Lexington's Preservation and Growth Management Program (LP&GMP)

How will this program be different from what we have been doing?
A couple of key differences are that growth trend data will be routinely updated and evaluated. Decisions about the Urban Service Area will be based on this data and follow a transparent, established process. These discussions and decisions will happen between the 5-year Comprehensive Plan updates, instead of at the same time. This will allow us to focus more time and energy on talking with everyone in our community about various goals to create a comprehensive action plan for a better future in Lexington.

In what way is the Planning Commission involved?
While the Urban County Council is currently coordinating the development of the LP&GMP, the Planning Commission will play a large role in any decisions regarding land use within Lexington. They are being informed throughout the process and were previously involved during the Goal 4 Workgroup.

How will we know if this process has been successful?
One early measure is to have a clear, established decision-making framework. As directly called for in our Comprehensive Plan, the process should be data-driven, include community input, and ongoing evaluation. Success can be measured by the continued preservation of significant agricultural areas and the concentration of growth in appropriate locations. As with any policy or ordinance, we can continually review it in the future to make sure it’s the best fit for our community.

Will Council Members not on GGP have an opportunity to work on this program?
All items passed out of the General Government and Planning Committee are reviewed and acted upon by the full Urban County Council.

Where do discussions about infrastructure cost come in?
Historically, the expected cost and efficiency of infrastructure have been key components of any modification of the Urban Service Area. We expect this trend to continue.

The city has begun developing an Infrastructure Funding Plan to determine the infrastructure needs and costs for recent expansion areas. Many initial costs fall to developers who recoup those costs through commercial and residential real estate sales and leases.

How are budget considerations incorporated into this process?
The process is still being developed, and the city will review the impacts on budgets as it develops the program.

Once completed, will the process be updated with data annually and shared with the public so that we understand that we are approaching a pivot point?
The Division of Planning is working to launch the Imagine Lexington Data Research Center to track and share community data and trends with the public continuously. The resource builds on the baseline of information the Sustainable Growth Task Force provides. The Data Center will continue to grow and provide more types of data over time, helping make sure our community and our decision-makers have access to the best possible information.

Will subject-matter experts outside of our city be used to help establish metrics?
The LP&GMP builds upon the work of the Sustainable Growth Task Force and Goal 4 Work Group, which included land use consultants, preservation and development professionals, and community stakeholders. As we move through the process, there will be additional opportunities for input from all interested parties.

Will the process be different in 20 years when the world has changed?
The goal is to create a clear framework and set of agreed-upon steps for land use decisions, defining the who, what, why, how, and when. Ideally, this process can be followed consistently, even if the specific data, criteria, or other factors used to guide decisions change over time. However, we understand that change is inevitable, and we should expect to make adjustments as needed.

Will the program be completed at the Dec 2 committee meeting?
The goal is to complete Council work on this program by the end of 2025. However, the Planning Commission will review the program following Council work and must do so by August 1, 2026.

Does the council or the planning commission have the final word on what process we adopt?
We are still working to develop a draft process and anticipate having more information in early May.

Is this all about Goal 4? What about goals 1, 2, & 3?
This process is referenced within Theme E, Goal 4, but it does support the other goals differently. All the Goals and Objectives in the Comprehensive Plan can be found on ImagineLexington.com.

Is there another community you look to that’s doing really well?
While Lexington was the first to establish an Urban Service Area, we were not the last, and many cities have established consistent, data-based approaches to urban growth. The state of Oregon has an urban growth management process for all cities. Various cities in Maryland (Baltimore, Columbia, Germantown, Frederick, and Waldorf) utilize an Urban Service Area. Several cities in Colorado (Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Colorado Springs) have updated their processes to ensure smart and intentional growth. We are looking at all of these communities, among others, to review best practices and see how they might apply to Lexington’s context.

In regard to developing a consistent set of guidelines for when or when not to grow, what are some examples of criteria that should be considered?
We are still in the early stages of developing this program and process. We plan to have more information regarding the guidelines in May, and there will be several opportunities for public review and input on those criteria.

What does this program look like a year from now, once adopted? (How could/will it change council and planning processes?)
This will depend on the structure of the program that is developed. The goal is to incorporate an objective review of agreed-upon data to inform decision-making.

What outreach will be done outside of the survey to reach communities that don’t have the resources or time to travel to those two public hearings/forums?
The presentation materials from the outreach meetings have been added to the Engage Lexington webpage. Please feel free to submit questions or concerns through the website. The Engage The Engage Lexington website also helps us identify areas with lower participation levels to better target our outreach. Additionally, all Council Members have been encouraged to reach out in their districts.

How is the business community being engaged? What developer coordination is happening?
They are receiving the same information that everyone in our community is receiving. As we progress, we hope to engage with the business and development community for their input on the program.

What is the Urban Service Area (USA)?
Urban Service Areas (USA) are planning tools to manage and promote sustainable growth. Their primary purpose is to reduce sprawl by limiting urban development to designated areas so that infrastructure and community services can be provided more efficiently and to reduce costs. USAs are essential when planning for a community to focus on new growth and concentrate public and private investments where services are available and will be most needed. They also preserve agricultural land, open spaces, and environmentally sensitive areas.

Are LP&GMP and zoning the same thing?
The LP&GMP is not the same thing as zoning. In urban planning, there are two important terms to understand: land use and zoning.

Land use is precisely what it sounds like: how the land is used. Examples of land uses include residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural. Zoning laws regulate how land may be used. It establishes an orderly pattern of development across neighborhoods and the city by identifying what may be built on a piece of property.

Requests to change the zoning of a property are evaluated to determine how they meet the community goals and needs described in the Comprehensive Plan.

The LP&GMP is a program and process that will be used to assess whether or not our land adequately meets our community’s goals and needs, and recommend actions to better meet those needs.

How do you define community?
A "community" refers to a group of people sharing a geographical location or common interests, who are involved in or affected by planning decisions, and whose well-being and needs are considered in the planning process.

What do you mean by a data-driven process?
A data-driven process means using data to help make decisions, rather than relying solely on intuition or assumptions. It involves looking at objective information, interpreting and understanding what it means, and using it to choose the best path forward.

Why are you using the USA (Urban Service Area) instead of USB (Urban Service Boundary)?
There are two primary reasons:

First, “Urban Service Area” was the original name for the growth management tool adopted in 1958. It describes where urban services may be provided and better conveys the USA’s purpose. We also have a Rural Service Area, and the use of the two terms together is more consistent and comparable terminology.

The second reason is the word "boundary's" connotation. It suggests a distinct and separate defensible space. During public input on the Comprehensive Plan, many people from rural and urban parts of Fayette County felt the term created an “us versus them” mentality. We are hopeful we can deconstruct that perspective in support of productive, less contentious conversations on preservation and growth.

Please clarify the relationship between LP&GMP and the GGP.
The General Government and Planning (GGP) Committee is a committee of the Urban County Council that is leading in developing the Lexington Preservation & Growth Management Program (LP&GMP). Councilmember Liz Sheehan is the chair of the committee. Items in committee are "sponsored” by a committee member. Vice Mayor Dan Wu sponsors this item. Council committees work on legislative items until they are ready to review and consider the whole Council.

How does this expansion help the people who already live there?
To clarify, creating the LP&GMP will not involve any decisions on whether to expand or not expand the Urban Service Area at this time. New areas were added to the Urban Service Area in 2024. The Urban Growth Master Plan was also completed in 2024 to guide how those new areas develop. The goal is to provide more housing options for new residents and people here now. Whether it is a family looking for a bigger home as their family grows, or someone looking for a smaller home as they age, the city seeks to provide different types of housing of various sizes and price points.

How can we change regulations to encourage residential developers to plan in ways that discourage unnecessary driving and traffic?
The Urban County Government has been working on policies, regulation changes, and incentives to create more walkable communities. Over the last five years, the city has passed updates to its regulations on open space, parking, roadway design, and residential density to support more walkable spaces. The city has also adopted a Complete Streets Policy and is in the process of updating its roadway design standards to ensure the safety and comfort of all users of our transportation system.

What are the property owners inside the USB waiting for? Is there a carrot/stick opportunity here?
While we can incentivize development within the Urban Service Area, previous expansions stressed the ability of property owners to continue to operate their properties as they see fit until they are ready to develop.

In Lexington, we’ve focused on infill as an important way to meet our growth needs. Even though our infill and redevelopment policies are strong, there are some limitations. Policy and regulatory decisions, site constraints, private property rights, and owner preferences can limit infill and redevelopment.

Since 1958, we’ve modified our Urban Service Area nine times, including expansions and contractions. Expansions have occurred when decision-makers felt it was necessary to address an unmet need within the existing urban service area, typically seeking more land for economic development and housing. Exactly how we determine what the needs are and what data we will rely on to inform that decision has not been formalized in the past. We anticipate that any process used to evaluate our preservation and growth needs will recommend various strategies, actions, and policy changes to help address that need, including support of infill and redevelopment.

Have all the expansion areas (other than the new areas from the 2024 expansion) been developed?
No, they have not. This is usually due to site constraints or property owners who may not be interested in developing their land. This concern has been raised in the past with wholesale expansions that include large swaths of land. Both the ability and desire to develop land are issues to consider as we work to create this program.

Infill needs to be addressed, not just preservation. It should (be) a major focus. Why not?
The Urban County Government continues to focus on infill and redevelopment. Its importance is addressed throughout the Comprehensive Plan and was the primary reason for various regulatory changes over the last several years. To learn more about the Comprehensive Plan policies that address infill and redevelopment and recent regulation changes, visit ImagineLexington.com.

What is the tax differential between Urban and Rural areas?
The difference between rural and urban areas in the context of Lexington’s merged city-county government lies primarily in the types and extent of urban services. Urban areas receive a range of specific services funded through property taxes. These services include refuse collection, streetlights, and street cleaning, and they are organized into different tax districts based on the level of service a property owner receives. You can view more information here.

In contrast, rural areas have more limited access to these urban services, as they are less densely populated and typically don’t require the same level of service or infrastructure. For example, a property in an urban tax district might receive a full range of services like waste collection and street cleaning, whereas a rural property may have no streetlights and pay for private trash services. For additional information, including current property tax rates, the PVA’s website offers a tax district calculator, a rate schedule, and corresponding services available for each district. You may access those PVA resources by clicking here.

Is there a legal reason we pay folks in the PDR program not to develop their land, but we change other zoning without paying folks?
Purchase of Development Rights, or PDR as it is more commonly known, is Kentucky's first Agricultural Conservation Easement program facilitated by a local government. Through PDR, the Rural Land Management Board purchases farm owners’ development rights (their right to develop the farm commercially), preserving it as farmland forever. These programs exist across the US, often at urban fringes where farmland and open space are under pressure for conversion to urban or suburban uses. To learn more about this program, please visit the City’s webpage about the PDR Program.

How did Lexmark affect the process? I thought that after IBM divested, the LXK population decreased.
Lexington’s population has been trending upward for a long time. However, like many cities throughout the United States, the COVID pandemic slowed population growth. This trend is reflected in our Comprehensive Plan and population protections. Despite the slowdown, we are still growing, and data shows that Lexington needs to increase the amount and diversity of housing types for current and future residents. Low vacancy rates for both owner-occupied and renter-occupied dwelling units highlight this.