(LEX 18) — The committee tasked with recommending ways to expand Lexington's Urban Service Area held its only scheduled public comment session on Tuesday.
They have two more weeks to finalize a proposal before presenting it to the Planning Commission.
Members of the committee heard from more than 30 community members who shared a variety of viewpoints. Lexington's Urban County Council told the planning commission to expand the boundary from 2,700 to 5,000 acres but left it up to them to figure out where.
Those speaking at the meeting argued why specific areas should/should not be included in the final expansion map.
Opinions were split for the owners of horse farms and other land in the areas under expansion consideration.
Expansion of the boundary would mean they could sell their farms for potentially a significantly higher value or develop it themselves.
Some said they were ready to move forward and sell, while others stood firm - saying they didn't plan to sell and feared how development nearby would be bad for their farms.
The current draft would prioritize expansion between Winchester Road, Royster Road, and the two highways, potentially opening up two other large tracts near the Athens Boonesboro Road/75 interchange and an area west of Beaumont near Parker's Mill Road.
There are economic advantages to growth along the interstate corridors, said Commerce Lexington's Bob Quick.
Right now, the committee's proposal would expand to nearly the maximum amount allowed by the council.
"We urge you to recommend to no more than the minimum acreage for expansion at this time," said Brittany Roethemeier, the executive director of the Fayette Alliance.
That lower amount is 2,700 acres. They have been pushed for years for a data-driven approach to expansion,
Others stressed how valuable the soil is in Fayette County, saying Lexington would allow it to be destroyed in those areas for good.
"We are talking about one of the rarest soil types in the world when you talk about taking an acre out of Fayette Country," said Tom Poskin.
Others shared how not as many horse farms would vanish as people may think. That's partly because some areas, such as areas along Winchester Road, do not have working horse farms.
"Please don't arbitrarily set a minimum number of 2,700 acres when in actuality you need 4,000, 4,5000, or 5,000," Quick said.
Quick and others in favor of expansion point to how it could help create jobs and provide much-needed additional housing in Lexington.
Affordable housing was not mentioned much by speakers in the meeting.
The committee will work to implement some of the feedback they heard from the community during their meeting next week.
