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LFUCG Divisional Input Summary
The Division of Planning emailed LFUCG Division Directors on March 29, 2022 to request written feedback on the Goals and Objectives portion of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan. It was explained that feedback will be used to update the Goals and Objectives that will be crafted by the Planning Commission over the summer and presented to the Urban County Council for adoption later this year. We also stated that we would reach out again at a later date to gather feedback on more detailed portions of the plan including policies and implementation items recommendations. A summary of divisional input follows.
Traffic Engineering
Jim Woods, P.E., PLS, Deputy Director, Division of Traffic Engineering Deputy Director Woods posed a general question about how the Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives are quantified, measured, and tracked. He stated that being able to show that objectives have been achieved is very important. He also stated that it is very important that acceptable roadway capacity is provided where new travel demand is placed upon the roadway system. New/Re-development and more population without additional roadway capacity results in added traffic congestion, lost time, and more air pollution. Mr. Woods provided suggestions to several Objectives related directly to Traffic Engineering:
Under Theme A Growing Successful Neighborhoods / Goal 4 / Address Community Facilities at a Neighborhood Scale, Mr. Woods provided the following suggested objective: Protect the character and future residential neighborhoods by maintaining the integrity of the city’s transportation infrastructure.
Under Theme B Protecting the Environment / Goal 2 / Reduce Lexington-Fayette County’s carbon footprint, Mr. Woods suggested setting an objective to reduce certain emission pollutants by “X%” by a certain date. He asked if there is an objective to increase percentage of mass transit riders in Lexington, and if so, what percentage increase in ridership might be achieved. He asked the same with regards to cycling and walking, and would like to know if there are metrics to measure effectiveness of goals/objectives.
Under Theme D Improving a Desirable Community / Goal 1 / Work to achieve an effective and comprehensive transportation system Under Objective A / Support the Complete Streets concept, prioritizing a pedestrian-first design that also accommodates the needs of bicycle, transit and other vehicles, Mr. Woods was unsure how to measure the complete street concept other than considering the number of complete street projects added to the roadway system during a given period of time. He noted that complete streets projects often overlap
with multi-modal initiatives, including mass transit. Under Objective D / Improve traffic operation strategies, he asked for clarification on if this means engineering strategies or traffic flow strategies. He wondered if the effectiveness of the transportation system could be determined via origin-destination studies for strategic areas of development in the vicinity of complete street projects.
Water Quality
Charles H. Martin, P.E., Director, Division of Water Quality Director Martin responded with input from two perspectives—sanitary sewers and stormwater.
For sanitary sewers, Mr. Martin reports that capacity for infill and redevelopment is less of a concern than fundamental asset management. He stated that the Consent Decree has focused on increased capacity including large tanks, pumping stations, and trunk sewer pipes. However, a problem which remains is that over 83% of the sanitary sewer system is 8inch collector pipe and 33% of that 83% is vitrified clay pipe (VCP) likely dating from before 1964. The physical condition of that VCP is a concern, and from the Division of Water Quality’s perspective, it is something that should be replaced as part of infill and redevelopment. Mr. Martin also reports that sanitary sewer service for an expanded urban service area has challenges because the Consent Decree improvements did not provide capacity for an expanded boundary, with one primary exception being Athens-Boonesboro extending to Blue Sky.
For stormwater, Mr. Martin stated that building up creates less impervious square footage than building out, so building up is the best outcome for stormwater management. He shared that there is no system-wide model for predicting the impact to changes in imperious area, and that the grasp the Division has on sanitary sewer capacity doesn’t exist for stormwater. In terms of streams, he states that urban stream segments are very difficult to bring back to water quality standards, and that efforts are better spent on conservation easements for downstream rural stream segments and a more robust means to collect and control the discharges that visually degrade those segments such as sustained water velocities, trash and floatables.
Social Services
Kristina Stambaugh, Director, Aging & Disability Services Director Stambaugh replied that the Goals and Objectives are still relevant, however COVID slowed some progress. Ms. Stambaugh would like more specific language or incentives for the creation/development of more Accessible Housing (Universal Design, ADA compliant, visitable), and stated that both the Commission for People with Disabilities and the Senior
Services Commission would support these changes. She stated that the Reimaging Home group is eager to assist Planning with zoning amendments, and they would like zone flexibility to convert abandoned retail spaces to residential uses with housing that is affordable. Director Stambaugh is interested in any kind of tax relief that could be provided, in addition to the Homestead Exemption Act, which would help home owners in areas that are experiencing gentrification. She also would like to include Dementia Friendly Lexington and Age Friendly Lexington in the Comprehensive Planning process.
Public Safety
Patricia Dugger, Director, Emergency Management Director Dugger’s suggestion is for the Comprehensive Plan to include considerations for the impact of climate change issues related to the design and location of natural and manmade hazards. As an example, Director Dugger cites concern for Veterans Park Elementary School being in the wind hazard area of a chlorine release from West Hickman Waste Water Treatment Plant, as well as concern over construction techniques and materials being safe in tornado zones.
Environmental Services / Energy Initiatives
James Bush, Program Manager Senior, Energy Initiatives Mr. Bush provided several specific suggestions and additions to the Goals and Objectives that would support the city’s energy initiatives. In particular, this would assist with “beyondcode” energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements in buildings. He states that the challenge, however, is that legislative action is needed to give Lexington the ability to supersede state energy code(s).
Under Theme B Protecting the Environment / Goal 2 / Reduce Lexington-Fayette County’s carbon footprint, Mr. Bush provides several suggestions for reframing the objectives to achieve a more cohesive purpose by structuring them to address specific emission sources. These sources include direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (“to transition to electric vehicles”), indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by Lexington-Fayette County (“to support a utility provider program that encourage energy efficiency and increased renewable energy sources”), and all other indirect emissions that occur in Lexington-Fayette County’s value chain (“to prioritize reducing, reusing, and recycling as part of sustainable development.”) Also under Theme B, Mr. Bush suggested the need for an objective to support locally-sourced food.
In Theme C, Creating Jobs & Prosperity, Mr. Bush stated that the Goals and Objectives are missing the importance of high speed internet and low-carbon energy sources that are
necessary to attract companies and talent to Lexington-Fayette County. He also suggested that “adaptive reuse” be explicitly included under Theme D, Improving a Desirable Community.
Demetria Mehlhorn, Program Manager Senior, Natural Resource Protection & Kristan Curry, Environmental Planner Senior Ms. Mehlhorn and Ms. Curry provided several proposed edits to the existing Goals and Objectives, suggestions for new Objectives, as well as related action items to be considered as the Comprehensive Plan process proceeds. Suggested edits, new Objectives, and action items relate to the following.
Theme A – Growing Successful Neighborhoods: Minimizing disruptions to historic and archaeological features during development, including stone fences not within the right-ofway; Maximizing usability of available open space on new development; Incentivizing community gardens, expanded tree canopy and urban tree protections; Incorporating the Urban Forest Management Plan into the Comprehensive Plan; and Encouraging green infrastructure in neighborhood design
Theme B – Protecting the Environment: Improving city stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure; Continued implementation of the Consent Decree programs; Cost sharing program to assist homeowners with lateral sanitary sewer replacement; Reforesting areas within the Coldstream Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) and improving educational and aesthetic experience along the Legacy Trail; Sustainable and energy efficient street lighting; Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations; Completing a full natural resource inventory in Lexington-Fayette County; Promoting native plants and gardens; Planning and funding for green infrastructure projects; and Regional planning for wildlife corridors
Theme C – Creating Jobs & Prosperity: Creating internship programs to support arboricultural, environmental science, sustainability, and hydrology education and job training; and Creating public information and education content to foster a capable and skilled workforce within the environmental sciences.
