LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Advocates packed a Lexington city council meeting Tuesday, pressing city leaders to not expand the city’s urban service boundary for the first time in 27 years.
It was the first public comment session after council’s initial 10-3 vote to add a 2,700 to 5,000 acre expansion of the city’s urban service boundary. That is part of the city’s comprehensive plan, which will see a final vote on Thursday.
The boundary, which circles downtown, allows homes and businesses on the inside, and protects the city’s iconic horse farms on the outside.
Emotions ran high during the meeting, both for members of the public and council members.
The vast majority of people who spoke were against expansion. They worry what it will mean for the city’s brand as the horse capital of the world. They also point out there is still a significant amount of land on the inside of the boundary that can be built on. Groups like the Fayette Alliance have called for a data-driven plan to guide future boundary expansions.
They say the expansion won’t lead to more affordable housing being built, which is a goal that many proponents of expansion have. Expansion opponents say the last time the boundary was expanded 27 years ago, no new affordable housing was built.
During the council work session Wednesday, multiple council members acknowledged they didn't have the votes to stop expansion entirely at the time. Instead, they proposed amendments that would decrease the number of acres that the boundary would expand. One proposal would limit expansion to at most 2,700 acres, another would expand 2,700-3,000 acres, rather than 2,700-5,000.
Both of those amendments failed on 7-6 votes.
In all cases, the city’s planning staff would decide the final amount and location the boundary would expand.
Councilwoman Denise Gray is one of multiple council members for whom the city’s housing crisis is top of mind when considering the proposal. She’s for expanding, saying people who work in the city should be able to live here.
Councilman Preston Worley, who introduced the original 5,000 acre expansion proposal, said expansion would lead to all housing in the city being more affordable because of what he said is simple supply and demand principles.
Councilwoman Gray introduced language, which all but one councilmember voted to approve, that directs the city’s planning staff to come up with and present council with ideas that would make sure affordable and middle income housing is built in the expanded area. At present, rules prevent them from requiring affordable housing be built.
More public comment, a final vote, and perhaps more amendment, will come on Thursday.
Acknowledging the possibility that more can change, Vice-Mayor Dan Wu said “who knows what will happen in 2 days.”
