What does the 2018 Comprehensive Plan recommend?
Quick Summary
The 2018 Comprehensive Plan update makes recommendations about six specific areas of planning in Lexington. They are as follows:
Growing Successful Neighborhoods
Protecting the Environment
Creating Jobs & Prosperity
Improving a Desirable Community
Maintaining a Balance between Planning for Urban Uses and Safeguarding Rural Land
Implementing the Plan for Lexington-Fayette County and the Bluegrass
The recommendations in these areas focus on the existing assets of Lexington. This ranges across each subject area–everything from attracting employers by promoting Lexington's quality of life, to preserving our rural landscape, to incentivizing affordable and creative development inside the Urban Service Boundary.
Summaries about the recommendations in these areas can be found in the links below, and even more information can be found in the Goals & Objectives summary here.
Why does this matter?
The Comprehensive Plan is the main reference point for almost all decisions the city makes about its long-term growth. This includes everything from road placement, economic development incentives, and zone changes.
The Comprehensive Plan directly impacts what your neighborhood looks like, how the roads you ride on are laid out, and what you personally experience throughout the city.
The 2018 Comprehensive Plan update discusses some of the city's most important issues, including growth of the Urban Service Area, Affordable Housing development, implementation of our EPA Consent Decree, and more.
Since this Comprehensive Plan update is at the heart of the city's decision-making processes, any legislative action to tackle these issues must comply with the plan.
What is the context?
Lexington first drafted a Comprehensive Plan in 1931 to address issues of growth, having achieved just over 45,000 residents by the 1930 census.
Comprehensive Plans continue to be updated every 4-5 years.
Until 2018, the Comprehensive Plan had been amended for neighborhood-specific issues through the use of Small Area Plans. During the 2018 Comprehensive Plan update, the city's Division of Planning has indicated that it will be transitioning into using Corridor Plans instead of Small Area Plans.
How can I get involved?
Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about what you want your community to look like.
Get in touch with your Council Member. You can find out who that is here.
Attend your Neighborhood Association meeting. If you don’t know what yours is, your Council Member should be able to tell you.
Interact with Imagine Lexington on Facebook, Twitter, or email.
Reach out to the staff in charge–Chris Woodall (cwoodall@lexingtonky.gov; 859.258.3231)
Keep an eye on our Get Involved section for city events you can attend.