Drag racing ordinance returns to Council committee. See what changed

On Tuesday, October 20th, Council's Social Services and Public Safety Committee will once again review a draft ordinance cracking down on street races and reckless driving displays – though the proposal has undergone some changes.

The committee reviewed an initial draft of the ordinance during its August 11th meeting, which came before the body as a recommendation of Lexington's STREEET Safety Task Force.

District 9 Councilmember Whitney Elliott Baxter backed the ordinance as a response to resident complaints, and it's modeled after a similar law Louisville passed in 2022.

However, when Council's Social Services and Public Safety Committee got its first look at the proposal in August, some Councilmembers questioned how it would be enforced and whether its penalties went too far.

What's changed in the latest version?

Red-line edits to the ordinance and an upcoming presentation to the committee show several proposed changes.

Examples include:

• Striking language that described people who engage in street racing and reckless driving displays as "rowdy, uncivil, [or] intimidating".
• Removing a provision that would have allowed for 30-day vehicle impoundment for a first offense. The $2,250 penalty for a first offense has also been reduced to a $1,500 civil citation. 60-day vehicle impoundment is on the table for follow-up offenses, along with a $4,500 penalty.
• In the initial draft, event coordinators or promoters faced a fine of $1,000 for a first offense and up to $2,000 for each follow-up offense. The latest draft removes that as a separate violation, nullifying the penalty.
• Removing a process that allowed for notice of future vehicle impoundment. Now, if impoundment occurs for repeat offenses, it occurs at the time of the violation or immediately afterward.

What's next?

Committee members will discuss the ordinance and could choose to make further changes. The item could also remain with the Social Services and Public Safety Committee for further review.

If committee members choose to advance the ordinance, it will go before the full Council for review at a future Work Session. From there, it could be sent to Council for a first and second reading by the body, which is required before any ordinance or resolution can be adopted.