Council and Planning Commission consider changes to planning processes
Update:
Planning Commission and the Urban County Council heard a presentation from the Walker Collaborative consulting team on their Planning and Development Approval Process Study. They recommended 10 changes that could possibly improve the efficiency and transparency of planning processes like zone changes and public engagement. No action was taken at either meeting, but two of the recommendations (#8, and #10) were placed into the General Government & Planning Committee. You can the Planning and Development Approval Process Study here.
This week, the Planning Commission and the Urban County Council will both have an opportunity to review the results of the long-awaited Planning and Development Approval Process Study.
Consultants have worked to perform a deep-dive assessment of LFUCG’s current planning process, in order to understand how efficient and competitive the city’s planning processes are. The review team met with city staff, developers, and resident stakeholders to gather feedback. Some of the feedback includes:
Poor communication and lack of clarity on process expectations, which often leads to unexpected, lengthy, and expensive project delays for developers.
Confusion around the Placebuilder Tool
The Placebuilder is a system of recommended zones, building designs, and goals for developments within certain areas, or types of areas, in Lexington. Developers are encouraged to follow the Placebuilder’s recommendations and show how their development fits within the goals of The Placebuilder.
Planning Commission Work Session meetings are not live-streamed or recorded, and many meetings occur at inaccessible times of the day
Accela, the City’s system to submit and store development applications and records, is not very user-friendly for developers or members of the public to track projects.
The draft report of the study includes ten recommendations for changes that may help address some concerns. The Planning Commission and City Council will both hear a presentation and discuss recommendations, including:
Reconfiguring Placebuilder to make it easier for developers to understand how to comply with it
Make it easier for infill and redevelopment projects to be approved
Bring more transparency and accessibility to the planning process, including moving meeting times to make it easier for the public to attend, livestream meetings, and more
Create a new Development Liaison position to help developers navigate the planning process
You can view the full presentation here. You can also read through the entire report here.
The Planning Commission will hold a special meeting on this study on Tuesday June 27, 2023 at 10am in Council Chambers. This meeting may or may not be live streamed, but you can attend in-person.
City Council will hear their presentation on this study on Tuesday June 27, 2023 at 3pm in Council Chambers. You can attend in person or watch live on LexTV.
