retailers with greater variety, the initiative will give these communities the choice of a more nutritionally balanced diet. The lower food costs will also enable underserved persons living on fixed budgets to purchase higher quality foods. Supermarkets and other grocery stores will also make valuable contributions to the community by creating jobs and revitalizing neighborhoods.” ** Grocery stores that are eligible for this program (convenience stores do not qualify) must be serving low or moderate income census tracts, areas with below average supermarket densities, or areas with

significant limitations to transportation access. Several grant types exist including Pre-development Grants, Capital Grants, Soft Costs or Other Preopening Grants, and Construction Grants, many of which are up to $250,000 pre project. Case studies of the program include various project sizes from small produce markets to large supermarkets. Some of the uses for awarded finances include construction, job training, renderings of proposed redevelopment in order to attract a grocery tenant; renovations, purchase of more efficient equipment such as energy-efficient lighting and refrigerators that save money over time, more space for sales, or the transition from selling only non-perishables to also providing fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat.

Sources: ** Fresh Food Financing Initiative Program Guidelines http://www.thefoodtrust.org “Pennsylvania Seeds a New Crop of Local Grocery Stores,” The Hometown Advantage News. Mitchell, Stacy. Sep. 12, 2008. http://www.newrules.org/retail/ news_slug.php?slugid=374

Implementation Strategies into the area through higher priced homes and commercial real estate near Downtown Lexington. There are multiple possible applications, with infrastructure improvements and affordable housing as the two most likely allocation purposes. The transfer tax comes with a few caveats. It is highly opposed by realtors. Its application in a predominantly low-income area such as the Central Sector could be seen as unfair taxation despite its good intentions. It also is dependent upon the local real estate market velocity – which is currently very low in many areas of the Central Sector.

Tax Increment Financing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a tool that is used to generate money for economic development. TIF allows for re-investment of all newly created property tax dollars in a defined geography to go back into that geography into which they came. This new tax revenue – also referred to as “increment” arises from new development that takes place within the TIF district that causes a rise in property values. While all “base” tax – the tax collected in that area prior to the establishment of the TIF district – continues to go to the city, the “increment” can be re-invested. TIF is used for a number of initiatives. A common use finds a municipality generating bonds to pay for infrastructure or land acquisition to make a development project economically feasible. These bonds are then paid back by the increment generated within the TIF District. TIF funds can also be used for on-going maintenance and physical improvements within the district.

Retail / Business Improvements The retail business issues found within the Central Sector, outlined in Chapter 5, are typically addressed through four methods: (1) Public Sector Incentives, which would be used to recruit retailers or assemble land, if necessary; (2) Market Based Strategies that aim to improve local neighborhood retailers to better serve nearby residents; (3) Mixing Income Levels within the neighborhood to increase purchasing power; and (4) Improving Transportation Options to access retailers beyond walking distance. A combination of all four methods is needed to reach the desired level of retail and grocery service within the Central Sector. This plan recommends two general strategies for improving residents’ access to retail goods and groceries. The first is redevelop certain areas of the Central Sector to become commercial “nodes” with a cluster of retail, dining and other uses. These locations are outlined in the discussion of Focus Areas. The second is a package of incentives and programs to either lure larger retailers, like national grocery stores, to the area, or enhance

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies local businesses. At the time, there is no obvious answer to this problem, but there are many options to explore. 1. Cooperative Buying Program The disparity in prices for goods in corner/convenience stores vs. larger grocery chains can largely be attributed to economies of scale. Smaller stores do not receive volume-based price breaks that wholesalers offer supermarkets. One way to solve this problem is to assemble a network of smaller businesses into a cooperative purchasing program. With enough participants, each business would be able to realize a large portion of the savings that supermarkets receive, and then pass these savings onto their customers. 2. Non-ProďŹ t Cooperative Grocery Store Grocery stores that are owned and operated by a not-for-profit organization can be used to solve access to groceries in lower income areas. This is not a wide-spread method, as it is a tool of last resort. This model would consist of a non-profit, such as a CDC or EDC,that would use funds to start and operate a grocer. The business would be run by a manager hired by the non-profit, and profits from the venture would return to the CDC to be used to support the business, or for other programs. The high costs of staffing the business are alleviated by setting up a cooperative system whereby residents are allowed to shop at the grocery by becoming members of the cooperative. One of the responsibilities of membership is volunteering in the store. The Remington Food Co-op in Baltimore was a successful example of this strategy. It has since been discontinued as private grocers began to move into the neighborhood it served. Explore having a branch of the Good Foods Cooperative in Lexington. 3. Business Owner Training The success of specialty / convenience stores is usually dependent on customer service, quality of the store layout, and product selection. A successful neighborhood store requires an understanding of the nature of the neighborhood and what types of products are most appropriate for the clientele. Consumer acceptance is heavily dependent on the perception of quality of the store as evidence by cleanliness, friendliness of the staff, and availability of product choices. Corner stores can more effectively integrate with their neighborhoods through simple business training for owners / operators. Few small business / corner store operators have the technical skills to properly display and market their products as well as run their stores. Potential or existing owners and employees can be trained in approximately 80 hours to operate a simple business venture such as a produce or dairy store. There are many organizations that offer training to entrepreneurs to enhance their business practice.

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Implementation Strategies 4. Regulatory Measures To protect the diversity of businesses in a community additional zoning restrictions can limit less desirable businesses such as liquor stores, chain stores, fast food restaurants, etc. The restrictions could include â&#x20AC;˘ putting a numerical limit on business type â&#x20AC;˘ using a spacing requirement, e.g. 1,000 feet or 1 mile between similar businesses (car lots, fast food, check cashing stores) â&#x20AC;˘ enacting size restrictions 5. Smart Growth District A Smart Growth District is an established geography, usually located at or near the center of an urban area, where a municipality wishes to focus and generate development of a certain scale, density, use and/or appearance. Its principles follow the national Smart Growth program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which generally encourages the focus on development and redevelopment of land in existing urban areas as opposed to suburban and greenfield locations, encouraging compact, mixed-use development, mixed-income neighborhoods, and conservation of green space and natural features. The Central Sector can benefit from the 50 year old Urban Service Area boundary which encourages infill and redevelopment. There are two types of Smart Growth Districts. The first is regulatory-based. It involves the creation of a zoning overlay district (Zone District in Lexington) or revision of zoning codes to encourage specific types of development patterns, which usually consist of higher density residential and business patterns and has a higher standard of building aesthetic attached. The second type is incentive-based. This method involves providing incentives to developers or businesses to build and/ or locate within a Smart Growth District. This method has similarities to Enterprise Zones, which incentivize certain types of employers to locate in areas where local governments wish to cluster jobs. The regulatory/ zoning based approach works best in stronger real estate markets where the city does not have to worry about additional ordinances mitigating development opportunities. The second approach is better for lower-income and distressed urban areas where businesses need to be encouraged to make investments. A broad, incentivized approach to bringing in retailers and employers could bring effective and holistic improvements to the Central Sector. Potential incentives that could be associated with a Smart Growth district include reduced development and utility fees, TIF or other funding allocated towards redevelopment projects. Though there is a level of scale, density and aesthetics for new development that would want to be encouraged, the urban-county government must be extremely careful

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies not to create a disconnect between expected outcomes, the market, and the economics of private development. It should be noted that, at least initially, developers and businesses will likely need significant levels of incentives to re-locate within the Central Sector as opposed to other areas of the county.

Residential Improvements Community Land Trust As discussed earlier in the Plan, Affordable Housing is an important issue for Central Sector residents. However, as noted in the market analysis section, it is not quite an issue of affordability as one of access to quality housing for low and moderate income households. There is a large inventory of housing units in various states of disrepair – particularly found within Subareas A and C. Though this keeps many units affordable for low-income residents, it also serves to depress land values throughout these neighborhoods. This problem is usually addressed in one of two ways: (1) There is enough perceived market opportunity where private investors – whether homeowners, speculators or developers – rehabilitate existing homes to re-sell; or (2) Public entities, such as housing authorities or community development departments allocated funds that become subsidies for rehabilitation. The problem with the first method is that the cost associated with rehabilitation often drives up the price of that housing unit beyond the affordability of low-income tenants. This can be mitigated by the use of public funds in the second method, but rarely are there enough resources to holistically solve the problem if a neighborhood or larger area has seen widespread and long term disinvestment.

Examples of Improvements: • On-street Parking • Sidewalks • Lighting • Landscaping • Street signs • Bus shelters • Gateways • Medians • Pedestrian signalization • Traffic Calming measures • Public Art • Utilities

One solution to this dilemma could be the creation of a Community Land Trust (CLT). A CLT is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that is tasked with producing and preserving affordable housing without displacing lowerincome people. Though there are several variations of the CLT model, the “classic” approach is to acquire multiple parcels of land throughout a targeted geographic area with the intention of retaining ownership of these parcels forever. Any building that is already located on the land or that is later constructed on the land is sold to another party. The building’s buyer may be an individual homeowner, a cooperative housing corporation, a nonprofit organization or limited partnership developer of rental housing, or any other nonprofit, governmental or for-profit entity. Lexington has already put one community land trust in place, which is related to the redevelopment of Southend Park. This is an area associated with the Newtown Pike extension. This trust will match most of the components of the “classic” CLT model described above. It is the recommendation of this Small Area Plan that either this trust be expanded eventually to include part of the Central Sector, or a separate entity be established to manage a CLT for the Central Sector. An expansion of the pilot program in Southend

Implementation Strategies Park would have many advantages – one of them being the fact that the program will already be capitalized through federal funding associated with the extension of Newtown Pike. A CLT would provide instruments for retaining affordable housing for low and moderate income residents while simultaneously improving those housing units to the point where they are of a standard equal to most housing within the city. Furthermore, the CLT’s role in holding land in perpetuity means that there will always be an inventory of affordable housing stock, even if land and housing prices increase.

Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements Central Sector is ideally situated to be a model for community redevelopment. Much of Central Sector has a strong street framework that is an extension of the downtown urban grid. The recommendations in this chapter improve on the existing vehicular, transit, bicycle and pedestrian systems to serve the diverse needs of residents and visitors in a safe, efficient and pleasant manner. Connectivity between subareas is crucial to integrating all the resources (parks, YMCA, shopping and entertainment areas) offered. General recommendations are below, while specific recommendations can be found in the subarea sections beginning on Page 56. The basic street cross-section may vary by neighborhood, but to claim a “Complete Street” in a “walkable” city, the street should contain sidewalks a minimum of 5 feet wide so that two people can pass comfortably supported by a straight curb and sidewalk. Where there is adequate right-of-way, planting strips landscaped with street trees should occur between the sidewalk and street. The Downtown Streetscape Plan and designs done in 2008/9 for LFUCG contain guidelines that are applicable for Central Sector. Handicap accessible ramps are required at intersections, but other amenities that are also safety items benefit the pedestrian such as clearly identifiable crosswalks using special pavement, bright colors or lights, bus shelters with seats at stops on routes where there are concentrations of ridership. It is important to maintain or provide on-street parking as an important component of the urban fabric. As streets are widened or improved in response to beautification or redevelopment efforts, the new streetscape should be enhanced with elements such as pedestrian crosswalks, street trees, decorative lighting, corner bumpouts or mid-block crossings.

Prototypical Streetscape Features

Street lights play a significant role in determining the character of the streetscape both at night and in the daytime. The light standard and fixture are highly visible as a vertical elements in the same way as trees. The light standard and fixture chosen should complement the community and be used throughout for unity. The amount of illumination should be adequate for security for pedestrians, while not contributing to “light” pollution into the night sky and adjacent residences.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies Safe Routes to School (SR2S) SR2S programs work to reduce barriers to bicycling and walking to school and encourage more kids to bike and walk on a daily basis. LFUCG plans to launch two SR2S projects this year for the William Wells Brown and the Lexington Traditional Magnet Schools.

Sustainable “Green” Improvements At public workshops, the community expressed the desire for new development and infrastructure improvements to be sustainable, reducing the environmental impacts to the community. Green design could take the form of new structures obtaining LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits per the US Green Building Council’s rating system to encourage the use of residential rain barrels to collect roof runoff. Subarea D recommendations address rain gardens as a stormwater Best Management Practice for North Limestone. Stormwater improvements will also need to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Consent Decree to reduce the amount of pollutants draining into the area’s water supply. Green improvements may not be as costly when incorporated into design and may benefit future generations. Other programs and practices to expand or continue include: • Municipal Composting • Community Gardens

Safety and Security Improvements One thing made clear from public input is that the Central Sector neighborhood suffers from old perceptions regarding safety and security. Residents and business owners want citizens in greater Lexington to know that there is new vitality in the neighborhood and that visitors are welcome. A safer area is the right of current residents and business owners in the area. If residents and visitors don’t feel safe living, shopping, going to school in their environment, then redevelopment will not be successful. There are police including mounted patrols, but there is a fine balance between police presence that provides security and one that some may feel is overbearing. Other mechanisms must be employed to help deter crime. One measure is to have a neighborhood and park citizen patrols. The community has to be clean to be inviting. A clean and well maintained area will be less likely to experience crime as compared to an area with similar factors which is not maintained. The Neighborhood Associations and other LFUCG and Central Sector organizations should organize and encourage resident responsibility, and conduct regular community clean-ups providing adequate gloves, tools, and waste receptacles.

Implementation Strategies

Still another to increase public safety is to design it into any new infrastructure, public spaces and structures by employing “Safe by Design” (SBD) standards to ensure that the opportunity for crime is not designed into new development. Read more about the Safe by Design (SBD) program in Appendix Section 7. Recommendations include: 1. Adopt SBD Planning Guidelines: Include in the final report the incorporation of design and planning standards for the Central Sector that are consistent with the principles laid out in Safe by Design. a. This will ensure that all future development, both commercial and residential, will not have a negative impact on the community. b. The East End Plan is already doing this. Work with them to ensure consistency of plan. 2. Central Sector Assessment: Conduct an assessment of the entire Central Sector to determine currently existing problems with Safe Design. Specifically, determine places within the area that may be facilitating crime through providing opportunities for crime. In particular, the assessment should focus on analyzing: a. Access and Movement b. Site design c. Surveillance d. Lighting e. Ownership f. Physical Protection g. Activity h. Management and Maintenance Issues This is necessary to improve not only the actual safety and security of the area, but also the perceived security of the area. If economic development is to be a feature of this small area plan, then you must ensure the area is ripe for development first.

Image Improvements The aesthetic character of the Central Sector is crucial to changing community attitudes. The image and character begin at the “front door” or the gateways into the community. These gateways occur at several locations on major and minor thoroughfare. These locations offer an opportunity to welcome people to the community and to highlight the special places, cultural and historic resources, festivals and celebrations. One of the first steps that should be undertaken to change the negative perception of the Central Sector is to change the name. The current reference to the police district does not instill pride in the residents. Engage

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies the public to rename the community to reflect the rebirth and celebrate the multiculturalism. Some names suggested throughout this process include: • North Lexington • Lexington Central • Old Town

Create a brand or theme that can be utilized throughout the community and that builds pride and identity. This logo can be emblazoned on banners and part of a wayfinding signage system. Introduce these themes at entries and gateways into the community. Coordinate with signage programs being developed for the downtown / university areas and which will direct visitors and residents to landmarks, parks and other local attractions.

Frontage improvements are needed to better integrate the existing mobile home parks into the revitalized Central Sector

Immediately strengthen and update the mission of code enforcement and building inspection divisions in order to focus and redirect resources at least temporarily to Central Sector. Create a campaign to advertise joint effort between LFUCG, the residents, small business owners, corporations, churches, and institutions to beautify and improve the community. Create a culture that supports excellence in public and private educational institutions which included attractive signage, adequate pedestrian facilities and landscaping on school grounds.

Implementation Strategies PROFILE: SAFE BY DESIGN Safe by Design Program Goal Work with developers, builders, property owners, and planners to create the safest developments and communities possible, with a goal of creating socially sustainable communities. Socially sustainable communities are communities that succeed now, economically, socially and environmentally, and respect the needs of future generations. They are well-designed places where people feel safe and secure; where crime and disorder, or the fear of crime doesn’t undermine quality of life or community cohesion.

Why use Safe by Design? Incorporating sensible security measures during the construction of a new development or the revitalization of buildings and neighborhoods has been shown to reduce levels of crime, fear of crime and disorder. By providing quality environments and ensuring that they are properly managed and maintained, communities can be more readily encouraged to exercise a sense of ownership and responsibility.

Increased Liability Increasingly there is negligence associated with allowing or encouraging crime through poor design. •

All premises must be reasonably safe in light of the risks of crime in that area.

•

Amount of security necessary at any particular property must be reasonable and proportionate to the risk of crime at that site.

•

As risk of crime increases so should security measures.

Design can be an extremely important part of the security provided for a particular property.

Safe by Design and Crime Safe by Design does not guarantee that a particular area will be crime proof, but indicates that the site has been subject to a design process and improved level of security which, in the experience of the police

and other agencies, have been shown to significantly reduce the risks of crime and fear of crime.

Key Issues to Focus on Attractive and safe Landscaping; Effective Lighting; Controlling Access and Movement; Effective Natural Surveillance; Promoting Ownership and reducing Anonymity; Maintenance and management of areas; Proper site design.

Core Principles of Safe Design 1. Integrated Approach: It is important to take an integrated approach, ensuring that design, planning, and layout, are considered together at an early stage so that potential conflicts between security and other major objectives can be resolved. 2. Access and Movement: Places should have well-defined routes, spaces, and entrances that provide for convenient movement without compromising security. The goal is to create places that are both well connected and secure. Routes for cars and pedestrians should run alongside each other and not be segregated. Footpaths should be straight and wide as possible to avoid possible hiding places and should be overlooked by surrounding buildings or activities and not hidden by vegetation or landscape features. Public access to the rear of buildings and homes should be restricted. 3. Site Design: Places should be laid out so that crime is discouraged and different uses do not cause conflict. Ensure that active urban frontages and movement are focused on a small number of principal routes that are overlooked by businesses and homes. Cul-de-sacs are often more secure because of their implied limited public access. 4. Surveillance: All publicly accessible spaces should be overlooked by “natural” or electronic surveillance, but surveillance should not be relied on as the sole strategy for preventing crime. Useful strategies include continuous surveillance for places that could be vulnerable to crime; windows and

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies PROFILE: SAFE BY DESIGN (CONT.) doors should face onto the street; open, bright spaces reduce the number of potential hiding places and allow people to be aware of what is happening around them; parks and other public spaces should be arranged to provide maximum surveillance and visibility by residents of the neighborhood; garage or driveway parking for residential uses. 5. Lighting: Well-lit spaces and consistency of illumination reduces fear of crime and makes people feel more secure, but lighting should be sensitive to the needs of residents and should provide security without resulting in glare and compromising privacy. Spaces without public access can be unlit to discourage the presence of potential victims. 6. Ownership: Encourage residents and users of places to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their surroundings. Uncertainty of ownership can reduce responsibility and increase the likelihood of crime and anti-social behavior going unchallenged. Involving residents and users in the management and design of their area provides a real sense of ownership. Design gates, fences, walls, and hedges to create safe and attractive places. High fences and landscape that actively impede access are most appropriate in places that are vulnerable to crime, such as the back of houses. Fences must be visually permeable so as not to hinder natural or other forms of surveillance or provide places for offenders to hide. Lower barriers, hedges, and bushes are also highly useful to signify the public/private divide. Gating of developments should be considered ONLY as a last resort. Landscaping that does not restrict natural surveillance can be used to make places safer as well as more attractive.

the aim of safe and sustainable communities, therefore crime prevention measures should be made to look as attractive as possible, while not diminishing their security. 8. Activity: A level of human activity that is appropriate to the location creates a reduced risk of crime and a sense of safety at all times. Crime can be deterred through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;eyes on the streetâ&#x20AC;? of people going about their everyday business. Avoid too much activity (increased anonymity) that can lead to increases in the opportunity to commit particular types of crime. Ensure that the mixed uses in a locality are compatible. Providing activities or hang outs for young people helps to provide a focus for and can prevent criminal behavior, but do not attract excessive numbers to any ones location. 9. Management and Maintenance: Design places with management and maintenance in mind. Proper attention to the design quality and attractiveness of the street increases its safety and use and promotes greater respect towards the environment. Improvements to the public realm should be approached in a strategic, coordinated manner, as opposed to being ad-hoc. Proper maintenance after construction, including landscaping, lighting, public areas, parking, fencing, roads, sidewalks, ensuring proper public services (garbage collection) and tenant management in rental areas, prevents decline and disorder from taking root in the area. ** Full text is in the appendix.

7. Physical Protection: Places should include necessary, well-designed security features to make it more difficult to commit an offense, while instilling a sense of safety in users. Some crime prevention measures, such as certain types of fencing, can adversely affect the way a place looks and feels and can undermine

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Implementation Strategies Implementing Agencies Several different LFUCG departments, divisions, agencies and community organizations have been assigned the primary responsibility for implementation of the goals and recommendations contained in this Plan. Successful implementation will be a collaborative effort by many, but the effort must be lead by a group that is vested. These agencies include:

LFUCG CSNA CDC DCD DCE DENG DEP DHP DSRF CVC EDC LDDA LHA LXTR LL LPOL PARC DPS DLRP DTP DPW HFH

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Central Sector Neighborhood Associations Proposed Community Development Corporation Division of Community Development Division of Code Enforcement Division of Engineering Division of Environmental Policy Division of Historic Preservation Division of Streets, Roads & Forestry Community Ventures Corporation Mayor’s Office of Economic Development Lexington Downtown Development Authority Lexington Housing Authority LEXTRAN LexLinc Lexington Division of Police Parks and Recreation Planning Services Long Range Planning Transportation Planning Public Works Habitat for Humanity

Implementation Time Frame The following goals and recommendations have been assigned approximate time frames for implementation. The time frames may vary based on economic and political influences, and so need continuing strong commitment by many. The four basic time frames are: • Short-Term Opportunities - Projects that could be undertaken immediately and/or implemented within the next year. • Mid-Term Opportunities - Projects that could be initiated in the next 1 - 3 years. • Long-Term Opportunities - Projects that could be undertaken in the next 3 - 7+ years. Some of these recommendations may go beyond the time frame of this Plan • Ongoing Opportunities - Projects that may require initial studies to determine their feasibility or may depend on other work prior to implementation. Such projects may also be implemented in a series of incremental steps involving numerous agencies or departments.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

General Implementation Tools Short Term Implementation Tools 1

Assign a full time staff planner - Central Sector “Coordinator”

DLRP

Short-term

Form a LFUCG multi-department Central Sector Advisory committee

LFUCG

Short-term

Increase code enforcement services - Assign specific personnel for Central Sector

DCE, DLRP

Short-term

Increase building inspection services - Assign specific person responsible for Central Sector

DPS, DLRP

Short-term

Conduct a series of Public Works Department cleanups to remove trash, dead vegetation, re-stripe streets and crosswalks

DPW, DSRF

Short-term

Provide planning / zoning incentives in order to spur redevelopment such as accelerated plan review, flexible zoning standards, and development of a smart growth district

DLRP, DPS

Ongoing

Aggressively pursue Neighborhood Stabilization funds for foreclosed, abandoned and neglected properties

DCD

Immediate

Change the Plan and area name from Central Sector

DLRP, CSNA

Short-Term

Long Term Implementation Tools (Descriptions pages 74-87) 1

Form a Community or Economic Development Corporation

DCD, DLRP

Short to Mid-term

Consider instituting a short-term real estate transfer tax to leverage funds for infrastructure improvements

LFUCG

Ongoing

Ensure the capacity to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for projects

LFUCG, DDA, CVC

Ongoing

Institute the series of retail business improvements including a Cooperative Buying Program, Non-Profit Cooperative Grocery Store, training for business owners, and others

CDC, EDC, CVC

Mid to long term

Institute regulatory measures to promote business diversity

EDC, DLRP

Mid-term

Expand the local Community Land Trust to include areas of the Central Sector

DCD

Mid-term

Provide basic transportation and infrastructure improvements such DPW as adequate drainage, curbs and sidewalks

Mid-term

Expand the “Safe Routes to School” program

DTP

Mid-term

Attempt to incorporate sustainable and green practices into improvements and redevelopment. Subsidies may be required.

DEP, DLRP, DPW

Mid-term

Actively prepare grant applications for state and federal agencies to obtain needed funding to implement projects

DCD, DLRP

Mid-term

Rebrand the Central Sector with a new name and public relations campaign

CSNA, CDC

Mid-term

Create a culture of success and pride

CSNA, LL

Ongoing

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Reinstitute the Neighborhood Action Match (NAMP) and Neighborhood Revitalization Sustainability Grants Programs

LFUCG

Mid-term

Expand the Live Where You Work Employer-Assisted Housing Program to encompass Central Sector

LFUCG

Mid-term

DCD, CDC

Long-term

DCD, DPW

Short to Mid-Term

DTP, DLRP, LXTR

Short-term

15 16

Dedicate funds to subsidize commercial rents in newly

developed buildings to support independent retail businesses Create an inventory of vacant buildings/ homes to assist developers

Goals and Objectives Enhance The Urban Fabric 1

Connect the community physically and functionally through multiple means of mobility (4,19)

Increase public transportation options and improve the experience LXTR (14, 19, 20)

Short-term

Improve street infrastructure to assist in leveraging private investment (8, 19)

DPW

Short-term

Nurture environmental quality and reduce the carbon footprint (3, 8, 10)

DEP, DTP

Short-term

Enhance public safety and security (18, 20)

LPOL, DLRP

Short-term

Redevelopment And Reinvestment 1

Encourage commercial / service nodes that offer a variety of products and services and are accessible by multiple means of transportation (8, 11, 14, 16)

CDC, DLRP, DTP

Long-term

Improve connectivity to existing retail and employment centers (14, 19, 20)

CDC, DLRP, DTP

Long-term

Implement a neighborhood economic development program that utilizes existing assets (5, 8, 11, 14, 16)

DLRP, CDC

Mid-term

Organize, identify and overcome hurdles to market growth (8, 11, CDC, DCD, CVC 14, 16)

Ongoing

Adequate And Equitable Housing

Ensure the provision of adequate and quality low-income housing (8, 13)

LHA,CDC,DCD,HFH

Ongoing

Promote, leverage, and sustain new residential investment (8, 13, 15)

CDC

Ongoing

Implement strategies to balance affordable housing for local residents with rising real estate costs and value (8, 13, 15)

CDC, DCD, HFH

Mid-term

Utilize housing as an economic development tool (8, 13, 15)

CDC, DCD

Long-term

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Preserve Cultural And Historic Heritage 1

Celebrate the diversity of the community (5, 10, 15, 16)

CSNA, LFUCG

Ongoing

Identify, preserve and celebrate the area’s cultural history (5, 10, 15, 16)

CSNA, DHP

Ongoing

Celebrate and sustain the Central Sector’s historic built environment continuing to identify and preserve structures with historical value or cultural significance in the seven local historic and multiple national register districts (5, 10, 15, 16)

DHP

Ongoing

Provide park, recreation, and community facilities that reflect and serve the diversity of the Central Sector (5, 10, 15, 16, 20)

PARC

Mid-term

Subarea A Recommendations Subarea Priorities 1

Rehabilitate/Redevelop low quality and/or substandard residential CDC, DCD properties

Mid-term

Ensure the proposed housing development west of Douglass Park is integrated into the surrounding neighborhood context.

DLRP, LHA

Short-term

Ensure that new development occurring along New Circle Road is integrated into the Georgetown neighborhood. Vehicular, pedestrian, and visual connections should be provided and protected.

DLRP

Mid-term

Promote Douglass Park as a “cultural landmark” for visitors and residents. Enhance programming in Douglass Park to reflect its active history. Besides basketball, bring youth golf and tennis programs such as NJTL and First Tee Youth Golf to this park.

DLRP, PARC

Mid-term

Improve connectivity from the Georgetown Neighborhood via vehicular and pedestrian paths, including an improved street network, transit shelters, and pedestrian crossings. Consider the addition of pedestrian controls at specified locations on Newtown Pike

DLRP, PARC, DPW

Short-term

Create clearly defined connections between Douglass Park, Booker T. Washington academy and the adjacent mobile home park and the new housing development.

DLRP, DPW, LHA

Short-term

Work with KYTC to enhance the streetscape with street trees, lighting, sidewalk widening, and median improvements that reflect the importance of this downtown gateway. Extend and apply recommendations from the Newtown Pike Corridor Extension Plan to the north.

DPW, DSRF

Mid-term

Infrastructure Recommendations

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Urban Design Recommendations 1

Create gateway design standards for decorative lighting, wayfinding signage, landscaping, and other elements to apply to any future improvements at the Newtown Pike and New Circle Road intersection.

DLRP

Short-term

Ensure that the architectural design and site layout for new development on New Circle Road is of high quality and screened from the neighborhoods.

DLRP, DPS

Mid-term

Develop a pattern book which addresses neighborhood density, layout and architectural styles for all infill housing that reflects the existing scale of the traditional urban fabric

LHA

Short-term

Subarea B Recommendations Subarea Priorities 1

Coordinate with the BCTC planning effort to ensure maximum integration into the community

DLRP

Short-term

Integrate the YMCA and nearby institutional uses into Central Sector with additional modes of access

DLRP

Long-term

Explore opportunities to utilize the Elkhorn Creek corridor as a natural amenity for Central Sector

DLRP, PARC, DEP

Long-term

Enhance pedestrian and visual access to Coolavin Park (Subarea C). Integrate with the needs of the BCTC, Mounted Police, Hope Center, nearby apartments and park users.

DLRP

Short-term

Infrastructure Recommendations 1

Convert Fourth Street from one-way to two-way traffic

DLRP, DTP, DPW

Mid-term

Capitalize on the routing of the Legacy Trail through the Central Sector to downtown as an alternative means of transportation

DTP, PARC

Long-term

Develop an educational triangle with Transylvania University, UK and BCTC by providing a dedicated transit circulator route

EDC, LFUCG,LXTR

Long-term

Ensure that Legacy Trail safety and security goals are met by routing through visible, high traffic areas, determining safe hours of operation, effective lighting and visual connections to adjacent development

PARC, LPOL

Mid-term

Provide bus shelters along Fourth Street for residents and students LXTR

Mid-term

Urban Design Recommendations

Provide a gateway treatment that complements the Newtown Pike and New Circle Road intersection

DLRP, DPW, CDC

Mid-term

Continue the streetscape treatments mentioned in the Newtown Pike Corridor Extension Plan north from Main Street to unify the design

DPW, DSRF

Short-term

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Subarea C Recommendations Subarea Priorities 1

Provide a new zone district that facilitates mixed-use development with development and design standards that are appropriately scaled.

DLRP

Mid-term

Consider redevelopment on the northwest corner of Fourth and Jefferson that would provide student and neighborhood-serving retail.

CDC

Mid to Long term

Enforce the sign ordinance for standards such as temporary banners

DLRP

Short-term

Permit projecting signs and building awnings which promote a neighborhood /pedestrian-friendly scale environment

DLRP

Short-term

Develop a strategy to deliver cost-effective and nutritious groceries to low-income neighborhoods

DLRP, CDC

Mid-term

Increase building inspections and pursue violations and penalties for non-compliance by absentee landlords

DCE

Short-term

Engage the community in the future role/reuse of Johnson Elementary

DLRP

Mid-term

Work with Transylvania University as a retail / community development partner

CDC, DLRP

Mid-term

Establish and maintain contact with absentee landlords especially concentrated from Fifth Street to Loudon Avenue in the vicinity of North Limestone

DLRP, LFUCG

Mid-term

Create a matching grant program for property improvement in owner occupied housing to enhance the exterior of structures such DCD, CDC as facade, landscaping, lighting

Long-term

Incentivize infill development

DLRP, LFUCG

Mid-term

Programming must be increased at Coolavin Park so that it is regularly used by law-abiding area residents for most of the day.

PARC

Mid-term

Infrastructure Recommendations 1

Convert Fourth Street to 2-way traffic

DTP, DPW

Long-term

Provide pedestrian connections for Fifth and Sixth Streets to BCTC

DPW

Long-term

Provide links to the Legacy Trail and construct trail on abandoned rail bed west of Jefferson Street

PARC, DPW

Long-term

Make streetscape improvements that include sidewalk repair and widening, decorative lighting, transit shelters, and landscaping.

DPW

Long-term

Institute an alley improvement program which addresses safety issues through right-of-way clean up, the addition of lighting and beautification landscaping

DLRP, CDC, DPW

Mid-term

Prioritize improvements to Coolavin Park which include sidewalks, expanded paved and striped parking lot, pedestrian-scale lighting with adequate footcandles to provide security, resurfaced tennis courts, and maintained ball diamonds.

PARC, DPW, LPOL

Mid-term

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Urban Design Recommendations 1

Provide wayfinding signs at the N. Limestone and Broadway intersections with Third Street to identify places of community interest in Central Sector

DLRP, LDDA

Mid-term

Ensure that infill development is adequately dense and perpetuates historic character and development patterns

DLRP

Mid-term

Target a planting program to interplant young street trees to replace mature ones that die

DSRF

Mid-term

Encourage property owners to add plants and repair fencing along alleys

CDC, DLRP

Mid-term

Off-street parking for new development should be in the rear or on the side

DLRP

Mid-term

Promote public art and murals to enliven the streetscape.

CSNA, DHP

Ongoing

Consider recommendations from the Downtown Streetscape Plan to incorporate into this subarea (Additional urban design issues)

DLRP, DPW

Mid-term

Support the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update recommendations for Castlewood Park to focus resources on year-round programming, swim and camp programs, and location as new home of the girls fastpitch softball league.

DLRP, PARC

Short-term

Spark reinvestment on Loudon Avenue between Bryan Avenue and Russell Cave

CDC

Mid-term

Retain unique character of North Limestone as a traditional neighborhood retail corridor

DLRP

Mid-term

Ensure that recommendations for the East End are compatible with Central Sector

DLRP

Short-term

Consider the long term possibility of redevelopment for the William Wells Brown neighborhood for high density residential adjacent to and in place of the light industrial currently surrounding it

CDC, DLRP

Long-Term

Upgrade Loudon Avenue between Broadway and North Limestone (new curb, gutter, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping) to the level of the sections east and west of this area, as a catalyst for redevelopment along this primary east-west corridor.

DPW, DSRF

Mid-term

Assess the 5-point intersection at Bryan Avenue and Castlewood Drive for the need for additional safety enhancements

DTP, DPW

Mid-term

Provide sidewalks or repair sidewalks to enhance physical and perceived connectivity

DPW

Mid-term

Subarea D Recommendations Subarea Priorities

Infrastructure Recommendations

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Investigate the possibility of providing a transit circulator route using small busses through the areas of Central Sector with the lowest percentage of car ownership. These would also connect with the main bus routes.

LXTR

Long-term

Provide safe bike and pedestrian passages linking to Castlewood Park, Legacy Trail and the William Well Brown park and school in the East End

DTP, DLRP, PARC

Long-term

Within existing right-of-way, provide the elements of a “complete street” for North Limestone to maintain the character of a neighborhood thoroughfare. “Complete Street” elements parking, landscaping, bike lanes, lighting, sidewalks, etc.

DTP, DPW

Long-term

Resolve drainage issues on North Limestone north of Loudon using BMPs such as rain gardens adjacent to the street to detain, filter and recharge street runoff

DPW, DEP

Long-term

Urban Design Recommendations 1

Implement streetscape elements which include straight curb, sidewalk, decorative pedestrian scale lighting, prominent crosswalks and shared-road bike signage to increase awareness

DPW

Long-term

Consider traffic calming measures to preserve neighborhood character such as on-street parking in between landscaped bumpouts

DTP, DPW

Long-term

Work with mobile home park owners to make frontage improvements including decorative fencing such as masonry walls, landscaping and lighting that complements the improvements for new investment areas

DLRP, DPW

Long-term

Landscaping and lighting should be coordinated between this and other subareas to present a unified design for Central Sector

DPW, CDC, DLRP

Long-term

Subarea E Recommendations Subarea Priorities 1

Investigate redevelopment opportunities along New Circle Road especially at the Eastland Shopping Center site which is situated at a major gateway at Winchester

CDC, DLRP

Long-term

Encourage merchants to better orient their commercial businesses towards the neighborhoods and to increase the pedestrian-focus (walkability).

CDC, CVC, DLRP

Long-term

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Table Recommendations

Implementation Agencies

Time Frame

Infrastructure Recommendations 1

Increase physical, visual, and perceived connections between retail corridor and residential areas Provide LexTran routes along New Circle Road that connect within Central Sector so residents without automobiles can access the retail services (Kroger, Walmart).

DLRP

Mid-term

LXTR

Long-term

Increase visibility and function of bus shelters/stops

LXTR, DTP

Long-term

Provide for on- or off-road cyclists

DPW, DTP

Long-term

Provide safe crosswalks that are signalized, timed, and that have median resting points. In some locations, pedestrian bridges may be warranted.

DPW

Long-term

Enhance pedestrian setting to improve safety and aesthetics along DPW New Circle and Winchester

Long-term

Use special paving, bright colors and signage to increase awareness of pedestrians

DPW

Long-term

Create gateways along New Circle at Russell Cave, Broadway, Limestone, Bryan Avenue and Winchester Roads that all contain some common elements which reflect the pride and diversity and new image of Central Sector

DLRP, DTP, CSNA

Mid-term

Provide wayfinding signage at all designated gateway locations that leads to Castlewood and Douglass Parks, the Lexington Art League, BCTC, Downtown, Transylvania University and other notable areas.

DLRP, DPW, CSNA, LDDA

Mid-term

Urban Design Recommendations

Enforcement Strategies

Institute a proactive approach to code enforcement.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Short term

Provide an adequate number of employees to ensure timely and adequate enforcement of the relevant ordinances.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Short term

Require stricter enforcement by replacing “may” with “shall” in various ordinance sections regarding citations and fines.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Mid-term

For property owners with repeated citations on one or more properties: focus greater enforcement efforts on them: be more DCE, DPS, DPW aggressive with liens and foreclosures on their properties; institute more severe and escalating penalties for them.

Short term

Put all records online, and make them searchable by address and by owner.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Mid- term

Add regulations that escalate the permissible levels of fines for repeat citations, so that an owner with a pattern of citations at one or more properties is held more accountable.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Mid-term

Provide regular reporting online that shows number of citations, number of cases successfully closed, number and level of fines levied, and number and level of fines paid for each month, quarter, and year.

DCE, DPS, DPW

Mid-term

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices

ADOPTED APRIL 30, 2009

Central Sector: Vision. Voice. Vitality.

Appendices •

The perception is that Central Sector is a “Bad” neighborhood or area, but it’s not.

•

Art League is an asset. The perception is that CS is scary, but the gallery brings in people from all over once a month. Neighbors moving into the neighborhood with children.

•

Loudon has so much potential.

•

Transportation is a vital link as most people do not have transportation.

•

Public bus system is perceived as functionally well – could have more frequency in some areas such as New Circle Road, but it is available. People need it to get to work. The 2004 Tax Referendum helped improve service.

Institutional Group

•

Interconnected streets is a help.

•

Weaknesses and Areas for improvement

Public Input At workshops in June and August 2008, the consultant team gathered public input for the Small Area Plan from many sources in the community. Besides LFUCG staff, the steering committee and the public at workshops, LFUCG staff chose individuals with common interests to be interviewed as part of a focus group. The three groups represented institutional organizations such as social service agencies and schools, large and small businesses, and recent and long term residents of the community. Their comments follow.

Attended by representatives from the Hope Center, Lexington Art League, County Health Department and Opportunity for Work and Living.

•

There needs to be more collaboration with health care and social services. Need to work together to keep people out of the emergency room by better access to regular care. There is a free health clinic.

•

Bryan Station High School has the lowest graduation rate of the 5 high schools in Lexington. The inclusion of Central Sector residents is somewhat fragmented in order to achieve diversity.

•

40505 zip code has the highest rate of abuse and neglect. Lexlink is an umbrella organization for providing services. Lexlink is a member of the CEO Roundtable (CEOs of non-profits). Need to contact Lexlink.

Strengths / Cultural and community resources / landmarks •

Central Sector works well because it is racially and economically diverse. Diversity gives it a lot of energy.

•

Churches and other faith-based organizations are strong and should be contacted : Shiloh, Holiness, Church of Christ, and Grace Baptist churches.

•

Third Street Corridor Revitalization

•

Habitat for Humanity

•

Old Episcopal Burial Grounds on Third Street

•

There is an elderly housing complex at Second and Jefferson run by the Housing Authority. Connie Griffin Manor.

Critical need for affordable housing and for housing for disabled and special needs individuals.

•

Lots of homes around 6th and Limestone that need to be replaced.

•

Loudon/Limestone commercial area.

•

Lots of shotgun homes but some have been replaced by a young, local developer. Charlotte Court was bad.

•

Westend Market.

•

North Limestone (prostitutes).

•

Libraries: New North End Library is outside New Circle Road and the Main Library downtown is most accessible by South Upper Street.

•

This group did not know about need for child or after-school care.

•

Participants liked the new redevelopment area, Glen Arvin, that was formerly Charlotte Court. The area is run by the housing authority, appears safe and you see people walking in the area.

was

called

“the

Stroll”

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices •

Loudon Avenue because of the ongoing infrastructure construction.

•

The trailer parks off Newtown and on Loudon between Lextran and the Thorntons.

•

Lots of cyclists due to economics or substance abuse. Need better bike routes and share the right-of-way awareness. Need better access for pedestrians or bikes across New Circle Road.

•

Castlewood Community Center (underutilized) – could be more kid friendly.

•

Williams Wells Brown

•

North Limestone from Fifth Street north

•

The Loudon corridor

•

Hard to find housing with felony convictions, addictions and mental health problems.

•

When you cross New Circle Road you enter a different world. New Circle Road is a barrier. There are new buildings, luxury hotels, new subdivisions with shopping plazas, out Newtown. Out Bryan Avenue, there are 60’s and 70’s housing on the medium to low end of the economic scale. Older people. In the 1950’s, New Circle Road was built as the bypass. NC Road in the other parts of the city is an expressway.

•

Would be great to have covered bus shelters. Broadway, Limestone, Newtown are primary routes. Lextran also runs circulators to get people from homes on side streets to main routes. Get GIS Lextran layer. Central Sector people work in different professions and work all over the City. Lexmark employees tend to come from the suburbs and outside of Lexington.

Strengths •

The revitalization and improvements around Newtown Pike made the area less scary so customers were less afraid to come.

•

Widening along New Circle Road from Georgetown to Lexmark or the entrance to Wal-Mart will provide 6-8 lane limited access. Not sure what the impact to pedestrian movement will be.

•

The Smuckers plant is a national hub sending out 20 trucks per day with 44 thousand pounds per truck. It employs 210. Winchester Road is better but the RR crossing is bad. Truck access from Smuckers/ Jif to Winchester Road is difficult. Trucks go down Magnolia to 7th to hit Winchester Rd. No loading docks access Winchester directly.

•

Smuckers is partnering with the school. Play equipment.

•

Lexmark has 3,000 employees and about 800 contractors. Most employees do not reside in the sector. They come from the suburbs. The young engineering base might find the neighborhood interesting but they are not there yet.

•

This area could attract new business because of proximity to downtown.

•

Ad Color has about 60 employees, 15 from CS.

•

Al’s bar has 15 employees – 100% live in CS.

•

Smuckers says employees need 2 years associate degree or 2 years manufacturing experience.

•

Lexmark employees need 4-year engineering degree – high tech.

•

Commercial real estate information

•

Not a lot of coffee places, delis, places to get clothes.

AdColor wants employees who have motivation and a desire to work. They will train.

•

Al’s needs integrity, reliability.

•

Al’s Bar is on 6th and Limestone

Weaknesses

•

Important to talk to the schools’ family resource counselors.

•

Parking is a big obstacle to Al’s Bar expansion. Wanted to get a dance expansion license but could not under current code. Would like to get a credit for the patrons that bike in.

•

The big obstacle is fear. Racially motivated fear. Keeps people from coming to Central Sector.

Commercial / Business Group •

Representatives from Ad Color Company, Smuckers, Al’s Bar, and Lexmark.

Lexington - Fayette County

DRAFT - February 2009

Appendices Business barriers

Code enforcement and Building Inspection

•

There are no Enterprise Zones.

•

Fee for impervious area urban county wide. Major groundwater issues – need offsets with new EPA mandate – impervious surface fees are earmarked for the stormwater and sewage system. If you create on-site detention, credits are not given. Funds will be used urban area wide. It is a disincentive.

Enforcement is complaint driven. e.g.Spauldings Donuts abandoned their building in the North Limestone area. The roof is falling in and nothing is being done.

•

Smuckers people (manufacturing types) desire more suburban space.

Ad Color felt the permitting process was difficult when they expanded and their Certificate of Ocuancy was held up because of ordinance requirements, while existing neighbors did not maintain their properties.

•

Lexmark is trying to lure young engineers, but they are competing with Austin, etc.

Third Street from Jif to Newtown Pike perception is that it is dangerous.

•

Nowhere to shop or buy clothes. Have to go to Hamburg or Wal-Mart. Not much commercial choice. People without cars are going to the Readymart to buy food but there is no fresh produce, etc.

Bike trail from Horse Park crosses Newtown (crosswalk and tunnel in future) and traverses Lexmark property, goes to YMCA on West Loudon Avenue and then south.

Residents Group

• • •

Housing

•

The group was composed of residents who have lived in Central Sector from 3 to 32 years. When asked what they would like to see come out of the Small Area Plan process:

•

Rental housing has high threshold, but low ceiling

•

Barrier is quality or condition of housing – not eligible for some programs because houses are not up to code.

Neighborhood Character •

Keep the diversity of residents

•

LFUCG is undertaking an affordable housing study.

•

Preserve historic buildings which are an asset

•

Lexmark builds at least 1 house a year for Habitat for Humanity.

•

What would attract people to live in CS?

Encourage a creative class as described in the book “The Rise of the Creative Class” – diversity is the key. This 6-year resident on Price Avenue feels the area is up and coming. One group member cited Austin, Texas as an example and as a city that competes with Lexington for talent. Another does not want to hear how Lexington could be like Austin. Austin has different weather.

•

Need reinvestment in the central core – encourage builders and businesses to come back to downtown – would like a program where builders elsewhere in the city also improve or build a home in the downtown .

•

Pedestrian accessibility – no sidewalk on Loudon Avenue to Hope Center, the YMCA and the Health Dept. Need more bike paths and lanes. People walk on the street or Railroad tracks.

• Warehouse District • Venues to walk to. • Green spaces and a dog park • Affordable housing •

There are 2 areas of CS. Fifth street is a dividing line. Home prices move fast south of the line and sell for more than north of there.

•

The line is moving up slowly but surely. Some homes on Limestone are being redone and are not being sold at super high prices.

•

100

Millimeter, is in real estate and is rehabbing homes in area.

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices •

The cement preservation.

downtown

historical

•

Predatory retail such as grocery at Race & Third Street in East End.

Code Enforcement

Transit

•

Enforce the existing Code. There is no follow through. Enforcement is awful. Home on the street has been vacant for 15 years.

•

Bus system does not connect well to where people can shop or work.

•

5 years ago there was Code Enforcement corruption.

Housing above Lextran never happened. Bus station could have put up a Rite Aid or something.

•

Animal control is a problem and people are afraid to walk in the neighborhood. One man suggested that owners of dangerous breeds should be required to have liability insurance.

•

Grant or low interest loan programs for people who want to come in to CS. Just painting can make a difference and peak interest in a neighborhood.

Housing

Schools

•

Need safe low income or no income housing –homeownership is not a possibility for some

•

One has grandkids at Arlington. Perception is that schools are not good.

•

Would like to see upper end housing or condos on Loudon Avenue.

•

Better management of Section 8 housing which tends to be overcrowded with extended family.

Schools on the north side have always been the bottom of the barrel for at least 45 years since one gentleman was a child.

•

Most kids in the Third Street area go to private school. The Traditional Magnet school has 2 tracks – neighborhood kids and others.

•

Some people are living and working in the community but primarily the money is being sucked out of the community. Subsidies, food stamps flow in but is sucked out at liquor stores.

•

Overabundance of rental housing. Slumlords make money but do not keep up houses.

•

There is an inherent history of racism in Lexington. White people and black people live next to each other but as interest progresses the African Americans will be pushed out. Perhaps we need to encourage low-income housing or more importantly, HOME OWNERSHIP. That is the key. Does not have to be fancy, just owneroccupied. 18% of homes are owner occupied.

•

First time homeowner programs (REACH) don’t really work. Policies are not good. Encourage you to buy a home that is 50% of income and you have to put in all except for 1 mortgage payment. Property values are 1/3 to ½ the value of the other homes in Lexington (South Hill, etc). Appraisers don’t give the neighborhood a fair shake. Perception is that this is the worst part of Lexington. Can’t run people out, but got to get people to take care of their place.

When asked why they chose Central Sector to live and why they stay? •

People in this group love living downtown!

•

Likes the neighborhood and will stay, though they may never recoup the investment in their house.

•

Works in Frankfort and chooses to live downtown.

•

Diversity attracted some of the residents. We need to have everyone participate in this process. All ages, all incomes, no income, all races or the CS will end up looking like the suburbs.

Services and Goods •

Most say grocery is needed but one says he can get to any Kroger within 5 minutes. There is no viable grocery in the center of CS.

Lexington - Fayette County

DRAFT - February 2009

101

Appendices Residential Infill and Redevelopment Program For the past ten years, Lexington’s growth management strategy has focused on infill/redevelopment as the sister element to rural land preservation. While long recognized as a way to increase utilization of the Urban Service Area, thus reducing pressure for expansion, it has only been in the last few years that a multi-faceted series of plans and implementing actions have elevated these efforts into a cohesive program. The seminal document in this intensified effort began with the Planning Commission’s adoption of the Residential Infill and Redevelopment Strategy in 2001. The purpose of the strategy is to promote balance between greenfield or urban edge development and reuse and redevelopment of existing built areas by maximizing the amount of urban growth feasible within the existing Urban Service Area. Unlike most cities its size, Lexington is a growth management community where both suburban and urban development are contained within the same jurisdiction. For 50 years, urban growth has been compact and contiguous. As a result, there is a limited amount of undeveloped land that remains within the urban area, particularly inside New Circle Road. This is perhaps the biggest challenge to extensive infill and redevelopment. Other challenges include decades-old sanitary and storm sewer systems, property with multiple and disparate owners, and environmental issues. The Residential Infill and Redevelopment Strategy seeks to ameliorate some of the issues related to these challenges. Infill/Redevelopment is important to Lexington-Fayette County’s growth because: • I/R encourages balanced urban growth with the redevelopment of existing developed areas using existing infrastructure and services and reducing demand for new development in outlying areas. • I/R encourages traditional development patterns for more compact, walkable, and mixed-use development, which is especially important in an increasingly more expensive energy environment and with the increasing aging population. For the complete text of the Residential Infill and Redevelopment Plan, see the 2007 Comprehensive Plan.

102

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices Neighborhood Demographics This demographic information was derived from 2000 US Census Bureau data. Little of this data is used in the CSSAP because it is out of date. Instead the consultants relied on more current data, which are estimates, from ESRI Business Analyst and the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Population, Age, & Race: • Central Sector (CS) has 5.4% of the city’s population. • Compared to Lexington-Fayette (LF), CS shows slightly more teenagers (15-29), fewer young adults (20-24), and slightly more adults 65+. • CS has a higher concentration of Black and Hispanic people than Lexington-Fayette overall. Also, CS has 11.3% of the city’s total Black population and 10.5% of the city’s total Hispanic population. White Black Hispanic CS 67.1% 27.9% 6.3% LF 81.0% 13.5% 3.3% • Of CS families with children under 18 years, (2,475 families), 55% are single parent families.

Housing: • Proportionally, CS has a higher rate of non-family households, a lower rate of married couple households, a higher rate of single-parent or non-parent households, and a higher rate of 65+ householders living alone. Non-Farmily Married 1 Parent / 65+ Living HH Couple HH Non-Parent HH Alone CS 45.0% 32.0% 23.4% 10.0% LF 41.9% 43.5% 14.7% 7.5% • CS has a higher percentage of vacant housing units and a higher percentage of renter occupied housing. 7.8% of all vacant housing in Lexington is located in Central Sector. Vacant HU Renter-Occupied HU CS 10% 47.0% LF 6.8% 44.7% • In CS, the older you are, the more likely you are to own a home. For example, 48.2% of occupied housing units in Central Sector are owner-occupied, but of all occupied housing units with a householder age 25-34, only 31.1% are owned by the householder. Of occupied housing units with a householder age 75-84, 79.6% are owned by the householder. However, the largest home-owning age group are householders age 45-54, owing 21.8% of all owner-occupied housing units in Central Sector.

103

Appendices • Based on race in Central Sector, if you are classified as White, you are most likely to own your home (52.7%), followed by Asian descent (42.9%), African-American (38.3%), and Native American/Native Alaskan (16.7%). Only 9.7% of Hispanic head of households own their home. • CS has low housing value compared to the city of Lexington. The majority of CS housing units (89.8%) are valued at under $90K. 47.3% are valued under $60K. In LF, only 32.6% are valued at under $90K, and almost 30% are valued at more than $150K. • 80% of occupied housing units have at least one vehicle available.

Education: • In CS, more residents age 25+ years have no high school diploma, and fewer residents have some form of college degree than all residents of LF. CS LF

No HS Diploma or Equivalent 37.0% 14.2%

Any College Degree 14.0% 42.0%

Income: • 26.7% of CS residents are living below the poverty level compared to 12.9% of LF residents. • The income distribution of CS is very different from that of the city overall. CS has a significantly higher percentage of households with an income below $20K (CS 42%; LF 24%) and relatively few with an income above $50K (CS 18%; LF 39.6%).

104

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices Employment: • In 2000, 15% of CS’s residents were unemployed compared to 5.4% in LF. • Within CS, the five most prominent jobs for employed individuals are accommodation and food services (13%), manufacturing (12%), retail trade (11%), health care and social assistance (11%), and construction (10%). Industry

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

4.1%

Mining

0.1%

Construction

10%

5.4%

Manufacturing

12%

12.0%

Wholesale trade

3.5%

Retail trade

11%

11.9%

Transportation and warehousing

6.4%

Utilities

0.6%

Information

2.8%

Finance, insurance, real estate and rental and leasing

11.4%

Professional, scientific, and technical services

15.4%

Management of companies and enterprises

0.1%

Administrative and support and waste management services

2.7%

Educational services

39.1%

Health care and social assistance

11%

14.1%

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

11.3%

Accommodation and food services

13%

8.3%

Other services

4.2%

Public administration

3.6%

• When compared to LF, workers in CS commuted by means of automobile or motorcycle less, by means of public transportation, bicycle, walking, etc. more, and fewer worked from home. In CS twice as many workers claimed to carpool to work as in LF.

Automobile, Motorcycle, etc. CS LF

87.0% 91.2%

Public Transportation, Bicycle, Walk, etc. 12.0% 6.3%

Work from Home

Carpool

1.0% 2.5%

23.0% 11.2%

105

Appendices Safe by Design Program Goal Work with developers, builders, property owners, and planners to create the safest developments and communities possible, with a goal of creating socially sustainable communities. Socially sustainable communities are communities that succeed now, economically, socially and environmentally, and respect the needs of future generations. They are well-designed places where people feel safe and secure; where crime and disorder, or the fear of crime doesn’t undermine quality of life or community cohesion.

Why use Safe by Design? Incorporating sensible security measures during the construction of a new development or the revitalization of buildings and neighborhoods has been shown to reduce levels of crime, fear of crime and disorder. The costs involved in correcting or managing badly designed development are much greater than getting it right in the first place. This works best if balanced with the need to achieve desirable places to live. By providing quality environments and ensuring that they are properly managed and maintained, communities can be more readily encouraged to exercise a sense of ownership and responsibility. We need to create environments that people want to occupy and use, creating a strong and positive sense of communal identity. Increased Liability: Increasingly there is negligence associated with allowing or encouraging crime through poor design. • All premises must be reasonably safe in light of the risks of crime in that area. • Amount of security necessary at any particular property must be reasonable and proportionate to the risk of crime at that site. • As risk of crime increases so should security measures. Importantly, design can be an extremely important part of the security provided for a particular property. Safe by Design and Crime: Safe by Design does not guarantee that a particular area will be crime proof, but indicates that the site has been subject to a design process and improved level of security which, in the experience of the police and other agencies, have been shown to significantly reduce the risks of crime and fear of crime.

106

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices Key Issues to Focus On Attractive and safe Landscaping; Effective Lighting; Controlling Access and Movement; Effective Natural Surveillance; Promoting Ownership and reducing Anonymity; Maintenance and management of areas; Proper site design;

Core Principles of Safe by Design 1. Integrated Approach: Probably the most important aspect of new development is ensuring that all significant components of its design, planning, and layout, are considered together at an early stage so that potential conflicts between security and other major objectives can be resolved. In addition, an integrated approach ensures that all affected parties are involved from the early stages of the process. 2. Access and Movement: Places with well-defined routes, spaces, and entrances that provide for convenient movement without compromising security. Too few connections can undermine the vitality of an area, while too many, especially too many under used or poorly thought out connections, can increase the opportunity to commit crime. The goal is to create places that are both well connected and secure. a. Good movement frameworks have direct routes that lead people where they want to go by whatever means (foot, bike, car, etc..). b. Routes for cars and pedestrians should run alongside each other and not be segregated. Primary routes help to create shared spaces and prevent underused and potentially vulnerable locations. c. Where footpaths are required, they should be straight as possible and wide, avoiding possible hiding places. Footpaths should also be overlooked by surrounding buildings or activities where possible and not hidden by vegetation or landscape features. d. Public access to the rear of buildings and homes should be restricted. Secluded footpaths or alleys should not run along the rear of and provide access to, backyards. e. Clear and direct routes should not undermine the defensible space of neighborhoods. 3. Site design: Places are laid out so that crime is discouraged and different uses do not cause conflict. The layout and structure of a place (how buildings, spaces, uses, and activities relate to one another) affects its safety and sustainability. a. Safe urban buildings have few sides (entrances and exits) exposed to the public realm (accessible to the public). The frontages interact with the streets by having highlighted entrances and windows that emit light and engage the pedestrian.

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

107

Appendices b. Good movement in a community focuses people and vehicles on to a small number of principal routes that are overlooked by homes. c. Homes in cul-de-sacs can be highly secure, but the cul-de-sac should be short and straight (to provide visibility) and should NOT be joined by networks of footpaths that are rarely used and are likely to foster criminal activity. Research has shown that houses situated on cul-de-sacs are less likely to be burglarized than houses on other streets. d. In new developments, unnecessary and ambiguous space should not be provided. The aim is well-defined and purposeful open space. 4. Surveillance: Places where all publicly accessible spaces are overlooked. Whether it be “natural” or electronic, surveillance should be a core part of planning out crime. However, surveillance should not be relied on as the sole strategy for preventing crime. a. Places that could be vulnerable to crime should be overlooked by buildings or uses at all times. b. Windows and doors should face onto the street. Active frontages, rather than blank walls, should be encouraged. The more windows overlooking the street and other public spaces the better. c. Open, bright spaces reduce the number of potential hiding places and allow people to be aware of what is happening around them. d. Entrances to homes and other buildings should be directly from the street, creating active frontages. e. Parks and other public spaces used by the neighborhood should be arranged to provide maximum surveillance and visibility by residents of the neighborhood. f. The most secure place to park a car is in a garage, followed by a driveway. However, garages should not be designed in a manner that leads to “inactive” frontages. If parking is on the street, it should be in front on houses in order to provide for maximum surveillance. 5. Lighting: Research confirms that where public lighting is weak or patchy, increasing the levels and consistency of illumination reduces fear of crime and makes people feel more secure. a. Well lit spaces are crucial to reducing fear of crime, making places more livable, and generally increasing legitimate activity after dark. However, lighting should be sensitive to the needs of residents and should provide security without resulting in glare and compromising privacy. b. Lighting in places that are vulnerable to crime should be designed to prevent it from being vandalized. c. Places to which there is no legitimate access after dark could be unlit to discourage the presence of potential victims.

108

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices 6. Ownership: Places that promote a sense of ownership, respect, territorial responsibility and community. Encouraging residents and users of places to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their surroundings can make an important contribution to crime prevention. Uncertainty of ownership can reduce responsibility and increase the likelihood of crime and anti-social behavior going unchallenged. a. Gates, fences, walls, and hedges can create safe and attractive places, but must be designed and placed appropriately. b. High fences and landscape that actively impede access are most appropriate in places that are vulnerable to crime, such as the back of houses. c. Fences must be visually permeable so as not to hinder natural or other forms of surveillance or provide places for offenders to hide. d. Lower barriers, hedges, and bushes are also highly useful to signify the public/private divide. e. New developments should be integrated into the wider community and gating of developments should be considered ONLY as a last resort. f. Landscaping can be used to make places safer as well as more attractive, as long as it doesn’t restrict natural surveillance. g. Involving residents and users in the management and design of their area provides a real sense of ownership. 7. Physical Protection: Places that include necessary, well-designed security features. This aspect deals with target hardening and making it more difficult to commit an offense, while instilling a sense of safety in users. a. Planning in quality security from the outset is usually much cheaper and easier that retro-fitting it later. b. Crime prevention measures that adversely affect the way a place looks and feels undermine the aim of safe and sustainable communities. Some fencing and other target hardening can cause more fear than they prevent. c. Crime prevention measures should be made to look as attractive as possible, while not diminishing their security. 8. Activity: Places where the level of human activity is appropriate to the location and creates a reduced risk of crime and a sense of safety at all times. Crime can be deterred through the “eyes on the street” of people going about their everyday business. However, too much activity risks anonymity and can lead to increases in the opportunity to commit particular types of crime. a. Care should be taken to ensure that the mixed uses in a locality are compatible. For example, clusters of bars and clubs are best situated away from residential areas.

109

Appendices b. Providing activities for young people to hang out helps to provide a focus for and can prevent criminal behavior. Care should be taken to not attract excessive numbers to any one location. 9. Management and Maintenance: Places that are designed with management and maintenance in mind, to discourage crime in the present AND the future. Management and maintenance embrace both how a place looks and how it functions over time. a. Proper attention to the design quality and attractiveness of the street increases its safety and use and promotes greater respect towards the environment. b. Improvements to the public realm should be approached in a strategic, coordinated manner, as opposed to being ad-hoc. c. Locations must be properly maintained after construction in order to prevent decline from beginning and disorder from taking root in the area. d. Proper maintenance includes: landscaping, lighting, public areas, parking, fencing, roads, sidewalks, ensuring proper public services (garbage collection) and tenant management in rental areas.

110

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices Homelessness and Housing Issues The following information was provided by Central Kentucky Homeless and Housing Initiative. For a summary and interpretation of the data, please refer the latest draft of the “10 Year Plan to End Homelessness in LexingtonFayette County” or contact: David Christiansen, MSW dchristiansen@ckhhi.org Executive Director Central Kentucky Housing and Homeless Initiative, Inc. 130 W. New Circle Road, Suite # 110 Lexington, KY 40505 Phone: 859-281-9402 Website: www.ckhhi.org

Persons in Supported Permanent Housing Individuals

Number

Contact

Resource

288-4149

Father Michael Powers

Keeneland Backstretch

254-3469

Ann Vandervort

Volunteers of America

245-2400

Ginny Vicini

New Beginnings

281-5048

Bren Jones

Housing Authority Bluegrass MH/MR SPS

252-7881

Amber Cromen

Hope Center – Hill Rise

252-6642

Missie Smith

St. James I

253-1686

Jessica Wells

Bluegrass MH-MR – SHP

255-0500

Jennifer Stamper

Chrysalis House

225-3000 Ext. 22

Terrell Kowal

Solomon House

233-4511 Ext. 3607

Randy Moler

VA HUD Vouchers

255-2611

Greg Jackson

Canaan House

514-7210

Carrie Brend

Catholic Action Center

281-5048

Bren Jones

Housing Authority BDV Totals

A or M

25 10

271

Families Family

18 3

Persons in Supported Permanent Housing total =

A or M

17 18

14 30 6

40 66

471

111

Appendices

Emergency and Transitional Housing Sub-categories (if indicated) Chronic Homeless

SMI

ChronicSA

Vet

HIV/ AIDS

Hope Center – Privett Center

Hope Center

Hope Center for Women

Catholic Action Center

MASH

Salvation Army

3 31

Lighthouse Ministries

1 2

1 4

Volunteers of America – Transition

1 23

Bluegrass ESH

Bluegrass TBRA

Chrysalis House

VOA – Treatment

St. James II

Lexington Rescue Mission

1 1

4 5

Bluegrass Domestic Violence

3 61

AVOL – TBRA

112

Rainbow House

Shepherds House

Methodist Home

Totals

<18

Bluegrass Safe Haven

Florence Crittenton

188

447

130

196

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices

Permanent Housing Chronic Homeless Solomon House

SMI

New Beginnings Canaan House

ChronicSA

Vet

HIV/ AIDS

2 28

Bluegrass MH-MR

Hill Rise

Chrysalis House

<18

Bluegrass Domestic Violence

St. James I

Volunteers of America

Totals

Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing Count 2009 Persons in Emergency Shelter

A = adults, C = children Individuals

Families

Number

Contact

Resource

252-7881

Amber Cronen

Hope Center

220

514-7210

Carrie Brend

Catholic Action Center

224-7227

Freeland Davis

Room In The Inn

252-3126

Rebecca Graff

Mash

252-7706

Cindi Kupar

Salvation Army

233-0657

Darlene Thomas

Bluegrass Domestic Violence

253-1686

Jessica Wells

Bluegrass MH-MR Safe Haven

425-2616

Maj. Todd Eades

Detention Center

252-2002

Janice James

H C Recovery Program for Women

Totals

ÂŠ2009 RATIO | DCI | ECSI

Family

24 3

8 308

113

Appendices

Persons in Transitional Housing Individuals

Number

Contact

Resource

381-9600

Lindsey Burk

Lexington Rescue Mission

252-2002

Amber Cronen

Hope Center – Privett Center

252-7881

Amber Cronen

Hope Center

514-7210

Carrie Brend

Catholic Action Center

252-3126

Rebecca Graff

Mash

259-3434

Billie Mallory

Lighthouse Ministries

252-2002

Janice James

H C Recovery Program for Women

509-4307

Earl Washington

Methodist Home Transitional

255-3000

Terrell Kowal

Rainbow House

254-3469

Ann Vandervort

Volunteers of America

254-0149

Nicole Brown

VOA – Vets Treatment

252-8636

Mary Venezie

Florence Crittenton

233-4600

Patricia Shobe

Community Action

255-0500

Mendy Daniels

Chrysalis House

253-1686

Jessica Wells

Bluegrass MH-MR TBRA

253-1686

Jessica Wells

Bluegrass MH-MR ESH

252-4828

Beverly Henderson

Virginia Place

388-9260

Douglas Jones

VOA – St. James II

252-1939

Jason Thomas

Shepherds House

252-7706

Cindi Kupar

Salvation Army

559-3539

Andrea Richardson

Bluegrass Domestic Violence

294-7080

Robert Hamar

Bellwood Independent Living

225-3000

Terrell Kowal

AVOL-TBRA

Family

9 61 7

39 1

Totals

114

Families

131

132

207

1 5

252

174

2008 Persons in Transitional Housing total

770

2009 Persons in Transitional Housing total

766

2008 Persons in Emergency Shelter

472

2009 Persons in Emergency Shelter

485

2008 Total

1242

2009 Total

1251

The Central Sector Small Area Plan

Appendices

232 Homelessness Field Surveys Were Completed 65 (28.0%) of those interviewed indicated they were homeless. • 91% of those interviewed were males • 21.5% of those interviewed were living with others (families) • Total homeless people in the count = 89 • 9 (9.7%) were children

Homeless Interviewees 46.2% 41.5%

26.2%

26.2% 16.9%

Job

Income

Attack

62 (26.7%) of those interviewed indicated they were “precariously housed”. • 54.8% were families • Total precariously housed persons in the count = 154 • 20 ( 13%) were children

Precariously Housed Interviewees 54.8%

54.8%

30.6%

14.5%

Job

Income

Attack

115

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