Council to weigh zone change for 10-story student apartment building. What are its options?

During its work session on Tuesday, November 17th, Council will review a zone change request for a proposed student housing development that would be located on East High Street, between Hagerman Court and Stone Avenue.

As the Lexington Herald-Leader previously reported, in late October, the Planning Commission voted against the request in a unanimous 5-0 decision. According to the Herald-Leader, Chicago-based developer Up Campus Student Living is pursuing plans for a 10-story apartment building and three townhomes that would add more than 750 beds but require demolishing several homes in the area.

A separate student housing project by developer Core Spaces has demolished other homes in the area, raising concerns from some residents about historic preservation and displacement, Lex18 reported.

As the legislative branch of Lexington's local government, the Urban County Council has the final say on zone change requests and changes to local zoning laws (called ordinances).

Below, we break down the potential routes Council could take when considering this request, along with how you can share your perspective with Councilmembers, if you choose to.

What options does Council have when considering the zone change?

According to Planning Director James Duncan, Council has three options it can take when considering this zone change request:

1. Council could choose to approve or deny the zone change request without holding its own public hearing in addition to the public hearing the Planning Commission previously held. If Council followed this route, it would likely take a final vote on the zone change at its December 1st Council meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m.
2. Alternatively, Council could decide it wants to hold a second public hearing on the issue. It could accept the Planning Commission's recommendation to deny the zone change or make a different decision. If Council took this path, a second public hearing would likely take place in the middle of January.
3. Council could also choose not to take action on the Planning Commission's recommendation or on any additional appeal from the applicant or residents. The Planning Commission's recommendation to deny the request would stand after January 20th – 90 days from the previous public hearing the Planning Commission held on the issue.

How to make your voice heard on this issue

You can share your perspective on the proposed zone change by emailing your Councilmember. You can also speak in-person during public comment at a Council work session or Thursday Council meeting.

• Every Lexington resident has four Councilmembers who represent them – one district representative and three At-Large Councilmembers. You can find your Councilmembers and contact their offices through this link.
• You can sign up for public comment at any Council work session meeting – held on Tuesdays at 3 p.m. – or at a Thursday Council meeting, which begin at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in Lexington's downtown Government Center, located at 200 East Main Street. A Council liaison stationed outside of the meeting room will help you sign up. More information about giving public comment is available at this link.