LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The City of Lexington is collecting citizen input on the first update to its "Empower Lexington" sustainability plan in over ten years.
The plan was first approved in 2012. The city launched the "Empower Lexington" plan with the goal of getting the county, businesses, and individuals to reduce their annual energy usage by 1% every year.
The new, refreshed plan, is set to be a guide to help the city and county "adapt to both natural and manmade changes" and create a "sustainable, resilient future," according to the city.
In a survey opened by the city, Fayette County residents can share their own recommendations as Lexington looks to improve sustainability efforts in six areas:
- Natural systems and ecology
- Transportation and land use
- Water efficiency
- Energy and emissions
- Materials and resources
- Quality of life
The survey asks users to select their top three priorities for improvements in each category.
"Instead of creating this plan and giving it to the community, we have the community involved in the beginning," said Lexington's program manager for sustainability, Jada Griggs.
Griggs explained that the plan is designed to improve the efforts of not just city government, but of private individuals and businesses.
"In the end, us becoming a more resilient, sustainable community is the ultimate goal of this plan," Griggs said.
Amy Sohner, executive director of Bluegrass Greensource, an organization dedicated to environmental outreach, said while Lexington is leading the way in Central Kentucky, it needs to catch up to other major cities.
"If we compare ourselves to Louisville or Cincinnati, we're well behind the curve, so it's really exciting to have this now," Sohner said of the plan.
The survey is set to be open until August. You can access it here.
Griggs anticipates a final plan to be ready to present to the Urban County Council by the end of the year.
