Urban Service Boundary Draft Expansion Map Released
At September 19th’s meeting, the Urban Growth Management (UGM) Advisory Committee finalized a draft Urban Service Boundary expansion map based on what they heard from the community at their public input session.
The public input session largely consisted of property owners in the recommended expansion areas stating whether or not they wanted their properties included in the expanded Urban Service Boundary. Staff noted that they received significant written communications from property owners expressing their willingness to develop.
So, where’s expansion proposed to happen? The Advisory Committee chose six areas around Parkers Mill and Man O’ War, Royster Road near Winchester Road, and sections between Todds Road and Athens-Boonesboro Road. You can view the areas in the map below.
The combined acreage of these six areas totals 3,012 acres — but only 2,801 acres are able to be developed. This meets the minimum expansion requirement of 2,700 acres set by Council.
You might notice the area near Winchester Road that was previously area C was reduced and split into two parts. This was because the landowners along Royster Road between areas 2 and 3 have no interest in selling or developing their properties.
Since the draft map has been finalized, the UGM’s work is finished and they are no longer meeting.
Later in the week, the UGM’s map was presented to the Planning Commission. Planning Commission members expressed concerns about the feasibility of building affordable housing in some of these locations and achieving some of the goals concerning complete neighborhoods in the Comprehensive Plan.
What’s next? The Planning Commission will hear public comment on this draft map at their next meeting on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 1:30pm in Council Chambers. You can attend in person or watch live on LexTV.
They will have a couple of weeks to consider any comments before taking a final vote to accept, reject, or revise this map at their meeting on Thursday, October 12th. After that, a consultant will begin work on an Expansion Area Master Plan.
