LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Fayette Alliance is making a final push to sway Lexington city council members to not expand the urban service boundary with less than a week to go before a final vote.
They instead want the city to go through with expanding only through a data-driven method, which is being worked on.
City councilmembers advanced a plan last week that would expand the boundary, which allows development on the inside and protects farms on the outside, 2,700 to 5,000 acres. The city’s planning staff would come up with the exact acreage and location.
Brittany Roethemeier, the Alliance’s executive director, is urging people to speak against the proposal at the upcoming council work session on Tuesday. A final vote is expected to come after a second reading on Thursday.
She said they have continued to have discussions with council members about the issue.
The Alliance has a high hill to climb. The vote to expand passed 10-3 last week, adding language to the Comprehensive Plan, which is what get a final vote Thursday.
“I think a lot can happen between now and Thursday the 15th,” Roethemeier said. “We believe the majority of the community has concerns about decisions that were made.”
Councilman Preston Worley, who officially proposed the expansion, said he’s confident they’ll have the votes.
The Alliance wants expansion language taken out.
The Alliance is considering legal action against the council, waiting to see the specific language of the proposal, Roethemeier said. They are looking to see if it is in compliance with state law.
Councilwoman Gray posted to Facebook a letter she said was shared with council members before the last vote was taken. It explains that all council members would be parties to the potential lawsuit, as is legally necessary.
Roethemeier said the letter was a response to pro-expansion lawyers sharing messages of their own with council members, saying what they legally can and cannot do.
During the last council meeting, Councilwoman Gray spoke passionately about the issue.
“The threats of litigation I don't take lightly whatsoever,” Gray said. “We will do what's best for all citizens of Lexington no matter where they reside. Threaten us again and it will be a problem for me”
Roethemeier said it was never their intention to threaten, adding they just seek to hold officials accountable to doing what’s in the law.
Proponents of expansion say it’s needed to bring down home prices in Lexington, among other things. Some of them specifically want to see more affordable housing built in expanded areas, which Roethemeier says won’t happen.
Those against expansion say that while housing is important, there is still a significant amount of land that could be built on within the boundary, which was last expanded in 1996.
