Fayette Alliance Launches 14th Edition of Grow Smart Academy, Focusing on Urban Walkability and Transformation of Car-Dominated Areas

Fayette Alliance Kicks Off Grow Smart Academy With a Focus on Walkability

The Fayette Alliance, a Lexington not-for-profit organization, initiated its 14th edition of the Grow Smart Academy on Tuesday. The program, renowned for its dedication towards educating the public on urban and land-use planning and its implications on economic development and quality of life, brought walkability and transportation issues under the lamp this year. These concerns were based on feedback from Lexington and Fayette county communities.

Reimagining Car-Dominated Spaces

The group has identified many zones within the city, ranging from the city’s cultural center to suburban sprawl and business hubs, where automobiles dominate the landscape. Evidence of this form of urban planning can be seen in the form of one-way streets, which many urban areas, including Lexington’s Main Street, adopted in the 20th century.

“Our investigations have revealed an excess of 17,000 acres of vacant or under-utilized land in our city, within the urban service boundary,” reported Brittany Roethemeier, Executive Director of the Fayette Alliance, casting a light on the opportunities for sensible growth.

Bringing Expert Insight onboard

In order to arm the vision of growth with expert inputs, the Fayette Alliance has sought the consultancy of Florida-based DPZ Co-Design’s managing partner, and recognized urban planner, Galina Tachieva. Tachieva’s expertise lies in reshaping urban and suburban sprawl to create more walkable and pedestrian-friendly communities.

Taking on Challenges to Retrofitting

The next phase of their plan involves collaboration with city leaders to manifest these ideas. Roethemeier acknowledged the potential challenges faced in terms of policy and financial barriers to retrofitting, expressing, “As a community, we need to scrutinize the policies we’re implementing that dictate development. It is also important to introspect on the manner in which we might be incentivizing development.”

Four More Value-Packed Sessions to Look Forward to

Four more sessions of the Grow Smart Academy are scheduled to take place on Tuesdays, once a month till September. With the next session marked for June 4, interested individuals should gear up for discussions filled with insights and innovative solutions to transform the urban landscape of Lexington into a more walkable and livable space.