In a previous vote, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended that Council reject the zone change for the Up Campus student housing development. Council has the final say.
On Tuesday, November 17th, Council will review recommendations for Lexington's stormwater management system based on an analysis of flooding from June's heavy storms.
Lexington experienced its fourth-rainiest June in city history with 10.61 inches of rain for the month. The heavy rain resulted in various road closures, evacuations, and high-water rescues.
Tuesday's presentation to the Environmental Quality and Public Works (EQPW) Committee takes a close look at a stretch between June 8 and June 30. During these weeks, LexCall received 193 stormwater reports, 156 of which were directly related to flooding, the presentation shows. The rain flooded 40 structures, washed out 86 streets, and heavily affected the Ashland area and a corridor between Harrodsburg and Nicholasville Roads.
The worst of the month’s damage occurred on June 22. A downtown rain gauge captured 2.85 inches of rain over 8.5 hours. However, advanced weather radar showed that in some spots, rain fell at a rate of 6.5 inches per hour. This overwhelmed older infrastructure, which was built before the city’s Stormwater Manual guidelines were introduced in 2001.
To address these challenges, the division will update the committee on its Stormwater Priority List, which details approximately 30 capital projects required by a federal Consent Decree to evaluate and fix flood-prone areas.
The presentation notes that projects in Joyland and Cooper Drive were recently completed, work is in progress at Mentelle Park, and future advancements will take place in Idle Hour, Gainesway, Lane Allen/Darien, Hume Road, South Elkhorn, and Southland Drive.
This map notes where structures and streets were impacted by the flood and where remaining stormwater priority projects are taking place.
Looking ahead, the presentation offers immediate next steps for the city. They include: Updating the 311 reporting system for stormwater, continuing minor repairs through the rehabilitation program, tracking upcoming NOAA weather data, and requesting funding in Fiscal Year 2028 to update the city’s 2012 Stormwater Severity Scoring System.
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Learn more: You can learn more by reviewing the presentation here, or watch the meeting on LexTV.
James is a Civic and Community Reporter with CivicLex. James is a part of Report for America, which supports journalists in local newsrooms, with support from Press Forward Blue Grass.
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