2026-10-06 - Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted.

Work session at 3:00 PM; all 16 members present, including Mayor Gorton. No public comment is recorded.
Two rezonings were sent to the docket for the October 8 Council meeting: 512 and 518 E. Main St. (without hearing) and 2501 Sir Barton Way (with a hearing on November 17 at 6 PM). Both votes were unanimous.
The drive-through facilities item was amended twice and sent to docket, unanimous.
Two Kelley's Landing grant applications ($250,000 and $1,000,000) went to docket, unanimous.
The Old Frankfort Pike quarry lease was referred to the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee by majority vote; Brown voted no.
The September 15 work session summary, budget amendments, appointments, donations and procurements were approved to docket.
About 35 administrative items (stormwater grants, sole-source purchases, road and sewer contracts) were approved to docket, nearly all on Sevigny's motion seconded by Wu, all unanimous.

Zone change from Professional Office (P-1) to Downtown Frame Business (B-2A), 0.509 net acres at 512 and 518 E. Main St. (Council District 3). Planning staff recommendation noted as conditional approval 7-1, with objectors.
Eblen moved, Wu seconded, to approve and refer to docket without hearing; unanimous. Objectors must be heard by November 25, 2026.

Zone change from P-1 to Medium Density Residential (R-4), 4.724 acres at 2501 Sir Barton Way (Council District 6). Planning recommendation noted as approval 7-2, with objectors.
Higgins-Hord moved, Morton seconded, to docket with a public hearing on November 17, 2026 at 6 PM; unanimous.

General Government and Planning Committee item of September 8. Amended on motions by Elliott Baxter (second Curtis) and Lynch (second Hale), both unanimous, then approved to docket on Sheehan's motion (second Elliott Baxter).

Grant application for $250,000 under the Kentucky Recreational Trails Program: Boone moved, Morton seconded; unanimous.
Grant application for $1,000,000 under the Land and Water Conservation Fund: Boone moved, Reynolds seconded; unanimous. Local match for both to be provided by Bluegrass Community Foundation donors.

Proposed lease to Vulcan Construction Materials for stone extraction beneath government property: 10 years with three 10-year renewals, royalty of 5.00 percent of the average sell price per ton, minimum $100,000 a year for the first two years, no cost to the government.
Reynolds moved, Beasley seconded, to refer it to the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee; passed by majority, Brown opposed.

To docket: Change Order No. 2 with MAC Construction for the North Elkhorn Force Main Relocation (up $162,011.73 to $1,085,290.80, reimbursed by the state transportation cabinet); a SCADA sole-source support purchase ($65,110.40); a UV disinfection change order with Herrick Company (up $68,661.95 to $15,784,595.45).

To docket: acceptance of a $50,000 Blue Grass Community Foundation grant and an agreement supporting the Martin Luther King Boulevard Complete Streets Project, no matching funds required.

Stormwater Quality Projects incentive grants for several community groups; a Berea Road repaving agreement with the state ($223,000 plus a $56,000 local match); a Love to Ride bicycling platform agreement (up to $28,500); and a Computer-Aided Dispatch upgrade ($52,090).