Lexington Gathers Public Opinions on Expansion of Urban Service Boundary

Lexington, Ky. – Civic leaders are holding public meetings to engage local residents in drafting plans to broaden the city’s urban service boundary by more than 2,800 acres.

The consultative meetings are aimed at securing input from residents towards the authorities’ master plan for the city’s expansion. The urban county council of Lexington gave the initial greenlight for an enlargement initiative in June of 2023, marking the first occurrence of such a development since 1996.

“This is going to shape Lexington’s future for another three decades,” Chris Taylor, a member of the city’s Division of Planning, noted during a meeting held at the local senior center. Taylor is in charge of the city’s long-span planning and stresses the significance of their blueprint in directing the city’s evolution.

“For us, it’s about making sure that we develop in a way that there’s enough revenue coming in over a longer period of time so that development pays for itself,” added Taylor. The city has charted its goals into five developmental sections located near critical highways and intersections. These areas are expected to supply the landmass for the planned expansion.

Key Expansion Areas Identified

Four out of the five identified regions for expansion are located in close proximity to the Interstate 75. These include the Winchester and Hume Road locations, Athens-Boonesboro Road location, Todds Road and Canebrake Drive location, and the Blue Sky Parkway location. Additionally, the fifth location is at the intersection of Man O War Boulevard and Parkers Mill Road.

During the assembly, participants were particularly enthused about the proposed expansion around the Man O War and Parkers Mill region. The majority of suggestions revolved around the idea of fostering development in the Cardinal Run area and improving connectivity. However, some neighbors had concerns which Taylor addressed, “It’s a public and health safety issue for our police and fire services to ensure we have sufficient connections serving all parts of the town.”

Open invitation for Public Input

The authorities are encouraging residents and concerned parties to voice their feelings and feedback. All suggestions are seen as essential to finalizing the right design for these developments. Taylor elaborated, “Are there projects that might need to be added to a list of priorities? Are there types of infrastructure that in an area that are missing but necessary?”

According to Taylor, a public hearing is planned for the fall before the master plan is adopted. The finalized master plan is expected by the end of the year. For those unable to attend the meetings or wishing to provide additional input, plans can be reviewed on the city’s official website with feedback options available online.